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2026-09-14 - Utility Commission

Summary

Chair Tom Griffin presided with ten members present; Simpson Brown and Gary Styers joined virtually, John Davenport was absent, and Elwood Robinson attended (a new name on the roster). No one spoke in public comment. Director updates included 65 staff vacancies, FEMA ICS 300 training, a discussion on fluoride (no detail recorded) and a list of community events. The commission approved items 1 through 6 together (McRae moved, Doughton seconded), adding that item 5, the water meter box purchase, is a one-year contract renewable for four years. The items were the August 10 minutes, developer water and sewer agreements for nine projects (about $1.64 million water, $3.06 million sewer, developer-paid), the $9,163,764.50 construction contract with Garney Companies for the Tanglewood Force Main Replacement, a $2,301,430 per year on-call fire hydrant replacement contract with A&D Enterprises (up to about $6.9 million over three years), a $1,917,300 meter box purchase from Core & Main, and a $291,000 Black & Veatch amendment for the Bowen Thomas Outfall Upsizing (total fee $704,000). Ricky Ruvio gave the financial update on fourth-quarter pre-audit results. The meeting adjourned at 1:20 p.m.

Summary written from the September 14 minutes as printed in the October 12 meeting packet, plus the September 14 agenda packet; no transcript yet.

Issues discussed: Tanglewood Force Main Replacement, Bowen Thomas Outfall Upsizing

Official Minutes

Minutes of the September 14, 2026 regular meeting, as they appear in the October 12 agenda packet for approval. Page headers removed.

A regular meeting of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utility Commission was held Monday,
September 14, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. on the fifth floor of the Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building,
100 East First Street, in the Arnold G. King Public Meeting Room, with Chair Tom Griffin
presiding.

CALL TO ORDER

Chair Tom Griffin

ROLL CALL

MEMBERS PRESENT:        Tom Griffin, Chair; Simpson Brown (virtual); Stephen Doughton; Stan
                        Forester; Yvonne Hines; Hugh Jernigan; Calvin McRae; Elwood
                        Robinson; Gary Styers (virtual); Charles Wilson

MEMBERS ABSENT:         John Davenport

MISSION MOMENT:         Sarah Beth McAvoy, Assistant Utilities Field Operations Manager

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD:

       The public comment period is a time where citizens can address the Utility Commission
       on matters or concerns that are germane to utilities. Comments should pertain to issues
       that are relevant only to utilities.

       Each speaker will be given the opportunity of five minutes for comment. The Utility
       Commission may or may not respond to comments at the meeting but may respond at
       a later date or ask staff to follow up.

Seeing no one wishing to speak, Chair Tom Griffin closed the public comment period.

UTILITIES DIRECTOR UPDATES:

   -   65 Vacancies
   -   FEMA ICS 300 Training
   -   Discussion on Fluoride
   -   Coffee with the City – August 26
   -   City of Winston-Salem University (CWSU) – August 27

   -   Let's Chat Happy Hill – September 10
   -   Internation Village Food & Music Festival – September 12
   -   50-year Celebration – September 16
   -   WS/FC School Careers on Wheels – September 18
   -   City Services Expo & Community Conversation –September 24

THE FOLLOWING AGENDA ITEMS WERE PRESENTED FOR ADOPTION/DISCUSSION:

   1. APPROVAL OF REGULAR MEETING MINUTES August 10, 2026

   2. CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF VARIOUS
      AGREEMENTS REGARDING PROPOSED WATER AND SANITARY SEWER
      IMPROVEMENTS TO BE INSTALLED WITHIN VARIOUS DEVELOPMENTS

   3. CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AWARDING A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR
      THE TANGLEWOOD FORCE MAIN REPLACEMENT PROJECT

   4. CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AWARDING AN ON-CALL CONTRACT FOR FIRE
      HYDRANT REPLACEMENTS

   5. CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AWARDING A PURCHASE ORDER FOR WATER
      METER BOXES AND LIDS

   6. CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE
      PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH BLACK & VEATCH FOR
      THE BOWEN THOMAS OUTFALL PROJECT

MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS 1-6, WITH THE CAVEAT ADDED TO ITEM 5 THAT IT IS A ONE-YEAR
CONTRACT THAT IS RENEWABLE FOR FOUR YEARS:

       Commissioner McRae:               Moved approval
       Commissioner Doughton:            Seconded             Motion carried

Financial Updates – Ricky Ruvio, Assistant Director Business Services

Ricky gave the Commission an overview of the fourth quarter end-of-year pre-audits, financial
summaries, revenues and expenditures for water, wastewater and solid waste.

ADJOURNMENT

       There being no further business to come before the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County
       Utility Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 1:20 p.m.

Recording Clerk – Beth Broom

Agenda

Regular meeting, 12:00 P.M. Call to order; roll call; mission moment; public comment period; Utilities Director updates.

General agenda

  1. Approval of regular meeting minutes August 10, 2026
  2. Resolution authorizing execution of various developer water and sanitary sewer agreements. Nine projects, all developer-paid: 12806 WSSU Hauser Hall; 12819 Reserve at Old Hollow Phase 2; 12842 Peters Creek Townhomes Phase 2; 12849 Linville Springs; 12850 Springvale Hill Extension; 12853 Dynamic Marble and Granite; 12855 Swaim Meadows Phase 2; 12857 Speaks Stratford Rd. Sewer Extension; 12862 Welden Village Center CB4. Totals $1,643,650 water and $3,061,710 sewer.
  3. Resolution awarding a construction contract for the Tanglewood Force Main Replacement (about 19,980 feet of 20-inch force main): six bids from $9,163,764.50 (Garney Companies, Garner NC) to $11,618,311; engineer's estimate $9,994,050; recommended award to Garney with $458,188 contingency.
  4. Resolution awarding an on-call contract for fire hydrant replacements: six bids; A&D Enterprises, Lexington NC, low at $2,301,430 per year, with two optional 12-month extensions (about $6,904,290 over three years).
  5. Resolution awarding a purchase order for water meter boxes and lids: two bids; Core & Main, LP low at $1,917,300 for July 2026 to July 31, 2027.
  6. Resolution approving an amendment to the Black & Veatch engineering agreement for the Bowen Thomas Outfall Upsizing: $291,000 added to a $413,000 agreement (September 2025), total $704,000, because shallow rock and pipe depth made pipe bursting infeasible for most of the outfall.

Financial update (Ricky Ruvio); adjournment.

Transcript

Transcript pending: video captions can't be retrieved yet (see the Winston-Salem playbook).