WS Chronicle

In above photo:  Members of the Winston-Salem City Council take a break with U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, who is wearing the hat. Council members are: (L-R) Derwin L. Montgomery, Mayor Allen Joines, Denise “D.D.” Adams, Molly Leight, Jeff McIntosh and Robert C. Clark. (Photo by Nikki Baldwin)

By Nikki Baldwin

For the Chronicle

On the morning of Monday, July 20, U.S. Rep. Alma Adams (D-12th) joined several council members in a special City Council meeting in the Public Works Conference room in City Hall.

The meeting started with the council members thanking Adams for attending the council meeting.

Then Adams discussed her serious concern with the Hunger Initiative.

Adams discussed the roundtable meeting that was held at the food bank in Winston-Salem that aims to work with children in poverty.

Adams then discussed participating in the SNAP challenge with her daughter.

She explained learning about the difficulties the people face trying to live off of SNAP and expressed her own difficulties, because she is diabetic.

North Ward Council Member Denise “D.D” Adams also expressed her concern for the Hunger Initiative, which she said she is passionate about.

Council members discussed the workshops that consisted of roundtable discussions about talks on feeding people and how to move forward where results can be measured one year from now that the people can actually see.

Adams said, “living off of $4 a day is difficult, especially when you include the tax when shopping, which makes a difference.”

She explained the search for organizations to partner with that will help with the initiative.

The renovation of Union Station was then discussed when Adams was given an update.

Union Station, which is still in the design phase, could later become a long-distance passenger rail, which can be accomplished if funding from a certain grant is received.

It will help develop the station to its full capacity.

Mayor Allen Joines discussed the Youth Bill grant about connecting with Forsyth Tech and the different ways to make training for jobs more relevant to today.

Council member Derwin Montgomery talked about the bill as well.

He expressed tailoring programs that coincide with the need of today’s local economy.

Council Member Robert C. Clark talked about his own difficulty with finding employees for his manufacturing company, which differs from the jobs of our fathers, because of the high volume of computer work involved today.

Adams ended the meeting discussing the HBCU (historically black colleges and universities) caucus, which consists of 52 members, and how there is national dialogue about the importance of the schools.

Adams then expressed the need for Pell Grants for students year round and talked about working with members of the White House with the hope of more students getting the opportunity.

The meeting was attended by: Joines; Earlene Parmon, director of outreach for Adams’ office; Clark, West Ward council member; Jeff McIntosh, Northwest Ward council member; Leslie Mozingo, Washington lobbylist; Molly Leight, South Ward council member; Lee D. Garity, city manager; Angela L. Carmon, city attorney; Denise D. Adams, North Ward; Montgomery, East Ward council member; firefighters; and members of the Police Department.