CYRILJEFFERSON MAYOR
Cyril.Jefferson@highpointnc.gov
VICKIEMCKIVER WARD1
Vickie.McKiver@highpointnc.gov
PATRICKHARMAN WARD4
Patrick Harman@highpointnc gov
BRITTMOORE MEMBERATLARGE, MAYORPROTEM Britt.Moore@highpointnc.gov
TYRONEJOHNSON WARD2
Tyrone.Johnson@highpintnc.gov
TIMANDREW WARD5
Tim Andrew@highpointnc gov
CHRISWILLIAMS MEMBERATLARGE
Chris.Williams@highpointnc.gov
MONICAPETERS WARD3
Monica.Peters@highpointnc.gov
MICHAELHOLMES WARD6
Michael Holmes@highpointnc gov
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 19, the City of High Point was blessed to welcome Venerable monks into our community for a meaningful observance rooted in peace, reflection, and unity.
As the monks moved through the city during the Walk of Peace, their quiet presence invited residents to pause and reflect on the spiritual foundation of Dr. King’s work—love in action, nonviolence, and service to others. Their journey served as a living reminder that peace is not only a belief but a daily practice shaped by compassion, humility, and shared responsibility.
Dr. King often spoke of the “beloved community, ” a vision grounded in justice, dignity, and mutual care. The monks’ visit echoed this vision, offering a moment of stillness amid daily life and calling us to recommit ourselves to building a community where understanding and respect guide our actions.
The City of High Point is grateful to the Venerable monks and to all community members who participated in this sacred observance. As we honor Dr. King’s legacy, may we continue to walk forward together choosing peace, serving one another, and strengthening the spirit of our city.
The City of High Point proudly commemorated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2026 with a meaningful weekend of events, including a parade and Day of Service, which brought residents together to honor Dr. King’s legacy through service, reflection, and community engagement.
On Friday, January 16, the Human Relations division hosted the City’s fourth annual Day of Service to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Nearly forty City employees worked on five projects, including:
· Cleaning up litter along M.L.K. Jr. Dr. with Keep High Point Beautiful
· Packing grocery boxes for pick-up at West End Ministry’s pantry
· Marking storm drains to prevent water contamination with our Stormwater Division
· Serving food to unsheltered individuals with Acts Ministry of High Point
· Preparing housewares and assembling furniture with The Barnabas Furniture Bank
After a busy morning, volunteers were treated to a pizza lunch served by our City leadership team.
The Barnabas Furniture Bank is also partnering with us again to bring back our popular Housewares Drive. Through Friday, Feb. 16, employees can donate new or gently-used housewares to help families experiencing furniture poverty across the Piedmont Triad. Barnabas will provide those donations to qualified families and individuals to ensure they have a place to sit, a place to eat, and a place to sleep.
Community members participated in activities rooted in unity, equality, and collective responsibility. From moments of remembrance and dialogue to hands-on service opportunities, each event reinforced the importance of working together to build a stronger, more compassionate High Point.
Environmental Specialist
Miranda Jackson led several groups of volunteers in storm drain marking activities as part of the City of High Point’s MLK Day of Service.
Storm drain marking helps protect local waterways by reminding residents that everything entering a storm drain flows directly to a nearby creek or stream. Through Miranda’s leadership, the City is one step closer to achieving its goal of marking every storm drain to promote cleaner, healthier water.
Keep High Point Beautiful was proud to join with Wesleyan Christian Academy and D-UP in helping remove litter in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy of service.
The group from Wesleyan Christian braved temperatures in the 20’s a few days before Dr. King’s Day of Service and filled 14 bags with litter from Hickory Chapel Road. D-UP and Keep High Point Beautiful Youth Advisory Council members also worked in cold temperatures, cleaning up along Washington Street and filling eight bags with litter and debris. We are thankful for these groups that volunteer to make our community beautiful!
The Police Departm other City staff wh r storm. The clear, service afe and
By the end of the response period, all Priority 1 routes and many Priority 2 routes were cleared and safe for passage. Crews continued salting hills and known trouble areas, focusing on salt management as slick conditions were expected to persist for several days due to low temperatures.
The commitment, professionalism, and teamwork demonstrated by these essential employees highlight the City’s unwavering focus on public safety and community well-being, and reminds us all of the incredible people who keep High Point moving, even in the toughest inclement weather.
We’re proud to share that Kyle Thaggard, Assistant Director in the IT Services Department (which includes 911 Communications), has been nationally recognized as a recipient of CentralSquare’s inaugural “Nominate a Hero” award in the Serve with Purpose category.
CentralSquare, our Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Records Management System (RMS) vendor, provides mission-critical public safety and government software to more than 8,000 agencies across North America. Their cloud-based platform supports everything from 911 call handling and dispatch to records, analytics, and integrated public safety operations, helping agencies respond faster and serve communities more effectively.
The Nominate a Hero program highlights individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, resilience, and service. CentralSquare received over 50 nominations in its first cycle. Kyle was honored for his leadership through staffing challenges, his strong advocacy for his team, and his commitment to high-
911.
LIBRARYSHOWCASESPOWERFULTRAVELING
The library was honored to be selected as the location for the Stitching Stories Reimagined Art Installation, open to the public Jan. 13 through February 18, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.
The exhibit is a project of the Arise Collective and funded by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation’s public art initiative. During the COVID pandemic, incarcerated women’s connections with community and family were severely curtailed. Work permits and visitations were terminated indefinitely. In response, a few women banded together and began crocheting a special quilt to represent their loss.
This quilt has been reimagined as an artistic installation that will travel across the state before being permanently installed in Raleigh.
The library hosted the Opening Reception for the exhibit on January 12, where Mayor Cyril Jefferson, representatives from the Arise Collective, and Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation were present to mark the occasion.
This project is supported locally by Resilience High Point as part of their Compassion Initiative and Patrick Harman spoke on their behalf. The library will be hosting a variety of community activities during January and February, as well as a simulation event to be held at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on Jan. 30.
For more information about this project and the activities associated with it, go to: https://www.resiliencehp.org/stitching.
Participants in High Point Parks & Recreation’s High Point Heroes program for veterans and active-duty military members recently enjoyed a fun night of bowling! This group meets monthly for socialization and recreational opportunities. Our next High Point Heroes event will be on February 6 at 5:30 p.m. Join us for pottery painting at Distractions: An Art Entertainment Studio, located at 2762 NC-68, Suite 107 in High Point! There is no charge for each veteran and one additional guest. Each participant may pick any item in the studio to paint, which will be fired by the studio and picked up at a later time. It’s a really fun way to get your creativity flowing! New participants are welcome!
Please direct questions and RSVP to highpointheroes@highpointnc.gov by February 1. Hope to see you there!
AMY HUGHES
Accountant II to Financial Analyst, Senior
JONATHAN FURR
Librarian III to Libraries Director, Assistant
JORDAN SPOON
Police Officer, Master III to Police Supervisor I
NEW HIRES
ASSAN SALLEY
Motor Equipment Operator
CHARLES SCHAEFER
Police Officer I
CHASE TOKOTCH
Firefighter
CORBIN YOKELEY
Firefighter
CORTNI BHARDWAJ
Communications & Mrktg Manager
COURTNEY CUMMINS
Telecommunicator Trainee
DAKOTA GARDNER
Firefighter
DAMIAN GOMEZ
Firefighter
ETHAN BRITT
Firefighter
EVAN FOUST
Firefighter
HALEY COOPER
Police Information Tech I
IMMANUEL RHODES
Firefighter
JACKSON CROMER
Firefighter
JAIRUS PAGE
Fire Logistics Specialist
JAMIE PERRIER
Motor Equipment Operator I
JARRIAN JEFFERSON
Firefighter
JOSE SHANNON
Transit Maint Technician I
JOSEPH GRECO
Police Officer I
JOSHUA DANIELS
Firefighter
JOSHUA TYREE
Park Attendant
JUDE GARNER
Police Officer I
KOLBY GRYDER
Firefighter
MATTHEW GRAHAM
Firefighter
NATHANIEL ZIMMERLY
Firefighter
SETH MATTOX
Firefighter
TERREISS MEDLEY
Firefighter
WILLIAM WALLEN
Firefighter
WYATT SLATON
Firefighter
