Joycelyn Johnson
Residential address: 2426 Edison Court, 27101
Incumbent or challenger? Challenger
Age: 64
Campaign website or blog: joycelynjohnson.com (link)
Occupation and employer: Community outreachcoordinator, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
Previous elective experience(including election campaigns): Winston-Salem City Council, 1993-2009
Civic and volunteerexperience (including service on local government commissions and boards): Community engagementco-chair, Creative Corridors Coalition; board of directors, Wake ForestInnovation Quarter; instructor for Forsyth County Sunday School Union and special worker for Forsyth County Missionary Union; board of directors, NC Stroke Association; Forsyth County Infant Mortality Reduction Coalition
Education (highest degreeattained and name of institution): BA in sociology, Bennett College
Party registration: Democrat
Where were you born? Winston-Salem
Paid consultants working oncampaign: None
Campaign manager: None
Treasurer: Horace A. Bonner
Articles about thiscandidate:
• Urban circulator, jobs and regional competition mark fault lines between candidates (link)’
• Winston-Salem City Council candidates in tight primaries come out swinging (link)
• Winston-Salem primary races shape up in East and West wards (link)’
The majority of Winston-Salem City Council declinedto intervene in Kalvin Michael Smith’s federal petition for a new trial althoughcitizens have requested that the city take responsibility for a flawed policeinvestigation that arguably undermined the judicial process leading to Smith’sconviction in the brutal beating of Jill Marker. What is your position on thismatter?
I think the two issues should have been severed.The city must take responsibility for its employees and find methods to preventthe same situation from reoccurring. The flaws should not occur. However, whenone exists, some form of restitution should be granted. The council is theexecutive/legislative branch of municipal government. Its judicial enforcementis extremely limited.
Do you support the proposed Urban Circulator(streetcar or enhanced bus) that would connect Baptist Hospital and East Winstonthrough downtown? Please explain why or why not.
An enhanced bus system is a more effective,flexible method of connecting the communities of East Winston, Baptist MedicalCenter and beyond. The #1 cross-town bus that transported residents from CarverRoad to Forsyth Hospital worked well in years past. The streetcar affordsextremely fixed routes.
What role does the city need to play in ensuringthat residents who live east of Highway 52 benefit from the development of theWake Forest Innovation Quarter?
Innovation Quarter is an integral part of EastWard. The city should continue to partner with residents in continuingcommunity engagement efforts that include sponsorships of workshops identifyingpotential general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers, support methods toprovide a trained workforce and provide periodic updates of the Quarter and itssurrounding communities.
City council has focused on revitalizing downtownover the past 10 years, most recently approving the first entertainmentdistrict in the city. Should the city continue to promote intensification ofshared commercial and residential uses in downtown or slow growth to protectexisting businesses and homeowners?
Some spacing regulations need should be consideredto protect the concerns of both the business and the homeowner. Intensificationshould not slow growth when effective plans are developed and implemented.
What role should city council play in the Business40 improvement project, including recommendations for traffic alignment throughdowntown when the project is completed?
The council adopted Creative Corridors Master Planand should work to implement the plan. This includes the enhancements for MLKing and surrounding communities. Work has already started with the existingimprovements on ML King, the conversion and transformation of 3rd, 4th,and 5th streets.
What is your position on the use of incentives topromote economic development? If you support incentives, why? If not, whatother tools does city government have for promoting job growth?
The net benefit of incentives has been positive.Hundreds of people were employed and retrained. The taxes paid and the capitaloutlay is tremendous. For thosecompanies that were not as successful as planned, those buildings have beenreused for other opportunities.
What is your proudest achievement?
Being a positive role model to my son and otheryouth in our community.
What’s your favorite way to unwind inWinston-Salem?
Reading, playing the piano or attending an outdoorevent.
