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Guilford County
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Chair· 2024–2028 (cycle default: NC terms begin first Monday in December)

Melvin "Skip" Alston

Guilford County

About

Melvin 'Skip' Alston's platform centers on regional collaboration and investing in critical infrastructure to successfully manage and support Guilford County's future growth.

Campaign promises (1)

  • infrastructure
    Melvin 'Skip' Alston stressed collaboration and the development of infrastructure to support Guilford County's future growth.
    Related votes

At a glance

News mentions
1

Term ending Dec 4, 2028.

Voice

Meetings spoken in
18
Total speaking time
3:01:01
Avg per meeting
10:03
Segments
4323

Want every word Alston has said?

The OpenCity MCP for Claude.ai answers questions like “what has Alston said about housing this year” with one prompt — full speaking history, with YouTube timestamps.

Top issues during term (20)

critical↓Apr 2026[30]

Data Center Moratorium and Clean Energy Advocacy

Potential impact on future industrial tax base and high capital investment requirements for electrical and cooling infrastructure.

high↑Oct 2026[22]

State Constitutional Amendments Impact on Public Schools

Potential state revenue constraints affecting local public school funding.

medium↑Aug 2026[21]

Piedmont Memorial Cemetery Maintenance and Ownership

critical↑Jan 2026[13]

10-Year Capital Improvement Plan & Facility Upgrades

Capital expenditure for construction, to be detailed when the contract is brought back for approval.

high↓Sep 2026[10]

Residential Rezoning Denial at 645 NC Highway 62 East

Null

medium↑Apr 2026[10]

law enforcement investigation

Local taxpayers avoid the hefty legal costs of a prolonged criminal trial.

critical↓Jan 2026[8]

FY2027 County Budget and Strategic Priorities

Total general fund expenditures of $935,455,000 with a recommended tax rate of 61.9 cents per $100 valuation.

critical↓Jun 2026[7]

Health & Human Services Agency Consolidation

Involves a nearly 90% loss in state revenue for the program and requires county investment to maintain services for uninsured clients.

medium↓Aug 2026[6]

Overhauled economic incentive guidelines

Incentive dollars are taxpayer-funded tax refunds; the changes aim to make sure every dollar tied to a deal actually gets repaid with jobs and investment.

medium↑Oct 2026[5]

pedestrian plaza project

Project costs might shift depending on how long the pilot stays on hold and what changes people want made.

medium↓Sep 2026[5]

C-PACE Program Resolution of Intent

No public funds involved; financed entirely via private capital providers secured through voluntary property assessments.

high↓Sep 2026[5]

Piedmont Triad International Airport Terminal Renovation Bonds

Up to $300 million in revenue bonds issued by PTAA, paid entirely through airport operational revenues, user fees, and passenger facility charges with zero county tax impact.

medium↑Nov 2025[5]

election results

Your local property taxes and city service budgets will be directly shaped by the spending priorities of these newly elected officials.

high↓Sep 2026[5]

Community-Based Organization Funding Revision

Restructures the distribution timeline and administrative requirements for local nonprofit grants.

medium↑Jan 2026[5]

road maintenance

This tech upgrade helps the city use plows more efficiently, which could save money on wasted salt and fuel.

high↓Sep 2026[5]

Employee Benefits and Health Plan Sustainability

Requires general fund transfers and reserve utilization to maintain the health fund's solvency.

critical↓Sep 2026[5]

Employee Health Benefits Fund Sustainability

Projected annual cost increases of approximately $4 million requiring proactive fiscal adjustments.

high↓Sep 2026[5]

North Carolina Railway Project Construction and Closures

None directly reported for county operating funds, though coordination required staff resources.

high↓Aug 2026[5]

County legislative priorities for 2027 long session

The SNAP/FNS penalty could cost the county roughly $12.5 million next year if state rules aren't changed; GTCC would gain $22.5 million in state money if the ask succeeds.

high↓Aug 2026[5]

State budget law (SB 257) changes to county operations

The budget adds a new state building code regulatory fee and shifts costs like Medicaid and juvenile detention that counties must absorb.

Decisions during term (237)

Recorded while Alston was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.

Voting record (168)

162 yes3 no3 abstained

Oldest to newest — hover a bar for the item.

Voted noOct 1, 2026

Conditional Rezoning Denial for 5731 Coble Church Road (Case #26-06-PLBD-00023)

AbstainedSep 17, 2026

to approve an amendment to the Greensboro/Guilford County Tourism Development Authority FY 2026-2027 budget to appropriate unassigned convention/tourism promotion fund balance for a dry-land training

Voted yesSep 17, 2026

Conditional Rezoning Case #26-02-PLBD-00011 (645 NC Highway 62 East)

Voted noSep 17, 2026

to deny the request to conditionally rezone the subject property located at 645 NC Highway 62 East (Guilford County Tax Parcel #132505, Fentress Township), comprising approximately 26.09 acres, from A

Voted yesSep 17, 2026

direct staff to provide high-risk case management services for eligible uninsured individuals.

Voted yesSep 17, 2026

authorize the County Manager to request a no-cost comprehensive programmatic and operational Peer Review of the Guilford County Planning Department Interlocal Agreements through the North Carolina Ass

Voted yesSep 17, 2026

direct staff to schedule a legislative public hearing for October 15th, 2026, to allow the Board to consider adopting an ordinance to establish a temporary moratorium of up to 180 days for any potenti

Voted yesSep 17, 2026

NCACC Review of Planning Interlocal Agreements and Fees

Voted yesSep 17, 2026

Care Management for At Risk Children (CMARC) and High-Risk Pregnancies (CMHRP) Transition

Voted yesSep 17, 2026

Data Center Development and Moratorium Public Hearing

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Motion was made by Commissioner Alan Perdue, and seconded by Commissioner Frankie T. Jones, Jr., to deny the request to conditionally rezone an approximate 3.72-acre portion of the subject property lo

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Motion was made by Commissioner Frankie T. Jones, Jr., and seconded by Commissioner Mary Beth Murphy, to adopt the Resolution of Intent to Adopt the Commercial Property Assessed Capital Expenditure (C

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Consent and Addendum Agendas Approval

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Piedmont Triad Airport Authority Revenue Bonds

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Motion was made by Commissioner Mary Beth Murphy, and seconded by Commissioner Carly Cooke, to adopt the updated Guilford County Federal Procurement Policies and Procedures in alignment with October 2

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Motion was made by Vice Chairwoman J. Carlvena Foster, and seconded by Commissioner Alan Perdue, to appoint Donna Bailey to serve as Assistant Tax Assessor to support continuity of service as backup t

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Motion was made by Vice Chairwoman J. Carlvena Foster, and seconded by Commissioner Mary Beth Murphy, to conduct the required public hearing to assess the value and need for a community transportation

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Motion was made by Vice Chairwoman J. Carlvena Foster, and seconded by Commissioner Frankie T. Jones, Jr., to consider and approve the following appointments and reappointments to various boards & com

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Motion was made by Commissioner Alan Perdue, and seconded by Commissioner Carly Cooke, to hold a closed session pursuant to N.C.G.S. §143-318.11(a)(3, 5 & 6) for the purposes of consulting with the Co

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Motion was made by Commissioner Carly Cooke, and seconded by Commissioner Kay Cashion, to adopt, in substantial form, and authorize staff to execute the Memorandum of Understanding between the North C

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Motion was made by Commissioner Pat Tillman, and seconded by Commissioner Carly Cooke, to hold a public hearing on the proposed issuance of not to exceed $300,000,000 in airport revenue bonds to be is

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Motion was made by Commissioner Carly Cooke, and seconded by Commissioner Kay Cashion, to conduct the required public hearing to assess the value and need for a community transportation system, and up

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Motion was made by Vice Chairwoman J. Carlvena Foster, and seconded by Commissioner Kay Cashion, to adopt the consent and addendum agendas.

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Section 5310 Transportation Grant Application

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Section 5311 Transportation Grant Application

Voted noSep 3, 2026

Conditional Rezoning Denial for 5143 Randleman Road

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

C-PACE Program Resolution of Intent

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Federal Procurement Policies and Procedures Update

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

NCDHHS / County Memorandum of Understanding (G.S. 108A-74)

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Appointments and Reappointments to Boards and Commissions

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Appointment of Assistant Tax Assessor

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

adopt the amended Community-Based Organization (CBO) regulation as presented.

Voted yesSep 3, 2026

Community-Based Organization (CBO) Regulation Adoption

Voted yesAug 6, 2026

amend and replace the resolution adopted by the Board on June 18, 2025 entitled "Resolution Calling for an Advisory Referendum concerning the levy of a One-Quarter (1/4) County Sales and Use Tax" by r

Voted yesAug 6, 2026

to adjourn the regular meeting.

Voted yesAug 6, 2026

consider and approve the following exception reappointments to various boards & commissions: Commission on Aging Reappoint Beverly Williams to 4th term (September 23, 2026 - September 22, 2029) Reappo

Voted yesAug 6, 2026

adopt the consent agenda.

Voted yesAug 6, 2026

authorize staff to take any and all necessary actions to amend project ordinances associated with the project readjustments or adopt necessary project ordinances.

Voted yesAug 6, 2026

Consent Agenda Adoption

Voted yesAug 6, 2026

Guilford County Schools Capital Project Amendment: Erwin Montessori School

Voted yesAug 6, 2026

Resolution to Conduct an Advisory Referendum on Sales and Use Tax

Voted yesAug 6, 2026

Exception Reappointments to Various Boards & Commissions

Voted yesAug 6, 2026

to adjourn the work session.

Voted yesAug 6, 2026

direct staff to submit identified legislative priorities to the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners and schedule a meeting with the local delegation prior to the start of the long sessi

Voted yesAug 6, 2026

Submit legislative priorities to NCACC and meet with local delegation

Voted yesJul 23, 2026

adopt the proposed conditions as presented

Voted yesJul 23, 2026

consider and approve the following appointments and reappointments to various boards & commissions

Voted yesJul 23, 2026

appoint Mr. Larry Standley (alternate Board of Adjustment member) as a regular member to the Guilford County Board of Adjustment

Voted yesJul 23, 2026

adopt the proposed conditions as presented

Voted yesJul 23, 2026

adopt the proposed zoning map amendment from AG to CZ-RS-30 and adopt the following plan consistency and reasonableness statements

In the news (1)