Web-only Scuttlebutt

by Keith T. Barber and Jordan Green

Davenport selected to succeed brown on Forsyth school board

John Davenport, a Republican, was selected by the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School Board to succeed board member Geneva Brown, who stepped down last month due to health concerns, during a special meeting on May 3.

The board interviewed three finalists for the District 1 position during last week’s meeting before making the appointment. Davenport, Deanna Taylor and April Broadway were named the three finalists from a field of eight candidates. Taylor is the wife of Winston-Salem City Councilman James Taylor.

The vote fell along party lines with the six Republicans on the board — chairman Donny Lambeth, Jane Goins, Buddy Collins, Jill Tackaberry, Jeannie Metcalf and Marilyn Parker — voting for Davenport. Democratic members Vic Johnson and Elisabeth Motsinger split their votes between the two Democrats, Taylor and Broadway.

The board had to come up with a method for selecting Brown’s successor due to the fact that in 2009, the NC General Assembly passed a law to make school board elections nonpartisan. Before 2009, the leadership of the outgoing school board member’s political party would appoint their replacement.

“I welcome Mr. Davenport to the board and I look forward to working with him,” Motsinger said. “Our focus has to be on what’s best for our kids. The issues we face as a board for the most part are not partisan issues and therefore, we’re all going to focus predominantly on what’s best for kids, and I assume that’s what Mr. Davenport is going to do.” — KTB

Guilford’s mental health agency considers merger with other counties
The Guilford Center, the local management entity charged with overseeing the county’s mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse services, is considering joining forces with equivalent agencies in Durham, Cumberland and Johnston counties as part of a state-initiated restructuring of Medicaid services for behavioral health. A stakeholder meeting on the potential merger is scheduled for Thursday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Stanford L. Warren Library, located at 1201 Fayetteville St. in Durham. — JG

Bike-to-work week activities scheduled in Winston-Salem
The Winston-Salem Transportation Department is partnering with local businesses and organizations to host “bike-to-work week” on May 16-20 with activities at different sites throughout the week, including Cobblestone Farmers Market, Baptist Hospital, Gold’s Gym and the Forsyth County Government Center. Cyclists will free mechanical inspections, refreshments and advice. For more information, visit cityofws.org/Home/Departments/Transportation/Biking/Articles/Biking. ­— JG