County Commission - Regular Meeting

Yeah.

No, no, no.

Deputy Sheriff, if you could call the meeting to order. Thank you. Pastor Nelson, if you could come and do the invocation. Let us pray. I have only just a minute, only 60 seconds in it. Forced upon me, can't refuse it, didn't seek it, didn't choose it, but it's up to me to use it. I'm a suffer if I lose it, give account if I abuse it, just a tiny little minute. But eternity is in it. God our Father, thou who art excellent, thou who has all power, thou who loves us beyond what we can comprehend. We come to you again this day asking you to hear our prayer. Our prayer is a simple prayer. It's simply help us. Help us to be who you have called us to be at such a time as this. Help Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee. Help these your servants, the Shelby County Commissioners. Help them. Give them wisdom. Give them your spirit to serve at their optimal capacity at such a time as this. Where they are too high, bring them down. Where they're too low, bring them up. Don't do it just for them, but do it for each of us that we might be used for your glory.

Meet each one of us at our point of need, whatever that might be this day. Some are sick, some are depressed, some are worried, some are concerned about family. I pray right now that you do it for us. Do for us what no one else can do. Work a miracle. Heal us, deliver us, set us free. We've seen you do it before. We know you can do it again. We're not facing what other men and women have not met. God, as I drove in, it looked like showers. And we cry as the hymn writer, Lord, I hear showers of blessing thou art scattering full and free. Showers the thirsty land refreshing. Let some drops now fall on me. Even me. Even us. Let some drops now fall on us we pray in Jesus' name. And the people of God say, amen. You may be seated. Oh, I'm sorry. The Pledge of Allegiance. My apologies. Vice Chair Bradford, if you could lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. I'm sorry. If you could remain standing, my apologies. Now you may be seated. Madam Okay. Madam Clerk, please call the roll. Commissioner Whaley. Clay Bibbs. Caswell. Present. Sugarmon.

Mills. Present. Shular. Present. Wright. Present. Thorton. Morrison. Present. Brooks. Here. Lowery. Bradford. Present. Chairwoman Avant. Present. We have eight present. We have a quorum. We could now do If we could have approval of the minutes, if presentation of the minutes for April 13th, can we present those without objection? Seeing none, the April 13th minutes are approved. It is possible to join the meeting two ways, via the designated email, boc.email@shelbycountytn.gov, via phone at 901-222-1234. Parliamentarian, please read the rule. Members of the public who desire to address the County Commission shall request permission by completing an appearance card, which will be given to the chair by deputy. Members of the public shall be permitted to address the County Commission unless ruled out of order by the chair or denied the opportunity to speak by majority vote of the commissioners present and voting. Please note that as it pertains to public comment, our rules of order set a limit of no longer than 3 minutes when recognized by the chair. The chair may set a limit for discussion by the public of less than 3 minutes for each individual if circumstances require. Finally, to the members of the public, if you would like to express your pleasure or displeasure on a matter before the County Commission, please do so by raising your thumb up or pointing it down as opposed to applause or other expressions of approval or disapproval.

Disruptive members of the public are subject to removal from the Commission Chambers by the Deputy Sheriff. Thank you for your attention and in advance for your cooperation today. Thank you, Parliamentarian. This month we have two birth staff and commissioner birthdays. I want to wish a special happy birthday to administrator Clay Perry, whose birthday was April 3rd, and then to Rosalyn Nichols, whose birthday was April 21st. Happy birthday to you both. [applause]

We will now have a special presentation by Commissioner Shular. Commissioners, I am very glad to present this honor to Pastor James Nelson for being the chaplain of the day for the Board of Commissioners. I do appoint and hence constitute you chaplain of the Board of Commissioners to serve during the 2025-2026 term of the Board of Commissioners at the will and pleasure of the chairman. This the 27th day of April 2026. Thank you very much. Thank you. [applause]

Parliamentarian, please read item number two. Item two is a special resolution honoring the Bartlett High School boys basketball TSSAA state championship win, sponsored by Commissioner Mickell Lowery and Commissioner Mick Wright. Commissioner Wright. All right, thank you so much, Madam Chair. Let me ask our Bartlett High School boys basketball coach and the team to come on up. Coach Real, if you will join me. And guys, come on up.

[applause]

Madam Chair and Commissioners, there is some hardware in the room tonight, and so I'm so pleased to be here. I know Commissioner Lowry has put this together and just put it in my hands a moment ago. I guess he is a little delayed this evening. So, it falls on me, which is appropriate because I get to represent the city of Bartlett and this wonderful honor. Before I get to the the amazing achievement and this resolution, I did want to say a word, which is that I get to brag a little bit about District 3, about Bartlett and Lakeland and some of the achievements that you all have accomplished. It's really just been an amazing year for Bartlett and for Lakeland as well. As we get to tournament season again for for the baseball team, we in District 3 have the reigning state champion Lakeland Prep Lions. They are the reigning champions in baseball, which is really an achievement because they have no they had no senior class when they got that award. But, they are the reigning champions of baseball. But, here in in the Bartlett area, we have a lot of champions and a lot of very high-achieving student athletes. Let me first start with Elmore Park Middle School. Now, raise your hands if if you're from if you came up through Elmore Park Middle School. Any of y'all? I see some hands. Okay. Hear this. The Elmore Park Middle School Eagles, they have won four straight state championships, back to back to back to back. Uh In addition to that, this season they had a 34 and 0 record and they're on a 130 game win streak. That is absolutely amazing. I guess some of you guys are part of that winning

uh uh record. Also, I have had before this body in years past, we've had the uh Bartlett High School girls basketball team. They have been to the tournament now, the state tournament, for four consecutive years. It's amazing. And so, uh the girls the girl squad, they uh they were runners-up in the state tournament 3 years in a row. And then they were back again this year and got to the semi-finals. Just absolutely amazing amazing work that you all are accomplishing. Uh we are here today with our state champion boys team, uh the Bartlett High School Panthers. So, I'm going to read this. This was just given to me. I'm probably going to butcher some names. My apologies up front if I get your names wrong. I'll read this. This is from Commissioner Lowry. It says, "Whereas the Shelby County Board of Commissioners proudly recognize student athletes who demonstrate excellence, discipline, teamwork, and perseverance while presenting representing their school and community at the highest level. Whereas the Bartlett High School Panthers boys basketball team completed a historic 35 35 and 4 season, earning recognition as the number one ranked team in Tennessee Division 4A and number seven nationally by MaxPreps. Whereas the Panthers captured the TSSAA Division 1 Class 4A state championship with a commanding 69 to 47 victory over Walker Valley Mustangs boys basketball team, securing their first state title since 2001 and the second in program history. So, the first time in 25 years. Wow. Wow.

Whereas Bartlett set the tone early in the championship game with a 9 and 0 run and a 23 and 4 lead at the end of the first quarter, finishing the season with a contributions across the roster, including Axon Perry's 15 points and Dillon Jones earning state tournament MVP honors. Whereas the Panthers were led by head coach Dion Reel, who achieved his first state championship in his 11th season with the Bartlett Panthers, along with assistant coaches Anthony Montesi, excuse me, Andrew Montesi, Anthony Montesi, Skyler McFall, Trey Edwards, and David Clark, whose leadership and commitment built a championship culture. Whereas standout players such as D.J. Okoth earned national recognition and under the leadership of Principal Chris Smith, this championship season has brought great pride to Bartlett City Schools and the entire community. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Shelby County Board of Commissioners congratulates the Bartlett High School Panthers boys basketball team and their historic championship uh season. Congratulations.

[applause]

So, let me invite uh coach if you'd like to say a few words and then we'll take a maybe a group picture. Coach Reel. Just thank you guys very much for recognizing us. I'm super proud of these guys and just being a part of this. Thank you guys very much. [applause]

So, some of you are pretty tall. You might want to make a second row behind so we can get everyone in the picture. Don't move. We have a few remarks from commissioners. If you could just hold one mo- one moment. Commissioner Caswell. Thank thank you, Madam Chair. Again, congratulation, guys, on a well-deserved win. Coach, I'd like to have you come over to Craigmont or Raleigh-Egypt when since you got your championship there. You're welcome to come over, but again, guys, continue to lead in the community, continue to be the examples to our community that we need. This is is not just about when you all know this with the coaches that you all have, just what you do on the court, but it's what you do in your community as well and throughout life. So, continue to be the great men that you all going to be. If anybody sign with the NBA, reach out to me. Thank you. One one I just want to say congratulations to you all. I know how hard you work to get to this point and I had the blow-by-blow because my cousin, Ethan Gatewood, one of your team members, there was a family group text going every we were cheering you all on every step of the way. Extremely proud of you and your accomplishments and we wish you well in your futures.

Okay, parliamentarian, please read item three. Item three is a special resolution honoring environmental advocate and Protect Our Aquifer Executive Director Sarah Houston, sponsored by Commissioner Erika Sugarmon.

[laughter]

Chair, it is with great honor to bring this special resolution honoring environmental advocate and Protect Our Aquifer Executive Director Sarah Houston. Whereas a Texas native and water warrior, Sarah Houston graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. For over a year, Houston and her husband traveled on a nationwide bicycle tour, where they connected and informed viewers about water science through their YouTube channel Wonder like water. After moving to Memphis in 2018, she worked as associate director for the center of applied Earth science and engineering research Caesar for nearly 3 years and earned a master of science in Earth sciences from the University of Memphis before joining protect our Aquifer in June 2021. And whereas nearly a decade ago, December 2016, protect our Aquifer a water advocacy nonprofit was born with a mission to protect, conserve, and preserve the Memphis Sand Aquifer. As executive director for nearly 5 years, Houston is leading protect our Aquifer to become a regional thought leader for a multi-disciplinary approach to water management. And whereas in 2025 and 2026, the Memphis Business Journal listed Houston in its power 100 as part of a category called the advocates. According to the Memphis Business Journal, the advocates are not only individuals whose blood, sweat, and tears are dedicated to work around specific issues, constituencies, or

concerns. They're the type of people who might describe their work as calling rather than a job. What makes them powerful is how undeniable effective they are in advancing their cause, matching big ideas with disciplined actions. Houston's tireless years-long advocacy for clean water and a little note, we have some of the best water in the world. It's not just a job, it's a calling. Her effectiveness, along with her team as protect our Aquifer, is impassionately and consistently advancing a strong cause that affects every single human being in Shelby County makes her especially deserving of this honor and recognition. And now, therefore, be it resolved by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners that Sarah Houston, executive director of protect our Aquifer, is hereby recognized for environmental advocacy.

[cheering and applause]

Thank you so much, Commissioner Shugerman. This is really fun. Um, you know, thank each of y'all for playing a role too. You know, we've had some ordinance come before y'all. We've always gotten bipartisan support. But it's not only a huge honor for me, but for everybody here today. So, thank y'all so much and congratulations. I would not be here without everybody. Um, you know, we're not as exciting as a basketball team, but that's cuz it's really serious stuff, okay? So, got to talk about XAI briefly. Um, you know, XAI has put on this water reuse facility on indefinite pause. It's not surprising, but we do consider it unacceptable. So, we need to find ways to ensure that SpaceX, you know, the actual company owner, can actually complete this project. There are also lessons to be learned. We have a moment in time right now, but we have to think about how we deal or done in the city. The Chamber of Commerce leadership needs to move from pinky promises to contractual obligations that protect our shared people, water, power, and air. You know, I moved to Memphis nearly 8 years ago with a ridiculous passion for water. And I've learned and studied and taught about a lot of other water sources in the country, but what's below the Mid-South is truly magical. It really is. And I learned quickly after being here that there's a lot of silos, there's territory wars, there's an absolute lack of community engagement from our public utilities. And so, I was working at UofM, but it became very clear that protect our Aquifer was a group that really was needed. This is a singular issue, but groundwater is complicated. It's out of sight, it's out of mind, and the federal government does not play a role in its management. It's up to the states. Now, water connects us all. We have issues throughout the county. In Millington, the Navy base has tainted the Memphis Aquifer where they have to go to the Fort Pillow for the drinking water supply. Collierville has completely shut down water well fields due to contamination. The Erin Brockovich hex chrome. We've got wells in South Memphis and in East Memphis that are threatened by Superfund site legacy pollution. Now, all of this has been a slow, slow process,

but the fact is we have this ticking time bomb, this pollution headed towards our drinking water supply, but there are real solutions. There's ways to intervene that will prevent a public health disaster and economic crisis. And that's why we released the blueprint to lay out all these issues, the possible solutions so that we can come together for a community-led groundwater protection plan that is actionable. And this county has the groundwater board that can help spearhead that and be that shining light to show that the Mid-South, Shelby County has the answers when it comes to groundwater protection. So, no one's coming to our rescue. It's up to us to make Aquifer protection happen. I know this resolution is to honor me, which is really crazy and really fun and very cute. Um, but I wouldn't be here without this amazing community behind me dedicated to clean drinking water future because we all share one Aquifer. And if there's anything that should bring us together, it is water because water is life. Thank you very much.

[cheering and applause]

All right. We're good? WE'RE GOOD. AND WE HAVE WE DO HAVE A COUPLE we have a commissioner in the queue. So, once the pictures finish, we do have a commissioner who like to speak wants to don't move. Commissioner Yes, we have Commissioner Wright in the queue. Thank you so much, Madam Chair, and thank you, Commissioner Shugerman, for bringing this resolution. Um, I just want to say first of all, thank you all for wearing Bartlett Panther blue. Staying on on brand tonight. I get I I get it. It's about the water. Um, I I was just going to share that this this is as you said something that it that does have bipartisan support. Just this past week, and I've got a photo I could show you, um, I I I poured myself a drink of water and it came out um, not clear. It came out discolored. And so, for a moment, um, that that resource that we all pretty much take for granted most days, it was in in question. And I was thinking to myself, what's going on? Uh, what what's happening in my neighborhood and what's happening in with my house or with with with the plumbing or what's going on that this thing that I've come to expect, this pristine, wonderful drinking water, why is this not coming out? Uh, thankfully it resolved and it cleared itself. So, I guess that maybe there was just some work being done. But it just just goes to show how important that is. And when when you lose it, um, it's a big deal. And so, um,

you know, this is something that doesn't get protected by accident or by by default. It takes It takes action and it takes oversight and conservation. And so, that's the work that you're doing. And I thank you for doing that work. And again, thank you, Commissioner Shugerman, for bringing this. Thank you. I just like to echo Commissioner Wright's words and thank you, Commissioner Shugerman, for highlighting this. I would just like to know where I can purchase one of the water warrior t-shirts. I love those. Uh, makes a very great statement about what we all know is very important for this community. So, I'm going to have someone come down so that I can find out exactly where I can get that t-shirt. I'd love to have be able to to support that with you all in solidarity. So, thank you so much. Now going to move to public comments. We have quite a few public comment cards. Um, this order, Adam Nelson. Please come to the front, state your name and zip code. You will each have 3 minutes. My name is Adam Nelson. I'm here to read the names of the people we lost inside the Shelby County Jail from 2018 to 2026. I have 15 names here. Others will be reading other names. Donald Jones, Roy Dunbar, Jerome Given, Carl Ewing, Steven Gomez, who was 20 years old, Sentra Taylor Trailer,

Larry Gilliam, Justin Brewer, Jeffrey Farrell, James Owens, Sam Carr, Tommy Young, Michael McCabe, DeMarcus Jarrett, Richard Willingham. I actually know one of the men on this list, Roy Dunbar. We used to work together. Whenever we went anywhere in a car, he wanted to listen to only two things, either Marvin Gaye, What's Going On, or Al Green, Everything's Going to Be All Right. We listened to those songs on the way to his mother's funeral. He wore a tie a tie he borrowed from me, a silver tie. And then he ate hot chips at the repast. And he got red dust all over my silver tie. And I still have that tie. And I still have flecks of hot chip dust at the bottom of the tie, but I don't still have Roy. I remember going to visit Roy when he was in 201. Uh and every time I saw him, he looked worse than the last time. Until one day his mom called me and told me that he's dead. We demand that the county immediately terminate the contract with Wellpath and never renew it. We demand that individuals with mental health illnesses be diverted to Alliance for treatment before they are ever booked into a cell at 201. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Nelson. Our next public speaker is Ethel Kilgore Ball.

Sorry if I've mispronounced your middle name. But if you could state your name and zip code for the record, you'll have 3 minutes. My name is Ethel Kilgore Ball, 38141. I am here to read the names of the people we lost in Shelby County Jail from 2018 to 2016. I am MICAH's Transformational Justice Co-Chair. Joseph Johnson, Bobby Sellers, Charles Johnson, Timothy Black, Christopher Miller, Kenneth Melton, Nicholas Dancy, Alex Winrich, Robert Turner, Danny Buggs, William Trenthem, Jonathan Anguiano, Lamont Commons, George DeClue, and Tracy Gill. Also, I stand before you as Donivan Kilgore Russell's mother. While at 201 and at the Shelby County Penal Farm, he was not given his medicine, nor counseling. He caught staff infections several times, went 47 and 1 for days, no outdoor exercise, no shower for 18 days, lost all over 70 lbs. We are still dealing with the trauma. I stand before you to say uh a jail sentence should never become a sentence to suffer, nor your casket. We demand that all incarcerated individuals receive their prescription medication consistently and without interruption. Furthermore, we demand a guaranteed daily schedule for outdoor exercise and fresh air for everyone in custody. Thank you. Thank you.

Our next public speaker is Sandy Edwards. Good afternoon. I'm here to read the names of the people we lost inside the Shelby County Jail from 2018 to 2026. Malcolm Ford, Tyrus Watkins, James Wilkes, Antonio Davis, Desmond Shipp, Stanley Campbell, Gershon Freeman, Demarion Walker, Leondre Isabel, Clennis Strong, Christopher Petties, Avon Rawlings Rawlings, Antonio Golden, Deon Byrd, and Jerome Mimes. We demand that the county stop renewing the Wellpath contract and immediately implement a diversion program to send mental health patients to Alliance before booking. We will not accept another year of the same failed system. Thank you. Our next public speaker is Tyler Foster. Good afternoon. My name is Tyler Foster. My zip code is 38103. I'm a law student at the University of Memphis School of Law. I also serve as Vice President of the Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope, better known as MICAH, and as a board member of the National Association for Public

Defense. I'm also here to read the names of 15 of the people who passed away while in the custody of the Shelby County Jail between 2018 to 2026. Kevin Wright, Lauren Sumlin, Ramone McGee, Wesley Joiner, Justin Lee Sigurson, Sherman Weekly, Darian Nolan, Darren Crawford, Courtney Berry, Daniel Neal, Raquese McDaniel, Darryl Tyrone Young, Dalton Goddard, Antonio First, and Christopher Steel. We as a community demand that a community committee be formed with voting power over the selection of all health care providers and food vendors who provide services to the Shelby County Jail. The people who live in this community must have a say in who cares for our neighbors and feeds them. I would like to thank Commissioner Sugarman in particular, who has been working with us to address some of these issues with the jail. We look forward to working with the Board of Commissioners as a whole to ensure that solutions are brought to the Shelby County Jail. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Foster. Our next speaker is Laramie Wheeler. Good afternoon. My name is Laramie Wheeler and my zip code is 38107. I am the Bail Fund and Advocacy Coordinator for Just City. The remaining names of those who have passed away inside 201 Poplar are Marcel Hutton, Richard Higgs, Martin Perez Estrada, and then from Jail East, Kimberly Clark and Tiffany Dukes. Among those who lost their lives in

custody, 30.4% died by suicide. 30.4% were found unresponsive, and 37% involved documented mental health issues, crises, or diagnosis. We've heard the names and we know a lot of the causes. The solution is clear. Terminate Wellpath and hire an accredited provider. Guarantee basic care and mental health diversion before booking. Establish oversight and transparency. Create a community to oversee health care and food vendors and publicly release all agreements and death data. One of your duties is to serve as a voice for the people. As elected officials, you have a fiduciary duty to protect the public and a moral obligation to ensure that taxpayer dollars do not fund a system that fails to save lives. It's a lot of people who have passed away. And they are connected to families and friends. So, it's it's thousands upon thousands of people who have been directly affected by that jail and by the medical provider inside. The record of dozens of deaths under this contract is undeniable proof of that failure. You have the authority to act. You have the responsibility to act. Do not renew the contract that failed these people. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Wheeler. Our next public speaker is Glenda Hicks. Please state your name and zip code for the record. You have 3 minutes. Good afternoon. Glenda Hicks, 38109. Today I stand as a proud descendant of

African, Native, and Indigenous Americans. I stand I am so so thankful that the cowardly spirit to roll over, lay down, sell out, and give up does not dwell in me. Given the history of endurance, respect for life, intelligence, and cultural pride that Black Americans in Memphis and Shelby County have put forth, it is disgraceful and absolutely disrespectful that Memphis is in the current state that it is in. There are absolutely internal issues that this supermajority in Tennessee absolutely does not have our best interest in. They do not have the best interest of our children at heart. Frankly, it is like they absolutely do not want Memphis to succeed. A free just thinking minded individual understands the power of the of knowledge and true factual education, not to mention the power of the pen, which is our thought right to vote. Therefore, a free thinking person would never think that a state takeover of MCS is just or right. The one screening factor that's slapping free thinking individuals up and down the face is the fact that the im- that I'm sorry. The one screening factor slapping free free thinking individuals up and down the face is the fact that MCS is a super majority deep melanin skinned our black citizens. The very spirit of their actions is not in our best interest. Brent Taylor, Mark White, and Cameron

Sexton do not exemplify love for our children. I am I asked you absolutely what qualifies these individuals to act in the best interest of the children of Memphis. Nothing that they have done or said shows that they have their best interests at heart, that they want better for the children of Memphis. Dismissing the vote and voice of the people and mandating a select chosen group of individuals as overseers is unconstitutional. It is a spirit of Jim Crowism. You must stand unwaveringly against that power. Greed, grab, that's all that it is. Thank you. Our next public comment is Andrea Bell. If you could please state your name and zip code. You have 3 minutes. Good evening. Andrea Bell, 38125. We the citizens of Shelby County are in a state of emergency to to defend the sovereignty of our voices and our votes. Living here and accepting the state takeover is the same as Plessy versus Ferguson in 1896. For those who don't know what that is, it is Jim Crow. It took the 1960s Civil Rights Act to undo the years of harmful legislation against black and

melanated people. One law. Today, we are still suffering from the ramifications of that ridiculous law of Jim Crow. Racism is a learned behavior. But, I believe that our father taught us that love prevails all. We the people, we may we must make a conscious effort to deflect and abolish those mannerisms that would take that would do harm and that would take the rights and the freedoms away from the citizens of Shelby County. So, let's get to some facts. It is the commission's duty to hear their constituents and act on behalf. Davidson County schools, per the Scarlett Family Foundation, the percentage of third grade readers who are not on track in 2022 outpaces the state. You hear that? It outpaces Shelby County. Why are we the chosen county? It is not a county problem. As you can see, it is a state problem. If it is a state problem, why are we the pilot program? I just want to say this to my commissioners, and I hope that I'm looking at each and every one of you.

Believe me what I tell you is not based on race, color, Republican, Democrat. It's regardless of that. It's about what's right for the people, and the people is the majority. We know that this law could do harmful things to our children. Thank you. All right. We're now to the part of the agenda section of the agenda where we'll take 3 minutes to review the consent agenda and if there are any items that would like that you would like pulled.

Okay. Vice Chair Bradford. Uh three items, five, 20, and 24. 20 and 24. Yes. Okay. Commissioner Mills. Number 18, please. 18. Any other commissioners? Okay. Parliamentarian, please. I'm sorry, Commissioner Brooks. Item, let's see, 17. I'll say that one. I think that one will do it. Thank you. Commissioner Brooks, is just number seven item 17? Item 17. That's it. Okay. All right. Parliamentarian, if you could read the consent agenda uh minus item 17, 18, 20 and 24. And I have five. Did you say five? Minus five, 17, 18, 20 and 24. Thank you, Vice Chair Bradford. Yes, ma'am. Item four comes from the budget and finance committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Whaley. Item four is a resolution approving the purchase of janitorial supplies from Housekeeper Supply Industrial Sales Company, Action Chemical Ink, Ladd Safety, Brighter Days and Nights, Staples Contracting & Commercial LLC, Dell Romaine Companies Inc., First Source Business Supplies and Pyramid Paper Company for various departments of Shelby County Government. This item requires expenditure of County

FY 2026 operating funds in the estimated amount of $689,818.24 for the initial period through June 30th, 2026 with the option to renew for two additional one-year periods. Sponsored by Commissioner McKellar Lowry. Item six comes from the public works committee, which is chaired by Vice Chair Bradford. Item six is a resolution approving a contract with Booker Horn Inc. for professional engineering services as a single source for the Walnut Grove Road widening project in the amount of $165,859 with the option to renew for one additional one-year period. This item requires the appropriation of roads and bridges special revenue funds in the amount of $165, $859 sponsored by Commissioner David C. Bradford, Jr. Items seven through nine come from the law enforcement, corrections and courts committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Wright. Item seven is a resolution approving a contract between Shelby County Government and Benchmark Electric LLC for the emergency installation of emergency standby generators at 989 Dove Crest and 993 Dove Crest on behalf of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office in the amount not to exceed $342,614. This item requires expenditure of fiscal year 2026 general funds in the amount not to exceed $343,614. Sponsored by Commissioner Mick Wright. Item eight is a resolution to accept state grant funds from the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth in the amount of $45,000 to amend the FY 2026 grant fund operating budget of the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County and to authorize expenditure of said grant funds in an amount not to exceed $45,000 for the provision of court-appointed special advocate CASA program services. This item requires appropriation and expenditure of FY 2026

grant funds in the amount not to exceed $45,000. Sponsored by Commissioner Mick Wright. Item nine is a resolution to approve the emergency purchase of a wrecker vehicle from A.J. Doman CDJR on behalf of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. This item requires the expenditure of fiscal year 2026 Shelby County Sheriff's Office general operating funds in an amount not to exceed $101,500. Sponsored by Commissioner Mick Wright. Item 10 comes from the general government committee with Commissioner with Vice Chair Bradford as acting chair. Item 10 is a resolution approving the election of no- notaries public for appointment and or reappointment for Shelby County, Tennessee. Sponsored by Commissioner Henry E. Brooks. Item 11 comes from the general government committee with Commissioner Sugarman as vice chair. Item 11 is a resolution approving the County Mayor's nomination of Carl Schledwitz for appointment to the Downtown Memphis Commission. Sponsored by Commissioner Henry E. Brooks. Items 12 and 13 come from the core city, neighborhoods and housing committee with Commissioner Clay Bibbs as vice chair. Item 12 is a resolution approving the sale of 20 county-owned tax parcels acquired by Shelby County from various Shelby County tax sales to identified purchasers at various prices collectively totaling $112,300 pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated Section 67-5-2507 and authorizing the Shelby County Mayor to execute quitclaim deeds. Sponsored by Commissioner Henry E. Brooks. Item 13 is a resolution to grant two permanent utility easements, 8-ft wide in size and 20-ft wide in size over, across and upon a delinquent tax parcel acquired by the County of Shelby via Shelby County Tax Sale 19.03

located at 2760 Mount Moriah Parkway further identified as tax parcel number 07409000116 to the City of Memphis for the use and benefit of the Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division for nominal consideration for its provision of utility services and maintenance thereof. Sponsored by Commissioner Henry E. Brooks. Item 14 comes from the audit committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Whaley. Item 14 is a resolution receiving and filing the third quarter report of the Shelby County Trustee for the year ending June 30th, 2026. Sponsored by Commissioner Michael Whaley. Item 15 comes from the facilities, real property and capital improvements committee with Vice Chair Bradford as acting chair. Item 15 is a resolution to grant a permanent utility easement, 30-ft wide water easement and 10-ft wide electric easement in size over, across and upon a tract of Shelby County-owned land located on the northwesterly side of Summer Avenue approximately 1,550 ft southwesterly from the center line of Shelby Oaks Drive to the City of Memphis for the use and benefit of the Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division for nominal consideration for its provision of utility services and maintenance thereof. Sponsored by Commissioner Mick Wright. Items 16, 19, 21, 22, 23, 25 through 28 come from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee with Commissioner Caswell as vice chair. Item 16 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $37,500 to Memphis Urban League, a charitable organization. This item requires expenditure of $37,500 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund. Sponsored by Chairwoman Shante K. Avant, Commissioner Henry E. Brooks, Commissioner Mick Clay Bibbs, Commissioner Michael Whaley and Commissioner Matthew T. Schula.

Schula. Amended in April 22nd, 2026 committee meeting. Item 19 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $12,500 to Clean Memphis, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $12,500 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund. Sponsored by Commissioner David C. Bradford, Jr. and Chairwoman Shante K. Avant. Item 21 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $5,000 to Down Syndrome Association of Memphis and the Mid-South, a charitable organization. This item requires expenditure of $5,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund. Sponsored by Chairwoman Shante K. Avant. Item 22 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $15,000 to the Pet Compassion Centers, a charitable organization. This item was requires an expenditure of $15,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund. Sponsored by Commissioner Michael Whaley. Item 23 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $25,000 to Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $25,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund. Sponsored by Commissioner Michael Whaley and Commissioner McKellar Lowry. Item 25 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $7,500 to South Memphis Renewal Community Development Corporation, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $7,500 from the Milton Community Enhancement Grant Fund. Sponsored by Chairwoman Shante K. Avant. Item 26 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $13,000 to Solid Rock Development Corporation, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $13,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund. Sponsored by Commissioner Erika Sugarman and Commissioner Mick Clay Bibbs. This item was amended in April

22nd, 2026 committee meeting. Item 27 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $5,000 to Later Skaters Memphis, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $5,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund. Sponsored by Commissioner Erika Sugarman. Item 28 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $7,500 to Always Giving Back Memphis Inc., a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $7,500 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund. Sponsored by Commissioner Erika Sugarman. I could a motion. A motion by Commissioner Morrison. Uh Second. I'm sorry. Okay, Bradford got into the queue. Thank you, Commissioner Morrison. We have a motion by Vice Chair Bradford and second by Commissioner Clay Bibbs. Seeing no speakers in the queue, can we prepare the screen for a vote? Madam Clerk, please report the vote.

We have eye votes from Commissioners Clay Bivens, Caswell, Sugarman, Mills, Shuliy, Wright, Morrison, Brooks, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avant. We have 10 eye votes. That motion passes. Parliamentarian, please read item five. Item five comes from the Public Works Committee, which is chaired by Vice Chair Bradford. Item five is a resolution approving the purchase of employee uniforms and accessories for the Shelby County Fire Department from Mid-South Solutions at a cost not to exceed $169,290 for the period of award through June 30, 2026. This item requires expenditure of FY2026 fire enterprise funds in an amount not to exceed $169,290. Sponsored by Commissioner David C. Bradford Jr. I have a motion by Commissioner Mills, a second by Commissioner Sugarman. Commissioner Brad- Vice Chair Bradford, could I have a committee report? Yes, this comes down with a favorable recommendation. Okay, thank you. I do have one comment card and then I'll get to um any commissioners that are in the queue. Um I have a comment card, Steve Basar. If you could come say your name and zip code. You'll have 3 minutes. Good afternoon. My name is Steve Basar. 38120. Is that it? Yes, sir. Zip code. Yes.

Thank you for your service. Thank you for your time. Um I apologize for not making it down to committee. And I'll be as brief as I can here. Um My wife and I are she's really my wife's business, a locally owned small business, women owned business. It's Alpha One Apparel. We have had contract from Memphis Fire for the past 2 years. And unbeknownst to us, it well, it went out to bid, but we actually had another year remaining. It could have gone to us for one more year, but for some reason purchasing decided to go ahead and put it out to bid. When the bid results were first tabulated and we were there at the bid opening, there were some inaccuracies and incompletions, especially on the Mid-South bid. They didn't fill out their paperwork correctly. And we were told at that time it was going to be rebid. We all Now, in January, after we were told it was going to be rebid, we got a letter saying that the bid was awarded to our competitor. And this is, you know, not an insignificant contract. It's something very substantial for our business. Um and I'm bringing this to your attention. I We filed a protest with purchasing department. I hand delivered that within the timeline. We have not heard a single word back. I don't think that came up in committee that there was a protest to the bid award. I haven't gotten any word from purchasing. I've left numerous messages. So, I'm going to ask that you all at a minimum return this to committee for further deliberation where I can show up and give you even more details and more information. Ideally, we would have gotten the extension for the contract as it was awarded to us in 2024. There were two one-year extensions and you're familiar with passing those kind of extensions. In this case, purchasing, in our opinion, dropped the ball on a number of ways. A, by not extending the contract to us. B, when they put it out to bid, the responses they got, especially from Mid-South, and I've got the documentation here,

they didn't fill out their paperwork correctly. Their total was incorrect. Purchasing should have disqualified that right then and there. They didn't do that. Again, we were told it was going to get rebid. It wasn't rebid. We protested the bid. We haven't heard anything back. I've left several messages for purchasing. I still don't have a response from them. I can give you the bid protest form that I sent in, a little letter explaining all the reasons why we protest. So, I'm going to ask either reject this outright, which would be the preferred option, or at a minimum send it back to committee so we can deliberate it further, we can give you more information, and I can give you better information on what you need to actually reject this bid as it is. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Just wanted to also acknowledge this Commissioner um Mr. Basar is a former commissioner, served on this body. Um thank you for coming out to speak today. It's a little weird being on this side, but Yes. Thank you for your service. I'm going to go now to there's a few commissioners in the queue. Commissioner Sugarman. Thank you, Madam Chair. And so, to um Basar's point, I've heard three or four small local businesses with the same complaint. And not only that, um again, they're not afforded the same processes that other businesses are, and that's a huge concern for me. And so, again, we need to make sure that the money stays in Shelby County with our small businesses. This should not be a pass-through where, you know, we have taxpayers' money going to a coffers, but it's going outside the county, outside the state. So, I support what you're trying to do. The other thing I want to say is that we have uh passed resolutions um where the um score card is supposed to be in Granicus. I think that we meet

need to take a position on that because, again, there was an instance 2 years ago. I'm not going to say which um uh vendor it was, but when it actually added up the score, the winning bidder did not receive it. So, again, for transparency purposes, I think that we should follow things that we have put in place to protect our small businesses and be fair to everybody, not just a few, but also score cards need to be in that. And if we have to stop people from putting things in Granicus if they don't have everything in there, then we need to do so. Because I'm hearing this is not the first This is not the second. This is about the third small business I've heard from with the same complaint. Thank you. Vice Chair Bradford. Yes, I was going to invite Mr. Gloster to come down uh to the microphone to just want to follow up a couple of the questions. I think something uh we may have mentioned this in committee or not, but I think this was strictly a purchase order, so it didn't have the score cards associated with it. It was strictly a low dollar uh winner is who it went to. And then I was just wondering if you could address some of the uh comments that former Commissioner Basar mentioned about um protest and that kind of stuff and just see if your office had received any of that. Thank you. Good afternoon, Commissioners. James Gloster, administrator of purchasing. Uh first, this was a sealed bid and there's not a scored process for the sealed bid. Uh the second thing, um I have not received any protests from anyone. And it sounds like he said he sent it in the mail. I didn't receive it. I didn't sign for it. Um the first time that I have heard uh from Mr. Basar was probably Friday. I returned his call this morning, called twice. I haven't heard anything myself, but I haven't heard anything from uh Mr. Basar. Uh the third thing, purchasing

does not make the departments do anything. So, we did not make the department decide not to renew that contract. That doesn't have anything to do with purchasing. That's a department's decision and I won't speak for them. I'm sure they can justify why they made that decision, but purchasing does not have anything to do with a department choosing not to uh renew a contract. Vice Chair. I don't have anything further. Thank you. Okay. Commissioner Wright. Um thank you, Madam Chair. I don't think I see Chief Benson, but I see someone in a white T-shirt or white shirt of some kind. I'm assuming you represent the fire department. Can you uh speak to whether there's any harm to a delay uh to a motion to send this back to committee? Um Eric Jackson, Deputy Chief, Shelby County Fire Department. Um the reason that this was not renewed was there was an increase through a MOU negotiation for allotment for uniforms. So, therefore, the current contract and amount would not suffice for what we needed for all the employees. So, therefore, even if we renewed it, it still wouldn't be a viable uh bid to to justify what we needed cuz there was about a $200 increase per employee through the MOU negotiation. Can And can you speak to any harm that uh a 2-week delay would cause? Uh no, sir. There wouldn't be any harm. Okay, thank you. Commissioner Sugarman. Thank you, Madam Chair. And so, was this organiz- was this entity, was it an outside I mean, outside Shelby County? I'm just curious. I'm I'm sorry. I couldn't hear you.

Was a sealed bid given to an organi- You know what? I I have some concern about sealed bids because sealed bids also is not transparent and I don't see the urgency. And so, until I can see the urgency, and then also the concern is is this a local vendor that was awarded or is it outside vendor? I said outside outside of Shelby County. Uh that would be a question for Was it local? Okay, but still I still have some concerns regarding sealed bids. And so, I support what we're trying to do as far as transparency. And again, there should be um a scoring cards with I don't believe there's scoring cards in here and I understand with the sealed bid there's some issues with that. And I I would love to see um a centralized purchasing department. And there's some things that we can do to ensure that number one, that we have um local vendors receiving these bids. And I do have a concern where I continually hear sealed bids, urgency, things of that nature because what it does is bypasses processes and procedures. And the process processes and procedures are there for reasons. It's so that we as a commission can determine um as well as the public if it's done fair and equitably. So, again, um you don't have to answer the question. I'm just going to put it out there, comment. Shep You don't have to comment. I'm done. I don't need a response. I thought you asked me a question.

Okay, go ahead. I thought you asked me a question. Well, this I just It is a local vendor. I'm understanding. That was the only question I had.

local vendor and you asked how many I think of the vendors were local. And of the vendors that submitted bids, one was deemed unresponsive, two were local, and two were not local. Thank you. Mr. Gloster. James Gloster, administrative person. So, the the sealed bid process is strictly on price. So, the vendors send in their information, their bids. We get them back, we look at price. Also, within the bidding process we have a call. There's a sealed bid. So, the bids are not opened until we have the vendors on the line for the public. It's transparent. We call out all the information. So, the vendors can hear live when we're calling out that information on most of the sealed bids. The centralized comment. Uh we sent out an email. Person has always been centralized, but there are certain steps in the process due to uh shortage of staff and employees that we couldn't do everything. Starting March the 2nd, I sent out an email to everyone. We are completely totally centralized. The departments don't pick vendors, they don't do anything. They contact us and we take care of it. And that started March the 2nd. Commissioner Caswell. Uh don't leave Mr. Gloster. I appreciate appreciate you making that clear and and and really the clarity on of the sealed bid process. I know we had a a situation that came before us last year or something where uh about some desks or what have you. And if we would have went with local, we would have been spending almost $3 million more if it weren't a sealed bid. But the the people who had the capacity to do it less they are a national entity, right? They can buy a million desks at one time. So, it gave the taxpayer a $3 million what what they would have been out, right? From looking at the local bids. So, I I

don't see what the problem is with a sealed bid. One, two, it it's good to see that this entity was a local entity that did uh get it. I heard clearly, and it's not on you, that the department seen something that came before them that basically said that this was going to be $200 more for this MOU if we stay in this contract or we can take it back to bid and and get the best best bid for that. I I I heard the former commissioner uh that that spoke to uh the fact that something was missing out of the process. Could you explain what he if you understood that what was missing, blanks that was not filled out? James Gloster, administrative person. I'm not 100% sure what's missing because I'm not sure how he would know what's missing from an active bid and someone else because after the bid you can ask for certain information uh through our public records process, but I don't know how he would get information on an active bid before it's even closed or come before you guys for approval. So, I don't know what information that he has uh and where he got it from. Yeah. I understand. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. All right. Commissioner Sugarman, this is your third time. You'll need to um suspend the rule.

Thank you, Chair. Uh let's move to suspend the rules. Thank you. I have a motion by Commissioner Sugarman, a second by Commissioner Caswell. Can we do that without objection? Okay. Okay. And again, I don't see scorecards in here and so I will you know appreciate that you know again that not only you but the other divisions put their scorecards because I'm I'm going to start pulling them out. I promise you. Um the other thing I will be forwarding you the information about this uh these other vendors who have made complaints as well. Um and there is some issue. I mean, because we're hearing that again we're going outside of Shelby County. And if we could break the contracts down to smaller bites, then we can make sure that we you know ensure that people locally are getting the business as opposed going outside you know time and time again. Because our taxpayers we need to support them. And they're not being supported. And we 10% you know 10% I'm hearing this 10% again and again and again. I know we can't talk about DEI and all this kind of stuff, but we're a majority black city. And we're and small business regardless their color, they still need to be supported. And they're not being supported. This is what I'm hearing. It's very concerning. We're losing 15,000 residents because they're going to have more opportunity elsewhere until we start doing something um progressive, they're going to be lose more and more business. For example, my son who has his own small business, he's already being um Mississippi started to come after him saying, "Why don't you bring your business here across state line?" I'm hearing that more and more and more. So, we've got to figure something out what we can do locally to support local businesses. Thank you. Commissioner Wright.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to go ahead and make that motion to refer back to committee. Have a motion by Commissioner Wright, a second by Commissioner Sugarman. Can we do that without objection? Seeing none, so moved. Parliamentarian, please please read uh referring to the May 13th meeting. committee meeting. All right. Parliamentarian, please read item number 17. Item 17 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee with Commissioner Caswell as vice chair. Item 17 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $7,500 to the city of Germantown, a governmental entity. This item requires an expenditure of $7,500 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund, sponsored by Commissioner David C. Bradford Jr. A motion by Vice Chair Bradford, a second by Commissioner Sugarman. Seeing Are there any commissioners who would like to speak on this item? Seeing none, please prepare the screen for vote. Madam Clerk, please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Clay Bivens, Caswell, Sugarman, Mills, Shular, Wright, Morrison, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avant. Commissioner Brooks has abstained. Have nine ayes and one abstained. That motion passes. Parliamentarian, please read item 18. Item 18 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee with Commissioner Caswell as vice chair. Item 18 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $7,500 to Rising Together Foundation, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $7,500 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund, sponsored by Commissioner David C. Bradford Jr. and Commissioner Michael Whaley. This item was amended in April 22nd, 2026 committee meeting. I have a motion by Vice Chair Bradford, a second by Commissioner Mills. Commissioner Mills, you're recognized. Thank you. I'd like to amend by $5,000, please. Second. All right. I have a motion by Commissioner Mills, a second by Vice Chair Bradford to amend by $5,000, making that 12 that 13,000. Can we do that without objection? Okay. Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please prepare the screen for vote. Apologies. Commissioner Caswell, it uh Commissioner Caswell has reported that this did come down with a favorable recommendation. My apologies. Please prepare the screen for vote.

Madam Clerk, please report the vote. We have eight votes from Commissioners Clayborn, Caswell, Shorter, Mills, Shull, Wright, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avant. We have eight eye votes. That motion passes. Parliamentarian, please read item 20. Item 20 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee with Commissioner Caswell as Vice Chair. Item 20 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY2026 operating budget in the amount of $32,500 to SPW Community Strategies Inc., a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $32,500 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Funds sponsored by Commissioner Henry E. Brooks. I have a motion by Commissioner Caswell, second by Commissioner Thornton. Commissioner Caswell, can I have a committee report?

item came down with a favorable recommendation. All right. Um you have three If you state your name uh and zip code, then you will have 3 minutes to present. Uh thank you, Commissioners. My name is Janice Banks, and I'm project manager for SPW Community Strategies at 99 North Main Street, 38103. I'd like to thank you for the opportunity to come before you to share the work that we do and to answer any questions that you might have about the uh grant request. Uh first, SPW Strategies is a team of research and policy developers supporting public sector and community-serving organizations. Our focus areas include community resilience, culturally competent uh community engagement, and inclusive economic and organizational policy. Some of the previous work that we've supported in Shelby County includes development of the culturally competent community engagement resolution that this committee approved and that ensures that broad-based community engagement occurs prior to initiation of a tax increment financing application. We've also supported the Strong, Prosperous, and Resilient Cities Challenge Grant in North Memphis. Currently, we facilitate the pilot ad hoc committee composed of the trustee, the assessor, and incredible housing and education advocates in development of a comprehensive set of pilot reforms which the Commission received in December. There were about 74 of them. And most recently, uh we facilitated development of the pilot ordinance which is currently in legal for review. We also support the Commission's Regional One Hospital Economic Inclusion Task Force that provides oversight of implementation of the Commission's

resolution authorizing taxpayer dollars to the Rebuild. Uh so today, we come before you asking to continue this work. Thank you, and I'm happy to answer any questions that you might have. Commissioner Brooks, you're recognized. Madam uh Chair, let me If there are no questions at this time, what I'd like to do is move this to the heel. I'm sorry. I'd like to move this to the heel. Oh, okay. If there are no questions to be asked and answered. Okay, we have uh Commissioner Thornton is recognized. Thank you, Chair. Um thank you, Ms. Banks, for being here. The last time this item came up, it was just a question of what um will the $32,500 be put toward. So, is there a deliverable that the community can look forward to on the other side of this? Well, certainly. In fact, uh I thought it was going to be a part of the documents that you might have, you know, in the uh you know, in your packet. So, one of the things First of all, we are going to research the authorizing documentation governing the state statute, joint resolutions, and interlocal agreements with uh in uh industrial development boards and monitor the state legislative activities relative to the statute. Uh you might know that there is activity uh at the state level regarding Shelby County's um pilot uh positions. We're also going to draft a the schedule and work breakdown and milestones for delivering selected county-focused reforms to be approved by the County Commission, uh part of which you have already begun to achieve. We're going to coordinate development of the

Shelby County Reforms Ordinance, which part of which you also have received and again, it's in legal for review. Uh and we coordinate the process of keeping uh collaboration and communication with uh pilot granting agencies that are designated as stakeholders for input into this process because we want to uh we want as much input as we can. And with that coordination, we're going to be contacting uh the Commissioners or keeping him involved, keeping informed, and asking for input. Uh the Commissioners, the mayor, the CAO, the community because we're going to have culturally competent community engagement, uh part of which we've already begun. Uh Community Redevelopment Agency, Industrial Development Boards, the Shelby County Trustee, the Assessor, uh the Memphis Housing Authority, and the H F H F B Board. And Memphis City Schools because part of Memphis Shelby County School Board because part of the pilot uh recommendations that have already been initially made include a a uh education fund. So, they are going to be involved as well. Uh other things that we're that this will do is support documentation uh production and timely responses to all requests of all of the people uh all of the community stakeholders that are involved in this process. And uh provide regularly scheduled updates to to the Commissions. Thank you.

I'm so I'm so awesome. I'm so sorry. We are As I indicated, we are also working with the Economic Inclusion uh Task Force for the Regional One Rebuild. Uh and we so we also coordinate the four meetings that will be held this quarter for the Rebuild. Uh we um coordinate with Well, this the Task Force that uh the Commission has formed um uh has set up several um several committees, and we will and we coordinate the work of those committees and keep people informed. We also support um the uh legislative and we coordinate community engagement and legislative town hall marketing as appropriate. So, that's that's what we'll be doing with the Those are the deliverables. And um this budget and this documentation of the itemized documentation is a part of the grant that we Grant request. All right. Uh Commissioner uh Brooks has made a motion to move the item to the heel. Do I have a second? Mhm. Okay, second by Commissioner Bradford. Can we do that without objection? Okay. All right. Um Parliamentarian, if you could read read read item number 20. So, are you guys done with me? No. Okay. Well, so Commissioner Brooks has asked that the item will be moved to the heel, so we will actually vote on the item later in the agenda. Okay. Commissioner uh Parliamentarian, if you could read item 24. Item 24 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee with

Commissioner Caswell as Vice Chair. Item 24 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY2026 operating budget in the amount of $7,500 to Paige Robbins Adult Day Center, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $7,500 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Funds sponsored by Chairwoman Shante K. Avant. I have a motion by Vice Chair Bradford, second by Commissioner Thornton. Vice Chair Bradford, you're recognized. I think this came down with a favorable recommendation. I'm sorry. Commissioner Caswell, can I have a committee report? Uh favorable recommendation. Thank you, Commissioner Caswell. Vice Chair Bradford

I'd like to make a motion to amend this by $2,500, bringing the total to $10,000. Second. I have a motion by Vice Chair Bradford to amend by 2,500, a second by Commissioner Thornton, making that 10,000. Can we do that without objection? I see none, so moved. Parliament uh Madam Clerk, if you could prepare the screen for a vote.

Madam Clerk, please report the vote. We have eye votes from Commissioners Caswell, Sugerman, Meals, Shealy, Wright, Thornton, Morrison, Brooks, Lowry, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avant. I have 11 eye votes. That motion passes. Parliamentarian Miss uh Commissioner Brooks, do you want to take this item up now or later? We have the I'm sorry. Are you ready to take the item up or you would like us to move it further? I would We're at the heel of the consent. We're on the heel of the consent. Move it to uh the heel of the agenda. Okay. Thank you. All right. We are now moving Parliamentarian to the regular agenda. If you could read item 29. Item 29 comes from the General Government Committee with Commissioner Sugerman as vice chair. Item 29 is a resolution appointing blank to serve as a judicial commissioner for a 4-year term sponsored by Chairwoman Shante K. Avant. Said it was sent down without recommendation in April 22nd, 2026 committee meeting. Chairwoman, once this item is properly before us, I ask you allow me to read the summary um for the rules regarding this nomination. Okay. Uh if you have a motion by Vice Chair Bradford, a second by Commissioner Sugerman. And so now I want to make sure that we're reading the rules. Uh if you could first, could I get a motion to suspend the rules so that we um because we had heard presentations within our committee

meeting, um we were not going to do that at this setting. So, if we could get a motion to suspend the rules. So moved by Vice Chair Bradford and a second by Commissioner Lowry. All right. Parliamentarian, if you could read um read the rules about the vote. Yes, ma'am. And to your point, I will exclude the portion on speeches. The pertinent parts of um rule 35 Parliament Rule of Order is the chairman of the County Commission shall request a roll call for nominations and each commissioner present shall have the opportunity to place in nomination one name. Today, we shall begin the nomination process with the commissioner of District 2, Vice Chair David Bradford, with other commissioners following in numerical order. The chairman of the County Commission, however, shall make the last nomination. In each subsequent election, the roll call for nomination shall begin with the next numerical district on a chronological rotation basis for every election, which shall be repeated when all district numbers have had an opportunity to make the initial nomination. Nominations may be taken from the floor. As it pertains to voting, the chairwoman shall request a roll call for selection and each commissioner present shall have the opportunity to select one nominee by name to fill the vacancy. The roll call vote shall be conducted in the same numerical sequence as the nomination process. The nominee selected to fill the vacancy shall receive a majority vote of the membership of the County Commission, which is at least seven votes. If no nominee receives a majority first vote, the County Commission shall hold subsequent votes considering only those nominees as follows. After the first vote, only those nominees who received two or more votes shall be eligible to continue in the process. After the second vote, only those nominees who received the top two

numerical votes shall be eligible to continue in the process. And after the third vote, a commissioner may either move to defer the selection until the next meeting or move to reopen nominations. If the nominations are reopened, the nomination and voting procedure shall be repeated in their entirety. Thank you, Parliamentarian. Uh and at this time I need to find out who makes the first nomination. Commissioner Bradford, okay. Commis- Vice Chair Bradford will be making the first nomination. I'd like to nominate John Parker.

[clears throat]

Commissioner Wright No nomination. Commissioner Morrison No new nomination. Caswell I apologize, Madam Chair. Who was the person nominated? John Parker Uh Miss uh Miss Foster Commissioner Brooks No new nominations. Commissioner Lowry I'm sorry. Commissioner, now we're doing nominations. The two that have been nominated are John Parker and Miss Foster. Okay. Thank you. Commissioner Shealy No new nominations. Commissioner Thornton No new nominations. Commissioner Clay Bibbs No new nominations. Commissioner Sugerman No more new nominations. Commissioner Lowry is absent. Commissioner Meals No new nominations. Chairwoman Avant No new nominations. So, our two nominees are Parker and Foster. Commissioner Bradford Parker Commissioner Wright John Parker Commissioner Morrison John Parker Commissioner Caswell Miss Foster Commissioner Brooks Miss Foster Commissioner Lowry Foster Commissioner Shealy Foster Commissioner Thornton Parker Commissioner Clay Bibbs

Foster Commissioner Sugerman John Parker I'm sorry. Parker Commissioner Meals Parker Chairwoman Avant Parker I have seven for Parker and five for Foster. I think that closes out the nomination and Miss uh Mr. John Parker Okay. Per the rules, Mr. Parker received the majority of votes at seven votes. Uh Miss Foster with five. Okay. Is there would we'd like to make a motion to do that by acclamation? A motion? Make a motion. Motion by Commissioner Caswell Seconded by Commissioner Sugerman. Can we do that without objection? Okay, seeing none, that motion passes. Mr. Parker, would you like to come forward and say a few words? Congratulations and to you for this heavy role that you've now uh taken on. And so, uh welcome you to the fold and allow you to say a few things um if you have any comments. I should want to thank everybody for the opportunity. I honestly never thought I'd be able to appear via Microsoft Teams, and so I appreciate that. Quite tired. Drove in after midnight from Nashville to be here and work this morning and try and look as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as I can for y'all today. I should have chosen a front seat because I've been in a cramped plane for far longer than I have any desire. Uh

more serious matters, though, this is a serious position. I intend to treat it as such. I cannot will not promise perfection. I wish I could, but I'm easy to track down if anybody's any questions or complaints. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Parker. All right. We're moving on Parliamentarian to item And I did hit the gavel, so that's official for Mr. Parker. Uh we are now moving on to item 30. Item 30 comes from the Law Enforcement, Corrections, and Courts Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Wright. Item 30 is a resolution approving a contract with Chandler Lawn Services LLC DBA Charter Vista Landscaping for grass cutting and lawn care services on behalf of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office in an amount not to exceed $81,780. This item requires expenditure of fiscal year 2026 Shelby County Sheriff's Office General Operating Funds in the amount of $81,780. Sponsored by Commissioner McWright. this item was amended in April 22nd, 2026 committee meeting. I have a motion by Commissioner Sugarman, a second by Vice Chair Bradford. Seeing no Commissioner Thornton. Thank you, Chair. I just had some questions about this particular contract. Can you say more about is this a routine contract that you use in the office? I'm Mike Etheridge, administrator of planning for the Sheriff. Yes, ma'am. Uh we've maintained our own landscaping and uh grass cutting services for many years. Do you usually just have one contract out for bid? Yes, ma'am.

And is this the is this a vendor that we've used in the past or a new vendor? Uh no, ma'am. My section hasn't used this vendor in the past. I'm sorry, I can't hear you. I'm sorry, this will be a new vendor. A new vendor. So, seven vendors submitted bids, four deemed non-responsive. This particular pool of vendors included one non-local, two local vendors. The bid was awarded to a non-local vendor. This is grass cutting, correct? Yes, ma'am.

And we couldn't find a local vendor for grass cutting. You can just stop right there. The the the the fine print says it all. I implore this commission not to support this contract. When it comes to grass cutting, this is just one of the categories of um contracts that we for sure can find a local vendor, particularly when this was went out with solicitations from 117 um businesses who have the commodity code for this particular item. So, I'm disappointed to see that um you know, we wouldn't be able to find a local vendor to support. And I just encourage everyone, we don't have the LOSB ordinance that's up and running and active. And we have been a year out since our MWBE programs has been suspended. So, I do think that it is incumbent upon us to take the contracting seriously with county government, particularly in lieu of what has already been revealed as a challenge for a lot of small businesses here in Shelby County. We know that um grass cutting is one that um definitely can support local uh vendors. Thank you. Commissioner Wright. Thank you, Madam Chair. Just wanted to um share that this came through law enforcement committee and was amended to um clarify the caption, uh but otherwise comes down with a favorable recommendation. Recognized. Mike Etheridge, administrator of planning. Commissioner, I'd just like to point out that 55 and 1/2% of this is subcon- sub- excuse me, subcontracted out to Brothers Lawn Service, which is a local company. Commissioner Wright. Did that Okay.

Commissioner Thornton. Thank you, Chair. I'll just reiterate to this body, we shouldn't settle for 55%. It's grass cutting, everybody. We should have 100% of this going to a local vendor. You can see how many persons are in our portal that are local vendors that are deserving of this particular contract. I literally don't know how we ended up selecting a non-local vendor for a particular um contract like this, particularly in lieu of the um talent that we have here. And if you haven't gone to any of the um cohorts that we continue to graduate um to get connected to county uh government, we have over 100 businesses that are looking to contract with county government that are local vendors that have gone through the 12-week course. And so, a number of them are landscapers and it would just be very disheartening for me today for us to settle for a non-local vendor with 55% subcontracting commitment when we could just go with 100% for a local vendor. Thank you. Commissioner Claybion. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um can you you did you say 55% is going to Brothers? Yes, ma'am. That's correct. And the other amount is going to this Charter Vista Landscaping. Yes, ma'am. Is there any way someone from um I guess purchasing can give me the demographics of both those? Or EOC Yeah, or Mr. Wilburn, someone. Is Charter they're not local, but Brothers is local. Is that correct? Well, I'll let Mr. Wilburn verify that. I'm sorry, Commissioner. He Charter

Vista Landscaping, you're saying they are not local, but Brothers is local. To be honest with you, I haven't looked. I don't know. I just went by purchasing's recommendation and then the Sheriff's office concurred uh with the sealed bid of award. So. Okay. Mr. Mr. Wilburn. Sheriff Wilburn, EOC administrator. It is my understanding that the uh bid was awarded to a non-local vendor and that uh but the local vendor is is being used to satisfy the LOSB goal in conjunction with the non-local vendor. And those are the only demographics we have on record about both of them. We are not able to Got you. provide

Okay. further. Thank you. All right. Seeing no other commissioners in queue, please prepare the screen for a vote. Madam Clerk, please report the vote. We have eye votes from Commissioners Claybion, Caswell, Sugarman, Mills, Shalay, Wright, Morrison, Brooks, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avant. Commissioner Thornton has voted no. We have 10 eyes and one no. All right, that motion passes. Commentarian, please read item 31. Item 31 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee with Commissioner Caswell as Vice Chair. Item 31 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY26 operating budget in the amount of $10,000 to Memphis Zoological Society, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $10,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Enhancement Program Grant Fund, sponsored by Commissioner David C. Bradford Jr., sent down without recommendation in April 22nd, 2026 committee meeting. I have a motion by Commissioner Sugarman, a second by Vice Chair Bradford. Seeing no commi- Commissioner Mills. Yes, I'd like to amend by 5,000, please. I'm sorry. Couldn't understand. Your your mic has been muffled. Yes. Okay. Um Commissioner Caswell. Can I have a committee report and then I'll come back to you. I'm sorry, Commissioner Mills. Yeah, this this item came down without recommendation. Without?

Without recommendation. Okay. And Commissioner Mills, the microphones have been just a little muffled. If you don't mind me repeating, I would like to amend by 5,000.

By 5,000. Okay, have a motion by Commissioner Mills. Second. Second by Commissioner Caswell. Making that 15,000. Can we do that without objection? I see none, so moved. Madam Clerk, please prepare the screen for a vote. I I for Commissioner Lowery. Madam Clerk, please report the vote. We have eye votes from Commissioners Claybion, Sugarman, Mills, Shalay, Wright, Thornton, Morrison, Lowery, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avant. Commissioner Brooks has abstained. I have 10 eyes and one abstained. That motion passes. Commentarian, please read item 32. Item 32 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee with Commissioner Caswell as Vice Chair. Item 32 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY2026 operating budget in the amount of $200,000 to Memphis Shelby Crime Commission, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $200,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund, sponsored by Commissioner Brandon Morrison. This item was sent down without recommendation in April 22nd, 2026 committee meeting. I have a motion by Vice Chair Bradford, a second by Commissioner Sugarman. Commissioner Caswell, could I get a committee report?

it came down without our recommendation. Okay. Seeing no commissioners in the queue, Commissioner Thornton. Thank you, Chair. Just to be consistent for the Shelby Crime Commission, I guess this we've given an allocation of this amount to them before. Do we know what we are getting as a result of the $200,000 investment? I'm just curious. I know that crime and safety is a top popular topic. What exactly is this going to get the county? And to the chair to Commissioner Morrison through the chair. Okay. Commissioner Morrison to the sponsor. Thank you, Chair Avant. As you all all know and remember, I guess it was the last time the Safe Community Plan came before this body. It was passed unanimously. I believe it was 4 years ago. And public safety, to this body's credit, has been a top legislative priority for us throughout our term. And so, it's just been my uh uh decision that for District 4's funds, that this was the best use of funds to serve the whole community. Um uh The Crime Commission, and Commissioner Wright would probably or Commissioner Mills who served on that, and I believe Commissioner Caswell in the past as well, um has a a $1.4 million budget, and a large portion of that goes to the University of Memphis for best practices. You know, they've come before our body and talked about data collection and that sort of thing. Uh the next largest part of this funding is going to be used for community support around the next safe action plan. It comes up for renewal in in this coming year. And so, uh it'll be a part of that effort.

Um Community awareness of the Another part is support for the Gun Violence Reduction Initiative, which is overseen by the County City Joint Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement. Um they also have a lobbying firm, and as you know, when when we put skin in the game as a county, they're more able to get state funds um for Shelby County. So, it's part and parcel of that effort as well. So, I hope that answers your question. Thank you, Chair. Commissioner Brooks, you're recognized. Just just one question. I I have a little curiosity about the activities of the Crime Commission. I'm not sure what they do other than uh solicit um sub-recipients. So, I'd like to know something about their activities. Commissioner Morrison. I can read through what I just read through again, or I may uh let Commissioner Wright give some more information since he has uh is our current uh And another thing is so, we have a representative, and I like the fact that we can follow up with their work. Commissioner Wright, if if you're comfortable through the chair, I will ask you to speak about current priorities. Commissioner Wright. Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, um the Crime Commission uh we have uh this body has a liaison member who's appointed by the chair along with all the other committees. This body is um a collection of both key stakeholders and community leaders who come together to consider the priorities for the for the city and county as regard regarding public safety. I

think as Commissioner Morrison mentioned a moment ago, the big um topic this year or this coming year will be putting together the new Safe Community Action Plan. Um that I can't recall. I guess it's a 4-year plan, not 5 years. I think it's a 4-year plan, and so that the current plan is expiring this year, and so these funds will support that effort. All right. Seeing no other Commissioner Brooks, do you have any other questions? Okay. Seeing no other commissioners in queue, we can prepare the screen for a vote. Uh Commissioner Lowry is an I. It's showing up on our screen, Commissioner. It is showing up on our screen, too. You did that. Oh, okay. I'm like Please report the vote. We have I votes from Commissioners Claybaugh, Caswell, Mills, Shalay, Wright, Thornton, Morrison, Lowry, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avant. Commissioners Sugarman and Brooks have abstained. We have 10 eyes and two abstained. That motion passes. Parliamentarian, please read item 20. Item 20 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee with Commissioner Caswell as Vice Chair. Item 20 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY2026 operating budget in the

amount of $32,500 to SPW Community Strategies Inc., a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $32,500 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund sponsored by Commissioner Henry E. Brooks. This item was moved by Commissioner Caswell and seconded by Commissioner Thornton. Okay. Are there commissioners in the queue? Commissioner Brooks. Thank you. I move to defer this to the next commission meeting, which will be uh May 18th. Okay. The motion to defer to May 18th commission meeting is seconded by Commissioner Lowry. Can we do that without objection? Okay. Seeing none, so moved. Commissioner Thornton. Thank you, Chair. I just had a question to legal. So, we've heard this item. Can you just explain what Is this a new item that is before us or what happened since the last time that we heard it? Um Megan Smith, County Attorney's Office. This is technically a new item, substantively different. The value of the agreement is different. The scope of the work provided is different, and it went through its own application process. Okay. Thank you. All right. This item has been moved to defer defer to the May 18th meeting. We have one add-on item, 32A. Parliamentarian, please read item 32A. Item 32A is an add-on resolution. Item 32A is a resolution approving extraordinary litigation and amending the fiscal year 2026 FY26 General Fund operating budget and allocating, appropriating, and expending from fund balance $200,000 for the purposes of engaging counsel to support the legal action of Shelby

County and the Memphis Shelby County School System against the State of Tennessee for adopting criteria which effectively applies only to the Memphis system out of 80 similarly situated districts across the state to be taken over and managed by individuals selected by state officials, and to take said action to transfer management to state officials without any vote from the residents of Shelby County. This item requires the appropriation and expenditure of fiscal year 2026 General Fund funds in the amount not to exceed $200,000 sponsored by Commissioner Mickell Lowry and Commissioner Matthew Shalay. I got a motion. Motion by Commissioner Thornton. Is there a second? Commissioner Lowry. All right. Um As an add-on, we have to make a motion to suspend the rules to add this item. Because we're miss- uh Because we're missing the sum- summary page the summary page and the and the routing sheet. So, I have a motion by Commissioner Sugarman. Do I have a second? Is there a second? Seconded by Commissioner Shalay. Can we do that without objection? Uh I have an objection by Commissioner Wright. All right. So, now before uh we will be if there are speakers on the objection. So, for adding this item to the agenda. So, if there are anyone who'd like to speak Is there anyone who'd like to speak? Okay.

All right. So, we will go to a roll call vote. Madam Chair, can you Point of information. We're doing a roll call vote. Just just kind of explain where we are. That's one I'm saying. So, we had Okay. Um we are We had a motion for the item, but we had to have a motion in order for us to add to suspend the rules to add this item because it was missing the routing, the summary, and the routing sheet. Uh that was motioned by Commissioner Sugarman and a second by Commissioner Shalaw. Uh there was an objection to adding it to the agenda. So, what we are So, we have a a motion and an objection. So, in order for this to be added, we need a 2/3 vote in order for this item to be added to the agenda. So, yes yes. And a yes vote would be yes to add it to the agenda. A no vote would be no to adding it to the agenda. What information? Yes. 2/3 votes of people that commissioner that are present present or Is it 2/3 present or is it 2/3 of the commission? Rule 27 B, no permanent rule of order of the county commission shall be suspended except by a 2/3 vote of the commissioners present and voting. So, how many is that? So, we have how many present currently? 12. So, if we're 12 if 12 are present, then you would need to have eight.

If 12 are present and voting. All right. Please prepare the screen for a vote. I for Commissioner Lowry. Commentarian, please report report the vote. We have I votes from Commissioners Clay, Bibbs, Caswell, Sugarman, Shalaw, Brooks, Lowry, and Chairwoman Avant. Commissioners Mills, Wright, Thornton, Morristown, and Bradford have voted no. We have seven I's and five no's. So, does the mo- the motion fails? The motion fails. You needed We needed In order for this item to be added to the agenda, there needed to be a major a 2/3 vote, which is eight of those that are present and voting. So, we go We had to suspend the rules. Okay. That motion fails.

Seeing no other items on the agenda, we'll go to the announcements. Commissioner Caswell, you're recognized. Sorry. Uh Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh I just want to announce first of all, tomorrow is our uh bi-weekly uh stakeholder meeting in District 6. And we do want to invite all of our candidates that's running for office to come out to meet the residents and citizens there in Raleigh, Frayser, and Nutbush unincorporated Shelby County. We'll be at Embassy of Faith on Raleigh-Millington Road, and we are appreciate everyone who can make it out to that meeting um at 6:00 tomorrow night. I'm sorry, I didn't get the address. I'll make sure I put that on record. Uh also, uh coming up on May the 22nd is the Memphis Hope Fest at Tom Lee Park. And we again invite everyone Thank everyone who's been supporting this. We are getting great great uh feedback from across the city. Thank the city of Memphis and Mayor Paul Young for their sponsorship and collaboration of the 3,000 youth that's going to be with us at that event on May the 22nd. And from 2:00 to 8:00, we invite the public out. Already have over 120 nonprofits and vendors that's going to be there. And I want to thank everyone uh for their role in supporting it. Thank you. Commissioner Thornton. Thank you, Chair. I just want to ask um some support with the budget amendments that were approved for fiscal year '26. I'm not sure if Commissioner Caswell or Commissioner Lowry have received their

allocations for the people that they recommended during the budget cycle, but I know for District 10, ours are still stuck um stuck in administrative limbo, and there's not clarity. So, we're about to go into May, and I don't want those dollars to go back to the general fund. So, if we could just get some better understanding of what is holding back the processing of the budget amendments, I would love for the entire body to get an update from you. Thank you. So, I'll send something a memo to the mayor's office so that we can have clarity. Seeing no other announcements, the meeting is adjourned until May 18th at 3:00 p.m.

Mhm.