County Commission - Regular Meeting

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All right. Good morning. It is Wednesday, April 22nd. I will call to order our committee for the day. Uh we will start with committee number two, public works. If we could read the first item, please. Good morning. Item one is a resolution approving the purchase of employee uniforms and accessories for the Shelby County Fire Department from Midsouth Solutions at a cost not to exceed $169,290 for the period of award through June 30th, 2026. This item requires the expenditure of FY2026 fire enterprise funds in an amount not to exceed $169,290. sponsored by Commissioner David C. Bradford Jr.

Thank you. I have moved the item. It was seconded by Commissioner Mills. Good morning, sir. If you'll just state your name for the record and then go ahead with your presentation. Good morning, commissioners. Eric Jackson, Deputy Fire Chief of Shelby County Fire Department. Uh this item here is an item for us to purchase our annual uh uniforms for our firefighters that they have to wear on a daily basis. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer. Thank you, sir. Commissioner Mills, I see you in the queue. Thank you. Good morning. Uh I was just noticing the dates. Do they have a full year or is the cut off June 30?

Yes. Yes, Commissioner Mills. It's uh one full year. So they would have to purchase these items before July 1. We're just a little late in the process of getting it to to the commission. Yeah. And is this just one aotment or uh Yes. Yes. It's just for this fiscal year. Okay. and now because I know there is some hold up and so so they'll be good after this gets passed. Yes ma'am. Okay. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Mills. Uh similar question. In the past we've done this with renewal options at the end of it. Is there a reason we're not doing that this time?

Uh we we've changed this a different vendor this year than what we had last year. So we were going to renew it after we had a chance to see how this vendor worked out for this year. Then our our plan is to have renewals for the next fiscal year coming up.

All right. Thank you. All right. Seeing no other commissioners in the queue, let's take this item to a vote. All right. All commissioners had the opportunity to vote. Let's tally the results. We have I votes from commissioners Meals and Bradford. We have two I votes. Thank you. That item will go now with a favorable recommendation. If we could read item number two. Thank you.

Item two is a resolution approving a contract with Butert 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. Thank you. Commissioner Mills has moved the item. I have second it. Good morning, Mr. Sanders.

Good morning and thank you, Mr. Chairman. Darren Sanders, county engineer, and this item is for design services for the widening of Walnut Grove Road from Rocky Point to Houston Levy. It's about a onem section. We currently have a set of drawings, but they're phased. So, we were looking at we're going to build four lanes and then expand it in the future to six lanes. We have planned for an oversized median so we could uh add those additional lanes into the median from four to six so it wouldn't affect the outer edge. And the uh the intent was to coordinate the second phase with the city of Memphis, but their project with the deanexation has been cancelled. So when in consultation with T dot, the recommendation is to go ahead and construct six lanes now or or you know with the initial construction. So we've got to go back to the original design engineer of record and have those plans revised to six lanes. And that's what this is for. And they're they are a local company. Bard Horn is. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Sanders. And as you know, you have responded to several emails on this project. What's the timeline? I know certainly if we're just in design, it's going to take several years, but just to give us an all idea of when construction will start and when we expect it to be done. Absolutely, Commissioner. Um, so we it will take about 90 days to complete this design change. We're looking at 12 to 18 months for right away. And T DOT has said that as soon as we get the design change that they'll authorize rightway acquisition. So that would put construction in around the 2028 time frame. So, and then how long would construction be? Construction be about two years because there is a bridge that's got to be constructed at Grace Creek. All right. So, 2030ish is when we think when we expect completion.

Okay. All right. Thank you so much. Uh, seeing no other commissioners in the queue, let's take this item to a vote. All right. All commissioners had the opportunity to vote. Let's tally the results. We have eye votes from Commissioner Mills. Vice Chair Bradford. We have two I votes.

Thank you. That item goes down with a favorable recommendation. And this concludes the public works committee. All right. I'm not aware that uh Commissioner Wright or Commissioner Caswell are here. So, I will go ahead and start the next committee. And if they hear my voice and hear the committee starting, they can come in here and take it away from me. All right. Uh I will call to order committee number 15, facilities, real property, and capital improvements. If we could read the first item, please. Item one is a resolution to grant a permanent utility easement, 30- foot wide water easement, and 10- foot 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 Mc Wright.

Thank you. This item was moved by Commissioner Mills. I have a seconded. Good morning, Miss Sykeswood. Good morning, Esther Sykeswood. We have here just an MLG&W easement through some rightway. I think you've probably seen the um construction there on Summer Avenue between the interstate and Sigmore View. So, this kind of pro overall project. All right. Thank you very much. Uh, seeing no commissioners in the queue, let's take this item to a vote. All right. If all commissioners had the opportunity to vote, let's tally the results.

We have I votes from Commissioner Mills, Vice Chair Bradford. We have two I votes.

Thank you. This item will go down with a favorable re recommendation. And this concludes committee number 15. All right, I've got 8:45. Um, I don't see Commissioner Brooks. I thought I saw Commissioner Sugarman, but if she's here, she can come back out and take over for me. We will call to order committee number 10, general government. If we could read the first item, please. Item one is a resolution approving the election of notaryies public for appointment and a reappointment for Shelby County, Tennessee sponsored by Commissioner Henry E. Brooks.

Thank you. I have moved the item. Commissioner Mills has seconded the item. Is anyone here to present on the item? All right, seeing no one here to present. Should we send this down without recommendation? I guess so.

Can anyone from the county's attorney speak to election of notaries of public to make sure there's no issues with it? Y thank you, Commissioner. Uh Lisa overall county attorney's office. Uh it appears that um there is a memo attached to this item from the county attorney's office that indicates that upon review there were no closely related family members of any county commissioner. So no conflict. No conflict.

No conflict. Excellent. Appreciate that. All right. Seeing no commissioners in the queue, let's take this item down for a vote. We have I votes from Commissioner Mills, Vice Chair Bradford. We have two I votes.

Thank you. This item will go down with a favorable recommendation. Let's read item number two. Item two 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. Thank you. This item was moved by Commissioner Mills. I have seconded. Good morning.

Good morning, Commissioner Carl Ray Massie, Sh County Mayor's Office. Uh today I'm here to present the mayor's nomination of Carl Slwis for the appointment to the Downtown Memphis Commission. The downtown Memphis Commission plays a cru a crucial role in dividing and driving the economic development, supporting business growth and leading redevelopment efforts that strengthen downtown as the economic and cultural core of our county. Carl Sledgewitz as founder co-founder and chairman of Monogram Food has led the growth of a billion-dollar enterprise bringing proven experience in job creation, capital investment, and strategic expansion. His background as an attorney along with his service on local civic and cultural boards such as the Memphis Zoo and Orphium Theater reflects a strong understanding of governance, compliance, and public partner public private partnership, making him well suited to advance the continued growth and vitality of downtown Memphis. At this time, I would like to address the commission and produce and present Carl Sledwitz to the commission to answer any questions that you may have.

Thank you. Um, Commissioner Sugarman as vice chair of this committee. Do you want to take over? Yes, I will. Thank you so much. And thank you. Um, do you have any words you would like to um address to the commission? You know, uh, one, I want to compliment you for pronouncing floodless right. I was the only kid in first grade who couldn't spell his own name. So, it's a hard pardon. So, y'all done a good job on that. I I've lived downtown Memphis. Oh, I'm sorry. It's not on. I've lived in downtown Memphis for 22 years. I'm a lifelong Memphian. Uh I've done a lot of projects downtown and I'm very proud to be part of it and um was honored when Mayor Harris called me and asked me to serve.

Okay. Thank you so much for those words and um as the vice chair of this committee, I highly recommend you. Thank you. And do I don't see any other commissioners in the queue, so let's take this item down for a vote. May I have a tally? We have eye votes from Commissioners Sugarman, Mills, Shalai, Vice Chair Bradford. We have four I votes. Thank you. This item goes out to favor recommendation and thank you so much.

Thank you all. Thank you, commissioners. Commentarian, please read the next item into the record. Item three is a resolution appointing blank to serve as a judicial commissioner for a 4-year term sponsored by chairwoman Shante K. Avant. Thank you. This item has been moved by myself and seconded by Commissioner Bradford. And this is just a prelim um a process we go through when we appointing individuals. And I see no commissioners in the queue. So, let's take this item down for a vote. Oh, Commissioner Bradford, I think we've got to I believe we have a book in front of us that has the three I just got it. Okay. Thank you.

And then I think we're going to allow each one of them uh is it three minutes to speak? Yes.

Okay. Yes. And if there are any questions um beforehand like for example in the past if you want to ask all the um the individuals the same questions I would like for you all to address those questions now so we can have you know some standards as far as um the interviewees. So are there any questions in particular that you all want to ask these individuals? Okay so no commission in the queue. Okay. So, and again I assume that we go with the first person on the list which is I mispronounced your name please um correct me um Deonus Foster. Thank you. Okay. And before you begin, I'm going to give you three minutes on the clock. And so again, have all these um gone through the um the vetting process through um background checks and things of that nature, vice chair,

as far as I know, they have. I believe the last applicant is not in our book because there was some stuff that needed to be redacted before it became public. And so I think we are waiting on that information, but as far as I know, all of these have had the background check. Thank you so much. Okay. Okay. I can have 3 minutes on the clock and Foster, you may begin.

Good morning, commissioners. Thank you for the opportunity to interview for the position as a judicial commissioner. My name is Deinus Foster, and I'm an attorney licensed in the state of Tennessee for over 20 years. I come before you today with proven judicial readiness, steady temperament, and the work ethic that this role so requires. I've had the opportunity to serve as a special judge in general sessions criminal court on several occasions prior to the appointment of the judicial commissioners. I have presided over high volume dockets and handle preliminary hearings, bun hearings, and pleas. I have managed dockets with over 140 cases on several occasions. In my 20 years of legal legal experience, I have litigated over thousands of legal cases, both civil and criminal. Those experiences gave me the firsthand understanding of the responsibility of fairness, clarity that was that was required for making decisions. As a special judge, I was as as I said as a special judge. And let me remind you commissioners, judges who were appointed asked me to sit on the bench for them as a substitute. When asked to sit as a special, I would I have evaluated probable calls and applied the rules of criminal procedure. I have reviewed affidavits, warrants, and legal documents for sufficiency, ensuring that the parties were properly advised of their rights and kept proceedings moving in a professional manner. I learned how to listen carefully and to apply the law consistently and maintain courtroom fairness and respect. In addition to my experience as a special judge, my work as a sole practitioner has prepared me for the task at hand. A judicial commissioner must shift quickly between administrative duties, warrants, bonds, affidavit, and emergency matters. That

is the rhythm of my daily practice. In a single day, I may move from personal injury to criminal matters to civil matters to probate issues to workers compensation or a deposition. I have learned to switch gears quickly, stay organized, and maintain accuracy under pressure, and to be efficient. Today I brought before you this this tree. We're going to pretend it's a tree. This represents me. My it's symbolic of how how I react to situations. A tree is I'm like a tree planted by the rivers of waters. When rain upon when the winds beat against it, when the storms may bend its branches, it stands. It does not falter. I I stand. I tell you today that I am this tree. Not only do I stand in adversity, but I produce fruit. I am a tree that has that has been bent. It has I've been stretched. I've been tested and but I have remained rooted, steady, and productive in my work, my family, community, and church. I am detail oriented. I am resilient and I am a quick study. In in in other words, I am just like that tree. I will continue to produce fruit if given the opportunity as a judicial commissioner. I will continue to produce the fruit of judicial temperament, the fruit of sound judgment, the fruit of impartiality, the fruit of consistency, and the fruit of fairness. These are not just qualities I aspire to, but these are qualities that I do in my day-to-day practice, in my community, and in my personal life. In closing, if elected as the judicial commissioner, I will bring steadiness in high pressure moments, clarity in complex situations, and fairness in every decision that I make. I will bring the ability to multitask without losing

accuracy. This the humility to keep learning, studying, and improving in the strength and to stand firm when work is demanding. Commissioners, I thank you today for your consideration and the opportunity to present not just my experience, but my character. Thank you. And I look forward to serving this county with ex excellency. Thank you.

Thank you so much. And I'm also like the tree. I have been vended, stretched, stomped on, everything else. Um, so I um also noticed that you are a substitute teacher and so I know that you are very flexible. Um, I have Commissioner Caswell in the queue. Commissioner Caswell. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, thank you for that presentation. Uh, I'm I'm that tree as well. I I see and I want to take a point of privilege. I want to recognize Judge Renfro. I know she got to get back to her court and I appreciate you being here doing an amazing job over there and I you the administrator for the uh commissioners, right? The supervisor.

Supervisor. Yeah. Appreciate you as well. All you do um in that uh when I think about where we are with the Memphis Safe Task Force, my question to you is since you had some of these opportunities sitting in different seats and being in judge, what just what would be some solutions or some ideas that you can bring to this work? when we talk about the intake of 150 300 people sitting in there, how do we help pro that process to get people in and out of that system in a better way? If you just have any insight on that.

Actually, I believe that our um our judicial system is doing a great job at actually handling those that task force. Um as as such, we have set up as you see commissioners um to help oversee that that flow. more district attorneys have been hired in order to actually oversee the flow, the influx of cases that are coming for the docket. So, I believe that we're doing a great job in that area. All right. Well, that's my main question. Thank you. Now, thank you. And um I would like to recognize Judge Renfro. Would you like to speak whenever you're done with this candidate or would you like me to come now?

Uh could you wait until the last one? We have like only a few. Would that be or do you have to get back to court? Okay. Thank you. Okay. Thank you so much. Any other commissioners in the queue? No, I do not see any. Thank you so much. Thank you. Okay. Next, the um candidate is Daryl Humphrey. No, no, sorry. I'm moving too fast. John Parker is here. He's online. Okay. Good morning, John Parker. Can I hear John Parker? Uh, you should be able to hear John Parker. I see you and I hear you. Okay. Um, oh, thank goodness. Okay.

It's been an adventure to put it mildly. Whenever you get ready, you may start.

Thank you for taking me. Uh, this was a literally a last minute move for me. I was going out of the country to celebrate my anniversary with my wife and I got a couple of calls and was told about this uh position being open and asking if I would submit my name. I did not know that I would be able to do this virtually and so I appreciate y'all even considering that for me. Uh that being said, much like you just heard, I' I've got experience. I've done this job for over 25 years now, almost not exclusively as criminal defense, but the vast majority of my career has been in criminal defense. I have sat as special judge. Uh I actually stopped collecting the letters that I got from the judges uh years ago when it filled up one of the hanging file folders in my filing cabinet. I just realized that I need to recycle those. Uh as you've heard, sitting at a special judge, we take guilty p. We do preliminary hearings. We set bonds. We tell people their rights. We we reign them. All all the things that a judge would normally do. The only things that we don't do that would normally be done is typically trials, but I have actually done that as well. And to sign warrants by the police officers. I've I don't know how many hearings I've conducted as a special judge. I've lost count. I've done personally I've done well over 100 trials in general sessions criminal court and in federal court. As far as my particular skills, I am one of 33 now attorneys that have been approved in this entire area to to uh serve on the Criminal Justice Act panel in the Western District of Tennessee Western Division. We're the only ones that are allowed to represent indigent clients because we've been vetted. We supposed to know what we're doing. Uh, I like to think that I do. As far as my personal skills, outside of just being a litigator and, uh, knowing my way around the courtroom, I've also managed my own law practice for since 2008,

specifically on my own, but I've managed a floor of 11 other attorneys in their staff along with my staff to run the entire building. Uh, I've served as a special prosecutor and as a judge in city court where I've sat over trials and prosecuted trials for the city of Memphis. Uh, as far as anything particular outstanding about me, I've I've grown up here. I know all of the other commissioners with maybe one or two exceptions. I know all of the judges. I've worked with them. I've actually I used to work for Ronda Harris, as a matter of fact. I've I've been around. I think that you need somebody who can step in to do the job, knows what the job is, and can make things go as quickly and seamlessly as possible. We're under a spotlight here in Memphis. We need to be able to do the job and get the spotlight off of us for the negative things that nationally and locally people are saying about us and get them focused on the good things that we've got going on. This is a wonderful, wonderful city and we need to push that push that light out there and county.

Yes. Thank you. And so um thank you for putting your name in the hat. Um and I see that you um have taken um Commissioner Caswell's um course on adverse child experiences as a teacher. We also train and I was just wondering what things that you also incorporate as far as what you've learned from the ASUS program.

Childhood damage and trauma is longstanding and children are longsuffering. Um, I interrupted you and I apologize for that, but Commissioner Caswell saved my bacon more of the times than I can count by being able to just use the word abbreviation aces. Mhm.

Because for years, you talk about their their childhood was terrible. Things things were horrible. Look look past this. And in, you know, in especially in federal court where we have the 3553 factors, I've I've had a significant number of clients who there really isn't a whole lot of good things that you can say about them. You know, I I get along with all of them, but I can't sit there and say, you know, take pity on this guy because I get along with them, your honor, and you know, cuz he's done some unspeakable things and convicted of them. But by being able to go through the ACES and what happened to these people, these men, these women when they're growing up, the things they saw, people shot right in front of them, constant abuse at home, hunger, just what are you supposed to say? You know, I talk to kids. I'm I'm a friend of the friend of mine's Dorsey Simps and I go and talk to some of his basketball players and and you tell them you can't do these stupid things that people are out there doing. It's just going to get you in trouble and I had lunch with Dor with Mr. films and he's like, "You're absolutely right, but what are you going to do if you're a 15year-old, 14-year-old kid, and you go home, you're the eldest there, your parents aren't anywhere around, and your little four-year-old brother comes up to you crying saying, "I'm hungry." And you have no food. It's it's it's sad, but it is also something that as far as sentencing goes, that needs to be taken into account. I I have to say, you know, as far as the commissioners, judicial commissioner, it's not going to be as relevant a factor because we're not sitting in judgment so much as deciding what a bail would be, but it is something that we should take into some degree of account

when you're setting a bond for somebody. Yes, danger to the community is important, but is there something is there, you know, as they say in federal court, is there a condition or combinations of conditions that can be issued and applied to this person in order to keep the community safe while they are out pending trial or do they just stay in? Thank you for your comments and that is true as far as once it's sent a person is sentenced there are resources that can help and support like programs and things of that nature while they're serving their sentence. Um having said that as an educator and teacher you know we have to meet children where they're at. You know some students are unhoused they're going through abuse and they're going through neglect etc. And those things we have to take in consideration as well as a teacher when we're teaching our children because you know it's hard to think when you're hungry or you don't know where you're going to be staying at or lay your head and so that kind of compassion and empathy is needed um even though you are not in that position though you can also maybe I don't know if this is part of your your ability as a um but to may make sure or recommend some type of programming while they're in um serving their sentence. And so those kinds of things that I hope all judges, you know, take in consideration um when they're sentencing, but also the programming that is available um to support individual because eventually they're going to be out and we don't want them out in the streets worse off um than they were when they before they went in. And I see Commissioner Caswell's in the queue. So I'm going to turn over to Commissioner Caswell.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And again, uh it's I I don't remember you, Mr. Care. uh what's that parker? But I do say I've done this training for over 10,000 individuals in our around our state and community and I appreciate you uh seeing how to be able to adapt it in your compassion, your profession. I think that it is uh very relevant even as and you understand this in their adulthood because many of these young people uh haven't never dealt with that trauma that they uh that were now they in now you found yourself uh in jail, right, and going through the system. To that point, I I want to ask the same question I kind of asked Miss Foster about uh when we look at the safe task force and the influx of individuals and I know as commissioners is your role to kind of uh help see this process through as well. What do you have any suggestions of how we can better move that process uh to get people through intake, get them uh whether you know committed the crime through the system or what have you? Do you have any suggestions of what may can be done to keep that process? Cuz you know, I just pray, you know, as we see some of the uptake and some of this crime that we don't have a bad summer, but if and I but yet I know that the task force going to continue and they should continue to do their job. Uh but do you just have any suggestions around that?

Unfortunately, I don't have one that's going to be real popular or let me rephrase that. It'll be real popular, but it'll be very difficult to do. And that is we need to have more individuals servicing the jail. Part of the hangup that we've got going on at 2011 popppler is the fact that there people can sit in custody for 3 days after posting bond because the jail is understaffed and they can't get people out. They can't move them. I' I've I've got two clients that have literally done that and you know and we're not these weren't repeat offenders. One was a first time offender

and it's just they don't didn't have the manpower to get them out. Bond had been posted and they could not progress from A to B to C to get out. Commissioners are doing their job. Everybody says you can do it faster. Sure, it could be done faster. So, you know, but commissioners are doing their job, but they can only handle the ones that are in front of them. And so, you've got to be able to have the staffing that moves the individuals from each location to the get in front of the commissioner and then when their bond situation is set, when they post that bond, they get out. That costs money.

Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for that. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Commissioner. And so, um, I don't have any paperwork for Daryl Humphrey. Is Daryl Humphrey in the audience? Okay. I don't know why we don't have your paperwork, but I may be able to explain. Okay. Thank you so much.

Yeah. I'm like, Mr. Parker, I received a phone call on Friday about applying. Well, as I attempted to apply, the system crashed. So, it wasn't until yesterday that Mr. Perry called, advised that the system was back up, and I was able to submit my application, and then he told me that I had an interview this morning at 8:45. So, I had to be in Bartlett this morning at 8. And I'm just grateful to be here. And thank God to say the task force didn't stop me on the way for speeding. But I I appreciate the opportunity and I've been a practicing attorney here in Tennessee for for 32 years. I've done both civil and and criminal cases. Um I've had a number of trials, not only in general sessions, but in uh criminal court as well as as federal court. Uh I'm a I'm a father of four and a grandfather of six. And again, uh, I think that sometimes uniquely prepares us for dealing with situations that that don't always present themselves, uh, ordinarily. Uh, we have to adapt and adjust and I think that's something that I would bring to the judicial commissioner role.

Okay. And thank you for those words. and we don't really have any to ask you as I don't because I don't have your um paperwork. So on uh Monday um there might be some additional questions. Okay. Um I see Commissioner Caswell. Thank you, Madam Chair. And my question would be the same just looking at where we are in that process. What do you have any suggestions or ideas around how that process can flow?

Well, I think it it's going to take a collective effort. It begins with the police, the investigating unit, and then it goes to the prosecutors and also to a certain extent defense attorneys. You know, before a warrant is signed, whether it's an arrest warrant or a search warrant, I think there needs to be a a more thorough initial investigation just to make sure that all of the facts are there to charge a person with a particular crime. because it's been my experience that a lot of times there are are crimes that really are not crimes but for whatever reason the warrant is signed and now person has to be arrested and go through the system. I think if we do a better job on the front end we can eliminate a lot of the unnecessary uh criminal cases um that that come about. And I think if if we all take that into consideration and everybody chips in and does their job, I think we can we can eliminate a lot of those. And in addition to that, I think we need to, you know, take a a closer look and be fair uh about, you know, the persons that are being charged, bonds that are being set. Uh like Mr. Parker said, you know, a lot of these people come from un unfortunate circumstances, which doesn't take away from them committing a crime. But I think if if we kind of take a look at it, maybe offer some services, uh, resources to assist these people, then we can kind of at least if we get them out of the system, provide something for them to be able to focus on to to not have to, you know, lead a life of crime.

All right. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you so much. Um, Commissioner Bradford, I was just going to let everybody know Mr. Humphrey's information has been received. Uh, county attorney's office is redacting the information and will distribute it to us. So, it may get down here after Mr. Humphrey has left. But, as you stated, Commissioner Sugarman, we invite all the candidates to come back on Monday at 3 because that's when the selection will take place. And you've got seven of the commissioners up here now. There's another six that aren't here, so they may have questions as well and may call you up. So, Monday at 3, if you can make it, please. Thank you. Thank you. Uh, Commissioner Mills,

thank you. My question is to legal. Thank you for all three of you for applying. Um, on the things that are redacted, how is it selected? Cuz on some like the children are redacted, but the other application they're not. One, the email is redacted, the other application it's not. So, I'm curious as to the process of what's redacted and what's not or why they're not the same. inconsistency. It depends on the child's age. So, sometimes depends Lisa overall county attorney's office. I think some of that information depending on I haven't seen it. Uh maybe case by case based on maybe the child's age, maybe um it would be hard to honestly it would be hard to speak on it without seeing exactly what we're talking about. Okay. But there may be yeah there may be different rules and policies that apply to different types of information.

Soity to relationship. Yeah. I hope that helps. Okay. So we can be fair and equitable. That is my thing. I would like to um at request of legal um before the meeting on Monday. Are y'all listening? Yes.

Okay. Thank you. um that we could have like a list maybe so because I want to make sure that we're consistent because I'm hearing things from my colleagues that is not being consistent. I just want to make sure we're being consistent. So can you just send us a list of things that u will be redacted or required to be redacted? That would be very helpful. Thank you. I appreciate that. Um are there any more commissioners in the queue? Okay, not seeing none. Let's take this item down for a vote. I have a question quickly. Um Okay, since this was a last minute thing and there was computer problems, just to make it clear, is there um opportunity for other people to apply or they didn't meet the deadline? And I just want to be clear if there's a deadline and they didn't um submit their applications because I like again like to be consistent. Was there a deadline? Can anybody answer that? And

yes, the the the uh uh openings have have been closed. There's no more that can apply. These are the three that have applied. So, these are the three that we will hear from uh we'll be voting on on Monday. Okay? Cuz I just want to put that on record because in case someone reaches out, I like to be consistent and fair. Okay? So, if you miss the deadline, the the deadline the deadline was in the resolution that we passed I think last Monday,

right? And and so, for example, there's somebody out there because they couldn't get in the system. So, I just want to put all this out there because I don't want anybody coming after the fact and say, "Well, I tried to apply but system was down and just so they missed the deadline and that's done. Done deal." Okay. And beh I was going to make a motion to send this down without recommendation. Well, we have uh Judge Renfro here would like to speak first. Okay. Perfect. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Okay, judge on.

Good morning, commissioners, and thank you for having us. Uh, I'm Sheila Bruce Renfro, judge of General Sessions, Division 9, Mental Health Court, also the supervisor for the commissioners this year. Uh, we saw you a few weeks ago. I have with me John Marshall, who is the lead commissioner. We presented uh our uh statistics for the uh bail hearing room and all the things that they do. This is a very important job. Uh we had had one commissioner who had been out a significant amount of time. So uh this will be a very important addition to the team. They have uh sucked it up and stepped up to the plate and done a great job of covering and managing uh everything that they need to do uh for this position. is a lot of responsibility as you heard from uh the candidates that we have today uh for this position. They sit for the judges uh when we are out. They do the bails, they do warrants, orders of protection. Uh they do preliminary hearings for some judges, arraignments for some judges, not all. Uh but they are a vital um part of the criminal justice system. So we thank you um for hearing us today. Marshall, did I add anything?

Thank you, John. Well,

John Marshall, uh, lead judicial commissioner. Thank you, Commissioner Sugarman. I I would just say is I think I say this every time we have a position or have just uh I would implore you to try to go with the candidate who has the most criminal law experience uh who has been at 2011 the most and has exposure to our system that this is a position that it's it's really important to have some experience. It's it's not a real you can learn it on the job real quickly type uh type of position and it's it's very important uh that that candidate whoever that might be and I know you will try to select the best one has some criminal law experience and uh I just want to say to Commissioner Caswell I just wanted to add on I heard Mr. Parker your question to him and I just want to second what he said about jail staffing. Uh there are several steps in the booking and processing. Uh I just gave a talk on it last night. I'd be glad to talk to you in person sometime and it takes a good while and it goes through several departments before the bond even gets to us. Uh we we're just one step in the process and it's a very complicated a lot of things that have to be done. Now I have ideas it could be streamlined in some ways. Uh but it takes there's a certain amount of identification of that individual classification medical checks. Uh different departments have to do. So that's why it's usually hours before the bonds even presented to us. And often when people are released on recgnizance, the reason it takes so long to get them back out is they have to go through that procedure again of identifying who this person is. They don't want to release the wrong person. So they have to send that person's prints back over to records and

identification and go through a a check again, which uh I didn't even know that myself till a few months ago, but there's just a a lot to it. But I I think if all the departments got together and really looked at it, there might be some ways we can improve it, but that has to come from the top down. Thank you.

Just just one thing I'd like to add. Um we have a wonderful group of commissioners that work with us. I would uh concur uh with Commissioner Marshall. We need someone who is very experienced uh in criminal uh law who can step right in, do the job, get along with others. Uh we have a diverse group, but we need to consider the dynamics of uh the group that we have and uh be consistent and uh make sure that they work uh well together. We hope that you will uh consider strongly the considerations uh from the judges if you if we are asked for our opinion in this. All right. Thank you. Thank you so much. Um, and John Marshall, I would love to get with both of you all to figure out how we can streamline this because I Sunday I had a long conversation with Micah and they're very concerned and upset with the situation as we are most of us on the commission as well and together I think we can come up with some processes with your guidance and I hope that we can have that you know sooner than later. So, thank you so much and I will be reaching out to both of you for some recommendations. Um, having said that, um, I wish all of the candidates much luck and I just want to say it takes a lot of courage to put your hat in the basket because sometimes we are very critical um, as far as what we ask and it's for a good purpose because it falls back on us as commissioners if the wrong person is selected and elected. And so we take every applicant very seriously. I can speak for most of my colleagues because I know I do and I will go through thoroughly um and do my little my research as well. So, um Rafford, I saw you in the queue. Would you make a motion to sit down?

And I second it. Thank you so much. And this concludes um committee number 10, general government. Thank you everyone. We'll go ahead and start committee number 11, core city. Madame parliamentarian, can you read item number one, please? Item one is a resolution approving the sale of 20 county owned delinquent 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 claim deeds sponsored by Commissioner Henry E. Brooks.

Thank you, Madam Parliamentarian. An item was moved by Commissioner Mills and a second by I'll go ahead. I'll put a second so we can get it going. Miss Esther Wood, you are um up. Thank you. Thank you. Uh Esther Sykeswood lean bank administrator. Again, the total back taxes on this were $137,990.85. The total asking price was $92,900. The total sales price was $112300. So, we got almost 20 grand over asking, but we were still negative in back tax collection of about 25,000. Of the 20 that were sold, 14 were sold for less than back taxes. And, uh, there were seven buyers from out of town and they purchased eight properties.

Thank you. Uh, I don't see any commissioners that are in the queue for that item. Um, so, madame clerk, can you um set us up for a vote, please? Please tally our votes. We have I votes from commissioners Clay Bibs Canwell. We have two I votes.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. That item goes down with a favorable recommendation. Madame Parliamentarian, can you read item number two, please? Item two is a resolution to grant two permanent utility easements 8 foot wide in size and 20 foot wide in size over across and upon a delinquent tax parcel acquired by the county of Shelby via Shelby County tax seal 19.03 located at 2760 Mount Mariah Parkway. further identified as tax parcel number 074090116 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. Thank you, Madam Parliamentarian. This item was moved by Commissioner Mills. Well, then it flipped back to Commissioner Caswell and a second by Commissioner Mills.

Thank you, Esther Sykeswood, Land Bank Administrator. This uh easement is a little different than our regular ones. This is an easement over a delinquent tax property, which is why it's in the core city um committee. What we have here is a development occurring on a piece of property through the New Covenant Church uh in uh Church in Christ uh with the developer of Christian home church homes and they're doing some senior living um and they need to have an easement across our property to get to their development. Additionally, there has been talks about them um acquiring the property we're actually getting the easement on. Um, so we spoke with them to make sure the easements were in the right spot. It wouldn't hinder any future development if they are if they actually do acquire the parcel. And the architects are here as well if you have any questions about the um development itself. But as far as this property, no development on this property other than the easements of an 8ft utility and 20 foot water uh utility easements.

Thank you for that um Miss Wood. So that partic I'm very familiar with this project and we have been talking about this for quite some time. So I'm excited to be able to see it actually in Q um going down for a vote for Monday. Thank you so much. I don't see any additional uh commissioners in um Q for any questions. But you did mention there the architect being here. Can you say on record exactly who they're working with? Just so I know it's a lot of time to come to committee and sit. But I do want to at least acknowledge them for coming today. So, it's Aaron Patrick Architects. Um, but I apologize. I don't have their names, but they can come up if you like.

You can come up, sir. And it, um, I'll give you two minutes to address this particular project. State your name and your address for the record. Aaron Campbell, uh, 435 Grey Hill, Cordova, Tennessee 3018. Thank you so much. and just give us a little insight around the project.

Oh god. Um so this project's been going on for years. Uh we started this project I think in 2021. Um the pastor came to us about this development he wanted to do on these parcels. Um and he was working with CCH uh about 100 103 units uh senior living you know projects been beating every hurdle that's come his way you know getting the certain credit certain federal funding. And so this project is really moving forward. Uh now it's finally got the real momentum it needs to actually possibly start construction uh this year. And I think this easement was one of the last things that was kind of holding it up. So I think it's a great project. Our team has spent tons of time on it uh again since 2021. Um and I think this easement getting this easement would definitely kind of clear the way for the project to move forward and and actually provide some senior housing in that area that's much needed.

Thank you so much Sarah. it. I started uh talking in talks with this project in 22 when I came on to the commission and as I end this first term uh we're now able to go into it for the second term. So, thank you so much for your time. Oh, you're welcome. Thank you. Madam clerk, can you please prepare our screens for voting? Madame clerk, can you tally our votes, please? We have eye votes from commissioners why Clay Bibs Canwell. We have three I votes.

Thank you so much. This item goes down with a favorable recommendation. And this concludes core city.

All right. Good morning everyone. We'll call to order committee number one, budget and finance. If we can read item number one. Item one is a resolution approving the purchase of janitorial supplies from Housekeeper Supply Industrial Sales Company, Action Chemical Inc., Lad Safety, Wrighter Days and Night, Staples Contract and Commercial LLC, Dell Roma Companies, Inc., First Source Business Supplies, and Pyramid Paper Company for various departments of Shelby County government. This item requires expenditure of county FY2026 operating funds in the estimated amount of $689,81824 cents for the initial period through June 30th, 2026 with the option to renew for two additional one-year periods sponsored by Commissioner Muel Lowry.

All right, if we can get a mover and seconder, might be you, Commissioner Caswell. All right, I'll second it. Um, all right. Good morning, Mr. Gloucester. Good morning, commissioners. James Glosser, administrator of purchasing. Uh I come before you guys today requesting approval for uh the system statewide I mean uh countywide contract for janitorial supplies with an estimated cost of 689,81824 cents for a period through June 30th 2026 with an option to renew for two additional years. Uh we did do a seal bid on this um particular contract and awarded nine vendors.

Okay. Um madame parliamentarian or maybe to the to the county attorney's office uh trying to understand the placement of this in budget and finance. I mean I know we've we've gone over this for a few items that are amending the budget. I'm I'm unclear that this is amending the budget or if this right Mr. Glouster this is something that was budgeted. Is that right? James cost administrator person from my understanding. Yes. From multiple departments from the operating budget. Okay. Yep. Yeah. Just just for

that's just one attribute of the jurisdiction for um budget and finance is amending budgets but I believe also since this is a countywide purchase that it would also fall under f because um purchasing falls under finance department. So the jurisdiction in terms of justice department and this being a countywide purchase, I think this is properly positioned. Okay. Yeah, that's fine. I mean, I think it just may be um helpful to clarify some of that because often times we'll have contracts in general government uh that would potentially cover multiple departments. Um,

and again, uh, sometimes items have dual jurisdiction, so it really depends on where the department uploads the item to, and I think they just follow precedent. So, I think in the past, these items have fallen under budget and finance, but but we can make sure that that is all correct and and in order.

Yeah. Okay. Yes, sir. No, I'm okay with it. All right. Uh, all right. See, no one else on the screen. We can prepare this item for a vote. All right, we can close the screen and record the vote. We have I votes from commissioners why Clay Bibs, Caswell, Mills, Shalai Wright. We have six I votes.

All right. Item one will go down with a favor recommendation. This will conclude budget and finance. Uh we can roll into committee 13 audit and read item number one. Yes, sir. Item one 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 Whe.

All right. Item one moved by Commissioner Wrights. I will second the item. All right. Good morning, Trusty Newman. Good morning, Mr. Chairman. Good morning, Commission. Welcome, Commissioner Zah. Um, Regina Newman, County Trustee. This is the third quarter report for the trustes office. That's for the county for um fiscal year 2026. Uh we are luckily right where we need to be revenue-wise. Um, if you look at page two, this is the report that you receive every Friday, the total receipts report with daily revenue updates. It is on our uh website every day. And as of the end of the third quarter, taxes had um met 98.59% of the budget. As of close business yesterday, they're well over 99%. So, we don't anticipate any shortage in the taxes uh when it comes to the revenue budget. Um, also the other offices are all hitting around 75% or more. So, they are also where they need to be except for the seasonal matters which will come in during this last quarter. Um, so the details on all that over the next few pages if you'd like to look. And then um the list of TIFFs and where we are at this point is on page five. Um, TIFF payments are still being processed. So uh we will update those in the next quarter. Um the percentage of property taxes that have been collected is remaining somewhat constant with a slight dip this year on page six. Um usually around 95% as of the end of the third quarter of everything that's build has come in and uh they are up this month. personal property taxes. Uh following the page on page six, you'll see a breakout for each type of tax.

Personal property taxes, which were slow last year, are ahead this year. Um real estate taxes, which were good last year, are a little behind. So, it's not one subject, it's several. Um but we we will still meet budget and we will exceed budget. So, we're very happy about that. Um if you move on to page 10, we have put a concentrated effort with the boards, the pilot boards on getting the pilots paid and those are up this year. Instead of 93 94%, they are at 98 as of the end of the third quarter. So very happy with them. Um number at page 11 you have an analysis of the sales tax going to the cities and for the first year in many years it is slightly down. Um and uh I have no explanation for that and it may catch up in the fourth quarter but uh the city portions are down. Um whereas overall the sales tax is up on page 12. So you can see that. Um let me introduce Mr. Lee who is our deputy chief administrator um joining me today. And then um we have the percentages allocated and the money's allocated from the property tax rate and the sales tax rate to the various categories of schools debt service and general fund. Page 17 is the portfolio snapshot for all of the county's investments. It is.13 above the state portfolio for the third quarter. Very pleased with it. um running really well. On page 18, you can see a further um chart indicating that we are $7 million this year above where we were at the end of the third quarter last year in terms of investment interest. So, uh even though rates have gone down, we invested in enough longer

term uh instruments to try to keep that up. And so uh we we will we will hope to exceed uh the investment interest of last year when it comes to the end of the fourth quarter. Highlights for the office. This was the first year where we were working in our new tax system which took a long time to implement. We're still getting the bugs out. And as I've said before, I I said I hope we're the only ones knowing about the bugs. But um uh it seems to be working smoothly uh from everyone else's perspective. But uh remittance did have its first successful tax season. So very pleased with that. Our electronic payment system, electronic payments are up over 10% of where they were the year before. We hope to continue to increase that over time. We still have a lot of folks who like to come see us who are elderly who like to get their receipt in their hand when they pay you money. And so we will continue to do that for them. Uh ex collection goals were exceeded in January and February and by 28% in March. Um the other thing that has happened is we did decommission three additional Windows servers as part of the new county ERP system. So very pleased with that. We don't have to worry about them going down anymore. We had the fourth annual trustee sponsored adultting 101 showcase uh which had was in on March 25th having been postponed due to an ice storm in February. And so we're very pleased. The schools were excited. The kids were engaged. Uh we had 1,500 high school seniors come uh brought by the schools. The partners are of course the school system bank on Memphis and the ABC contractors of West Tennessee which I don't see Commissioner Bradford here but he's very involved in that. We also had 70 of exhibitors with career opportunities for for the kids. So we I know that I've talked to a couple of

kids whose whose lives changed that day. So always happy to help with our seniors uh either their senior citizens or the high school seniors. update on the Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center on page 20. Um the clients have now paid off over $8.6 million in non-mortgage debt and you will see um Malcolm Ross and I uh Malcolm Rolls is the head of Rise Memphis. I think he's here on the agenda today, but we will be on live at 9:00 tomorrow talking about the successes of the financial empowerments and getting the word out for um free counseling for anybody in Shelby County. The report on expiring pilots as required by ordinance 542 is on the following pages and I don't really have any updates on that. We continue to have to include that for past years as there is always a pilot hanging out there that hasn't paid yet. All right, that is my report for the third quarter. If anybody has any questions, I'll be happy to answer them.

All right. Great. Very well. Thank you, Trusty Newman, Commissioner Wright.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good morning, Trustee. Um, good to see you again. I wanted to say first, thank you for participating last week with the leadership Bartlett group that came and had their county day. They always get so much um insight from you and we appreciate you being part of that and being flexible also because I messed up the the agenda, but thank you for being part of that. Always a great time. just had a question not about anything necessarily specifically in this report but just about the report. I heard you say a minute ago about the ordinance that um I guess prompts the report on the expiring pilots. What about this report in general? Is is this something that the trustes office does uh by resolution or by tradition or just out of the goodness of your heart?

Good morning, Commissioner Reene Newman County Trustee. Um, it has been going on long before my time and I'm going to probably think there's a resolution from the commission back there somewhere that says give us a quarterly report. It's not by statute to my knowledge. We do have annual reports we do by statute, but um uh I have I'm not familiar with the statute on this one. So um since it's been going on for so long, I believe it's it's a a local matter.

Okay. Well, I'm just reflecting on that. We get those, like you said, those weekly emailed reports and then we get these very detailed quarterly reports from you and and we've had that so long I haven't even questioned it, but it's very helpful and it gives us a sense of where we're at as a county. Um, but you know, I'm always mindful that you're a separately elected official. And so it makes me curious about that continuing. Um, as you will have a successor, uh, elected here within just a little a little while. U, but we also have other separately elected officials who I think it would be good to get an update from them. Um, whether that's our sheriff or whether that's other elected officials. so that we have a better sense of what's happening in our county. Feel like we have a pretty good sense of what's happening in the trustes office was great. We wouldn't be able to run the run county government without that insight. There's other areas too where we're not getting that sense of uh feedback. So that that's just my overall point of view this morning, Mr. Chair. Uh perhaps there's something that we could do if there if if there is an ordinance that backs up this tradition or this uh partnership that we have established. Love to see it continue but also perhaps expand to other other areas as well. Thank you.

All right. Thank you. Yes, it would be a good tradition to bring uh to other entities as well. Thanks. All right, Commissioner Caswell.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And and I like where Commissioner Wright is going with that where when we can think about alignment in a lot of these areas as we just talk with the judicial commissioners and saying how we can do systems better. I I really feel like that would help us really do this job better if everything was in a better alignment. But to that I was looking through this and just trying to really capture and the numbers when we talked about in budget retreat about the fact that it may be it's going to be all right and some tax call back. are we're seeing those numbers as relate to the amount of money that's being collected over what it was last year. And maybe I it was on one of these pages and I'm missing it. Kind of like where we talk about we're collecting extra money because of the tax uh I guess the the appraisal if you can explain that to me. I just trying to see where we at cuz they were saying we may be over the amount of money we got from last year because of the tax rate. Uh,

Regina Newman County Trusty, I believe you're talking about the the upcoming fiscal year. This year is set. So, um, the budget is set. The projections were set and we hope to exceed those projections um due to a couple of reasons. One is the state assess not the assessor's assessed property but the state assessed property which is utilities came in comes in in December long after you guys do the budget and we set the projections and so it was a little higher than it was the year before. So uh that will contribute to this year. Um but uh as to the upcoming fiscal year we actually did the projections for the county yesterday. The assessor delivered the role um on the 20th as required and uh so staff was working on projections yesterday. We would anticipate approximately 19 or 20 million more coming in the upcoming year despite the state's recapture rate decreasing our tax rate. So, it ended up with a decrease coming from the states, not final, but preliminary estimated decrease is about 2.7 cents, a little over 2.7 cents, and that's about $9 million. Um, and so 9.177 if anybody wants to write that down. And so despite that decrease of 9.177 between the assessor's increased certified assessment role and the state's assessment role, um we've got a a forecast for 20 million or more so coming next year.

Yeah. Cuz I I just know in closing this uh when the year I came in, the year before I came in, I know it was uh they was looking to try to get pay raise or something what have you and I was in a meeting where you came in and said some 19 million or so dollars. identified. I was just saying like, are we looking at another year like that or that whether it was the interest rate that brought that money? I didn't know where it came from then. So, I was just trying to get an idea. Are we looking at a year like that? But if we were, is it because of what you just said? Is that um I guess the tax rate being changed. We Commissioner Regina Newman County Trustee if we have excess this year due to the state assessed property assessment role um and and the slight overcolction but we'll see on that but that's probably the gist of it. Um and we will have those numbers when you're discussing the budget which closer to the end of the fiscal year.

Thank you.

Okay. Thank you Commissioner Coswell. Um, Trusty Newman, just to have one quick question on the on the investment interests. I think this has been a clear highlight uh over the last four years or so, you know, not that long before that, we had basically zero, you know, so it was it was nothing, but you know, it's now quite substantial and I think on track to to finish the year strong. So, I think that's well done. I'm curious about the uh because we don't know how long that'll last necessarily, but what the average maturity was on the new purchases that we just did. So the the new CDs or the new commercial paper is there like how long are those how long is the average maturity on those? Um do you know that offhand?

Really Newman County Trustee. The maximum we can have by law is two years. So are they in two years? Are they No. uh because they were low for so long that the rates that we were getting on bids were just pitiful, right? So, we were taking what we could get and keeping a lot in the state portfolio in LGIP. But, we hope that um the ones we're getting now are more of the two-year variety. But there is a complete list on the website of all the investments and the maturity dates. Yeah. So, uh, we can get you the average number on the cash if we if Yeah. No, no, no. I think it's good. I just wanted to highlight that, you know, being able to lock that in is,

you know, and and we don't know what the future holds, but you you got to be able to get it while we can. So, we're we're anticipating they will decrease. So, whatever we can lock in now is a good thing. That's right. Good. Good. Yep. All right. Commissioner Shalai. Thank you, trustee. Can you hear? Can you hear me? Okay. Yes, sir. Thank you, Trustee, for the welcome. First off, um I have a question related to the House bill that was passed last year that changed the way that uh state shared sales taxes were distributed to cities based on population numbers where before that was based on census numbers, but now that it's going off of a year-to-year basis. Are you familiar with what I'm referring to? I am, but it's not my area now. Okay. Okay. Okay.

So, the state's going to divvy it up and send it back and we're just going to distribute it. Yeah. I guess looking at this and if it's not your area, I understand completely, but I was just wondering if there were projections that we have kind of looking at our census numbers to for us to be able to kind of expect what our sales tax revenue might look like in the future. But I understand is that not let me know Regin Newman County Trustee because it doesn't impact the county's revenue. Yeah. But the difference is the trustee divies up all the money that comes from the state and they say this much goes to Memphis, Sh Bartlett, Germantown, Cerville, etc. And so that's just going through us as the bank. We're not impacting how much they get. Okay.

Yeah. Okay. Thank you.

You bet. Um, speaking of which, if I have one more moment, um, a bill just passed through the legislature, which you guys will probably be happy about. And, um, it was sponsored by Representative Harris and Representative Kyle of Shelby County, and it ran last year, but it kind of ran out of time. So, very pleased that the Trustees Association um, pushed this bill heavily. We didn't come up with the idea, but we did push it. And that is for uh participants on the tax relief program who are 80 years and up and have been on the program for more than five years will get a streamlined application process from the controllers's office. So that is a really good thing for our seniors. I know it's it's not big in the general scheme of the world, but uh we have really been pushing this because our senior citizens uh need less paperwork in their lives. So um we hope that that'll streamline everything for everybody over 80. Thank you.

All right. Yes. Very good. You good? Okay. All right. Thank you very much. Uh Madam Clerk, we can prepare the screen to vote on item number one. All right, we can close the screen and record the vote. We have eye votes from commissioners why Clay Bibs Caswell Mills Shalai Wright Vice Chair Bradford. We have seven I votes.

All right. Item one will go down with a favor recommendation. Thank you Trusty Newman. Thank you Mr. Lee. Thank you for being here. And uh this will conclude committee number 13. Thank you so much. Uh we will begin committee number six education. Madam Palunteerian, can you read item number one, please?

Item one is a joint resolution of the Memphis City Council and the Shelby County Board of Commissioners, a resolution to encourage alignment of fall and spring breaks across all school districts and school types in Memphis and Shelby County. Sponsored by Commissioner Michael Whe. Thank you, Madam Parliamentarian. This item was moved by Commissioner Whe and a second by Commissioner Wright. All right. I actually will hand this uh over to Commissioner Wley to give us his thoughts on this resolution.

Yeah, thank you. And I'm I'm going to at the end of this just move to refer it to the next committee because this is something we're trying to do with the city council. Uh so this is an item that uh has been brought to me for a while from some constituents of mine um who have uh who have children in various school systems um particularly the campus school University of Memphis which is in my district uh and the Memphis Shelby County schools uh which have historically had different uh breaks um

and so for for families with young kids in school uh it can be challenging to you know coordinate family time, you know, when you're in kind of different different uh staggered times off. Uh so obviously we don't have jurisdiction on this. Uh we would just have to encourage it, but you know, it's something that I've heard quite a bit that uh wanted to to at least offer that as you know, way to kind of get a line potentially should should people want to do that. Absolutely.

So again, it's something that I'm working with the city council on as well that uh they have yet to hear it. So, I want to make sure they kind of run at the same time and that we seek additional feedback. Uh, and if there's any feedback today, happy to hear it, but my motion will be to to defer it um or refer it to um May 13th. Absolutely. Okay. So, I would um of course defer it. I'll second that. Okay.

But I still have a comment on it. Sure. I'll second that and if we can accept that without objection. So moved. So my comment is that is there an opportunity for um conversations to happen with um the leaders of the eleas to come together because actually Memphis City I'm Memphis Shelby County Schools and the munis had a conversation so that their calendars could be aligned. So it sounds like to me the other LEA that's probably missing is the University of Memphis from the conversation. Is there opportunity for them to have a conversation with the other LEAs? Um,

yes. No, I mean I think that's that's the hope. Yeah. Is that um because my understanding is that the university schools is setting their calendar based on the University of Memphis itself. Well, why so it's really the University of Memphis uh schedule which you know is determined by their board of trustees, you know, which is, you know, the operating that school district is just a small part obviously what they're doing. So that's my understanding of it. Uh and so it could be that, you know, having a conversation with the University of Memphis around around those impact. Yeah. That it's happening for families. Okay. Yeah. Mhm. Gotcha. Okay. All right.

All right. Thank you so much, Commissioner Wley. And this concludes committee number six. All right. And now call committee number seven. That's being deferred. Item one is a discussion item to last approximately 15 minutes. Hip hop museum updates. Michael Ford and John Mitchell presenting. This item was deferred in April 8th, 2026 committee meeting. All right. Thank you, Madam Perry. That that item is going to be uh deferred for two weeks.

I just wanted to point out that um discussion items uh there's no action taken on them. So, you don't have to defer them to a time certain on the record. They can just be placed on the agenda when the speakers are available. Yes, sir. Thank you. That calls a conclusion to committee number seven. All right, commissioners. We have about 5 minutes before our next committee.

All right, I have 10 o'clock on the clock. Go ahead and open uh reconvene and open up committee number four, law enforcement, corrections, and courts. If we could read item one, please. Item one is a resolution approving a contract between Shelby County government and Benchmark Electric LLC for the emergency installation of emergency standby generators at 989 Doveest and 993 Dovecrest on behalf of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office in the amount not to exceed $343,614. This item requires the expenditure of fiscal year 2026 general funds in the amount not to exceed $343,614. Sponsored by Commissioner Mc Wright. This item was deferred in April 8th, 2026 committee meeting.

Thank you so much. This item has been moved by Commissioner Bradford, second by Commissioner Mills. Good morning, sir. You have the floor.

Uh, good morning, commissioners. Mike Deathridge, administrator of planning for the sheriff. Excuse me. This resolution is ratifying an emergency contract with Benchmark Electric to install S standby generators for the Sheriff's Training Academy and our emergency services division, excuse me. Uh we've experienced many power outages at both of these facilities. They're right next door to each other uh where they're located out east and uh they've just really disrupted operations. Um I want want to highlight the emergency services division especially. They're kind of a support unit for the sheriff's office. They support many divisions in the sheriff's office along with search and rescue and things like that. Um, but it's kind of hard to mobilize equipment and things like that in the dark and get garage doors open and and the facility uh operating properly. So, it kind of disrupts operations. So, these are an emergency need um for the sheriff's office. We reached out to local vendors, some local electrical contractors. Um, Benchmark Electric was the only ones who had the generators in stock, the transfer switches in stock, and they were ready to mobilize and begin work immediately. Uh, other vendors that we spoke with, uh, they were 25 to 35 weeks out on getting the equipment in. So, uh, that's why Benchmark was selected. Uh, obviously, this is going to improve our operations, uh, greatly, and we would appreciate approval of this item.

All right. Thank you, Mr. Deathridge. I don't have anyone in the queue. Uh if no one seek to be recognized, let's go ahead and take this to a vote. We have I votes from commissioners Meals, Shalai, Right, Vice Chair Bradford. We have four I votes.

Thanks so much for this item. We'll move down with a favorable recommendation. Item two, please. Item two is the resolution approving a contract with Chandler Lawn Lawn Service 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 the expenditure of FY2026 county general funds in the amount of $81,780. Sponsored by Commissioner Mick Wright. Thank you so much. This item has been moved by Commissioner Mills, seconded by Commissioner Bradford. Mr. Deathridge.

Uh Mike Dethridge, administrator of planning for the sheriff. This resolution is approving a contract for grass cutting and lawn care services for the sheriff's office. Uh this was support lawn maintenance at uh nine sheriff's office locations. Um this was a competitively bid process through county purchasing and Chandler Chandler Lawn Service was selected as the lowest and best qualified bidder meeting our specifications. We recommend approval of this item. Thank you, Mr. Jethridge. I have Commissioner in the queue, Commissioner Brooks.

Good morning. So, um just one question in reference to this items um amount coming out of the county general fund. Now I'm trying to understand why this amount would not be associated with the land bank because we do have a group of vendors that work specifically for the land bank to cut lots so and do grass cutting. So what's the other than the fact that it's the sheriff's department?

Uh good morning commissioner books. Uh thank you for the question. So, we've always maintained our own properties. Uh, the sheriff's office has always done that. So, uh, we've always solicited, you know, bids for for our own grass cutting. We've never done it through the land bank or or any other section. And and we maintain our properties ourselves just because I like to have control of that. I like to make sure our m our buildings are maintained properly. Right. And I understand that. And I that's why we do that.

Yeah. I commend that. But I'm I'm trying to understand, you know, within the constraints of the Shelby County government budget, um why this would not since we have a process already in place to do that, why can't we just put this over there and let them do it? Why have two separate processes that just cutting grass?

Well, I can say that we have many processes in place the county, many, you know, aspects of of maintenance and things like that. you know, we have support services and things of that nature, but the sheriff's always maintained our own buildings. We budget and it comes out of our budget to to maintain our facilities just like grass cutting, you know, building maintenance and things like that. The sheriff takes that responsibility and and Okay. We do that out of our own. Oh, so this is coming out of your budget, not the general, not the county general fund. It's coming out of the sheriff's budget. It says county general fund. Am I reading this correctly? Maybe I need some help. I can defer.

What do you mean? We need to get some wording fixed. I mean, someone can help me understand the wording here because it says county general fund and I there's another one that says here, well, we don't get that one. Well, I think at the end of the day, it's all county general funds, right? But then it goes for whoever,

but it specifies sheriff's portion of it. Yeah. uh on some uh documents. Do we need to move this to the heel until we can get someone from finance to come and explain it? Because I'd like to vote on it, but I want to make sure I cast an informed vote. I want to know where it's coming the money's coming from. Can we move this to the heel of this agenda, please? Absolutely. Thank you, sir. Do we need to do that? I mean, do we need a second for that or can we just do that? Move it to the heel.

Okay, I'll go ahead and second that. Can we do that without objection? All right, this item been moved to the heel. All right, let's read uh item three, please. Sorry. Item three 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 FY2026 grant fund operating budget of the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County and to authorize the expenditure of said state grant funds in an amount not to exceed $45,000 for the provision of courtappointed special advocate CASA program services. This item requires appropriation and expenditure of FY2026 grant funds in the amount not to exceed $45,000. Sponsored by Commissioner Mc Wright.

All right. This item has been moved by Commissioner Bradford, seconded by me. Good morning, Judge Sugarman. Good morning, Miss Fulsome. Good to have you. Good morning, Commissioner.

Yes. Um, Judge Tark Sugarman Juveninal Court of Memphis and Shelby County. Uh we're asking for approval of this uh resolution to accept the state grants grant funds from the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth in the amount of $45,000. What this money is used for is our court and special advocates who uh represent the children that come before us who come off our DNN docs, dependency neglect dockets, um and go into foster care. It provides those services for these children. And I'm proud to say that um our current uh complement of foster parents uh has really really been bolstered this season. And I want to um again thank the commission for helping us with this and we look forward to working with our CASA program and volunteers in a meaningful way for our community.

Thank you so much, Judge Sugarman. I have a commissioner in the queue, Commissioner Mills. Thank you. Um this is just my curiosity. I noticed Michael Thompson did this. Is he working for your office now? Uh, Judge Tar Sugarman, Juveninal Court. Uh, yes. Thankfully, he is. Um Um, we lost our finance administrator a few months back and this was a position that was sorefully needed in our in our complement of of of staff. Yes. Okay. And these are grant funds, state or federal. State from the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth. Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you. All right. Thank you, Commissioner Mills. I don't have anyone else in the queue. Are you all um anything else you'd like to share?

It's Tuesday. You all have a good week. Thank you. I'm sorry. That's how behind I am. Thank you. I appreciate it. All right. Thanks. I want to say, Judge Sugarman, that you uh exercise excellent judgment in selecting Mr. Thompson uh to come to work for you. Thank you. Thank you. And I also um compliment the uh committee that selected Mr. Kuran Folsson as our CEO, too. Um it was a arduous process, but we came out with with a very good win. Thank you. You all have a good day.

All right. Thank you, Commissioner Brooks. Thank you, Judge. Let's go ahead and take this to a vote, please. We have eye votes from commissioners Mills, Shalai, Wright, Brooks, Vice Chair Bradford. We have five eye votes.

Thank you. That item will move down with a favorable recommendation for Monday. Can we read item four, please? Item four is a resolution to approve the emergency purchase of a wrecker vehicle from AJ Domen 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 $11,500. Sponsored by Commissioner Mc Wright.

Thank you. This item has been moved by Commissioner Bradford, seconded by Commissioner Mills. Uh, Mr. Deathridge, you might be back up on this item four. All right. I know you're trying to nail down that earlier item. U back on item four now. This is the wrecker vehicle. Can you speak on this, please?

Yes, sir. Uh, thank you, Commissioner Wright and W Deathridge, administrator of planning for the sheriff. Uh, so this resolution ratifies the purchase of an additional rollback record for the Shelby County Sheriff's Office fleet maintenance division. So I've normally maintained two rollback records in our uh fleet maintenance division to support our large fleet. Right. So one of our records is very old and uh we were having some problems with it and uh we really uh highlighted the emergency during the snowstorm when I was down to one record. So, I wasn't able to to get cars unstuck as quickly as I needed to, uh, hence the emergency. So, uh, we worked with some local vendors and located a slightly used wrecker, met our needs and specifications, and, uh, they helped us with the purchase of that, uh, vehicle. So, we're back to two two roll back recorders to to meet our needs, and we recommend approval. Thanks.

All right. Thank you so much. If no one seeking to be recognized, we'll go ahead and take this to a vote. We have eye votes from commissioners Caswell, Mills, Shalai, right? Vice Chair Bradford. We have I votes from Commissioner Caswell, Mills, Shalai, Right. Commissioner Brooks, Vice Chair Bradford, we have six I votes.

Thank you so much for that item. We'll move down with a favorable recommendation. And let's return to item two. If we could read that back into the record. Yes, sir. Item two is a resolution approving a contract with Chandler Law Services 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 FY2026 county general funds in the amount of $81,780 sponsored by Commissioner McWight. This item was moved by Commissioner Mills and seconded by Vice Chair Bradford.

All right. Thank you so much. So, we're back on item two now. Mr. Deathridge, there was a question earlier about the account number, whether that is county general fund or whether that's specific to the sheriff's office. Do you have any insight on that now? Uh, yes, sir. Commissioner Mike Deathridge, administrator of planning. So, that that account number is the sheriff's budget. So, that comes that's our account number. Am I let me get in queue? I just have a just a slight clarification here. Commissioner Brooks, you're recognized.

Okay. So, if we'll look at the item right after item two, item three, I'm sorry, item four specifically states this item requires expenditure of fiscal year 2026. Shelby County Sheriff's Office general operating funds. So, which says to me very clearly it is coming out of the sheriff's department uh sheriff's budget. This one you have to assume and I don't like to assume anything. So, either we need to fix the language or we need to get some clarity on the record. Miss Tipton, did she come down here to do that? Good morning, Miss Tipton.

Good morning. Audrey Typton, director of finance and administration. If I'm understanding your question correctly, uh, Commissioner, uh, on number two, uh, it says county general funds and the word sheriff is not included. Right. I I understand what you're saying. Yes. And it and that one is also coming out of the sheriff's general fund dollars. So we can correct the language just include sheriff general fund or we can just remove sheriff because it is general fund dollars but it's the sheriff's general fund and right and that needs to be made clear. Mr. Chairman, uh I would like to make a motion. Second.

All right. There's been a motion by Commissioner Brooks to amend the caption second by Commissioner Caswell. Can we do that without objection hearing? None. So move Commissioner Brooks. Thank you. I mean that takes care of it for me. I'm sorry. That takes care of it. Okay. All right. Thank you, Commissioner Commissioner Sugarman. Just to capture the amendment, is the language now stating um in lie of FY2026 county general funds, it's now stating um expenditure of fiscal year 2026 Shelby County Sheriff's Office general operating funds. That would be my that would be my motion.

Okay. Just to clarify that on the record. Thank you. Yes. Thank Thank you, Madam Parliamentarian. Okay.

Uh Commissioner Sugarman, are you in the queue? Okay. Okay. All right. I don't see anyone else in the queue. So, if we're good, we can go ahead and vote on this as amended. We have eye votes from commissioners Caswell, Sugarman, Mills, Shalai, Wright, Brooks, Vice Chair Bradford. We have seven I votes.

Thank you. Thank you. That item we'll move down with a favorable recommendation. And that concludes committee number four. Uh we have about 13 minutes until the next committee. Is the person in my eyes here? Is that here in the dark seat? Okay.

I teach seniors. I teach seniors and then they're being tested so much the other the lower class. So they're Oh, Yes.

Yeah. Sorry, April.

I'm sorry. I don't know.

Okay, it's now 10:30 and so I'd like to bring to order U committee 17, workforce development and we have a discussion item. We have with us today um Rise of Memphis, Malcolm Ross, and Devonte Payton. Is the just okay? He's not here. And you are going to present um and you'll have 10 minutes. So, thank you. Just state your name for the record and your position. Advise.

Uh Chairwoman Sugarman, commissioners, good morning. Uh, my name is Malcolm Ross. I'm the executive director of Rise Memphis. I am here today on behalf of the Rise Memphis Board of Directors and on behalf of every Shelby County resident we have the privilege of serving. Our board has asked me to extend their personal gratitude to this committee for your continued investment in the financial well-being of our community. I want to acknowledge Rise Memphis does not serve one corner of the county. We serve residents across every county commission district. When you invest in RISE, you invest in your constituents, all all of them. Uh the committee trusted Rise Memphis with $600,000 in county resources. That was not a gift. That was an investment in Shelby County residents. Today, I'm here to show you exactly what that investment produced. Next slide. Uh you are the Workforce Development Committee, and I want to address that directly. Uh when a resident cannot pay a delinquent account, they cannot stay employed. When a household is in financial crisis, a job alone does not fix it. The average Rise Memphis client earns $38,55 a year. That is working. That is contributing. That is still not enough without a financial foundation. Household stability is workforce stability. credit, debt, banking access, 85% of what our clients need. When we fix that, we make it easier to keep a job, manage transportation costs, and most importantly, pursue the next opportunity. Next slide. Let me speak plainly about how this money was used. The county provided $600,000. Rise Memphis matched with $280,925

from our own funds, bringing total program investment to $880,925. The county funded the engine, Rise Memphis added the fuel. That means for every dollar this committee appropriated, RISE deployed $147 in total program resources. Your investment didn't just fund a program. It unlocked additional pro additional resources that the county never had to appropriate. More than half of that, 53% went directly to the staff who sit across the table from Shelby County residents who who work with Shelby County residents every day. That was not overhead. That was direct service. I also want to speak to the quality of that service. Rise Memphis operates the Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center in formal partnership with the Shelby County Trustees Office. That's not a handshake agreement. That is an institutional partnership with a county office that has own fiduciary accountability. They vetted Rise and they chose to partner with us. And the counselors de delivering this service are not well-intentioned volunteers. They are certified financial counselors. credential professionals delivering professional-grade service to residents who deserve nothing less. One more stewardship point before I get to outcomes. Uh you know, we do not count the foot traffic. We count measurable financial change. Rise Memphis tracks five specific milestones. Delinquency reduction, safe banking access, credit improvement, debt reduction, and legacy planning. We could have inflated our numbers. We chose not to. That discipline in our data reflects the same discipline in how we manage your dollars.

Here's what that investment produced. In 18 months, 2,421 residents served through the Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center, 9,462 counseling sessions, 9,233 counseling hours. Since September 2024, client served are up 28.5%, sessions are up 36.7%. Counseling hours up 36.2% and outcomes achieved up 46.5%. I want to be clear about what those growth numbers mean. We didn't just coast, we expanded. That kind of growth tells you an organization is managing its resources well and deploying them effectively. Every one of those percentages represents a Shelby County family that got help. Now, let me talk about the return on investment. Since we began tracking, Rise Memphis has helped residents reduce 8.68 million in personal debt. 3.28 28 million of that has happened since September 2024. Our residents also grew cumulative savings by 575,000 $329. If you divide debt reduction alone by the county's investment, that is a 14.5 to1 return. $14.50 return for every county dollar invested. And I want to be transparent with that number. We chose to present it conservatively. It uses debt reduction only. It does not count savings growth. It does not count banking access. It does not count credit improvement. It does not count gold card or save up outcomes. With a number this strong is also this conservative. That tells you something about the

organization presenting it. 14 to five 14.5 to1 is a floor, not a ceiling. So numbers tell the story. Uh but I want to tell you about one resident. She first came to Rise with a goal, but she wasn't ready yet. That first attempt did not go as planned. She didn't give up. Four years later, she came back and she committed to her monthly deposits. She developed her business plan and she bought the tools she needed and she used our save up program to lock to launch her small business. Then she turned around and reinvested part of her resources into a local entrepreneur academy. One match savings milestone became a new Shelby County business owner who is now investing in the next one. That is the multiplier effect of the county's investment. Rise Memphis is not a single intervention. We operate a continuum. A continuum. Gold card prevention. 325 youth on the roster this school year. 10,700 students reached since lunch. We are building financial capability before crisis can take root. The Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center is stabilization. One-on-one counseling. Delinquency reduced. Credit improved. Banking access established. Save up is asset building. We have 120 partic participants active right now. And I want to say something important about save up. It is not a handout program. Participants earn match funds through their own consistent monthly deposits. The residents put skin in the game and rise matches their commitment and the and the result is a tangible asset. A

home, a vehicle, tuition paid, a business launch. They are doc these are documented purchases not projections not promises completed transactions with receipts. Here's the systems argument I want to leave with this committee. If the county funds workforce programs but does not found household financial stabilization, those workforce investments are at higher risk of not sticking. Rise Memphis is the foundation that makes every other county investment more durable. prevention, stabilization, asset building. That is the pipeline your investment sustains. In summary, in summary, $ 8.6 billion in debt reduction. Rise Memphis debt reduction. Rise Memphis has delivered on every commitment made to this committee. Uh we leveraged your dollars. We grew our reach. We documented real outcomes and we operated in formal partnership with a county institution and presented the r results today. We are asking this committee to continue its support of rise and I want to reframe what that decision is. This is not a leap of faith. This is not a new bet. You already made the bet and it already paid off. Continued investment is not a a risk. walking away from a 14.5 to1 return is. Thank you for your time.

Thank you so much for your presentation. Um I have a few questions and then some of my colleagues may have some as well. Um, and so as you know, when we um give individuals or organizations or nonprofits funding and um we expect reporting and I'm just curious, we um sent out several emails um to you and you didn't present and you're just not coming before us and I was wondering was there any certain issue that you were dealing with that you couldn't respond or come present? I would like to address that. And then also I'd like to um request that you send the commissioners um the zip codes that you are servicing because you said you reach all

and in my district in particular they're not receiving their fair share return on their taxpayers dollars and far as investment and so I want to make sure that I can go to them and say yes the dollars that we gave to RISE it also is coming back to my particular district. So that would be very helpful. And then the last thing, the third thing I would like for you to address is that I'm getting emails on a regular basis from small businesses especially in my district and they want to know what kind of support that um we can give them. And you mentioned that you do support or um small businesses and I would like to know the capacity and how you support them. So those three questions, well one's a request the other two questions and then I'll come back in and I'll I'll let Commissioner Castwell speak and I'll come back in.

Okay. Uh so the first to the first question in reporting um I admit to that I the new executive director of Rise. So I came in during the transition after uh receiving the grant funds uh having conversation with uh former uh commissioner Edmond Ford uh and working through that. Uh yeah, I admit uh there was a problem with the reporting and uh we we did again talking to the county commission working and get that reporting in. I don't know if you have that but I do uh apologize for uh and take accountability for uh not um submitting the quarterly reports uh in that transition. Um the second question

before you go on so going forward we can expect a quarterly report. Absolutely. Absolutely. you can um we are past that transition stage and um uh fully accountability for the stewardship of our resources. Thank you. And then go ahead uh to the second question uh you to reporting uh I I guess the numbers on the uh the resident serve per uh per uh district.

Uh yes, we can I can go back and work with my team uh to get those numbers for you. and to the small businesses resource. Yes, we absolutely are uh proud to be an incubator of that. Um we talked about the save up opportunity uh where you can purchase a home, you can purchase a car uh ed expenses related to education. Uh but my favorite is that entrepreneur asset where we have created uh 54 businesses. 54 residents have went through our program and uh received seed money as it relates to uh starting their small business. So uh happy to share that uh because we want to continue growing that resource for Shelby County residents uh to be able to uh have and receive more funding uh toward their small business uh once they complete our save up program. And then um just a follow up to that last question as far as small businesses, typically the um small businesses will fail in the first three years. And so as you are you know um supporting and helping them um with seed money and then also you know beyond the third year um how are you all tracking that as far as you know are they still in business those kinds of things or do you support businesses besides startup companies small businesses. So we we have not uh I guess expanded to that uh more robust support of those small businesses. We are tracking um we so the typical save up participant takes about two years to go through and um go through the program get the savings knowledge and then uh with one of our banking partners creating that savings account. So uh we are still you know having to track over developing the tracking over a longer period of time uh because as you pointed out uh most businesses um the the success rate uh in that first three years varies and we want to make sure uh

that once that once you complete the program the save up uh program and the rise is still a resource uh and a community uh for these uh entrepreneurs to um come together and continue receiving uh whatever support and help we can. And just a tidbit, just make ensure that they sign up for um the Black Chamber of Commerce there. That's another support and network opportunity. Okay, I'll move now to Commissioner Caswell.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh thank you for the work that you're doing. Thank you for this report. I know uh I can just say personally I know I have met some people in cuz you've been doing this you rise rather I know you came in new to this road but in Frraasia and many in Raleigh for many years now and to see some of those families who bought houses right and got business is because they saved up and was able to make that investment I know that this is an important program one I'd like to know like what are the next steps for you all with some of this work that you're doing and then two like how do you scale this what do alignment look like with the county, with the city, with the school district in and in intentionality. Uh I hear you with the trustees office and that's a great thing. I know they're doing some great uh financial literacy programs because this is needed when you talk about many of these communities, this saving is not

priority in many of these homes because it's hard and and one of the things I'm glad you shared in this data uh point with the 38,000 minimum, right? I know we just last year raised some of our clerks from 31,000 to 402,000 and and I say still that ain't enough. Uh when you talk about uh Frraasier now that used to be $700 a month to rent a house is 12 and $1,300 a month. So the rent double but the money didn't double and so we know that anything it's hard for them to even save the $25. Right. That's correct. So if you can share some of the next steps uh and then how what do this look like with intentionality alignment in building capacity around this?

So with that continued support, you're right, it's about scalability. Uh Rise Memphis has been operation for 25 years now. Uh valued and trusted partner with Shelby County residents. So what that looks like is continued access to uh to the students, our gold card students, those we operate in grades 5 through 12 and that's create, you know, that's the prevention piece. If we're educating our kids on financial stability, we are we are at the uh focal point of breaking those generational curses that have plagued uh so many of our Memphians for so long. Um so it's expanding access to our SA program. How do we get more people uh to know about what we're doing, to know about this resource that exists and uh partnering uh with some of these other uh community vendors who are doing doing that work uh such as uh the Memphis Hab uh Memphis Housing Authority, Habitat for Humanity. We are developing those partnerships to expand um our resources and our reach uh to the thousands of people that they serve. Um and you know we're currently making those outros um you know for state appropriations uh to to continue to scale this because uh the success is there, the numbers are there, but um you know we have to be able to I can't you know pile more and more on our staff uh that are already doing so much work. Uh so again the idea for us is to continue being a great steward of these resources to scale these programs uh to get more access to Shelby County residents. And one last thing, uh, when we think about the CRA money from banks, how many, uh, banks are you a partner? Because there's a lot in linement with some of those banks. I know, uh, regional regional and some other ones I had to come in to do financial literacy at some of the hubs out there. Uh, how do that look like an alignment partnership with you all? And are you maximizing and even like with River City Capital some opportunity for funding there?

Right. We've had conversation with them as well about how do we bring our um our save up resource to them. What they have what River City has identified what the Memphis Housing Authority has identified is you know those participants that complete uh the rise the save up program they are better stewards. They are better positioned uh to you know be fiscally responsible going forward. as you pointed out, you know, the the prices are going up, the prices are continually going up and not at the same pace as the salaries are going up. So, having that financial stabilization more importantly is uh speaks to that workforce development because if you don't have the financing in order, we know so many residents who are one emergency away from uh you know, life-changing event. So uh we are working to uh continue expand and working with them uh because you know th those organizations you name have a great and expansive reach and uh we are partnering with them to again you know get get the save up program, get the rise program, get the GMF uh program specifically uh as a as positioned as an asset to Shelby County residents that just have to come through the door.

Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Mills. Thank you. Thank you for your presentation. This was the 600,000 ARPA funds. Is that correct? Uh I'm not sure. I don't have the contract. Okay. Yes. Um so this then this is workforce development, correct? Correct. How many um direct jobs I didn't hear it were produced for people because of this $600,000?

So I don't I don't have that number. Uh again, RISE Memphis's financial literacy um asset creation um working through the G uh through the GMF. Uh but the biggest number is uh $8.68 million in debt reduction uh by the thousands of participants that were able to uh benefit from uh this funding.

And that 8.6 million debt reduction, was that because of this $600,000 or does that include your work before the $600,000? So specifically the work before uh the work uh post uh receiving the grant fund uh is $3.28 million in debt reduction. Uh that is tracked as of September 2024. So since uh September 2024 an additional $3.28 million in debt reduction. Okay. And could this work have happened without the county dollars grant?

Not to this extent. Again, we were able to take that investment and leverage some of our own uh funds and resources to uh amplify uh the investment made by the county. Okay. And what is uh with your client number, what's the per cost to the taxpayers for the work you do? Uh I don't have that number in front of me. I can uh get that and submit that uh to you directly. Uh but that'd be great. And and this these numbers are they self-reporting numbers or third party numbers?

Again, working with uh the Shelby County Trustees Office, they have a fiduciary responsibility for accountability. So these uh are in partnership with them and uh through their vetting process. So this is their numbers. So are you just their your clients are the trustees clients? Is that it?

No, that's not that's not it entirely at all. No, we uh we work in partnership together uh with the GMFC. So um that's one of the programs, but the other programs are the gold card program for students in grades 5 through 12, our SA program for uh anyone employed uh o over 18 and employed. Uh they're able to take advantage of that resource as well. And the GMF is open for all Shelby County residents. Okay. Um okay. Um, my time's running out. Uh, thank you. I just had clarification questions on that. Thank you very much. Thank you, Commissioner Brooks.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, sir, just one just a couple of questions. The um, accelerated skills center. Can you give me a status update on that? The accelerated skills center. Skills center. Accelerated skills center. I'm I'm not uh That's not what we're doing. That's not what Okay. No, ma'am.

All right. Okay. Uh let me ask you. We were talking about numbers here. And let's see. There's one other I think you were listing some sources. Your your fiscal agent. Who is your fiscal agent? You have a fiscal agent? No, ma'am. We uh No, we do not. There is no fiscal agent attached to workforce development. Okay. So, who writes your checks? I mean, you're a who handles all of your fiscal accounting manders?

Uh third party third party vendors or something like that. Who handles? So we work with uh CFO leverage. So that's is that a consulting firm? Uh yes. Okay. Okay. Okay. So what is your relationship to the chamber of commerce? Uh to the chamber of commerce um so what what do you mean specific? What is your relationship? Do you have a relationship with the Chamber of Commerce? Uh

the Memphis Chamber of Commerce. So other than trying to um again working with some of those uh chairman circle me members to uh get on their radar to advertise to their businesses you know the sources the resources we have and having board members that u that help us with their work. So that's been the primary source working with them being a part of some of their programming to further you know communicate that this opportunity with Rise Memphis exists and there's no fiscal relationship right? No, not no not directly with the Chamber of Commerce or indirectly. No, no. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Um, Commissioner Caswell.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And just Jess just I was talking with my colleague here and when you we talk about the workforce development piece. I think that and I know you say you'll get those numbers to us and I know as you've been transitioning to this role getting this ship back where it need to be. Uh I think what helps us too when you talk about workforce and development is the numbers around if you help businesses start how many jobs did they create. Okay. Right.

And then thinking about that type of capacity maybe even how many people that got higher jobs were created within your uh realm of scaling this. Right. And so just looking at that end and and I know as and I and I I say to my colleague I I was taking the number the 8.68 68 million and I divided that by the 2,400 right if you talk about debt reduction

uh and that may not be the best calculation but this is what I saw in part where it came out to almost $3500 per person right I know that y'all model is for every thousand they save you give 3,000 correct so then you're looking at about $580 you might have as person because you gave you know the 2,000 however you you work with the calculation but I just want I think those things help us understand better. So when we talking to our constituents about how this investment makes that impact, we can uh that's all right. That's all. Uh we can tell them about how this investment is working, right? Cuz I see you say 14 point per $1

and we want to be able to be clear with that because we got that type of data, right? So just I think that's something if you can get that back to us and maybe reaching out cuz I know we had a graduating class last night with the G go. That's correct. Golden key. And so we got what 20 more businesses out being launched out. They got their LLC, all that this these last 12 weeks. We want them people to be able to say, "Hey, because of this program partner with us. We was able to get all these things done and now we're able to create more jobs, right? So, but that's that's information that we want to see duplicated scale, but you we we need that information from you." Right? And that may be just surveying those individuals and seeing how many jobs were created cost of that process.

Yes, sir. Yeah, that to me that echoes uh Commissioner Sugerman's uh point about how do we present the data from those 54 businesses uh that were created through the through the Save Up program. Okay, thank you so much. Um and so going back to the trustes office and what is your relationship with the trustes office again? Uh so we have a formal uh partnership with the Shelby County Trustees Office. Um and that results in uh the work we're doing through the Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center. Okay. The Financial Empower Center. So out of the $600,000, how much did they receive?

Uh I don't have a specific number, but again, it was all the money was used to again further amplify and scale all of our programs. Okay. Can you get that number for me? Because the trust's office is saying that she did not receive any and so if you could show us what she received. Okay. Also, um the other thing is as far as the $600,000 that um was given um how much was used for personnel? Uh 53% was used for staff. 53%. 53%.

Okay. Thank you so much. And then also with Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, we have you um are you working with them as well? I know the chamber claims there are working with them. Are you working directly? Uh no, we're not. Would we? Yeah. Are we? No, we are not. Why not? uh I don't have that is an opportunity you know as far as because as far as sustainability is concerned because we're not going to have the resources you know we have a $40 million deficit and so I'm just concerning as far as sustainability going forward because you all been what 25 years correct

and so what how are you going to replace the $600,000 that's our funds onetime funding so moving forward how do you plan to fill your gap again we are you our board is doing doing their job of uh helping fund raise and working with other uh companies that um that are investing in Rise. We again we were able to invest uh you know over $200,000 to support this and we are taking that and uh making those overages and continue to fund raise uh to again uh to scale these programs.

And as far as I'm concerned, Memphis Chamber of Commerce is not helping small businesses. I've had several small business complain about the the fees they have to pay and they're not getting returned their funds. So, I highly recommend that you reach out to the state for some support and maybe going through WEIA and we now is investigating the Chamber of Commerce. So, you might want to um limit your um I don't know relationships because they have questionable rel um actions concerning as far as support and helping small businesses. And I'm hoping that you um actually are doing the work. I'm hearing from my colleagues that you are, but again, I just think that you need to, you know, um send your t your tentacles out further than just local because again, as you know, the the federal government is cutting back and the state has the money they are receiving, we're not receiving. And so again, I would like to know the dollar amount that you um um gave to the um the trustes office as well as um how you um plan on continuing to so um support the small businesses cuz that is a huge concern for me. Um and then also if small business wanted to pursue getting support from your organization, how would they go about doing that? That was a question.

Oh, that was a question. Again, uh reaching out to us again, uh you know, we advertise, you know, the program, the resources we have, uh but we, you know, they coming to Rise and being a part of the program that will then uh give them the access to the resources uh that we are building that we have built around uh that save up and that microenterprise. And as far as building capacity because again with um um AI, you know, displacing so many individuals, are you also working with the trades because that's the thing that's needed and it's AI um proof my understanding and with baby boomers retiring there is a need for more welders, electricians, HVAC and so are you all moving into that area at all or do you all already in that area.

So, we have we don't have an official partner in that area. Um, some of our board members, they work with some of the larger firms and companies around the city. So, we've started and began um our working with those workforces, letting them know about Rise so they can come again the financial stability so as they pursue their next uh occupation, their next opportunity, they have that foundation to uh to be successful going forward. I would like to see that plan going towards trade and um if that is if you all start moving towards that then I can see supporting you in the future otherwise you know that you will not get any support from me okay

going forward. Thank you commissioner Mills. Thank you. Um I know we had passed a resolution that it said it shall we should have already received a report of the work being done in each commission district. Um, but also the $600,000 we also passed a resolution to receive how each of those dollars were spent. Is there any money remaining or has it all been spent? It's all been spent and I I submitted uh the reporting.

Okay. Okay. And the breakdown um we might need to get you a copy of this to make sure because a lot of this was not covered in your report today. Um, so I will have someone print this off or get this to you so that we can get that because there's a lot of information that we requested that we are missing in this report today. Thank you. And before we move on, I see um probate clerk out there, Eddie Jones in the audience. Do you have questions that you want me to ask? Would you like to ask on the record? You're good.

Okay. Thank you. And just please state your name, position for the record. I got you. Eddie Jones, Shelby County Probate Court Clerk, 140 Adams. It's where I live. So, I have a question because I know when this originally passed, there was supposed to be some funding uh coming to probate. And I just want to know is uh what's going on with that.

So uh probate cloers, we we met and had discussions um at your office and um you know you didn't reach out. We didn't have further conver conversations regarding that. We talked we talked and uh you said we will wait for a timing uh to further expend and support the legacy planning and we we have not had further conversations regarding that.

It wasn't because I didn't reach out. I got receipts cuz I sent you emails and you never responded back to the emails. So to say that I didn't. Yeah, we met but I sent you emails to come back and you never responded.

Okay. So I would like to intervene since I am the chair. Okay. So I would like to know from the trustes office as well as the probate office of the $600,000 how much you all should have received. Um and then I would like to know from um rise you know when they can expect to receive the funds. Okay. because that was part of the resolution. Even though we do not have a call back and to my colleagues, I am working on an ordinance which includes a call back as well as when um individuals or organizations do not come before us or reporting that what happens as far as future and I hope that my colleagues who are listening or present will support because I know the city side there are a lot of more stringent and the ordinance that I'm bringing forward forward will reflects that of the city council because I'm hearing too many complaints from my constituents, the public in general about transparency and accountability and I hope that my colleagues will support the orders when it comes forward but since we're not there and we not cannot go back I do understand that cannot be post you know exposal laws are not um legal I do understand that but I do want to know from uh the probate court as well as the trustee how much you're supposed to get and um I would like to know when they receive those funds. Okay. From rise. Um I do have Commissioner Brooks um in the queue. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um just an observation really. Um, and maybe this has happened, maybe I was absent, but in terms of workforce development and what I'm hearing from in your report, you're not workforce development really.

What you're doing is kind of lifting up some of the what you call collateral collateral skills that will enable individuals to function in workforce development programs. Right. Correct. Okay. So, who does workforce development? That's the Chamber of Commerce. Is that correct? Okay. So, we I guess we need to have them. Um because I'm not hearing I don't I don't have questions. My questions are the chamber is we've invited them several times. They refused to come. So, we've already you know dealt with them and that's why I was that that's why I made the statements I did on record.

Okay. Okay. Well, so I don't have any workforce development questions for you, but I guess I I I would like to know about your outreach because there are some disconnections or some connections I think should be made with youth with our children. So I' I'd like to know about your outreach.

So we you know we targeted the uh you know the most impacted uh zip code. So we are in five schools uh promoting gold card and the parents of parents of uh Shelby Shelby County resident that participate in save up their children are automatically um added to that gold card uh uh curriculum to to be supported. Okay. Let me just ask this because I don't think anybody in any of my schools know anything about your programs. So what criteria do you use to reach out? That's what I'm trying to figure out how to help you get into let me just say my district okay make awareness raise the awareness level in district 7.

So the gold card um traditionally has been funded uh almost entirely by international paper and they um have identified um you know specifically the south city zip codes that we that we specifically run those programs in. and the expansion of that um again all save save up save up residents wherever their kids are we've been able to do the gold card program with them as well so the save up is for every you know every Shelby County resident that qualifies and through that um their children are able to be participate in the gold card

how do you what a okay I've got 20 seconds I'll call you on the phone okay thank you sir okay and thank you and So again, going back, you said 53% um went towards um salaries, things of that nature. So how many employees do you have in your nonprofits? Uh 14. 14. And 53% went to these 14 employees.

Okay. All right. So again, uh please by Monday, um probate clerk, can you have that dollar amount for me? And I'll ask the same for the trustee and if you could tell me when you would have the money um ready for to be allocated because we have individuals who are waiting to um participate in in what the clerk as well as trustes are trying to do. I'd appreciate that by Monday. Thank you. I'll get um clerk. So, I can give you the amount that uh this body, Eddie Jones, Shby County Probate Court Clerk, that was approved for probate was 50,000. I'm not certain what it was for the trustee. Uh, but I'm sure you all can get that information uh uh from them. and um I will email all the correspondence that went on between me and Rise and to uh solidify that I did reach out multiple times. I just never got a respond back.

Madam Chair, Mr. Caswell, thank you. My my only question to that would be uh wanting also to know the services that you all did reply or supposed to supply uh provided to this entity cuz you all weren't just getting money, right? Y'all was going to do a service.

Yes. So, uh we were in the process of working with uh another nonprofit because it couldn't come directly to me and my office. I would have had to go through the budget and you all know that very well. So this is a program that was being created and uh to preserve generational wealth uh and uh assisting people with uh getting their wheels working with uh we started out working with Memphis Area Legal. They was going to handle all of that and it sort of switched and went to West Tennessee Legal now. So, we just been sitting by waiting on the funds so we could move forward and that's kind of where we are. But it was going to help people to uh get their wheels.

Okay. Get that their that uh you know. Yeah. And and and if if if too if the trustes office listening, I'd like to know too what program in capacity cuz it may have been done and if it had been, you know, I'd like to know what that look like if we're requesting that information. But thank you. Thank you. Uh, probate clerk. Thank you, chair. Thank you. And so I just I'm not speaking for the trustee, but my understanding she has not received the funding and it was for the financial program that they have. Thank you. And this concludes um workforce development.

All righty. We're What time is it here? 10:40. Okay. We're going to convene uh committee 10 uh 16 the Milton community enhancement grants uh and we will madame parliamentary first uh identify who is here and then the ones that's not here we'll go ahead and read all of those off and then go to that. All right. So I I do see Miss Gail give us one minute. We going to uh when is number one uh what number you are? Six. I think number number one and number six. And uh anyone else here for a grant? Um I'm sorry. Uh what what number are you? Uh I think we're number five.

Number five. So one, five, and six right now. Are you with someone? Are you good? Okay. Um Commissioner. Um Mr. Mr. Chair, I was going to ask that if we could pull number 13 and move it up to the top as well, cuz I know for sure I want to add on to it. I was hoping to do one and 13. So then cuz I have to exit out to go to a meeting. Okay. So 1 5 6 and 13, right? Okay, that's it. All right. So we're going to go ahead and read off the rest of them and then we'll come back and if we could I'm sorry. Yeah, we got number six. Hope. Okay. All right.

Yeah. So, we're going to read these off and then do 13. Is that okay? Oh, you if if the Amalan's waiting on you.

Positive.

Item two is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY2026 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. Item three is a resolution warning county funds from the FY2026 operating budget in the amount of $5,000 to Rising Together Foundation, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $5,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund sponsored by Commissioner David C. Bradford Jr. Item four 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 Program grant fund sponsored by Commissioner David C. Bradford Jr. Item seven is a resolution warning county funds from the FY26 operating budget in the amount of $5,000 to Down Syndrome Association of Memphis and the Midsouth, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $5,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program grant fund sponsored by Chairwoman Shante Ka Vant. Item eight is a resolution warning county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $15,000 to the pet compassion centers, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $15,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program grant fund sponsored by Commissioner Michael Willie. Item nine is a resolution warning county funds from the FY2026 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 Willie and Commissioner Muel Lowry. Item 10 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY2026 operating budget in the amount of $7,500 to Paige Robbins Adult Daycare Center, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $7,500 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program grant fund sponsored by Chairwoman Shante Ka Vamp. Item 10 11 is a resolution warning county funds from the FY2026 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 Program Grant Fund sponsored by Chairwoman Shante Ka Vant. Item 12 is a resolution warning county funds from the FY226 operating budget in the amount of two $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. Item 14 is a resolution warning county funds from the FY2026 operating budget 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 Erica Sher. Item 15 is a resolution warning county funds from the FY2026 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 Erica Sugarman.

All right. Thank you. Let can I get a motion and a second on that? It's been motioned by myself and second by Commissioner Brooks. Uh, Commissioner Wley. Uh, thank you, Chairman, and sorry I missed your opening. I was hoping to just move to amend a couple of these if it pleases you. Can we do that? Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So, out of the ones you just read. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I think number one and number three. Yeah, we have one already. Okay. You need number three. Okay, that's it. So, I'm going to Yeah, make a motion to amend number item three by 2500.

Okay, hold on one minute. Okay, so we going to vote on all the rest of them and and we're pulling number three you read out. How do we do that? I think we can go ahead and I think you can go ahead and and take a motions to amend those two and then vote on the ones that we've read into the record since we've already read them into the record. So, we can make motions to amend on the two items that So, the only one he he need is three cuz one was already off. Okay. So, let's just do that and then we'll go ahead. Okay. Yes. So, make a motion to amend. Yes, sir. Okay. Hold on. All right. Well, you got them.

Well, I I think we can probably do one and three then maybe and then then we go. Well, one is already off. Oh, it wasn't read. So, she read every one of them that's not here right now cuz we're going to come back and we going to do number one since they here. Okay. Perfect. But we'll do amend number three. Go ahead and uh make that. Yeah. Make a motion to amend item three by 2500.

All right. Second. So, that's a motion to amend by Commissioner Wley for 2500. That brings it to 7500 and there second by Commissioner K as well. All right. Any objection. All right. Seeing none, that option item is amended. All right. So, let's do this real quick. Well, let's go ahead since 1 D and 13 since we got that one. So, we I'm sorry. The vote, right? The vote. Let's take it these items to the vote. I'm sorry. Commissioner Brooks and next.

Thank you. point of inquiry, please. So, the items that we're taking to vote, are we taking sending these down with our recommendation for consent? No, ma'am. So, all of these are to just straight vote right now. You know how we just get them out the way since they weren't here. We just voting on them. So, yeah. To send down to send down with it'll be favorable recommendation. Okay. Okay. Well, I need to remove some before Okay. Mhm. Okay. All right. So, you want to take something out? A couple of them. You don't want to vote on them? I don't want to vote on So, take So, Commissioner, could we do this? If not vote then, then we pull them on Monday. What you think?

I can do that, but I I don't want to send send them down with a favorable recommendation. Yeah. With the implication that I was a yes vote. Yes. Yes, I understand. Um, let's move out. move those out so we can have all the rest of them in consent. Okay. What could you tell me the numbers? Uh, let's see. Item number two, item number three, item number four, item number 12. Okay. Okay. uh two 3 4 and 12.

Mhm. Okay. That now turn. Yeah. So that now leaves 7 8 9 11 14 and 15 to vote. Okay. Okay. Clear. All right. All right.

Anybody else? Does everybody know what we're doing? Okay. Because Go ahead. Goes. Let me leave you alone. Uh, okay. Let's go. Let's go. Prepare your screen for vote.

So, those are on items 7 through 11, 14, and 15. Uh, let's title the vote.

Sorry, you can put me as an I. It didn't come up. We have eye votes from commissioners why Clay Bibs Caswell Sugarman Shalai Brooks. We have six I vote.

All right. Those items go down with a favorable recommendation. Item number one. Item one is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY26 operating budget in the amount of $7,500 to Memphis Urban League, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $7,500 for the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund sponsored by Chairwoman Shante K. Avant. All right, that item was moved by myself and second by Commissioner Bibs. Um, Mr. Carson, uh, if you will, you have three minutes if you want to present, uh, uh, your name, uh, for the record.

Okay. My name is Good morning, everyone, and, um, thank you for having me here. My name is Gail Jones Carson. I'm the president and CEO of the Memphis Urban League, and um, regarding this resolution, I want to thank um, Commissioner Aad for sponsoring it. And I have talked to a number of commissioners who may be a willing to add on to this because the initial ask was uh 50,000. So I do know that this is the end of the fiscal year and funds are running low. And so we at the Memphis Urban League will be most grateful for anything that we can get for the people that we serve and your constituents in uh uh Memphis and Shelby County. So, as some of you may know, uh, is that we focus on career readiness at the, uh, Memphis Urban League. We focus on life readiness at the Memphis Urban League. And we have a number of programs that are designed to educate, train people in our community to become financially independent. Uh I have just learned uh recently that our poverty rate has increased in Memphis and Shelby County and education and training is the key to helping uplift everyone in our community so that they can be financially independent. When there's an increase in financial independence, there is a decrease in crime. The programs that we offer at the Memphis Urban League allow people to learn skills that will help them feed themselves and their families for a lifetime that will econom uh that will add to the economic stability of the Memphis and Shelby County community. And I can we focus on workforce development, youth empowerment, financial literacy, digital

equity and technology. uh advocacy and civil engagement uh small business development which everyone knows is the backbone of this country when we work with uh the small businesses in this country. So I I would like to give a couple of examples of of some of the work that we have done to touch people before coming to the well before coming to the uh Memphis Urban League. There were things that I just did not know uh that people didn't have skills like basic um basically knowing how to use computers. There was a young older lady. She was working at a company for a while and so recently they needed her to change her work and be able to use computers which she did not know how to do. So she lost her job. She has enrolled in one of our classes for senior citizens that teaches them everything they need to know about using a computer and so she has now regained uh employment. One of the programs we have is the uh construction program. A lot of people we have learned uh don't cannot pass the apprenticeship program. When our uh students complete our four-week program, they are trained and educated to uh pass the test. Uh I've learned that the next level of um millionaires in this country will be plumbers and electricians and I know uh I know uh commissioner Charlie Caswell said he's not going to have he he not he going to have robotics robots at his house but I don't know I'm not have robots at my house to fix plumbing and all that stuff. So those are skills that people will have for a lifetime. Nobody can take those skills. They'll be able to feed themselves and their families for a lifetime. That is our goal at the Memphis Light Gas. Y'all hear me? 20 23 years of service there. That's our goal at the Memphis Irving League. Not the last one is to make sure that folks

in our community can survive. They will be financially independent. And uh I I have Those who know me know I believe in touching and helping people in this community and that's what the Memphis Urban League does and so it was it was an easy move for me to work there because I do want to help all that we can help in this community. Thank you. Thank you Miss Carson and I tell you so my son is actually taking up electrician so I do support electrician. I want to see him become a millionaire.

Yeah. Yeah. And and and and to that though I I just appreciate our conversation. I got to learn a lot more about that. I know that as I shared with you, my dollars have been expendable. I truly want to see how we can help really the work that you're doing because it's going to take that two and three generation approach uh to be able to help many and really as you talked about the seniors a three generation. We're going to need everybody hands on deck with AI taking a lot of these positions and jobs and families going to have to come together. So, I appreciate that work that Memphis League is doing. We got Commissioner Sugarman in the queue. Yes, I just want to echo about AI replacing a lot of these jobs. Um my daughter who is um in the military in US Army and is working on her masters and she told me the other day, I'm going to take up um a trade because in 2030 electricians will be making over 100,000. In my whole life, I've never made over $100,000. And so that is a thing for the future. HVAC, um, plumbing, welding, electrical. I'm glad to see that you're moving that direction because I'm very concerned about AI taking over jobs. In fact, a quick story. You know me, I'm a teacher. I love stories. But I was at a certain fast food restaurant and AI took my order and messed it up royally. And so, I went through AI and they could still couldn't get it together and so on and so forth. I'm just saying that the human element is still needed in so many jobs.

And so, Commissioner, before you go on, I have read that companies are spending three and $400,000 to correct AI errors. And just my experiences with using it for taking minutes, uh there's a lot of corrections that I have to go back and do. So, uh they they are using it, they're replacing people, but it's making a lot of errors and it's costing companies money. and um also had I was overcharged through AI. So I'm just saying that um I will never go to this particular establishment again because of AI. Um having said that I you know my thing is trade, my thing is workforce development of course cuz I'm the chair. Um and I do support what you're doing. Um I've already pledged out my my funds but I will pledge today $10,000. So if you reach back in September, you know, when my funds are placed and it's on record.

Okay. Okay. Sometimes will be the starting point for me. Thank you so much.

Thank you. And as you mentioned some of those skills in our class, uh there's electrical plumbers, iron, uh they're learning to be iron workers, uh sheet metal work, insulators, elevator. I mean, anything dealing with the construction field, they are learning these skills and they should be able to pass this apprenticeship test and get jobs, high-paying jobs, uh, that have benefits and they also will not have, and I'm not criticizing folks with degrees cuz I got one. But, you know, that the the financial um debt that people have, they will not have that because they won't need the uh the training as long as as people who go to college and post college. And so the people that are listening, if they want to um apply um where would they go to?

They can go to our website uh mm u.org or they can call the Memphis Urban League. Uh Google us uh and you'll find all of our contact information and our uh phone number, our website. And we are having a graduation this Friday uh for a class and then we will be starting a new class. Thank you. And we are working with the trade unions here. Oh, that's good news. Thank you so much. Okay.

Yeah. And and I just say on record too, I know I shared this with Miss Carson yesterday, but I met with uh the president of TCAT where in July the 1st, I know the federal PEL grant program is now going to 8 weeks to 12 weeks. So, you had to be in there for 2 years to get a PEL grant, but now you can have get a short-term PEL grant. for so those who want to do CDL can go right over here to TCAT $1,600 class get that PEL grant and get it done. So July the 1st that comes into effect and so we want to see people to take advantage of that here. I know that some a lot of our people may be coming out of the system like I said when they was 18 they may went in messed up cuz they went to school and they if they owe the PEL grant they can't get it but we got to figure out a way to help them. But to those and that's where programs like yours come into play. Uh but we we I would just want those on record that on record of people to know look out for that July the 1st apply for that PEL grant get with TCAT and these other schools that short term they need to go to work in 12 weeks that'll go opportunity for you there. So

well I I'm glad you mentioned that because I do want to record that when people go through all of our training they get paid as they learn. Those who go through our construction program they get paid $600 a week four-week program. Now the our digital digital classes uh computer classes they don't get paid but if they complete all of the weeks training at the end of eight weeks if they've done everything they do get a free laptop. Our summer youth program our young people they are paid to be in our program and uh they get certifications. So some of the work that they did last year they could go straight to work with the certifications that they received. So we do pay as they learn.

Thank you. Thank you ma'am. Uh, Commissioner Brooks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, so I'm familiar with the Urban League. Well, I take that back now. I used to work at the Urban League, but when I worked there back in the olden days, um, of course, it was the same wonderful program, but it didn't have this kind of curriculum. We were more structured on uh, yeah, family life, character, and all those kinds of things that no no one knows anything about today. Um, but I'm so glad to know that. I'm I really am. So, and I'm really glad that you are connected to these some of these labor organizations. Yes.

Because under federal law, you know, they're supposed to have this component whereby, you know, they they work with uh or collaborate with organizations for training, do apprentice training free.

Uh so there a lot of these big industries. So that's wonderful. I'm so I'm happy. So, as you speak of the as you speak of the pay, uh the focus was going to be uh below uh um working wage, but I insisted that uh the Memphis Urban League in conjunction with the trades union, we make sure that they get a minimum of working wage. A matter of fact, some of the discussions we just had, we're going to go above uh I think $3 per hour above the working wage.

Okay. Wait a minute. So say the say the working so they might were going to pay so we we were getting funding from the National Urban League as well as the trades union. Uh and so the hourly rate might say it was going to be maybe $10 or $12. Okay? Because we are the Memphis Urban League and we want everybody to be paid a working wage. It's only sensible for us to make sure that we paid minimum uh working wage. So we absorb the Memphis servant league we absorb the difference. So now that that we've got some different kind of funding in and it's taking it up there, we will now be able to take it from $15 an hour to $18 an hour, which is above working wage.

Okay. So I forgot the other question I was going to ask you. There's a there's a company, a trucking company. Uh I'm not sure it's it's run by a lady. I can't think of her name. Right. What Fontana? Is it Fontana? Have you heard of them? I'm gonna find a card and give it to you, okay? Because she has some great benefits, uh, training, uh, dollars and all of that kind of thing. So, that'll be great. I mean, I'll track you down. You don't have to because I'm really happy. Now, this is workforce development. So, um, Mr. Chair, I'd like to amend this. I found some dollars and Thank you, ma'am.

went to my cookie j Oh, don't say that. Don't say that. 5,000 please. Thank you. All right. So that amount uh has been amended for 5,000. So that takes it to uh this the first amendment, right? We done. Oh yeah. Okay. So that's 125. Uh I'm sorry. Moved by Commissioner Brooks to add 5,000. Second by Commissioner Sugarman. Uh that brings it to 125. All right. Commissioner Bills.

Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. Um, so you know, I'm very familiar with the Urban League and all the great things that you've been doing there. So, um, just as a caveat, um, Miss Fontana that you mentioned, we were just together at, uh, Tennessee Career Academy. So, I'll make sure that you get her information, um, because she's definitely someone who you should be connected with around the work that's happening there. And she also came to speak to another group that's near and dear to you is the Girls Academy. She came last year. Okay. So, um, make sure that you're connected to her. Thank you. I'd like to add, uh, 7,500 to this item. Thank you, Commissioner.

All right. Now, yeah, I was trying to wait till somebody might uh done. So, that's 75. Uh, that now brings that total to 20,000. Uh, moved by Commissioner Bill to add 75, second by Commissioner Sugarman. That brings it to 20,000. All right. Uh, Commissioner Wade, you in the C. I don't see your name, but I know you there. All right.

There we go. All right. Um, thank you, Chairman. So, I was like a little ghost line in there. Must have been your robot. I hope you and you and your robot invite me over for dinner one day. Uh, thank you. Thank you. Um, I think it was Carson, but we had a chance to speak recently and and appreciate, you know, everything that you're focused on here is um are things that I deeply deeply care about and are really true to my values. I mean, I think being able to really help people get ahead in in multiple um sectors that are forwardinking is really critical. I mean, to be able to help us um uh prosper in the future, we've got to be able to help people um build these skills and and um you know, be able to um you know, strengthen their families and and do it for generations. So, I I'm very happy to support this. I'll also amend it by 7500.

All right. Thank you so much, Commissioner. I appreciate it greatly. So that is uh moved by Commissioner Waiter for 7500, second by Commissioner Sugarman. That brings it to 275. All right. Commissioner Shalai. Shalai. Thank you. Hello. Hello. Okay. Chairman, I would like to amend this by 10,000. Second. All right. Uh that's moved by Commissioner Shal Shalai uh for 10,000 um bringing it to 375. Thank you so much. And second by Commissioner Sugarman.

All right.

Again I thank you Miss Carson and this is something I think we truly need to be having some deeper conversations as we go into budget. I said this to you and I I say this because of what we are seeing is that the the pace of where AI is moving fast and jobs are being lost fast. I met with the general manager at Amazon and not only here are we about to lose more jobs but across the world they're about to do 600,000 jobs lost uh because they're going to automate so many in within their system and that's right there in our community. So we we have to be preparing our workforce and people and when we talk about this conversation I think and even in what we look in the budget this year we need to be understanding that when we ICE have taken a lot of our Hispanic community whether they immigrate and they're not showing up at the construction sites and at these places there's though that's sad how they're getting you know take a lot of them being taken out of the country but that's lot a lot of more jobs and opportunity there but they don't have the trained workforce. So we have to move at the same speed in this community in this county to fill some of those position or these houses won't be getting built. So thank you uh for the work that you do. Thank you.

Thank you. I appreciate each one of you. Thank you so much. All right. And to our other guests, get if y'all can just oblige me one quick minute. I'm going jump to 13 for Commissioner u uh sake and uh if we can go to item number 13. Thank you. She uh let let us vote on that item. I'm sorry. I'm moving fast. Uh trying to make sure Commissioner Bills get out of here. So,

we're going to vote take that item to vote. Let us do Mark me as an I. Please.

We need you need some help over there. We have eye votes from commissioners whe bibs Caswell Sugarman July Brooks. We have six I votes.

All right. Uh that those items go that item go down with a favorable recommendation. Item number two, uh 13, I'm sorry. Item, excuse me, sorry. Item 13 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY2026 operating budget in the amount of $5,000 to Solid Rock Development Corporation, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $5,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund sponsored by Commissioner Erica Sugarman. All right. That item was moved by Commissioner Sugman, second by myself. Um, Commissioner Bills.

Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. Um, I want to add 8,000 to this amount. The sol the the Solid Rock Development Corporation um spans a co um does a lot of work between um commission districts 11 and 12 and they spend a lot of time making sure that they feed and help um support a lot of families in those communities who may need um food, clothing, uh additional resources. So definitely want to support the work that that's happening there.

All right, that's $8,000 moved by Commissioner Bill, second by Commissioner Sugarman, bringing that total to 13,000. Seeing no others in the queue, let's take this item to vote. We have eye votes from commissioners why Clay Bibs, Caswell, Sugarman. We have four I votes.

That that item goes down with a favorable recommendation. Item number two.

Item two is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY2026 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. item by myself, second by Commissioner Sugarman. Uh, seeing no others in the queue, let's take this item to vote. Let's tally a vote. We have I votes from Commissioner Caswell Sugarman. Commissioner Brooks abstain. We have two eyes, one abstain.

All right, that item goes down with a favor recommendation. I'm going to go straight to the items that the people that hear. We'll come back to that. So item number six and then you were number five. F. Number five. Okay. Number five. Yes, sir. Item five is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY2026 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 Enhance Program Grant Fund sponsored by Commissioner David C. Bradford Jr. and Chairwoman Shante K. Avant.

Go ahead. You have three minutes if you just say your uh I'm sorry. Moved by myself and second by Commissioner Brooks. All right. Three minutes. You can share your name and for the record.

All right. Um good morning everybody. Um my name is Nefertiti Orin. I am the president and CEO of Clean Memphis. Thank you so much for this opportunity um to talk a little bit about our organization today. Um, and thank you to commissioners Avant and Bradford uh for sponsoring this uh resolution. We're very grateful for this support. Um, and it's fitting that we're here today talking about this resolution on Earth Day, which is a day when people all over the world stop to think about how we're treating the environment and take action to clean it up. And so, in a nutshell, that is what our work focuses on at Clean Memphis. Um, our mission is to educate youth, empower uh residents, and engage leadership to sustain a cleaner and greener Memphis. Um, and so with this grant from the county commission, we are able to continue to expand and to equip our youngest Shelby County residents, our students with the knowledge and the skills to protect our environment and to be stewards of the local environment. Um, we have three certified teachers who are on our team, uh, who are in schools every other week. Um, they teach, uh, hands-on standardsbased curriculum. Um, and it's all focused on environmental topics. Uh, last year our teachers completed over 13,000 student interactions. Um, and so they saw students a total of 13,000 times. Um, in schools, our students are learning about the aquafer and what they can do to protect our precious water source. Um, they're learning about litter and not just learning about not throwing litter on the ground, but they're also doing investigations um about how litter ends up on the ground and in our waterways. Um, and they're using that information to advocate for their their school

campuses. And so, for example, in one school, um, a group of students did a litter investigation and they found out that litter was ending up um, in the front of their school because of school pickups and drop offs. And so they went to the principal and asked to do a campaign where they made morning announcements for the next six weeks and encouraged students um who were eating snacks in the car um before being dropped off or eating as they were um going home to either hold those items and throw them away when they got home or throw hold them and throw them away when they got into the school. Um so these are some of the um the leadership that our students are taking on. They're also learning about recycling. Not just that they should do it, but what to recycle and what cannot be recycled. Um, they're also learning about how to avoid contamination. Um, and they're learning about food waste. They're learning about how food is made and produced. They're learning about all the resources that go into making food. Um, and so they're looking at food as a precious asset and and really learning ways that they can reduce their waste. So, this is what um funding from the Shelby County Commission uh grant helps to support um for us to continue educating our youngest uh students. And then also we we have a counter program in the community where we host community workshops and teach residents about all of these um important topics as well. So, we appreciate the support uh over the years from the county commission and we look forward to continuing uh to partner with you all uh in these efforts to continue to protect our local environment and to continue to be environmental stewards. Thank you so much.

All right. Thank you, sister. And I I say we need to get y'all down May the 22nd to the Memphis Hope Fest. We're going to have it at Tom Lee Park. I'll make sure I send some information. I know I want to thank the city of Memphis going to have all 3,000 of their youth who work for the summer that's going to be helping that out there all with volunteering and everything. So, we'll love to have them get more educated about what you all are doing. So, make sure we get y'all there. I get you get get you that information. Absolutely.

Thank you for that presentation. Seeing no others in the queue, let's take this item to vote. All right, let's tally it a vote. We have eye votes from commissioners Caswell Brooks. We have two I votes. All right, that I'm sorry that goes down with a favor recommendation. Uh we're going to go to item number six. All right. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Item six 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. All right, that's going to be moved by uh myself and second by Commissioner Brooks. All right, ma'am. We going to go Oh, you got to Okay, Commissioner Brook.

I don't see make Oh, she's here. Um, well, it's just the two of us here, but maybe someone by some miracle may be listening. Uh, this item was before the uh commission maybe a couple weeks ago and um it was voted down. So, I contacted the county attorney because this is a needed item. Uh, it doesn't I mean, this item is not something that does concerts or, you know, feed anything like that. I mean, I think the resolution is self-explanatory, but I wanted to get the item back on the agenda uh before the traditional 90 days that's accounted for in the rules. So, I conferred with our county attorney, attorney Megan Smith, uh, regarding what process I need to follow, and she advised, and I followed her advice. Um so again the the resolution is in the uh system and what it does well what it does is it gives um this amount 32,500 which is half of the amount that was um in the previous uh resolution and we're going to revisit this amount in the next fiscal year. But what SPW does is uh provide research help, the necessary work. I'm going to let her explain all of that because I think she can do a better job than me, which I should have, but her services are extremely necessary. And I'm just going to add one extraneous uh comment here. I remember the last time I was on the county commission from 2006

to 2014, we we had research assistants assigned to us. in addition to assistance. So it is terribly missing and that is also one of the roles that uh Miss Banks fills for our ad hoc committee on pilots. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for indulging me. All right. All right, Miss uh I say your name and uh three minutes. Yes, ma'am.

Thank you. Good morning, commissioners. My name is Janice Banks. I'm project manager for SPW Community Strategies at 99 North Main Street. And I wanted to thank the commission uh for the opportunity to talk about the work that we do and to answer any questions that you might have. First though, SPW Community Strategies is a team of research and policy developers supporting public sector and community serving organizations. Our focus areas include community resilience, culturally competent community engagement, and inclusive economic and organizational policy. Some of the previous work that we've supported includes development of the culturally competent community engagement resol resolution that this commission approved, which ensures that broad-based community engagement occurs prior to the initiation of a tax increment financing application. We also supported the strong, prosperous, and resilient cities challenge grant in North Memphis. Uh but currently we facilitate the pilot ad hoc committee composed of an incredible uh team of housing and education advocates, the trustee and the assessor in development of a comprehensive set of pilot reforms which the commission received by the way last December and most recently development of a pilot ordinance that we helped to facilitate the process of developing uh which is currently in legal for view. We also support the commission's regional one hospital economic inclusion task force that provides oversight of implementation of the commission's resolution authorizing taxpayers dollars to this project uh to the rebuild project. And so it's with this type of work that we come before you today asking to continue the work. Thank you and I'll be glad to answer any

questions that you might have.

All right. Thank you. Thank you, madam. Uh I appreciate you and appreciate you coming and sharing what this is. Like you said, I hope that the other colleagues are here to able to hear this and then be able on Monday we can take this item to the vote. Uh seeing no others in the queue, let's take this item to vote. And I will be available Monday as well if there I will be that the I'm sorry uh because there were some um individuals who had questions and one of the individuals was here about five minutes ago and is not here. So I guess they had a a fire three alarm fire or something. So um it'd be a good idea for you to come. I know. I'm just getting that hot water.

All right, let's take this. I'll be here. Yes, ma'am. Take this item to vote. We have eye votes from commissioners Canwell Brooks. We have two I votes.

All right. Thank you. That item goes down with favor recommendation. And madam parliamentary if you can since these items that's remaining my colleague asked to be uh pull as to pull like to read them all and then we'll send them down without with out of recommendation. Oh you good

we did that that one was amended. It was amended and then we voted on all of them that just that one was amended because we had already read into the record inside. Yeah, that exactly because we had already read all those. Yeah. Okay. So, I understand that we still have four

12. Yeah. 4 and 4 12 4 and 12. Okay. Item four is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY2020, excuse me, the FY26 operating budget in the amount of $10,000 to Memphis Zoological Society, a chair organization. This item requires an expenditure of $10,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund sponsored by Commissioner David C. Bradford Jr. Item 12 is a resolution warning 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.

Moved by myself and second by Commissioner Ana. Uh second by Commissioner Brooks. Mhm. All right. And uh I'm going to make a motion that we take these down without recommendation. I need a second. Second. That was moved by myself, second by Commissioner Brooks. And without objection. All right. Well, that brings the end to the committee. What we

else? 16 and that's a meeting adjourned. Thank you.