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Employee Handbook

Section I - General Information

Section I Topics: Introduction Mission Statement A Brief History of Forsyth County Description of Forsyth County Government News Media Community Resources

INTRODUCTION
This employee handbook summarizes the general rules, regulations, and policies of Forsyth County as they relate to those employees who are appointed by the Board of Commissioners and by the County Manager, as well as to those employees in the Public Health, Register of Deeds, Sheriff, Social Services and Tax Departments for whom and to the extent the Department Heads of said departments have adopted said rules, regulations and policies.

Department Heads have the authority to establish rules, regulations, policies and expectations for their own department within the scope of those contained in this handbook. Examples include appropriate dress, attendance and flex time.

This handbook supersedes any prior version or edition of the Forsyth County Employee Handbook for current use.

MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Forsyth County Government is to help create a community that is safe and healthy, convenient and pleasant to live in, with educational and economic opportunities for everyone. We cooperate with many other public agencies and community organizations in this mission.

We provide certain services and functions that are responsibilities of all county governments, and other services that the Board of Commissioners has determined to be necessary and appropriate. We are committed to providing quality services, efficiently and effectively, with courteous attention to the opinions and needs of individual citizens.
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF FORSYTH COUNTY
Forsyth County began as a Moravian settlement in 1753 when Bishop August Gottlieb Spangenberg acquired a hundred thousand acre tract of land from Lord Granville, one of the lord proprietors of North Carolina. The Moravians called their land Wachovia after the Austrian estate of Count Nicholas Lewis von Zinzendorf, an early protector of the Moravian church.

After the two settlements of Bethabara and Bethania were established, the town of Salem was begun in 1766 as the central town in Wachovia. Salem grew rapidly both as a religious center and as a center for crafts and trades.

In 1849, the North Carolina legislature created the new County of Forsyth out of part of Stokes County. Forsyth County was named in honor of Colonel Benjamin Forsyth, a respected landowner in Stokes County. Colonel Forsyth distinguished himself in battle during the war of 1812 at Odelltown, Canada, where he was mortally wounded. In 1851, the town of Winston was named as the County seat. The Courthouse Square was laid one mile north of Salem Square with plans for the streets of the two towns to run together.

In 1949, Willie H. Johnson, Jr., a Carver High School student, designed the Forsyth County seal during a contest to celebrate the County’s centennial.

Forsyth County has progressed from its rustic past to a modern community that offers a variety of services to its citizens.
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DESCRIPTION OF FORSYTH COUNTY GOVERNMENT
The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners is composed of seven members elected by Forsyth County citizens for staggered four-year terms. At the first regular meeting in December each year, the Board elects a chair and vice-chair from among its members for a one-year term. Regular meetings are held at 7:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. The Commissioners also meet for briefings at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday afternoons. The public is welcome to attend these meetings.

The Commissioners consider ordinances and resolutions that establish County policies and levy taxes. They also make appointments to boards, committees and commissions and set levels of service provided to Forsyth County residents. The County acts as a co-administrative unit with the State in the areas of public health, social services and education.

The Commissioners appoint a County Manager as the administrative head of Forsyth County Government. The County Manager supervises the day-to-day operations of all departments under the general direction of the Commissioners. Forsyth County Government has a broad scope of responsibilities and includes the departments of Animal Control, Interagency Communications, Emergency Medical Services, Fire, Sheriff, Environmental Affairs, Public Health, Social Services, Youth Services, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Services, Public Library, Parks and Recreation, Tanglewood, Housing, Budget and Management, Management Information Services, Finance, General Services, Human Resources, Attorney, Board of Elections, County Manager, Register of Deeds, and Tax.
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NEWS MEDIA
Forsyth County has a policy of cooperation with all branches of the news media as they strive to provide citizens with an accurate account of the activities of County government. To ensure the consistency of any statements to the media, you are asked to refer all requests for information to your Department Head.
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COMMUNITY RESOURCES
FIRST Line, a program of the Forsyth County Public Library, provides a comprehensive information and referral database. If you have a question about where to go to obtain almost any kind of service in our community, give FIRST Line a call during regular business hours at 703-3000 or visit their website 24 hours a day at http://www.firstline.ws.
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