Forsyth County will hold one monthly evening meeting after 5–2 vote

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners voted 5–2 on Dec. 4, 2025, to adopt a 2026 meeting schedule that adds one monthly evening meeting to the calendar.

Commissioner Bessie moved to adopt Option 2 — monthly evening meetings — and the motion drew detailed discussion. Commissioners debated alternatives including holding all meetings at 6 p.m., limiting evening sessions to rezonings or budget hearings, or keeping quarterly evening meetings with special‑meeting provisions. A substitute motion to hold all meetings at 6 p.m. failed 2–5. Another substitute to preserve quarterly evening meetings but schedule a predictable special evening meeting for rezonings was discussed; staff noted rezonings would need to be advertised as special meetings.

Public commenters supported evening meetings and urged the board to track attendance as a metric. Suzanne Epermanis, who said she had attended previous evening meetings, told the board the change “opened up participation regardless of whether people start packing the room” and suggested staff measure attendance to inform future scheduling. Marcy West, a candidate for commissioner, said evening meetings increase public visibility and recommended a short decorum reminder at meeting starts.

Board members who opposed a full shift to evenings warned it could confuse the public and said many hearings already draw evening attendance for specific items such as rezonings; proponents said one monthly evening meeting would be clearer and more predictable. Commissioners also agreed they could revisit the schedule if decorum problems persisted. The schedule change takes effect in 2026.