Forsyth County approves conditional, dollar-for-dollar forgiveness to address $5.03M school-system debt; debate centers on accountability

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners voted 5–2 on Oct. 9 to approve a resolution that allows conditional forgiveness of up to $5,026,336.90 that Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools (WSFCS) owes the county — provided privately raised funds are used, dollar-for-dollar, to repay the district’s outstanding debt to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and other creditors.

County attorney Gordon Watkins introduced the resolution and described its mechanics: privately raised funds would be forwarded “as soon as practicable to NCDPI to repay the NCDPI debt,” the county manager would verify repayments, and the county would forgive an equal portion of the county debt after NCDPI confirmed repayment. The resolution caps total county forgiveness at $5,026,336.90 and requires any forgiveness to occur on or before Dec. 31, 2025, unless the Board of Commissioners amends that deadline.

Watkins and county staff clarified the legal framing: the county’s claim is based on an interlocal agreement for services (nurses and school resource officers) and staff described the unpaid amounts as a county receivable caused by WSFCS failing to reimburse the county. County Manager Kirby Robinson said because the school system did not reimburse the county by Sept. 30, 2025, the amount will show on the county’s annual audit and reduce the county’s fiscal year 2025 fund balance.

The draft…