Board of Commissioners Briefing - Sep 14, 2026

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners held a briefing on September 14, 2026, covering a range of agenda items with a strong focus on procurement, budget amendments, and capital projects. Key procurement-related discussions included approval of a three-year contract with Granite Telecommunications LLC for replacing Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) lines, a vehicle telematics and automated vehicle location system contract awarded to Kerasoft Technology Corporation for $264,887, and an agreement with I3 Verticals LLC for website and operating system maintenance costing $68,578. Budget amendments were approved to transfer bond proceeds for Forsyth Tech Community College projects, including a $5.3 million transfer to the Learning Commons project, and to cover increased legal fees related to a 2026 limited obligation bond issuance. The board also authorized an interlocal agreement with Winston Salem Transit Authority to increase funding for non-emergency medical transportation services. Additionally, the commissioners discussed a resolution to declare surplus a 19.8-acre property with an initial offer of $142,300 and considered a lease amendment with North Carolina Baptist Hospital for public health clinic space. A significant portion of the meeting was devoted to an extensive presentation and discussion on data centers, including zoning classifications, water and wastewater capacity, energy infrastructure, and legal constraints on regulating data center development. The county attorney highlighted state law limitations on downzoning and moratoria, and a commissioner proposed scheduling a future discussion on a potential moratorium to pause new hyperscale data center approvals to allow time for further study and policy development. The board agreed to place this topic on the agenda for the September 28 meeting for further consideration.