• By Todd Luck
• Posted Thursday, March 19, 2020

Forsyth County makes social distancing changes, encourages use of online services

Forsyth County Government is taking actions to practice social distancing in response to CDC recommendations on novel coronavirus (COVID-19). All county departments remain open to serve the public, but residents are encouraged to use the county’s online services, found at www.forsyth.cc, or call to see if their needs can be met without coming to a county office. Here are changes individual departments are making and online resources they have for the public:

Animal Services

Beginning Tuesday, March 24, the Forsyth Humane Society is requiring appointments for all transactions. Please call the Country Club location at (336) 721-1303 if you are interested in adopting a pet. Please call the University North location at (336) 955-1750 to arrange a foster pick up, reclaim a pet or surrender an animal.

If you are looking for a lost pet, please check the Forsyth Humane Society’s website and view the stray animals. If you believe you see your lost animal, call to make an appointment.

For licensing payments, you can find those forms here. Please submit the forms with payment by mail or wait until Animal Services is able to resume normal operations to make your payment. During this period, Animal Services will be very lenient on late or unpaid County Pet Licenses.

Cooperative Extension

Cooperative Extension's building is no longer open to the public. Agents and staff are still providing advice, soil testing, insect identification, holding informational sessions via online platforms, and providing other services to the public. Bring your materials for testing and there will be a designated space at the facility for the samples to be deposited for staff to retrieve. Cooperative Extension staff are working with a rotating skeleton crew with some employees working onsite and others working remotely. To contact Cooperative Extension staff, please call (336) 703-2850 or visit http://forsyth.cc/CES/.

Community and Economic Development

Most Community and Economic Development staff are working from home. Those applying for housing rehabilitation, homeownership, and Small Business IDA programs should call 336-703-2680 so staff can help direct them on how to apply online. For those without internet access, staff can mail them the application form.

County Commissioners

The County Commissioners Briefing Session on March 26 at 2 p.m. will be conducted remotely. There will be no place where members of the public can physically attend the meeting. It will be broadcast live at 2 p.m. on WSTV 13. You will be able to view it later that day here.

Elections

Residents are strongly encouraged to visit www.fcvotes.com or call (336) 703-2800 to determine if their needs can be met without coming to the office. Voter registration forms, voter information, and absentee by-mail voting information can be found on the elections website.

Environmental Assistance and Protection

The office’s sale of radon kits is temporarily discontinued, but staff can help citizens identify ways to order them online if they call the office at (336) 703-2440.

The daily pollen report and forecast is temporarily discontinued.

We request that all potential applicants for asbestos demolition/renovation permits call the office instead of visiting in person. All regulatory reporting should be submitted to the agency electronically via email.

Fire

Fire code inspections are now restricted to construction enforcement, permits, imminent hazard inspections, and inspections that can be done observing the CDC recommendations.

General Services

All pick-ups for Hall of Justice ID Badges will be suspended until further notice.

Human Resources

County employment opportunities are listed online here and applications are only accepted online. For more information, call 336-703-2400.

Library

Libraries are closed to the public starting at 6 p.m.on March 17. Anyone with a valid Forsyth County Public Library card can reserve books and audiovisual materials online at www.forsythlibrary.org or by calling their local branch for later pickup in front of each library.

The library has extended the checkout period for books and audiobooks to five weeks with one five-week renewal. Fines on DVDs are waived until May 25. Books and materials may be returned at each branch’s exterior book return.

You can access the Forsyth County Public Library’s online publications here. The main library number is 336-703-BOOK (2665).

Parks and Recreation

All Forsyth County parks are open and operating normal park hours. The Champions Room Grill at the Tanglewood Clubhouse is now takeout only. You can make reservations for parks facilities here or call the Parks office (336) 703-2500. Tanglewood Park can be reached at (336) 703-6400 and its site is www.forsyth.cc/Parks/Tanglewood.

The Manor House at Tanglewood Park is only taking reservations over the phone for now in order to provide the necessary protective measures for the guest. The number for reservations is 336-703-6494.

Public Health

Forsyth County Public Health has a COVID-19 hotline, 336-582-0800, to answer the public's questions about the virus.

WIC- All in-person WIC classes and Nutrition education have been suspended Participants are encouraged to access online classes via wichealth.org. Those without internet access should call the WIC office at 336-703-3333 to request a live class over the phone. Please be prepared to confirm your telephone number and address.

Physical presence of babies under 2 months of age has been temporarily waived, so they are not required to come to the office. WIC employees will still need all the information from the guardian.

All weight checks can be delayed by one month and benefits can be loaded without you having to come to the office. Remember to call and let the WIC office know if you cannot make your next appointment.

Environmental Health- Environmental Health encourages all customers to mail completed applications, along with payment by check, to Forsyth County Department of Public Health, 799 Highland Avenue, Winston Salem, NC 27101.

Complete Onsite Water and Wastewater related material will be put in queue as of the postmark date. If material is incomplete then the entire package, including payment, will be returned.

If you are uncertain as to the best way to deliver material, please call 336-703-3225 for guidance.

Dental Clinic- The Cleveland Avenue Dental Clinic is postponing non-urgent, elective treatments and is only taking emergency visits. Elective treatments and immunocompromised patients are being rescheduled. The clinic can be reached at 336-703-3090.

Restaurant Inspections- Following the latest direction from NC DHHS, Forsyth County Public Health has transitioned from routine inspections of restaurants and bars to visiting establishments that are continuing to operate for the purpose of providing education and guidance. Complaint inspections will continue as usual.

Vital Records- Birth Certificates for Home Births and Affidavits are suspending appointments until further notice. Vital Records can be reached at 336-703-3108 for further questions.

The Public Health Department can be reached at 336-703-3100.

Register of Deeds

The office will continue to operate under normal business hours, but with some changes to help minimize person-to-person interaction. Couples looking to obtain a Marriage License need to make an appointment by calling 336-703-2700, and only parties to the marriage and interpreters should come into the office to complete the process. Only the requesting party for a Marriage License copy should come to the office. Customers are encouraged to order or apply for Marriage Licenses online at forsyth.cc/rod.

Out-of-County Birth requests, (EBRS) Amendments and Legitimations will be by appointment from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Documentation and proofs must be pre-approved.This may require more than one appointment.

The office will no longer offer Thank-A-Veteran Discount cards at this time.

Sheriff’s Office

The Sheriff’s Office has made changes at the Forsyth County Detention Center, including restricting public visitation except for attorneys, suspending all inmate programs, and checking detention staff and new arrestees for fever and signs of respiratory distress. The Sheriff’s Office number is 336-917-7001.

The Sheriff's Office will no longer be performing fingerprinting services until further notice. The office is still processing handgun permits, including concealed handgun permits (and will only perform fingerprint services for those permits).

Social Services

The Department of Social Services office remains open with core staffing in place, but with numerous changes:

All Medicaid and Food and Nutrition Services Applicants can apply on-line at epass.nc.gov, by mail, by phone at 336-703-3800, or in person at the agency.

If you already have active Medicaid, Medicaid Transportation or Food and Nutrition Services and you need to report a change, submit documentation, or have questions concerning your active case, you may call (336) 703-3800, or send a fax to 336-748-2842 or 336-748-3130, or send an email to customercare-user@forsyth.cc. The Adult Medicaid fax number is 336-727-8491.

The following services are closed to the public until further notice: Onsite DNA testing, services through The Employment Lab, Child Support group appointments and Program Integrity in-person interviews, Foster Parent interest meetings and training

Applications for Work First are available in the first floor lobby. Customers are asked to take an application and a return envelope and send it back to the agency. Please include a valid call back phone number. The application must be received by DSS as soon as possible so you can receive timely benefits. You can also sign the application and call for further instructions while in the agency at 336-703-3410. You can also email WorkFirstEA-user@forsyth.cc.

For more information, call 336-703-3800 or visit forsyth.cc/DSS.

Tax

You can research bills or pay bills online, view detailed property information for real estate, and access the Tax Parcel Viewer on the Tax Department’s website.

Payments can also be made over the phone by calling 1-877-215-0165. You will need to have your bill number and there is a convenience fee for payments over the phone. Payments can be mailed to Forsyth County Tax Collector, P.O. Box 82, Winston-Salem, NC 27102.

Residents can call the Tax Customer Care line at 336-703-2300. You can email requests for tax data to taxdata@forsyth.cc