County Commission - Regular Meeting

Deputy Sheriff, please call the meeting to order. Pastor Ashton E. Alexander of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, if you could come to give the invocation.

It's about eyes are closed. God of our silent tears, God of our weary years, God, the creator and sustainer of the universe, we come to you with hearts of thanksgiving, thanking you first for your transformative love and your boundless benevolence. your compassionate care. We thank you. you've called us into community and you've gifted us uh with the stewardship of serving this community oh god i pray that you will bless the meeting on tonight i pray that the communication will be respectful and thoughtful and that the outcomes would be fair uh and justice seeking oh god i pray that you would touch each commissioner here on tonight lord god i pray that you would give them wisdom discernment and humility as they communicate with each other. We thank you for all that you've done and all that you will do. It's in the name of Christ we pray. Amen.

Vice Chair, could you lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? You may be seated. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Present.

Clay Bibbs. Present. Caswell.

Present.

Sugarman. Mills. Present. Shalai. Present. Wright. Present. Thorne. Present. Morrison. Present. Brooks. Lowry. Bradford. Present. Chairwoman Avent. Present. We have 10 present.

We have a quorum. Could we, now we come to the matter of the approval of the June 15th, 2026 Minutes, can we do that without objection? Seeing none, so moved. It is possible to join the meeting two ways, via the designated email account, voc.email at shelbycountytn.gov, and via phone at 901-222-1234. Parliamentarian, please read the rule.

Members of the public who desire to address the county commission shall request permission by completing an appearance card which will be given to the chair by deputy. Members of the public shall be permitted to address the county commission unless ruled out of order by the chair or denied the opportunity to speak by a majority vote of the commissioner's present voting. Please note that as it pertains to public comment, our rules of order set a limit of no longer than three minutes when recognized by the chair. The chair may set a limit for discussion by the public of less than three minutes for each individual as circumstances require. Finally, to the members of the public, if you would like to express your pleasure or displeasure on a matter before the county commission, please do so by raising your thumb up or pointing it down. as opposed to applause or other expressions of approval or disapproval. Disruptive members of the public are subject to removal from the commission chambers by the deputy sheriff. Thank you for your attention and in advance for your cooperation today.

We have a few general public comment cards. The first I'm calling, if you could come to the podium, state your name and zip code. You'll have three minutes. Michael Fulton.

Hey, good afternoon. Michael Fulton, 411 Monroe Avenue, 38103. Hello, I'm Michael Fulton, Chairman of Seeding Success. I'm here today to speak in support of our public pre-K program administered by First Aid. Since 2019, this investment has improved kindergarten readiness as the first groups of children have moved through school. We often talk about growing the county's economy and making sure we're more competitive. There is no better investment than giving our youngest children a strong start. High-quality free pre-K helps children build the foundation they need to thrive while allowing more parents to participate in the workforce. Research shows that these children are more likely to graduate, continue their education or career training, and enter the workforce ready for tomorrow's jobs. Last year, by approving Pre-K for All, you gave thousands of Memphis families hope that more children would have the access to opportunity. But hope alone isn't enough. Without additional funding to open new classrooms and increase capacity, that promise cannot become a reality. Today, it is estimated that about $50 million is needed to make Pre-K available to every child, The proposed budget amendment before you would move our community one step closer to that goal. I respectfully urge you to fund the expansion for Pre-K for All. This is an investment in all of our children, our workforce, and the future of Memphis. I know these are difficult budget decisions, and I don't envy you, but I want to thank each of you for your leadership and your commitment to this community. Thank you.

Our next speaker, and I'm going to call out the next few speakers, Samuel Williams, James Crawford, Kawanda Porter, and Carol Johnson. Samuel Williams, please state your name and zip code.

May I please go first? Carol Jackson, Executive Director of Families Matter. We're here this evening to talk about our program, which is several programs within the area. Our prevention programs are 12 Principles of Manhood and Connections, and then our intervention program is Affirm. A father's involvement really matters. We have some that will speak on the program, and then our operations manager will give you all a brief overview of what the program has accomplished in the last few years, and we need your support in order to continue the program. Thank you. Dr. Sam.

How you doing this afternoon? My name is Dr. Samuel Williams. I am one of the graduates of the Family Matters Affirm.

Could you please put, can you state your zip code for the record?

38108.

Thank you.

Yes, ma'am, I'm one of the graduates who also became one of the Crusaders for the Family Matters Affirm program. Some of the things I just want to talk about. At the time, right before I joined the program, I had just graduated with my doctorate from Florida State University at Tallahassee. And at that time, I was also going through my divorce, and so I hadn't seen my daughter in quite some time. And then I was referred to the program, FIRM, which I joined the program in the summer of 2024. During that time I got to know some of the other guys that were like myself. So not only was it just a program to help us with better parenting and getting along better and coming together, putting together better parenting plans with our co-parents. It also was therapeutic in a sense for some of us who may have endured certain things throughout our childhood as well. So not only did the program help me with becoming a better father for my children and being a pillar of my community, it also helped me with becoming a better person within also. And also with my job as well, being in the program, I was able to use certain referrals in the program, which they were familiar with. And now I'm back in working in my field and I'm being compensated now well beyond means now. So Affirm has really done a lot for me individually, as a person within and financially in my job sense. Thank you.

Hello, my name is James Crawford, zip code 38128. I have a few points. One of the main ways the program helped me, I connected with many of the other fathers and built bonds with a few of them, and we are still friends to this day. One of them has even became my personal barber. The second point, the program helped me with resources to find a job and get my driver's license back reinstated, and it offered me financial support. The milestones helped with child support payments and daily living expenses. I eventually found a job, but while I was unemployed, the firm had my back. As the director of a nonprofit myself, they inspired me to make part of my mission serving fathers by connecting with their children and families and providing them with resources and a safe space to do so. I hosted my first fatherhood appreciation event and a firm partner with me, and I'm glad to appreciate it for that partnership and everything they've done for me.

Hello, everyone. Q1 to Porter, operations manager for Famous Matter Firm. I'm going to share with you all a few programs.

Ms. Porter, could you please give your zip code for the record?

38112. Thank you. You're welcome. I'm going to share a few programmatic highlights that the Affirm program has been able to achieve since our first enrollment, which took place in March of 2023. As of Friday, we have enrolled a total of 1,229 fathers who are in similar situations as these fathers who stand here before us today. 2,100 children have been affected by those fathers' involvement in the program, and those are biological children that we have recorded. 3,098 family household members have been affected by those fathers' involvement in the Families Matter Affirmed program. As of today, the federal poverty level for those fathers that have enrolled in our program has increased to 79% since their enrollment. We have 463 fathers who are currently making above $7.25, 288 fathers who are currently making above $15 an hour, 105 fathers making above $20 an hour and 20 fathers making above $25 an hour. Now since those fathers have enrolled into our program, 464 fathers have obtained employment, and that is new employment. We have over 700 fathers that are currently employed on the program. The total income that has been derived from those fathers who have obtained new employment since joining our program is a total of $25,285,043.87. And again, that is the total amount of income that has been derived from our fathers since joining the program. 241 fathers have completed some form of educational training, from barber license to high school diploma, nursing, HVAC, CDL, you name it. If it's something that we can cover for them, we do assist them with those in the form of supportive services. 156 fathers have signed co-parenting agreements. Those agreements are when fathers come together with their co-parent and decide how they're going to split the parenting time with those children. And because of our co-parenting classes, 156 fathers have been able to sign those co-parent agreements. And we have 25 fathers who are Crusaders that have completed the Requirements for a Crusader program. Yes, ma'am. 25 fathers have completed our Crusaders program, which is where they complete the fatherhood program, but they still advocate for the program in the community and assist with enrollments. Now, as of today, the number one district that had with fathers enrolled into our program is District 12 with 374 enrollments. Number two is District 11 with 319 enrollments. Number three is District 8 with 196 enrollment. And number four, we have District 6 with 172 enrollments. And District 1 at number five with 135 enrollments. That is correct. And that's just a breakdown of the top five.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Commissioner Shalai, could you make a presentation to Pastor Ashton Alexander?

Proposing trust and confidence in the fidelity and ability of Pastor Ashton E. Alexander, Senior Pastor of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, we do appoint and constitute you Chaplain of the Day at the will and pleasure of the Chairwoman.

This is the 29th day of June 9th, June, sheesh, 2026 by Chairwoman Shantae K. Evans.

We have a few more public comment cards. As I call your name, please come forward. Katie Raines, Adam Nelson, Laramie Wheeler. Please state your name and zip code for the record.

Hello, Katie Raines, 38120. I'm here to read the names of the people who died in the custody of the Shelby County Sheriff. Alex Wenrick. Antonio Davis. Antonio 1st. Antonio Golden. Avon Rollins. Bobby Sellers. Carl Ewing. Charles Johnson. Christopher Pettys. Christopher Steele. Clintus Strong. Coltrol Pondexter. Courtney Berry. Dalton Goddard. Daniel Neal. Darian Nolan. Darren Crawford. Daryl Tyrone Young. Dion Bird. Demarcus Jarrett. Damarian Walker. Denny Fugat. Desmond Shipp, Donald Jones, George DeClew, Gershon Freeman. We request a statutory requirement that provider selections prioritizes clinical outcomes and capability over cost. I urge you to move forward with a health care bidder who ranks first on the evaluation scorecard. Thank you.

Adam Nelson.

I'm Adam Nelson. I live in 38107. I'm going to read you some more names, people who died in the jails from 2018 until now. Larry Gilliam, Lawrence Sumlin, Leaudrey Isabel, Malcolm Ford, Marcel Hutton, Martin Perez Estrada, Michael McCabe, Nicholas Dancy, Raymond McGee, Richard Higgs, Richard Willingham, Robert Turner, Raquez McDaniel, Roy Dunbar. I'm going to pause on that one because I knew Roy Dunbar. Roy was in jail because I called the cops on him. I was somebody who had been working with Roy for a few years. He was homeless when I met him. He managed to get his disability. He managed to get into a care home. And he had been there for a few months. And one day he pushed over his caretaker and stole about $40 and then showed up on my doorstep. And I believed that the best thing that I could do to help him was to make him not a fugitive. So I called the police and they took him. And that wound up being a death sentence. Sam Carr, Santrez Taylor, Sherman Weakley, Stanley Campbell, Steven Gomez, Tiffany Dukes, Timothy Black, Tommy Young, Tracy Gill, Tyrus Watkins, Wesley Joyner, William Trentham. We demand a statutory requirement that provider selection prioritizes clinical outcomes. and capability over cost. And I urge you to move forward with a healthcare bidder who ranks first on the evaluation scorecard. Thank you.

Laramie Wheeler.

My name is Laramie Wheeler, 38103, and I live in 38107. I'm here to read the remaining names of the people who've died in custody of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office since 2018. Jerome Given, Jerome Mimes, Jonathan Angliano, Joseph Johnson, Justin Brewer, Justin Lee Seegerson, Kenneth Melton, Kevin Wright, Kimberly Clark, Christopher Miller, James Owens, James Wilkes, Jeffrey Farrell, and Lamont Cummings. You guys have a very important job. And I realize that. And I know that the recommendation for the health care provider comes down to you from the purchasing committee. And that that process a lot of times happens really quickly. I'm asking you to slow down and to take your time and to ask questions. to hire the clinically responsible healthcare provider for the jail. And the public is not able to or allowed to know who those options are until you have voted on them. We want transparency, but to be honest with you, I'm not sure how to make that happen. I've been staring at these 67 names for a long time. And every time I have to go through them to write their stories, to research more, they become more and more human to me. They were connected to these communities. They were your constituents. It is your moral obligation to make sure that this doesn't keep happening. That people are safe in our jail. We demand a statutory requirement that the provider selection prioritizes clinical outcomes and capability over cost. I urge you to move forward with the healthcare bidder who ranks first on the evaluation scorecard. The last time you guys voted WellPath was ranked third and it was an $8 million difference. And the amount of people who have died, the amount of lawsuits that Shelby County is paying for, it's not worth it. It could have just been one human life and it's not worth it. in closing i'd also like to mention that just city along with micah and the justice and safety alliance is holding a public vigil for these 67 people and their families on august 1st downtown please just make the wise choice thank you next two speakers glenda hicks and andrea bell please state your name and zip code for the record

Good afternoon, Glenda Hicks, 38109. I'm here today as a voice for all Shelby Countyans with specific concerns to this budget that I understand has to be passed today. And I know from having attended the committee meeting last Wednesday that the proposal is for an increase. And to be very honest and frank with you, i am not in support of that simply because i don't feel confident and the documentation does not support that this council this body has acted in the best interests of the citizens of shelby county has not dove specifically into budgets to determine if they were justified, have not requested the proper documentation from the sub organizations that encompass the mayor's administration to justify the MOE. And I understand, having been in these meetings, what the law mandates, but the citizens of Shelby County should not have to pay for the errors of individuals who sit in seats of authority to operate in their best interest, to, by law, it is the duty to be good stewards over the funds that are not yours, but are indeed the entire constituents of Shelby County. So I certainly come to say that there are plenty of seniors who are the majority of the property taxpayers in this county who are on a fixed income, who certainly do not deserve to be farther abused by, even if it is a two cent tax increase. I say that we need to wisely look at the line items and know that it is totally justified. And having said in the meeting, I cannot say that that is the case. I saw how various individuals, organizations came before you and presented nothing nothing in documentation that was certainly availed to the public to justify them receiving the requested funds so i come today to say do your due diligence honor your constituents acting their best thank you miss six thank you andrea bill

Good evening, Andrea Bell, 38125. I will make comments on two line items today. The first line item is the Milton Grant. It is honorable for every last one of you to approve the freeze on any additional monies going out for this Milton Grant. The reason is, as this young lady came up before me, not Glenda, but the young lady before, she had a common theme. It is your duty to look. It is your duty to push back. It is your duty to know a line item. And it is your duty not to give monies to fake nonprofits. Let's be clear here. We voted you in to do a job. We are here because we have been ignored. We are here because some commissioners think they are above the people. property tax increases. I am a home owner. And if you are sitting as a commissioner and you are not a home owner and you think it is okay to increase our property taxes, think again. I am the one that is in the area where I have seen in 2025, my assessment of my home assessment increased over 50%. While you have downtown areas where some of you may be commissioners, you're complaining about not receiving enough money. Only 14% assessment in those areas. Let's be clear and let's be fair. And if you want to check the numbers, do your due diligence and get with the property assessor. I did. So I'm asking you commissioners, one, please vote yes to halt, freeze the funds on the Milton Grant. That's honorable for you to do. Second is vote no for a property tax increase because we have people who are struggling. They're struggling. Don't punish homeowners. Don't punish the majority of us who work hard for our homes, who pay for the education of our children, because that's what I am. As a homeowner, I'm paying for the education of Shelby County. Vote no. Thank you.

All right, commissioners. We now will move to resolutions, memorials, sympathy, and commendations, parliamentary, and if you could, read item number two.

Item two is a special resolution recognizing Black Seeds Urban Farms founders Daravia Rich and Bobby Rich III, sponsored by Commissioner Erica Sugarman.

Thank you so much. Can I have Daravia Rich and Bobby Rich to come forward please? This is a special resolution recognizing Black Seeds Urban Farms founders Darivia and Bobby Rich III. Whereas Darivia Rich is an environmental justice advocate and agribusiness professional. She graduated from Tennessee State University with a bachelor's degree in mass communication and currently serves as a program specialist with the Tennessee Board of Regents. where she supports curriculum development, community-centered programs, and academic initiatives throughout the state. And whereas Darivia was a part of the Greater Memphis Chambers Professional Class of 2020, and that same year was recognized as Young Memphis Honoree. Earlier this year, Derivium was a Memphis Grizzlies HBCU Empowerment Award honoree, whereas a former firefighter for the city of Memphis, Bobby Rich, is deeply passionate about horticulture. In 2019, he graduated from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture's Master Gardeners Program and currently works for Alpha Omega Veterans Services Incorporated as farm manager. And whereas, in addition to being featured in numerous documentaries and news publications, he hosts workshops with agricultural organizations, schools, and other audiences to educate and empower communities to grow their own food. He is a member of the Tennessee Black Farmers Coalition and this year was honored by the Gentleman's League as a Beta inductee. His primary goal is to grow and sustain green spaces in their inner city and combat food insecurity. Bobby inspires communities to think globally, act locally. And whereas founded in 2020, Black Seeds Urban Farms is a local food movement that is rooted in the desire to grow honest, non-toxic fruits and vegetables for Memphians who have little or no access to sustainable foods. Located at 58 North 4th Street, fresh fruits and vegetables are grown to share with neighborhoods and communities across the county. In 2024, Fiskars, an international brand known for garden tools, presented Black Seeds Urban Farms with a grant and free gardening tools. Only five gardens in North America received this, and Black Seeds Urban Farms was proudly one of them. And whereas Darivian Bobby Rich III had been married since 2017, and the proud parents of their daughter, Chloe Autumn Rich, Okay, together they continue to advocate, inform, and provide fresh fruits and vegetables to communities across Shelby County. Now, therefore, be resolved that Shelby County Board of Commissioners hereby recognizes Darivia and Bobby Rich III for their contributions to Shelby County, Tennessee.

Thank you.

We are deeply honored to receive this recognition from the Shelby County Commission. Thank you, Commissioner Erica Sugarman and the commission for acknowledging our commitment to agriculture, environmental stewardship, and community empowerment. This recognition inspires Bobby and me to continue serving Shelby County. Thank you.

uh real quick uh shout out to of course shout out to black seeds shout out to the commissioner board shout out to uh uh chris cooper uh in the crowd um i'm willing and able to grow a lot more food for poor people and i want to grow a whole lot in value and high nutritional food for people who are on the brunt when things go bad And I was able to do that on small residential lots, and I'm very interested in doing that on larger lots to feed more open living. So yeah, that's all I got to say.

And before you take your seats, there's a few commissioners in the queue. Commissioner Thornton.

Thank you, Chair. I just want to say thank y'all on behalf of the millennial generation. Y'all represent us well. And these are Magnolia, Castelia, and Whitehaven babies. So shout out to those respective communities. Y'all just make us so proud. And so I'm glad that you lifted up your capacity and interest to do more. And so I just encourage you after budget season to continue to sit down with commissioners with the mayor, with the school board, new leaders, and just position yourself to continue to grow, pun intended.

Thank you.

Commissioner Clay Bibbs.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to say thank you for everything that you do. We just recently took a group of young people on the Tour of Possibilities, so when we went by your spot, your place was the place they had so many questions about. So thank you for everything you do. You've sparked a group of young people about thinking about food and agriculture differently. Unfortunately, y'all weren't there, so we didn't get a chance to introduce them to you, but we will be back. So thank you for everything that you do.

Please, bring them back for sure.

Real quick, I just want to say, we usually try to keep the front gate open for situations like that, but we'll catch on the next one.

Absolutely. Coordinating with Ms. Carolyn how we can make the tour more physical. Thank you.

Absolutely. Yes, one more commissioner, Commissioner Lowry.

Thank you, Chair, and thank you, Commissioner Sugar, for bringing this as well. Again, just echoing, thank you for all what you do. Actually, we need to be leaning more into agriculture to make sure that we're making that more of a culture in our community and also for our economy as well. So thank you for doing that. Thank you for showing the way. And know that you'll always have a supporter. I was about to say sponsor. Supporter in me as well. Thank you so much.

Thank you. We appreciate your support. Thank you.

All right, commissioners. We're going to put three minutes on the screen for you to review the consent agenda, and if there are any items you would like pulled. Parliamentarian, please read the consent agenda. I don't see any one in queue that want to pull items. No, three minutes, Commissioner Lowry.

Apologize, Madam Chair. Item number 23, 28, and 32.

Just repeat, 23.

28 and 30.

And 30, okay.

Okay, Commissioner Brooks. Items number, numbers 20, 22, 24, and 25.

And I'm just repeating, you said items 20, 22, and? 24, 25. Okay, Commissioner Thornton. items nine and nineteen and thirty-three thirty-three items nine nineteen and thirty-three is that correct Commissioner Thornton All right, parliamentarian, please read the consent agenda minus item nine, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 30, and 33. Yes, ma'am.

items three through eight come from the budget and finance committee which is chaired by commissioner whaley item three is a resolution to amend the fiscal year twenty twenty six operating budget to expand grant funds from the state of tennessee department of safety and homeland security for the shelby county sheriff's office This item requires appropriation and expenditure of state grant funds in the amount of $1,500,000 sponsored by Commissioner McWright. Item 4 is a resolution approving the expenditure of funds for the purchase of emergency equipment for law enforcement vehicles from Dana Safety in an amount not to exceed $307,150. This item requires the expenditure of FY 2027 Shelby County Sheriff's office general operating funds in the amount not to exceed $307,150, subject to the adoption of the FY2027 operating budget, sponsored by Commissioner McWright. item five is a resolution approving expenditure of funds for automobile transmission repair services and related services from birds millington transmission in an amount not to exceed eighty seven thousand dollars this item requires expenditure of fy twenty twenty seven shelby county sheriff's office general operating funds in the amount not to exceed eighty seven thousand dollars subject to the adoption of the FY2027 operating budget, sponsored by Commissioner McWright. Item 6 is a resolution approving the expenditure of funds for the replacement of fleet vehicles that have reached the end of safe and useful life expectancy from Landers CDJR North LLC in an amount not to exceed $1,070,714.40. This item requires the expenditure of FY2027 Shelby County Sheriff's Office general operating funds in the amount not to exceed $1,070,714.40, subject to the adoption of the FY2027 operating budget sponsored by Commissioner McWright. Item 7 is a resolution approving the expenditure of funds for the replacement of fleet vehicles that have reached the end of safe and useful life expectancy to A.J. Doman, CDJR, LLC, in an amount not to exceed $1,333,964. This item requires expenditure of FY2027 Shelby County Sheriff's Office general operating funds in the amount not to exceed $1,333,964. $333,964, subject to the adoption of the FY2027 operating budget, sponsored by Commissioner McWright. Item eight is a resolution approving the appropriation and expenditure of FY2026 capital improvement project funds and approving a contract Unicode Technology LLC for cloud disaster recovery and business continuity solution in an amount not to exceed $1,022,310 commencing upon execution through June 30, 2026 with the option to renew for two additional one-year periods sponsored by Commissioner Michael Whaley. Item 10 comes from the Hospitals and Health Committee which is chaired by Commissioner Clay Bids. Item 10 is a resolution approving a new grant award in the total amount of $284,999 for the Shelby County Health Department pursuant to the VP DIP immunization program grant to provide immunization services for the period beginning July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2030 and authorizing the appropriation and expenditure of state grant funds in the amount of $284,999 sponsored by Commissioner Misca Clay Bibbs. items eleven and twelve come from the law enforcement corrections and courts committee with commissioner sugarman as vice chair item eleven is a resolution approving the emergency purchase of nine flypro parrot anafi ukr prcs charging systems forty parrot anafi ukr batteries 10 parrot abafu ukr gov radios wi-fi plus 5g and one pair anafi ukr online training expenditure from safewear inc on behalf of the shelby county sheriff's office in the amount not to exceed 209 509 dollars this item requires the expenditure of fiscal year 2026 shelby county sheriff's office grant funds in the amount not to exceed 209 509 dollars sponsored by commissioner mcwright Item 12 is a resolution approving a contract between Shelby County Government on behalf of the Shelby County Government Division of Corrections and Medicalistics, LLC, in an amount not to exceed $320,986.75 from contract execution through June 30, 2026, with the option to renew for two additional one-year periods for the provision of NextGen electronic health record system, the related components, and the associated maintenance service. This item requires expenditure of FY 2026 Correction Enterprise Fund in an amount not to exceed $320,986.75, sponsored by Commissioner McWright. ITEM 13 COMES FROM THE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE, WHICH IS CHAIRED BY COMMISSIONER MILLS. ITEM 13 IS A RESOLUTION RECEIVING AND FOLLOWING A THIRD QUARTER REPORT OF THE SHELBY FARMS PARK CONSERVANCY FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2026, SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER AMBER MILLS. ITEMS 14 AND 15 COME FROM THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE, WHICH IS CHAIRED BY COMMISSIONER BROOKS. ITEM 14 IS A RESOLUTION IMPROVING THE ELECTION OF NORWES PUBLIC FOR APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT FOR SHELBY COUNTY, TENNESSEE, SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER HENRY E. BROOKS. item fifteen is a resolution urging the shelby county election commission to disseminate updated congressional district information to ensure the education of shelby county voters on changes to congressional districting across tennessee sponsored by chairwoman shanteke avant item sixteen comes from the core city neighborhoods and housing committee which is chaired by commissioner brooks Item 16 is a resolution approving the sale of 61 county-owned delinquent tax parcels acquired by Shelby County from various Shelby County tax sales to identified purchasers at various prices collectively totaling $230,725 pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated Section 67-5-2507 and authorizing the Shelby County Mayor to execute proclaimed deeds. Sponsored by Commissioner Henry E. Brooks. item seventeen and eighteen come from the facilities real property and capital improvements committee vice chair bradford as acting chair item seventeen is a resolution approving a contract between shelby county government and c S3 Inc. and the issuance of emergency purchase orders and a check to CS3 Inc. totaling $195,115.71 to provide temporary chiller services to the West Tennessee Regional Forensic Center located at 637 Poplar. This item requires the appropriation and expenditure of FY 2026 general funds in an amount not to exceed $195,115.71 sponsored by Commissioner McWright. Item 18 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 Attractive Shelby County owned land located on the northwesterly side of Summer Avenue approximately 1550 feet southwesterly from the central line of Shelby owns drive to the city of Memphis for the use and benefit of the Memphis light gas and water division phenomenal consideration for its provision of utility services and maintenance thereof sponsored by Commissioner McWright Items 21 25, 26, 27, 29, 31, 32 come from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Thornton. Item 21 is a resolution amending resolution number 15, adopted February 23, 2026, titled Resolution Awarding County Funds from the FY2026 Operating Budget in the Amount of $15,000 to Elite Performance Foundation or Charitable Organization. This item requires an expenditure of $15,000 for the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund and awarding additional county funds from the FY2026 Operating Budget in the amount of $6,500 to Elite Performance Foundation, a charitable organization for a total grant amount of $21,500. This item requires an expenditure of $6,500 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program grant fund sponsored by Commissioner Ms. Clay Bibbs and Commissioner McKell Lowry. This item was amended in June 24th, 2026 committee meeting. Item 25 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $7,500 025 was pulled. Thank you. Item 26 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $15,000 to Reaching Back Inc., a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $15,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program grant fund sponsored by Commissioner Henry E. Brooks and Commissioner Erica Sugarman. Item 27 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $1,500 to the International Consortium of Young Artists, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $1,500 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund, sponsored by Commissioner Henry E. Brooks. item twenty nine is a resolution warning county funds from the FY twenty twenty six operating budget in the amount of ten thousand dollars to junior league of memphis a charitable organization this item requires an expenditure of ten thousand dollars from the milton community enhancement program grant fund sponsored by commissioner michael whaley Item 31 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY2026 operating budget in the amount of $10,000 to City Leadership, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $10,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program grant fund, sponsored by Commissioner Michael Whaley. Item 32 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY2026 operating budget in the amount of $10,000 to Aurora Collegiate Academy, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $10,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program grant fund, sponsored by Commissioner Michael Whaley.

I have a motion by Vice Chair Bradford. Second by Commissioner Caswell. Please prepare the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Wiley, Caswell, Shalai, Wright, Thornton, Morrison, Brooks, Lowry, Bradford, and Sherwin-Avent. We have 10 aye votes.

That motion passes. Commentarian, please read item number five. I'm sorry, nine.

item nine comes from the budget and finance committee chaired by commissioner whaley item nine is a resolution approving a three-month contract extension with wellpath llc for the provision of health care services to inmates and detainees for the shelby county jail Shelby County Division of Corrections and the Shelby County Youth Education and Justice Center in an amount not to exceed $9,126,396.97 for the period beginning July 1, 2026 through September 30, 2026. This item requires the expenditure of FY 2027 general operating funds in an amount not to exceed $6,297,213.90 and FY2027 Enterprise Funds in an amount not to exceed $2,829,183.07 for a total cost of $9,126,396.97 for this extension term. Sponsored by Commissioner Michael Willey.

I have a motion by Vice Chair Bradford, a second by Commissioner Shillai. Commissioner Whaley, can I get a committee report?

Yes, this item comes down with a favorable recommendation.

Thank you. Commissioner Thornton, you're recognized.

Thank you, Chair. Is Director Gloucester here? I have just a question about the original contract that this is a contract extension for. As you're coming down, I heard multiple citizens just talk about this particular contract and a need for us to review the scorecard. And so can you just advise us on where we are with the RFP process and has your office looked at any discrepancy with this particular scorecard? Is WorldPath currently the lowest and best bidder on this item?

change was mentioned person uh... good afternoon commissioners still inactive uh... therefore we can't discuss anything this because still active and so is this uh... a thirty-day bidding process is it thirty days how long has it been public i think we're past that but we still have a process process

Okay, so this is the point where I express frustration. I can barely hear what you're saying. So if it's gonna be like that all night, this is about to be miserable. So I don't know if IT can increase the volume, but we've been here before. So you're saying that it's currently out for bid for, is this, this will be a new contract after the extension?

Change, I'll submit a trailer person, yes.

And so when did the bidding process start?

It was a month ago, started a few months ago.

Okay, do you know when it'll close?

James Glossman showed the person it's closed as far as someone trying to bid on it, but the process is still active as far as selecting someone.

Okay, can you just send to the entire body for this contract that's being extended? who were the scorecard for the participation in the current bid. I would like to just lean into what the public's perception is. They're saying that the well path was the third runner up here, and they were selected. That's news to me. I don't know when this came before the body, the initial one. This is just a... three month contract extension, but it is sizable. So considering all of the feedback that we're receiving, I do think that it'll be worthwhile for the incoming commission to look at the well path contract. Um, and then can you just advise the public on since the contracting process where the bid has closed at this point, is there any recourse for citizens who care about this to do anything or do they just have to wait for it to come on the floor before the commission?

So the first question, I was not here when that first bid, but if anybody wants information on that, there will be a public records request to get all that information about the last bid through our public records department to get that information. The second question, the bid is closed as far as someone trying to, be it on it. I'm sorry, would you ask if when it was gonna be done or?

The second question. The question of, am I recognized, Chair? Yes. Thank you. Going back to the first thing you said, so you're not able to provide us with the information, you're gonna make us FOIA it to be able to get the info?

Well, yes, James Lawson, Administrator of the Purchase, that's been so long. Public records request for all of that information, where all the information is housed, depending on what you need.

You can't access it.

through public records we would have to dig and go through a lot of types of things to records files to get it but all of that is filed on our contracts and our public records department has all that information

Okay, I do think it would be helpful when we're considering the extensions to see the original contract, but there might be legislative action that needs to happen. I looked at the documents that are provided to the public, and it doesn't provide any substance. They can't really drill down to go back to see what the scorecard was, because the information just focuses on this extension. And then just going back to the bidding process, what is the recourse that the public has to be able to kick the dust on this item, so to speak. So do they have to wait on it to be an agenda item, or is there anything that can be done now that the bidding process is closed?

James Lawson, administrative person. At this point, there is nothing that anyone could do. We have to go through the process, let it take its course, because we would not want to tank the process, ensure the integrity of the process is still intact.

And then just in closing, so we get to this point often where the only recourse we have is to wait until the item hits the floor as commissioners. So you have constituents who have been raising concerns about this. It gets on the floor and then the administration is gonna say it's too much of a burden to put this out for bid. We need these services now. It'll have some type of cost impact. So when citizens actually want to disrupt a contracting process where does the process start and when is it most appropriate for them to put pressure on the process to be able to reconsider someone who's chosen or I've seen that we've needed to redefine the scope of contracts that were too rigid like there are many different things but the way that we're approaching intervening is just not working I have yet to see contract broken down a contract cast down like it just doesn't happen even though we have the authority to do so so I guess speaking more specifically about this contract when is it proposed that there's going to be RFP out for bid that the public could review it before it actually goes out

james ross minister is a person i'm not sure as far as once the bid is active and like there is not a chance for the public to come in on it but what i would say leading up to when the contract is about to expire and before the department really gets involved with the scope of work and things of that nature this will be the time to have any meetings or add some input to it before the contract actually ends prior to it going out for bid

And I'm going to ask the county attorney just to pipe in. I really want to make sure that we're not inching into territory that opens us up for any type of litigation. So if the county attorney could speak.

Megan Smith, County Attorney's Office. Just to address some of the comments more generally, the purchasing rules don't necessarily contemplate the avenue that you're reaching for. Because in order for the process to be devoid of undue influence, the participants in any procurement process are highly limited. You have a department, you have the purchasing department. the department procuring the rules, and especially those individuals who are grading each participant in the process. Because there are so many different things and rules that affect each of those avenues, in terms of outside influence, the whole point is to make sure that it is not disrupted. When it comes to citizen participation, it is fully expected that there would be citizen participation in a venue such as this. where those grievances can be raised for any particular contract through their commissioner or directly at the podium. So right now what we have is a scoring process in process, so questions and answers will ultimately be limited by the process to protect the process.

Thank you to the accounting attorney. seeing no other commissioners in the queue, please prepare the screen for a vote. Please report the tally.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Clay Bibbs, Caswell, Sugarman, Mills, Shalai, Wright, Morrison, Brooks, Lowry, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avent. Commissioner Thornton has abstained. I have 12 ayes and one abstain.

That motion passes. Parliamentarian, please read item 19.

Item 19 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Thornton. Item 19 is a resolution to establish a temporary spending freeze on Shelby County Commission Milton Community Enhancement Grants, CEP expenditures, through November 1st, 2026, in order to strengthen the Shelby County's fund balance and enhance long-term fiscal stability. Sponsored by Chairwoman Shante Avant and Commissioner Miska Clay-Bibbs.

I have a motion by Vice Chair Bradford, a second by Commissioner Whaley. Commissioner Thornton, can I get a committee report?

This item comes down with favorable recommendation.

Okay. You recognize?

Thank you, Chair. Um, we had what a 10 plus hour meeting and somehow I missed this conversation. So I just wanted to, um, hear from either the sponsors or I guess the only people here to speak on this item, um, perhaps, uh, chief Tipton. Can you just tell us, so last year when we talked about a freeze, it was somewhere around September, the budget had passed. Here, before we even passed the budget, we're saying that we're going through, we have a need to strengthen the Shelby County fund balance and enhance long-term fiscal stability. What exactly is the rationale for why this has to happen before we actually get our figures of where we are in terms of financials for the year? So is Director Tipton here?

Audrey Tipton, Director of Administration and Finance. I'm sorry, I must ask you to repeat your question.

This is until November 1st and last year we did something similar that I believe went from like September to January that when I asked people the freeze was lifted last year without a definitive time. So it just kind of eventually lifted. Here we have a hard stop of November 1st. Can you just say more about how this freeze differs from the previous freeze that we put in last September?

Thank you. Audrey Tipton, Director of Administration and Finance. It doesn't really differ a lot. What this is doing is allowing us to keep the cash in order to pay for other relevant expenditures before we start getting the property tax revenue in. Last year I think we were at a at a crisis mode last year because we had to figure out how we were going to pay it and get the loan in place and all of that. So we're ahead of the game on that now, and we're anticipating us potentially not having the cash. So this is one of the mechanisms we're putting in place to show that we will be able to continue all of our expenditures up until November, then we'll release the cash for the CEP grants.

gonna stop them it'll just delay us actually putting the cash out the door until november so 2.6 million dollars becomes the focus and we need just that amount why are we just focusing on the milton enhancement grant being such a nominal figure for a 1.6 billion dollar budget

archie tipton director of administration and finance uh... basically that is uh... the only thing that i think we can actually use when we have to pay the utilities and telephone salaries those things are non-negotiable uh... these type of expenditures are commission morrison thank you chair

As most of you know, I'm not a fan of this program. I know that there's good work that happens, but the majority of our taxpayers would like these dollars to be spent by themselves. So I would make a motion to change the word temporary to halt. To halt. I have a... To halt the Shelby County Commission Milton Community Enhancement Grant expenditures.

I have a motion by Commissioner Morrison. I have a second by Commissioner Mills. Is there any objection? Objection by Commissioner Brooks. So if anyone wants to speak on...

Okay, so we have the language... to establish a temporary spending freeze. So we're gonna take out establish a temporary spending freeze and say halt. Oh, yes, ma'am, thank you.

Okay, if anyone would like to speak on the motion that is before us, you could just clear the screen. Okay, the motion before us, would anyone like to speak on that? If not, we're gonna go to a vote about the amendment. There's an objection from Commissioner Brooks. Commissioner Brooks, you're recognized.

Thank you. Madam Chair, I do object. Let me say this. It's not a majority that I can factually say do not want us to continue this program. Quite frankly, it's been a lot of social media activity about this program. It's been a lot of rumors about this program. Very few facts. Very few. And the people who want us to get rid of it, let me just offer one suggestion. Take the part that's allocated to you and give it back. and those of us who are using this program to serve our constituents who are not served by this budget, who are on the ground foot soldiers working in the community, let that continue. You do not have the kinds of issues, you do not have the kinds of needs, and you do not have the kind of neglect that I have in District 7 and I've seen in 8. And 10. So let me say this. There may be, there may be some things that need to be improved. Well, I say there are. A lot of things can be improved, even me. So let's do this. Let's not throw away a program that helps individuals who do not scale to capacity of large individuals. Charitable organizations like a horse show or an opera or some kind of major academy, that kind of thing. You got individuals on the ground who are helping children in summer camps, who are helping mothers who need some transitional help from one lockup to another. whether it be behind bars or whether it be in the neighborhood with no transportation. These are the kinds of programs that grow organically from the ground and are served by the Milton Community Enhancement Grant Program. There has not been factually not one, only one, only one kick up in this program and that individual is no longer here. That individual is paying for the abuse significantly and justifiably, only one. So let's not make a big deal of something that's helping people on the ground that you don't know anything about and don't care anything about and don't see. So let's just move forward with what we have and fix anything that we see that need to be fixed right now. Let's not make up things. Don't make up things. Like I said, if you want to do something, give your allocation back to the general power.

Thank you, Commissioner Brooks. Commissioner Thornton, you're recognized.

Thank you, Chair. And I can empathize with those of you who want to either see the program go away or just put a pause on it. I would just say that before becoming a commissioner, I was an organizer. And so I know that throughout the calendar, there are times where programming peaks. So in the fall, programming peaks. In the spring, summer times. And so my concern is that, one, This is totally different than what we did last year. Two, it's going to have organizations applying for funds and getting them in the winter time, which is just gonna be awkward. And for so many organizations that have hopes of getting their little $2,500, $5,000, they just won't have access to that in the fall, we're already showing that we haven't prioritized honoring what the moral budget has put out there or what some other more progressive groups have said. So a lot of people are bare bones-ing um the work and i do want to see them have access to their dollars starting july 1st it's my understanding that a previous commissioner commissioner mark billingsley put a resolution on the floor that allowed for exiting commissioners to be able to have access to half the $200,000, which I just feel we should uphold today. So I'm just curious for, you know, what is it? It's 6, 8, 10, and I want to say 7. We often top the charts in terms of need. the urban core and so I would hope that those commissioners in particular and others would support not passing this particular item allowing the funds to be accessible and in my remaining one minute I just want clarity around what's going on with the finances of Shelby County why is it this is my first two years we didn't have to do this now last year we had to do the freeze and again we're bumping the freeze up sooner and So I just want to control for it being a political play move. Why is it that it's necessary now for us to impact citizens to be able to balance our budget or to have access to our cash? That's a question to Chief Tipton.

Thank you. Audrey Tipton, Director of Administration and Finance. You spend what you have. and when you increase your expenditures every year and you don't increase the amount of revenue that you receive eventually you're going to run out of cash and that's what has occurred our expenditures have increased but we have not increased our revenue sources therefore each year when we pay out those expenditures it chips away at the cash balance that you have. When you first became a commissioner, hold on, when you first became a commissioner, there was more cash, the cash was flush. Each year, the more expenditures are added to the budget, you have to pay those expenditures, so you're chipping away at that cash, you're taking out more than you're putting in. So it's not a political move, this is math. so even with a five-cent increase we wouldn't have enough object in direct ministration if a if an increase is proposed it will start to rebuild the process it will start to rebuild the cash so it won't fix the problem this year but it would be a start all right i have other commissioners in the queue commissioner caswell you recognized

I'm sorry. Thanks, Chair. I was just going to call the question because I had something to say, but she just said it.

Commissioner Wright? I'll allow Commissioner Wright, and then we'll vote on the amendment.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to add one point of perspective that I think is important that is addressed when we talk about this program. which is, you know, if you walk out of this building today and you take a few steps east, two blocks east at our Justice Center, today it is closed by order of the health department. And I think when citizens see that those core parts of our county government seem to be falling apart, and are not being kept in orderly repair at the same time that we're spending so much time on non-profit grants, I think they see that as misaligned priorities that the core business of the county is not being attended to. And I think that's a huge problem that this body is going to have to fix. In addition to the ethical challenges that this program presents, the instant you are elected, you are going to be approached by any manner of people. And that presents a huge ethical problem, no matter how you feel about this program yourself. So yeah, I would just encourage this body Whatever you do with this program, please put the core needs of the county first. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Please prepare the screen for a vote. And this is an aye. You're voting on the amendment to halt the program. A no is a no to halting the program as amended by or proposed amendment by Commissioner Morrison.

Madam Chair, my screen is frozen. Aye. Aye.

What is your vote, Commissioner Sugarman? No. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Mills, Wright, Morrison, and Bradford. Commissioners Whaley, Clay Bibbs, Caswell, Shulman, Shalai, Thornton, Brooks, Lowry, and Chairwoman Avan, a vote of no. I have four ayes and nine noes.

Okay, that motion fails. Commissioner Caswell, we're back on the main motion, main item.

Yes, I was just going to call the question.

Okay, the question has been called. Commissioner Thornton. Thank you.

I kind of figured you were going to call the question.

Director Tisner, before you. Just a moment. Commissioner Thornton, this is your third time speaking on this item. We'll need to suspend the rules.

Was that for the previous vote?

No, it was for the item before that. You had spoken twice on that item. So we just need to suspend the rules in order for you to speak a third time.

So moved.

Is there a second? All right. Do that without objection. Commissioner Thornton, you're recognized.

Thank you, Commissioner Caswell. Director Tipton, I just want to just have clarity about this, because today we have a baked-in five-cent tax increase, and so we're saying that even in lieu of us communicating to the public that we're doing this to be able to balance the budget, that we still have this pressing concern for $2.6 million that we have to freeze. I can understand every other argument but the need for the funds to be able to have the necessary cash. I feel like if we are going to increase the tax rate, that should be enough to be able to get the cash that's needed. This particular move, to me, throws off the previous calendar where it was said repeatedly in committee that the reason why we would need to do it in September is because what was coming in, I think, October or November. Now you're saying that we're going to start that process early. I could respect it even if it came back in September like before. but to say here in June that we already know for July and August that we need to freeze the program, there's not gonna be a pressing need in July and August for these funds.

Audrey Tipton, Director of Administration and Finance. As we previously stated, our taxes are collected mostly or primarily in the months of december through march that's when we collect the bulk of all of our property taxes that's when the cash comes in the door but the rest of the months we are spending down on that cash balance so you're already net were not negative but you've already used the bulk of your cash by june because you got it in march so you got a cash balance money in the bank you're paying bills you're going to continue to pay those bills up until we start to get cash again and we're not going to start getting cash again not a substantial amount until around december january so reading this resolution from what i'm understanding is saying that we will not put any more cash out the door than we have to until november when we start to gradually pick up receiving taxes again because we're not going to even though we change we increase the tax rate you're not going to get the money july 1. you're gonna start getting the bulk of it in December, January, February.

So can you send to the commission what your projections are that are justifying that we need to take this move? What are you seeing financially in forecasting that's showing that we are not, to me 2.6 million is not what we need and I would just need to see the numbers that are showing that we exactly need 2.6 million dollars to be in reserves to be able to get this work done and get the dollars out the door. I don't support this item. I don't think that it is exactly what it's presenting itself to be, and I can see how it can definitely be something else going on here. So, colleagues, I would love for you, on behalf of District 10, that needs the dollars to not support this item. Thank you.

Please repair the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Clay Bibbs, Caswell, Sugarman, Mills, Shalai, Wright, Morrison, Brooks, Lowry, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avent. Commissioner Thornton has voted no. We have 12 ayes and one no.

That motion passes. Parliamentarian, please read item 20.

Item 20 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Thornton. Item 20 is a resolution amending resolution number 18, adopted February 16, 2026, titled Resolution Awarding County Funds from the FY 2026 Operating Budget in the amount of $20,000 to Collierville Citizens Police Association, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $20,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Fund and awarding additional county funds from the FY 2026 Operating Budget in the amount a $5,000 to Collierville Citizens Police Association, a charitable organization, for a total grant amount of $25,000. This item requires an expenditure of $5,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund, sponsored by Commissioner David C. Bradford, Jr.

I have a motion by Vice Chair Bradford, a second by Commissioner Sugarman. Commissioner Brooks, you're recognized. I'm sorry, Commissioner Thornton, can I get a committee report?

This item comes down with favorable recommendation. Thank you. Commissioner Brooks?

Thank you. I pulled this off the consent agenda because I didn't know actually what a citizens police association would mean today. I do know what a citizens police meant back in the day. back in my day and back in my parents' day, it was synonymous, Citizens Police was synonymous with White Citizens Council, which was synonymous with militia, which was synonymous with KKK. So before I vote for this, I certainly need to know what this is, the Citizens Police Association. I just need to have, simple explanation as to what it is.

To the sponsor, Commissioner Bradford.

Yes, this organization helps raise funds for the Carterville Police Force, things that are like temporary traffic lights, improvements to the police education area, that type of stuff. This is just a funding arm to help raise money for the police department in Carterville.

All right, seeing no other commissioners, please prepare the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Clay Bibbs, Caswell, Sugarman, Mills, Shalai, Wright, Thornton, Morrison, Lowry, Bradford, and Sherwin-Avent. Commissioner Brooks has abstained. I have 12 ayes and one abstain.

That motion, I'm sorry, was that it? That motion passes. Parliamentarian, please read item 22.

Item 22 comes from Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Thornton. Item 22 is a resolution amending resolution number 27, adopted March 30th, 2026, titled Resolution Awarding County Funds from the FY 2026 Operating Budget in the amount of $10,000 to Leadership Collierville, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $10,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund and awarding additional county funds from the FY 2026 Operating Budget in the amounts of $5,000 to Leadership Collierville, a charitable organization, for a total grant amount of $15,000. This item requires an expenditure of $5,000 in the Milton Community Enhancement Program grant fund, sponsored by Commissioner David C. Bradford Jr.

I have a motion by Vice Chair Bradford, a second by Commissioner Sugarman. Commissioner Thornton, can I get a committee report? This item comes down with favorable recommendation. Thank you. Commissioner Brooks, you're recognized.

Thank you. I pulled this item off the agenda because it is funding for the Collierville, Leadership Collierville. And as I stated in my earlier remarks, and I truly believe this, that this grant program tremendously helps grassroot organizations with issues pertaining to survival food clothing and sheltering other issues in the community that do not have a capacity to make the budget the general budget or even get mentioned by some of these other categories that we have. They're totally ignored. So that's why I pulled this off the budget. I do not believe that the Collierville, Leadership Collierville fits this category as a grassroots organization. Thank you.

Vice Chair Bradford, you're recognized.

Thank you. This organization is highly involved in Collierville and has food pantries and other things for the less fortunate in Collierville, so I'm honored to support this today. Thank you.

Please prepare the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from commissioners Wiley, Klaive, Caswell, Sugarman, Mills, Shalai, Wright, Thornton, Morrison. Lowry, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avant. Commissioner Brooks has abstained. We have 12 ayes and one abstain.

That motion passes. I have a public comment card from a Miss, I'm sorry, I can't, Shaniqua Watson for item eight because it was not pulled off of the consent agenda, but if you'd like to come and make a comment, you can at this time. Ms. Watson, if you could state your name and zip code for the record, you'll have three minutes.

Shaniqua Watson's at 33-115. I would like to discuss the proposed increase to the property tax. I would first like to state that I am in complete opposition of the proposed and property taxes. As you all should know, the minimum wage of state of Tennessee is still 725. A large portion of homeowners in Shelby County are amongst the aging population. The aging population is currently on a fixed income. This may include social security, pension and or retirement. However, this is the only income that they receive. People who live in 38126 and 38106, which happens to be Commissioner Lowry's district, are currently amongst the poorest residents in the zip codes for Shelby County. As documented in the Memphis Poverty Fact Sheet, in Shelby County, it may be easier to say the Asian population can just get a tax break. However, as someone that was raised by their grandparents, they are not always familiar with these resources. In fact, I have had to leave Hickory Hill to help people who are seniors in South Memphis and North Memphis. Here is what I do know. Most of the people who vote for a lot of you all are in the Asian population. They are not going to be here to advocate for themselves. They have medical issues and they will not be in favor of constantly, constantly hurting them, making things worse for them while they are simply trying to live and keep their home.

Parliamentarian, please read item 23.

Item 23 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Thornton. Item 23 is a resolution amending resolution number 19, adopted June 1, 2026, titled Resolution Awarding County Funds from the FY2026 Operating Budget in the amount of $1,500 to code crew a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $1,500 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program grant fund and awarding additional county funds from the FY2026 Operating Budget in the amount of $5,000 to code crew a charitable organization for a total grant amount of $20,000. This item requires an expenditure of $5,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Fund, sponsored by Commissioner David C. Bradford, Jr. and Commissioner Miska Clay-Biz.

I have a motion by Commissioner Sugarman, a second by Commissioner Lowry. Commissioner Thornton, can I get a committee report? This item comes down with favorable recommendation. Thank you, Commissioner Lowry. You're recognized.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd like to amend by $3,000.

I have a motion to amend by Commissioner Lowry by $1,000. I'm sorry, $3,000. My apologies. $3,000. I have a second by Commissioner Sugarman. Can we do that without objection? Seeing none, so move. Making this amount $8,000. Nope, $23,000. Please repair the screen for a vote. Total of 23,000. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Clay Bibbs, Sugarman, Mills, Chilai, Wright, Thornton, Morrison, Brooks, Lowry, Rafford, and Sherwin-Avon. We have 12 aye votes.

That motion passes. Parliamentarian, please read item 24.

Item 24 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Thornton. Item 24 is a resolution amending resolution number 33, adopted June 15, 2026, titled Resolution Warning County Funds from the FY 2026 Operating Budget in the amount of $12,500 to Collierville Rotary Foundation, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $12,500.00. From the Milton Community Enhancement Program Fund and awarding additional county funds to the FY2026 operating budget in the amount of $5,000 to Collierville Rotary Foundation, a charitable organization, for a total grant amount of $17,500. This item requires an expenditure of $5,000. From the Milton Community Enhancement Program Fund, sponsored by Commissioner Davidson Bradford, Jr.

I have a motion by Commissioner Sugarman and a second by Commissioner Thornton. Commissioner Thornton, can I have a committee report?

This item comes down with favorable recommendation.

Thank you. Are there any commissioners in the queue? Seeing none, please prepare the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Clay Bibbs, Sugarman, Mills, Shalai, Wright, Thornton, Morrison, Lowry, Bradford, and Sherwin-Avon. Commissioner Brooks has abstained. I have 11 ayes and one abstain.

That motion passes. Parliamentarian, please read item 25.

Item 25 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Thornton. Item 25 is the resolution awarding county funds from the FY2026 operating budget in the amount of $7,500 to MVP3 Foundation, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $7,500 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Fund, sponsored by Commissioner Matthew Shalai.

I have a motion by Commissioner Thornton, a second by Commissioner Sugarman. Commissioner Thornton, can I get a committee report?

This item comes down with favorable recommendation.

Seeing no commissioners in the queue, please prepare the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Klavius, Sugarman, Mills, Shalai, Wright, Thornton, Lowry, Bradford, and Sherwin-Avon. We have 10 aye votes.

That motion passes. Parliamentarian, please read item 28.

Item 28 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Thornton. Item 28 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $10,000 to Power Center Community Development Corporation, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $10,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund, sponsored by Commissioner Miska Clay-Bibbs.

I have a motion by Commissioner Sugarman, a second by Commissioner Lowry. Commissioner Thornton, could I get a committee report?

This item comes down with favorable recommendation.

Commissioner Lowry, you're recognized.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I take an amendment by $2,000.

I have an amendment, a motion to amend by Commissioner Lowry, a second by Commissioner Sugarman. Can we do that without objection? Seeing none, so moved. Please prepare the screen for a vote of $12,000. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Sugarman, Shalai, Wright, Thornton, Brooks, Lowry, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avent. We have nine aye votes.

That motion passes. Commentary, please read item 30.

Item 30 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Thornton. Item 30 is a resolution awarding county funds from the FY2026 operating budget in the amount of $10,000 to Collage Dance Collective, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $10,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund, sponsored by Commissioner Michael Whaley.

The motion by Commissioner Lowry is second by Commissioner Sugarman. Commissioner Thornton, can I get a committee report? This item comes down with favorable recommendation. Commissioner Lowry, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd like to amend by 2,000.

I have an amendment by Commissioner Lowry to amend by 2,000 to make this 12,000. Second by Commissioner Sugarman. Can we do that without objection? Seeing none, so moved. Please prepare the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Clay Bibbs, Sugarman, Mills, Chilai, Wright, Thornton, Brooks, Lowry, Bradford, and Sherwin-Maven. And 11 aye votes.

That motion passes. Parliamentarian, please read item 33.

Item 33 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Thornton. Item 33 is the Resolution of Warning County Funds from the FY2026 Operating Budget in the amount of $11,000 to Making a Difference Ministries, Inc., MAD, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $11,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund, sponsored by Commissioner Eric Sugarman, Commissioner Matthew T. Shalai, and Commissioner Brittany Thornton, and this item was amended in June 24, 2026 Committee Meeting.

I have a motion by Commissioner Sugarman, a second by Commissioner Whaley. Commissioner Thornton, could I have a committee report?

This item comes down with favorable recommendation.

You're recognized, Commissioner Thornton.

Thank you, Chair. I want to amend by $500.

I have a motion by Commissioner Thornton. Is there a second? Second. A second by Commissioner Bradford to amend by $500, making this amount $11,500. Can we do that without objection? Seeing none, so moved. Please prepare the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Sugarman, Shalai, Wright, Brooks, Lowry, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avant. We have eight aye votes. That motion passes.

Parliamentarian, please read item 34. Hold. Okay, my apologies. Let's move to item 35.

Item 35 comes from the Education Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Clay Bibbs. Item 35 is an ordinance first reading, joint ordinance of Shelby County Government and the City of Memphis amending ordinance number 573, adopted April 14th, 2025, and furtherance of a program for a high-quality early childhood pre-kindergarten for all, sponsored by Commissioner Erica Sugarman and Commissioner Miska Clay Bibbs. This item was substituted in June 24th, 2025 committee meeting.

I have a motion by Commissioner Sugarman, a second by Vice Chair Bradford. Commissioner Klaibitz, can I get a committee report?

This item comes down with a favorable recommendation.

Seeing no commissioners in the queue, please prepare the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Clay Bibbs, Sugarman, Shelly, Wright, Thornton, Brooks, Lowry, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avian. We have 10 aye votes.

That motion passes. Commentarian, please read item 36.

Item 36 comes from the Budget and Finance Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Whaley. Item 36 is a resolution to carry forward fiscal year FY2026 funds to school seed foundation in the total amount of $223,000 to fiscal year FY2027, sponsored by Commissioner Erica Sugarman. This item was deferred in June 15th, 2026 Commission meeting.

I have a motion by Vice Chair Bradford, a second by Commissioner Sugarman. Commissioner Whaley, could I get a committee report?

Yeah, this item was deferred in our last commissioner meeting until today, so it didn't go through this last committee.

All right. Commissioner Sugarman, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair. And so I want District 12 to know that the mayor signed off on it, so we will be having a skateboard park. So I want to withdraw this item.

What is this?

I move to withdraw this item.

I have a motion to withdraw from Commissioner Sugarman with no objections. This item is withdrawn. Can Paul Monterian please read item 37?

Item 37 comes from the Budget and Finance Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Whaley. Item 37 is a resolution to amend the Shelby County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office FY2026 grant fund operating budgets and to expand grant funds in the amount of $383,175 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in matching funds in the amount of $127,725 for the purchase of port security equipment. This item requires the appropriation and expenditure of federal grant funds in the amount of $383,175 and expenditure of FY2026 Shelby County Sheriff's Office matching general funds in the amount of $23,910, and FY2026 Shelby County Emergency Management and Homeland Security matching general funds in the amount of $103,815 for a total purchase amount of $510,900, sponsored by Commissioner McWright. This item was an add-on and referred to Budget and Finance Committee in June 24th, 2026 committee meeting.

I have a motion by Commissioner Sugarman, a second by Vice Chair Bradford. Commissioner Whaley, can I get a committee report?

Yes, this comes out with a favorable recommendation.

Okay. Seeing no commissioners in the queue, please prepare the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Clay Bibbs, Sugarman, Mills, Shalai, Wright, Thornton, Morrison, Brooks, Lowry, Bradford, and Sherwin-Avent. We have 12 aye votes.

That motion passes. Parliamentarian, please read item number 38.

Item 38 comes from the Budget and Finance Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Whaley. Item 38 is a resolution approving the Shelby County Government Compensation Policy for fiscal year 2027, sponsored by Commissioner Michael Whaley.

I have a motion by Vice Chair Bradford, a second by Commissioner Sugarman. Commissioner Whaley, can I get a committee report?

Yes, this item comes with a favorable recommendation.

Seeing no commissioners in the queue, please prepare the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Clay Bibbs, Sugarman, Mills, Chilai, Wright, Thornton, Morrison, Brooks, Lowry, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avent. We have 12 aye votes.

That motion passes. Commentarian, please read item 39.

Item 39 comes from the Budget and Finance Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Whaley. Item 39 is a resolution approving the Shelby County Capital Improvement Budget of Fiscal Year 2027, FY27, in the amount of $176,761,862, sponsored by Commissioner Brandon Morrison. This item was substituted, amended, and sent down without recommendation in June 24th, 2026 Committee Meeting.

I have a motion by Commissioner Sugarman, a second by Vice Chair Bradford. Commissioner Whaley, can I get a committee report?

Yes, this item comes down without recommendation.

Please appear at the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Clay Bibbs, Sugarman, Mills, Shalai, Wright, Thornton, Morrison, Brooks, Lowry, Bradford, and Chairwoman Aban. We have 12 aye votes.

That motion passes. Commentarian, please read item 40.

Item 40 comes from the Budget and Finance Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Whaley. Item 40 is a resolution approving the Shelby County five-year capital improvement plan for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, sponsored by Commissioner Michael Whaley. This item was substituted and sent down without recommendation in June 24th, 2026 committee meeting.

I have a motion by Commissioner Sugarman, a second by Commissioner Caswell. Commissioner Whaley, can I get a committee report?

Yes, this item comes down without recommendation.

Okay. I have... Mr. Sugarman, you're recognized.

you madam chair i make a motion to amend this um holmes road was pushed back into 2029 and we have been waiting for about 10 years and so this will just put it back on schedule to 2028. um this area homes road um according to my to a research it has been a reason why there have been many many accidents in fact it was The point as far as the ties are concerned, and so I'm asking that to be put back on track as opposed to pushed out further down the road. I made a motion. Can I get a second?

So there's a motion by Commissioner Sugarman to amend the fiscal year 2027 through 2032 capital improvement program to advance the Holmes Road expansion project from fiscal year 2029 to fiscal year 2028 sponsored by Commissioner Erica Sugarman. Is there a second?

There's a second by Commissioner Lowry. Is there an objection? Okay, we have an objection by Commissioner Bradford. Yes, I'm gonna ask the administration to come to speak on this.

Harold Collins, Chief Administrative Officer. many of these projects are waiting potentially funding from federal state government we sort of try to align these particular projects with the expectation that the funding will come let me reach out to director Norville to verify that if I could but I think many of our roads and significant projects like that are always aligned with the potential of the federal or state funding that comes with it

Director Norville, you're recognized.

Cliff Norville, Public Works. Chief Collins spoke correctly. Shelby County government chose to pursue federal funding for all new road projects decades ago because the expense was becoming extravagant. So we compete with other jurisdictions within the Mid-South. Excuse me. for federal funding through the Metropolitan Planning Organization. They are the clearinghouse for this funding. And we have to submit a plan to them for the road projects in a five-year plan. And that plan was submitted and voted upon by the MPO. And so that's the order of the road projects that are going to be constructed. Now, I also want to give a little bit of additional information. When we begin road projects, and because they do involve federal funding, there is a very specific protocol which we have to follow. use their money. We get the project designed first and then we submit it to TDOT for their approval and when they approve the design then they give us the go ahead to begin purchasing right of way and we cannot advertise construction until we complete right of way acquisition and then we submit the plan to them once right of way is approved once right away approved, then they give us the permission to actually bid the job. And when we bid the job, they review the bids that we receive, and then they give us permission to proceed. And so at this point in time, we do have a design that was completed on Holmes Road several years ago that Shelby County actually paid for ourself. But that design was completed more than a decade ago, And so it is going to have to be redesigned according to current standards. And so that is why the funding is scheduled when it is in our five-year plan.

Okay. And this is on the amended. So if you're wanting to speak on, everyone that's in the queue, are you wanting to speak on the amended by the motion by Commissioner Sugarman? Commissioner Thornton, are you wanting to speak on the amendment? You're recognized.

Thank you, Chair. So if this amendment passes, what does it recalibrate in the schedule?

Audrey Tipton, Director of Administration and Finance. If this passes, I don't know what we can move. We'll have to go back and see what can be moved.

But the passing of the legislation will ensure that it will become a priority and that you will move something to accommodate.

Harold Collins, chief administrative officer, commissioner Thornton. What will probably happen is that projects will that are listed for FY 27 would have to be moved simply because our policy is 150 million per year for capital projects. And if you notice in the budget, you'll see every year is $150 million allocated for capital projects.

And what's the fiscal note to the sponsor to be able, if I may?

I would have to look up the budget through the chair.

Do we know what's the fiscal note associated with passing this amendment?

Point of information.

R.J. Tipton, Director of Administration and Finance. It's in the budget for $5 million.

Okay, so we're saying that the passing of this particular budget amendment is going to now place a $5 million recalibration for fiscal year 27?

Audrey Tipton, Director of Administration and Finance. That is correct. Each year we balance the budget out for $150 million based on the projects that are in the queue and people submit, our departments elect to submit their projects in advance in anticipation of them occurring at a timely fashion. So if we change this five million, then we would have to shift other things around in order for that to occur.

Well, I would like, just closing, I only see one other item that's actually over $5 million for fiscal year 27 in the, well, I might be looking in the wrong category. It's not building and property. It would be roads and bridges that you would be moving around. So it's just one item. This particular item, it's a $6 million item.

And just for clarity, Commissioner Thornton, the amendment is for fiscal year 28, not 27, 28. Her amendment is to move the road expansion from fiscal year 29 to fiscal year 28.

Audrey Tipton, Director of Administration and Finance. Are we looking at something different? Holmes Road is in 31? 31, right? It's in fiscal year 31, so you want me to move it up to 27, that's what you're asking?

Commissioner Sugarman, do you realize that the Holmes Road is not in this five years in the fiscal year 31, which is beyond, oh, sorry, it's in 30... and your amendment says 29. Your caption, the caption of your amendment.

So my understanding was it was moved up to 2029, so is it in the book for 2028 for five million, is that correct?

What year is the home draw project currently listed for? What fiscal year?

Fiscal year 31. Okay.

Right, right. So my, again, Chair, point of information. This has been going on for 10 years. I would like it to be moved up to higher consideration because my district region are underfunded even though we have one of the highest taxpaying districts and it keeps being pushed down further and further down the road. So I'd like it moved back. Originally it was in 2028 until this came out, this proposed budget book. I wanna go back on schedule. That's what I'm asking.

We have a few other commissioners in the queue. Commissioner Norville, Director Norville, is there something you wanted to add?

Cliff Norville, Public Works. the main thing that i want to add uh... commissioners is that if you move this funding up to twenty eight uh... we will not be able to use it uh... in twenty eight as i was uh... describing before there is a very specific process that we have to follow and we will use uh... hacks cross as an example We have designed Hatch Crossroad and we received permission from TDOT to begin the right-of-way acquisition last year and we have been pursuing right-of-way acquisition for the Hatch Road expansion for a year and we have not completed it because there are some property owners who do not want to sell. And so therefore we're going to have to go through the condemnation process with those, and that's going to take another six months. And so just the right of way acquisition for that one project has taken us over a year and a half to complete. And so if you move that funding up to 28, we don't have the updated design right now. I'm going to have to go contract that out. The redesign of the homes row will probably take a year. and then TDOT will have to review the design, make sure it's acceptable, then they will give us permission to begin right away acquisition. So I don't foresee us, even if we said do this today, TDOT is not gonna give me permission to begin buying right away before fiscal 29. And so construction, and these projects, just to let you know, this federal funding is 75-25. So the federal government is paying 75% of the construction cost, so they're going to control the project. We don't. Because they have the biggest portion of funding. And so I just want you to understand, even if you voted on it today, odds are we wouldn't get approvals to do anything before probably fiscal 30.

So, Commissioner Sugarman, do you understand that even if this is passed, the funds will not be utilized in 28 because of the order of things that Director Norville just outlined?

Thank you, Director Norville, for making my points. Because since last year, we've been trying to get condemnation, et cetera, et cetera. We still haven't gone to court. And we're halfway through this year. So if we put it back on the books, it may take a year or two, to your point that you just made so wonderfully, that it's going to take a couple years. So if we push it back even further, I'd be dead and gone before this road is built.

Well, that's definitely not anything that we're speaking into the record.

I'm just saying that we keep pushing it back.

That's definitely not anything we want to speak into the record, Commissioner Sugarman. But I think what Commissioner Norville is trying to articulate is even if you move it to 28, the funds won't be utilized because of the other parts of the process in order to get that, which is including acquisition, land acquisition, won't happen by that time.

Madam Chair, I want to make one more point. Because if you all notice, hats crossed, if you go back through the budget books like I have, it's been in the budget book for years. But yet, and still, it wasn't until last year they actually started moving on it. And so my point is, if we keep pushing it down, when will it begin? The acquisition, all of that, I do understand that, because HaxCross has been in the books, CIP books, for years. In fact, last year, for some reason, $6 million disappeared, until I asked, you know, to be put back into the budget book, and they said it was an error. But I want to put that on record. And I'm fighting for my district. Thank you. Commissioner Brooks?

You want to be recognized on the amended?

I do, I do, I do. I had a couple questions in committee on Wednesday in reference to community projects that dealt with the Agri-Center guardhouses, Agri-Center Innovation District, contingency. So if someone could help me with that.

Madam Chair.

We recognize Director.

political public works okay uh... commissioner brooks i think i heard you asked two questions uh... first question was about the guard houses at the agri center uh... and the ever center has requested assistance to put the security checkpoints uh... in the agri center because quite frankly uh... over the past couple of years they have been having a lot of security issues late at night and uh... they do their best to put up barricades after sunset to prevent people from coming in and doing damage, but they are going to plan to install some guard houses on key points to try to monitor that situation. So that's what that is for.

Okay, so while you're talking about that, let me just make sure, and that's in the amount of $682,000? Yes, ma'am. How many guard houses do you plan to have?

Collision Oral Public Works? Well, I think right now they have plans designed for two or three. But these guard houses, it's not just a telephone booth. It's an entry point into the Agri Center and our Shelby Farms Park property. And so they have a design base to suit that.

Okay, so I'm running out of time. So there's evidence or there's documentation that shows the need, the clear need for $682,000 worth of guardhouses, right?

Cliff Noble Public Works, they have paid a consultant to design, and they have a set of design.

Okay.

Construction documents prepared.

Okay. So then my remaining time, if you could just briefly tell me, what is the average center innovation district? and contingency.

okay cliff normal public works uh... let me dispatch with the second part of your question first i think you see the contingency line item that is not specific to the agri center that is a contingency line item for the capital improvement budget itself if i'm not mistaken it it should be one million the county puts a million dollar contingency in the cip plan every year and has as long as i can remember have you always used it up uh... yeah uh... unfortunately yes ma'am uh... that we have plenty of things around here that are broken uh... and then when we have to prepare this cip budget we actually are forecasting five years in advance of what things will cost and so when we actually did the projects and bids overrun the uh... estimate that we have from five years previous then we use the contingency to help us with that overage Now back to your question about...

I'm out of time, so I'll get back in the queue. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Brooks. Commissioner Sugarman? All right, Chair Avant.

Yes, I just wanted to state, you know, I'm very much appreciative of Commissioner Sugarman advocating for our district, which I think we all want to do, and projects and how those come to fruition. The only reason I'm not gonna be supporting this item is because of the things that we've just laid out. If the funds will not even be able to be used by 28, I think we can utilize them in 31 so that they can go through all those steps. If it has to be federally funded, 75% of that coming, and all of the land acquisition that does need to happen, I'm absolutely in support of this project happening. I just don't think that we need to move the project up if the funds would not even be able to be used by the year 28. So that's the only reason. I'm absolutely supportive of making sure that the Holmes Road project gets done in the year 31. that commissioner commissioner sugarman will be alive and well to see it done um those things will you know just because of the process that it takes and i as outlined by the hacks road project that there are these steps that have to happen i just think it'd be not good use of us changing around projects that are already in line so that we can get those things done thank you sherry event commissioner brooks

So, Mr. Norville, let me move real quickly to the Agri-Center Innovation District.

Yes, ma'am. Cliff Norville, Public Works. In 2019, the Agri-Center convened a large committee of all the shareholders which are participants in the operation of the Agri-Center project. function and that is a technological, it's an agricultural technology incubator for lack of a better term. And so if you haven't visited the AgriCenter international property, you need to. They have a lot of test acreage out there for testing everything from pesticides and fertilizers to products. So that's the function. In 2019, they convened a large group of people and they prepared a 20-year strategic and business plan and a conceptual master plan for the development of the Agri-Center in the future. And so one of the phases is an innovation district. And I don't know if you're familiar with the Agri-Center property. Maybe you've heard of Ducks Unlimited being out there. And if you've driven by the Agri-Center down Walnut Grove, you've seen the solar panels that are down there. Just south of that property, the master plan calls for approximately 87-acre parcel. And on that 87-acre parcel, the strategic plan calls to build several buildings, and it's about eight to ten buildings, which would represent about half a million square feet of leaseable space for new tenants to come in and farm on the property.

Okay, I got it now. I got it now. Okay, I've seen all of that, but I just – I'm not being able to align how it benefits all of Shelby County so that I can vote in the affirmative. Can you help me with that?

Well, Cliff Noble Public Works, it is not necessarily designed to benefit only Shelby County residents. It is really an experiment to assist agricultural industry, which provides food for the world. And so we have a lot of...

Okay, but hold that point. So who's funding it? The world?

Well, as a matter of fact, this $20 million that you see in the CIP project is only matching funds.

Okay.

And it would be matching funds which would match grants from all manner of participants, federal governments, state governments, other nonprofits who want to use our funds. laboratory agricultural laboratory to invest in product improvements which benefit not only shelby canyons but the nation and the world well i see five million dollars five million Cliff Norville Public Works. Please forgive me. I misspoke in the five-year plan. It shows $5 million in one year and then $2 million, but the overall plan is ultimately $20 million, and I just collapsed it into one. So in the out years beyond your five-year plan, you see there will be additional funding requests.

Okay, I'm out of time, but who's going to pay the $5 million or the $7 million?

The $5 million will be programmed into Shelby County's budget.

It's coming out of the general fund. Okay, thank you.

Commissioner Thornton?

Just picking up where we left off, so you're saying that it's a $20 million cost that the county has to put in to be able to get match funds? Yes.

But normal public works the total over time of the 20 million that I mentioned will be matching funds that the county will Match grant and federal funding which it becomes available at this point in time. These are projected potential grants, so if those Potential grants don't ever come to fruition then the county will not be matching any funds and we will not be investing in anything and

But the agriculture lab is able to get up and running off of a $7 million investment from the county?

Cliff Norville, let me clarify what I just said. The funds that you see in the five-year CIP plan are designated as matching funds pending receiving grants. So if we don't receive grants, we will not be matching anything and the county will not be spending any of that money.

Okay, just to the chairwoman, we're still just talking about Holmes Road, right? I know I want to speak on this item, but is it appropriate to wait until we dispose of the amendment? Thank you.

Commissioner Sugarman.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And so, Director Norville, And for the public, HaxCross has been on the books $6 million since 2022. I didn't go back when I did my financial analysis. And so my question then becomes, would you please send me an updated report on when the acquisitions will take place? Because they started last year. I want to know the court dates, you know, when we can actually start breaking ground. Can you give me some type of time frame in writing so I can go back to my constituents? Because this has been in the budget, I know, since 2022, $6 million. And also, I've got some homework for you. Okay, so when I was doing my analysis, I came across CTAS. And I didn't realize highways has a maintenance of effort. And I would like to get with you to discuss this, how this will impact our budget in the future. Thank you. please forgive me I cannot hear her questions very well the CT what was the last part of your question I would like to have a discussion about the highway moe makes the effort there five I didn't realize that I started doing my research so I'd like to discuss how that impact our budget going forward is over a five-year trend and then the first thing I said was give me an update on As far as Hacks Cross, as far as acquisitions, I know they started last year, but do you have a court date, time frame, where they're going to break ground? Because my constituents want to know. So if you give me something in writing about a time frame.

All right, we're going to go ahead and wrap up this item. Commissioner Whaley?

Yeah, I was just going to call the question on the motion to amend.

Okay, the motion to amend the... Capital improvement budget to move the Holmes Road project up to the year 2028. If you're voting aye, you're voting yes to amend. If you're voting no, then you're voting no to this change. And motion to amend at the commission at this level require a majority vote of the membership, so at least seven votes to amend. Please prepare the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Sugarman and Thornton, Commissioners Whaley, Clay Bibbs, Caswell, Mills, Shalai, Wright, Morrison, Bradford, and Sherwin-Avent. Voting no, we have two ayes and nine noes. We're back to the main motion. Commissioner Whaley.

uh... thank you madam chair i just want to move to amend uh... the language under the one-time projects we had moved in committee uh... to amend the twenty seven budget to uh... change the treadwell middle school allocation of deferred maintenance so i just want to make sure that's reflected in the five-year plan amounts the same uh... but just changing the language in this in the uh... exhibit from Treadwell Middle School MSCS to deferred maintenance MSCS.

I have a motion by Commissioner Wiley. Is there a second? Second by Commissioner Bradford. Can we do that without objection? Seeing none, so moved. Commissioner Thornton?

Is anyone here from MSCS? I do have a question. I support shifting the dollars from the new school to the deferred maintenance. Do we know which of the long-running list of deferred maintenance priorities will be prioritized? Is there any indicator of how the additional $10 million will be allocated?

Commissioner Whaley.

Yes, so typically the way the process would work is based on our approval of the budget, they would then have to approve their budget again. They're probably going to do that tomorrow. And so once that's approved, it'll come before us to approve their fiscal year 27 budget, which would list out the projects that would add up to that amount.

So if I want to advocate, then it's time for me to go talk to them to try to get in before it comes to us that we would have the opportunity.

Right, because they'd have to approve it first.

Okay. And do we know who's the, is this a conversation with the superintendent? Who would be the best point of contact to the board chair person, I hear you saying?

Yeah, I mean, I would say just reaching out. Yeah, certainly board chair, Dr. Richmond. I mean, ultimately the board itself will have to approve their budget. And so they're going to approve it to match what we do, both on the operating and on the capital.

And just as a point of information, I know the Oversight Board has come into conversations, so ultimately the Oversight Board is approving their budget? Or does anyone have that information? Chair to, through the chair to the?

I'm not sure about that process. Yeah, and I wanna make sure that we stay, make sure the topics are relevant to the item that is before us, Commissioner Bibbs.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I was just going to answer her question that you have until tomorrow to advocate for with board members. It's the board members that have to actually vote on where their deferred maintenance dollars go. So the same way you would have to advocate here, you would have to get the board members to do it. And I think, Commissioner, whether you just say it tomorrow, they're voting on their budget.

Okay. Thank you. Let's prepare the screen for...

Oh, Chair, I have 15 more seconds. I had a question. To Director Tipton. The Cawthron Clinic, I had a question about that. When was it slated for fiscal year 28? And it's my understanding that that has been pushed back. Can someone speak on that? Anyone here?

Audrey Tipton, Director of Administration and Finance. Is Dr. Randolph in the room?

Dr. Randolph, are you able to speak on the question?

Dr. Bruce Randolph, Interim Director, Sheva County Health Department. So it's my understanding that this item is on hold in terms of when we will start the renovations.

Commissioner Thornton. Thank you, Chair. I'm sorry, Dr. Randolph, I have no clue what you said. You said what regard, I'm asking about the Cawthorn Clinic. So it previously was, I honestly don't know offhand if it was a 26 or 27 item, but now it's slated for 28, and I'm just trying to understand the justification for pushing back the renovation. we've already had community uh... you know notice since anticipation about this particular innovation i want to know what exactly is the justification for pushing off the ten million dollar investment in the community that was turned out interim director shepard county health department so it is my understanding that uh... policy is that before we submit rfp

that funds are in place in order to cover that RFP. It's my understanding that all the funds were not there in place and that we needed to move it back to another year to ensure that this fiscal year it would be in place, coming up the budget, fiscal year 28.

OK, thank you. Please prepare the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

That motion passes I'm gonna try to hopefully get through a few of the other items on the agenda prior to getting to the operating budget to see if we can get to those quickly Please read item 42

Yes, ma'am. Item 42 comes from the Budget and Finance Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Whaley. Item 42 is a resolution approving a 90-day extension of sealed bid I000841 and the expenditure of funds for the purchase of automotive repair parts and supplies from Union Auto Parts in an amount not to exceed $125,000. This item requires expenditure of FY2027 Shelby County Sheriff's Office general operating funds in the amount not to exceed $125,000, subject to the adoption of the FY2027 operating budget, sponsored by Commissioner McWright. This item was an add-on in June 24th, 2026 committee meeting.

I have a motion by Vice Chair Bradford, a second by Commissioner Sugarman. Commissioner Whaley, can I get a committee report?

Yes, this item comes out with a favorable recommendation.

Can the police repair the screen for a vote? Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Caswell, Mills, Chilai, Wright, Thornton, Brooks, Bradford, and Sherwin-Avon. We have nine aye votes.

That motion passes. Parliamentarian, please read item 43.

Item 43 comes from the Budget and Finance Committee with Chairwoman Avant as acting chair. Item 43 is a resolution by the Board of Commissioners of Shelby County, Tennessee, approving a contract with Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc. for the provision of federal government relations consultant services with two one-year options to renew. This item requires expenditure of legislative operations funds in the amount not to exceed $150,000. Sponsored by Chairwoman Shante K. Avant. This item was an add-on in June 24th, 2026 committee meeting.

I have a motion by Commissioner Whaley, second by Commissioner Thornton. This came down with a favorable recommendation. Please prepare the screen for a vote.

Excuse me, Chair, my screen's not voting, but I vote aye.

Aye, by Commissioner Morrison. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Caswell, Shalai, Wright, Thornton, Morrison, Brooks, and Chairwoman Avent. We have eight aye votes.

That motion passes. Parliamentarian, please read item 43. I'm sorry. No, 44. Yes, ma'am. My apologies.

No worries. Item 44 comes from the Law Enforcement Corrections and Courts Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Wright. Item 44 is a resolution approving an expenditure of Shelby County Sheriff's Office general operating funds in an amount not to exceed $139,976.50. for the purchase of a 25-passenger jury bus. This item requires the expenditure of fiscal year 2026 general funds in the amount not to exceed $139,976.50, sponsored by Commissioner McWright. This item was an add-on in June 24th, 2026 committee meeting.

I have a motion by Commissioner Mills, a second by Commissioner Shalai. Commissioner Wright, can I get a committee report?

Yes, Madam Chair. This was an add-on in committee. It comes down to the favorable recommendation.

Okay. Please prepare the screen for a vote. Aye by Commissioner Morrison. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Caswell, Mills, Shalai, Wright, Thornton, Morrison, Brooks, and Sherwin-Avon. We have eight aye votes.

That motion passes. Parliamentarian, please read item 45.

Item 45 comes from the Law Enforcement Corrections and Courts Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Wright. Item 45 is a resolution ratifying the emergency purchase of five Harley Davidson police motorcycles from Southern Thunder Harley Davidson on behalf of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office in the amount not to exceed $142,464.95. This item requires expenditure of fiscal year 2026 general funds in the amount not to exceed $142,464.95. Sponsored by Commissioner McWright, this item was an add-on and sent down without recommendation in June 24th, 2026 committee meeting.

I have a motion by Commissioner Morrison, a second by Commissioner Mills. Commissioner Wright, can I get a committee report?

Yes, Madam Chair. This comes down without recommendation.

Please prepare the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

We have I vote from permission. Caswell. Mills, Shalai, Wright, Thornton, Morrison, and Chairwoman Avent. We have seven aye votes.

That motion passes. Commentary, please read item 47.

item forty seven comes from the milton community enhancement grants committee which is chaired by commissioner item forty seven is a resolution amending resolution number fifty two adopted march thirtieth twenty twenty six title resolution awarding county funds from the fy twenty twenty six operating budget in the amount of seven thousand five hundred dollars to ymca of memphis in the mid-south a charitable organization this item requires an expenditure of seven thousand five hundred dollars and awarding additional county funds From the FY2026 operating budget in the amount of $5,000 to YMCA of Memphis in the Mid-South, a charitable organization for a total grant amount of $22,000. This item requires an expenditure of $5,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund. Sponsored by Commissioner David C. Bradford, Jr. This item was sent down without recommendation in June 24th, 2026 committee meeting.

Can I get a motion? Motion by Vice Chair Bradford, second by Commissioner Thornton. Commissioner Thornton, can I get a committee report? This item comes down without recommendation. Please prepare the screen for a vote. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Caswell, Mills, Shalai, Wright, Thornton, Morrison, Brooks, and Chairwoman Avian. We have eight aye votes.

That motion passes.

Commentary, please read item 48. Item 48 comes from the Milton Community Enhancement Grants Committee, which is chaired by Commissioner Thornton. Item 48 is a resolution amending resolution number 24, adopted June 1st, 2026, titled Resolution Awarding County Funds from the FY Operating Budget in the amount of $35,000 to Memphis Child's Advocacy Center, a charitable organization. This item requires an expenditure of $35,000 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program Grant Fund and awarding additional county funds from the FY Operating Budget 2026 operating budget in the amount of eleven thousand five hundred dollars to memphis child's advocacy center a charitable organization for a total grant amount of forty six thousand five hundred dollars this item requires an expenditure of eleven thousand five hundred dollars from the milton community enhancement program grant fund sponsored by commissioner david c bradford jr and commissioner miska clay bibbs sent down without recommendation in june 24 2026 committee meeting assuming there's no opposition you can read the rest we could read 49 and can vote together unless there's an objection why don't we go ahead and read 48 49 50 51 52 53 and 54 well the one doesn't read the crime in the permanent rule so let's remove 54 okay I'll vote 54 actually a few of them don't meet the requirements so we'd have to so i'll read the ones that don't have that language if there's no objection with no objection okay item 40 item 49 comes from the milton community enhancement grants committee which is chaired by commissioner thornton item 49 is a resolution amending resolution number 33 adopted june 15th 2026 titled resolution warning county funds from the fy 2026 operating budget the amount of ten thousand dollars to habitat for humanity of greater memphis inca charitable organization this item requires an expenditure of ten thousand dollars from the milton community enhancement program fund and awarding additional county funds from the fy 2026 operating budget in the amount of seven thousand five hundred to habitat for humanity of greater memphis inc a charitable organization for a total grant amount of seventeen thousand five hundred dollars this item requires an expenditure of seven thousand five hundred dollars from the milton community enhancement program fund sponsored by commissioner david c bradford jr signing with substitute in june 24th 2026 committee meeting item 50 is the resolution warning county funds from the fy 2026 operating budget in the amount of twelve thousand five hundred dollars to protect our aquifer A charitable organization, this item requires an expenditure of $12,500 from the Milton Community Enhancement Program grant fund, sponsored by Commissioner Michael Whaley and Commissioner Miska Clay-Bibbs. This item was sent down without recommendation in June 24th, 2026 committee meeting. 53 item 53 is a resolution awarding County funds from the FY 2026 operating budget in the amount of $10,000 to William R Moore College of Technology a charitable organization This item requires an expenditure of $10,000 from the Milton community enhancement program fund sponsored by Commissioner Matthew T Shalai Decided was an add-on in June 24th 2026 committee meeting.

All right. I have a motion. Can I get a motion? Vice chair Bradford a second Commissioner Thornton Commissioner Thornton can have a committee report for these items. I

These items come down without recommendation.

Okay. Could you please prepare the screen for a vote? We're voting on 48, 49, 50, and 53. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Wiley, Caswell, Shalai, Wright, Thornton, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avian. We have seven aye votes.

That motion passes. All right, we're going to go back up to item 41. Please read item 41.

item 41 comes from the budget and finance committee which is chaired by commissioner whaley item 41 is a resolution approving and appropriating shelby county government's operating budget for fiscal year 2027 sponsored by commissioner michael whaley this item was amended and sent down without recommendation in june 24th 2026 committee meeting

can i get a motion motion by vice chair bradford a second by commissioner caswell commissioner whaley can i get a committee report uh yes sign up comes down without recommendation okay we have several comment cards due to the number we're going to give two minutes to each speaker If you come to the mic, say your name and your zip code. I'm going to share a few names so that you can be prepared to come forward. Allison Donnell, Dorothy Connor, and Lee Arnold. Allison Donnell.

Can you all hear me? This process would be made easier if y'all actually had an accessible lecture just for future reference. My name is Allison Doan. I serve as the co-chair of Better Transit for Better Memphis and an independent living specialist for Disability Connection Mid-South. Today we are asking the Shelby County Commission to oppose the Build America 250 Act because it threatens the future of federal public transportation funding and would put Memphis transit riders at even greater risk. We are also asking the County Commission to restore its investment in MATA. with a minimum annual contribution of $5 million and to support permanent county representation on the reconstituted matter board so that continued investment is matched by meaningful public oversight and accountability. These are not just budget decisions, they are decisions that affect whether people can get to work, access healthcare, attend schools, support their families, and fully participate in community life. Better Transit for a Better Memphis believes public transportation is a shared responsibility. We need the city and the county to work together to build a transit system that is reliable, accessible, transparent, accountable, and adequately funded. We appreciate your consideration today and we look forward to working with each one of you to move public transportation forward in Shelby County. Thank you.

My name is Dorothy Connor and my zip code is 38107. I am here to ask that you invest money into MATA. MATA currently serves the Memphis and Shelby County area. There are taxpaying citizens and registered voters who are not receiving bus service in North Haven, Box Town, and the Germantown Parkway area. These people need public transportation, even if they don't live there, they work in these areas. Currently, MANA is functioning on an abbreviated fleet, older buses, high mileage buses, responsible for frequent breakdowns and no-shows. Passengers are waiting sometimes in excess of two hours between buses to catch a ride. People are subject to get sick in this 90 plus degree heat because there is not adequate bus service. People need services to go to work, school, doctor's appointments, pay bills, and their daily activities. Also, the paratransit services are not adequate for the citizens of Memphis. We are asking that you invest in matter. As MATA is the lifeblood of the city, it gets people to jobs, it helps the city to function, and we need this service. It has been defunded over the years. The entire Memphis population and the far-reaching areas need this service.

Good afternoon. My name is Leo Arnold, past co-chair of Better Transit for a Better Memphis and MICA's Transit Equity Team and a leader with Memphis Catholics for Social Justice. Thank you for your earlier support of MATA, which we greatly appreciated, and unfortunately, because previous Mayor Strickland and current Mayor Young have not given you the opportunity to appoint one board member, and we will continue to fight that you get the ability to appoint one board member so you can resume your funding. President Trump's guiding policy document, Project 2025, formulated by The Heritage Foundation called for the elimination or great reduction of federal funding for transportation directly to cities, especially public transportation. replacing with block grants to states to let them determine how reduced amounts would be allocated. Given our state's attitude towards Memphis, we believe prior funds for MATA will most likely go to rural, more red counties and far east of Memphis for bridges and roads. This plan is coming to fruition with the Build America 250 Act now being developed by Congress and coming up for passage when the Congress returns from its break. This could be a rare opportunity for bipartisan opposition. We are asking the Shelby County Commission and Mayor today and the City and Mayor and City Council to pass resolutions opposing the transportation infrastructure provision in the Build America 250 Act that catastrophically threaten the future existence of MATA. This should be a bipartisan response to the proposed gutting of federal funds for public transportation. This is an existential threat that's coming down within the next two months. The city has underfunded MATA for 10 years at $30 to $32 million. Just with inflation adjustments, that should be about $50 to $52 million today. Matt, I lost the county funding because of what I just said a minute ago. This was due to their lack of vision and understanding of partnering with the county. 60% of, almost 60% of the county residents live in the city of Memphis. They need this funding. We need a joint effort between the city and the county. It can no longer be tolerated. Thank you, and I hope you'll support us with a resolution. Thank you.

I'm going to call the next three names, Anika, Zast, Annika Zasley, Harriet Wallace, and Rebecca Gilmore.

Good evening, everybody. Can everybody hear me? Okay. I'm also going to piggyback on the previous speakers. We do, MATA does need funding We need funding for transportation. Transportation here sucks. It really sucks here. The public transportation really sucks. You guys need to somehow be able to help fund the transportation. You guys may need it one day when your car breaks down or you can't have anybody to help you get to and from work or any other places because your car is not working or your family member is unable to get you. And they have to use the transportation, use their cars for their transportation. So your only option is to catch the bus and No buses will not be within your area, so you will have to walk to a bus stop that does have that the buses do run. So please, make it where transportation is being funded and more reliable. Thank you. Gotta go.

Thank you, Erica. All right, Harriet Wallace.

Good evening, Harriet Wallace, 38116. I happen to represent District 10 and would like to encourage the 700K District 10 budget amendment. be approved so that the neighborhood associations in District 10 can work on their neighborhood improvement projects. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Wallace. All right, next card, Rebecca Gilmer.

Thank you, Commissioner. Rebecca Guillory Gilmer, zip code 38114. Commissioner Thornton, I missed you last week at L'Oreal, Kitchen L'Oreal. I'm a recent resident now of District 10, and my husband and I moved here, my husband of 46 years and I moved here from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Orange Mound less than one week ago. It'll be a week tomorrow. And we are proud to be a part of that community. And it's rich and significant history. And based on your decorum and deeply insightful questions, I'm now also proud of you. And I hope I get a chance to spend a little time with you before your term expires. I stand before you all to offer a few words of testimony regarding dependable, accessible, and adequately funded public transportation. Since my high school days in New Orleans, Louisiana, yeah baby, I have benefited from reliable public transportation. My parochial high school had no school bus service. without dependable and safe public transportation i could not have attended the all african-american all-female xavier prep high school i spent many hours on those buses those four years reading i graduated from my high school with honors and i attended the university of pennsylvania in ivy league school I would not have had that privilege without consistent and reliable public transportation. My husband earned his PhD in theology from Duquesne University, traveling to and from campus on public transportation. And before I move Here from Pittsburgh. No, actually, before we moved to Pittsburgh, we were cautioned about that public transportation system only to come here and find folks tell us, do not ride it. And one anecdote, just yesterday, I rode the 36 up Lamar to church. And I don't know if you know how often that bus runs on Sunday. It's once every three hours. Where I live is a 12 minute drive to the airport. It's a GPS documented two hour, nine minute ride on the bus. I'm asking that even if you don't use the bus, I'm not gonna ask who does, because I don't want to embarrass anyone, but even if you don't use it, please think about my story, think about everything else you're hearing and fund MATA and provide dependable, accessible, and adequately funded public transportation to this remarkable city.

Thank you, Mrs. Gilbert.

All right. The next three cards I have are Kristen Colbert, James Chambers, and Amari Austin. So, Mrs. Colbert.

Hello, my name is Crystal Colbert, zip code 38133. I am current leader of the collective blueprint at the University of Memphis and my experience there has been really good I feel that being at the collective blueprint has gave me many resources that I didn't know was available here in Memphis and it's allowed me also to be able to have access to mental support as far as like free therapy and just having people to connect to and to also be able to get a education where I was able to be provided financial support. I'm here today to encourage you all to support a grant for programs that will impact young adults for their career and for education and for them to be able to earn and learn. And I just want to be able to inspire other young people to do the same thing.

All right, thank you, Ms. Colbert. I've got James Chambers and I've also got Amari Austin.

Hi everybody, my name is Amari Austin. I am currently the Advocacy and Organizing Specialist at the Collective Blueprint. I just wanted to take a moment to just reflect a little bit about the last 10 years I've spent here, almost a little over 10 years I've spent here in Memphis. So I'm across the bridge and I come from Little Rock, Arkansas, where I've noticed and been inspired and it's been instilled in me to pour into our young adults. I think what drew me to Memphis the most was the resilience and the heart that I noticed that I heard so much about sometimes staying during the summer during my transition here to Memphis. And shortly after graduating Rose College is where I found myself as AmeriCorps VISTA at the Collective Blueprint. Now, being there over six years, I'm finding opportunity to support young adults like you just heard from Crystal and like you'll hear from James, being able to earn stipends as they learn professional skills and get support transitioning into employment. A lot of talk has been coming up in the media about what it means to support young adults this summer to have preventative care for crime initiatives to poor and to unsafe task force. And I think it's a moral obligation, and when we talk about moral, I ask and encourage you to consider adding on the moral budget funding, specifically focusing on opportunity youth funding to your final budget. Thinking about youth, thinking about what it means to encourage youth. Here in Memphis, we do have an opportunity thinking about the percentage of young adults under 25 that will make up future generations and lay the groundwork for Memphis to continue to have the reputation it does, right? And so thinking critically about what it means to think about the public health initiatives around mental health supports, think about what it means to fund opportunity youth to be able to earn more, earn a living wage, over a living wage, continue to pour back in this city and so when i talk about considering the moral budget i'm really i asking you to consider what are you doing in service of the young adults here that live in memphis thank you thank you miss austin and lastly in this group uh mr chambers hello my name is james chambers 3 8 1 1 2. i'm here today to speak on

the chance for you to increase funding for our opportunity youth of Memphis. I had a dream that one time I would become a pilot in service of Memphis. However, I was unlucky enough then that I was surrounded by people who did not see my future being prosperous. But now I'm surrounded by family and friends who recognize that I do have a chance at being a pilot and have a prosperous future. One of my friends told me about the Collective Blueprint program and how they value our youth. I attended that program and became an IT professional at St. Jude. And while I was attending that program, I can only imagine about how many other youth do not have access to this sort of thing. What I really want to get home today is that we need to get... Our Opportunity Youth is our most underutilized resource in Memphis, even though that our Opportunity Youth is our future of this city. Time is our most abundant resources that we historically waste. We have to capitalize on our opportunity to youth if we want this city to be prosperous. And having more programs like the collective blueprint or any other program designed to increase their economic opportunities would overall benefits Memphis. Thank you for your time.

Thank you, Mr. Chambers. All right, the next three, and I believe these are the final three cards I have on this item, Suzanne Jackson, Ms. Caron Folsom, and Judge Drake-Sherman. Suzanne Jackson, you want to start us off? Suzanne Jackson?

Sorry, I have some hearing issues occasionally. Good evening, commissioners and the public. I'm Suzanne Jackson, 38111. Even with your painstaking efforts in analyzing potential cuts and additions last Wednesday and during the budget process, what Shelby County has been doing generally in budgets has not been working. Shelby County has an opportunity to take a proven path to move up from the bottom in economic vitality as was cited in the Milken Report that says we are 205 out of 206 large U.S. metropolitan areas. It is time, even past time, to adjust the tax rate up to provide for the needs of the people of Shelby County, all of the people. The inequities in Shelby County continue to widen as we continue to follow the state mandate to adjust down the tax rate to maintain the previous year's total taxes collected, giving a tax break windfall to people, corporations, and some businesses whose property values are increasing and who are already thriving, if not wealthy. Consequently, they do not pay their fair share to our total community needs. While this might seem like short-term gains for some, these continued inequities don't help any of us. Meanwhile, we fail to provide the services and economic investment needed in our communities and neighborhoods that have been For years, we've been told there isn't enough money for transit, housing, mental health care, or youth programs. Not enough to use our tax dollars to invest in the communities that have been left behind for decades. Currently, little help is coming from the state or federal government targeted to the actual needs expressed by our residents. Shelby County will have to use our own tax dollars to provide for the vital needs of residents. Right now, Shelby County has a choice. Continue pouring money into punitive systems that have not been effective, or invest what truly builds safe, thriving communities, families, adults, teens, and children. Hopefully, you will choose moral budget investments. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Jackson. All right, Ms. Folsom.

And I just want to say I'm coming here in my personal capacity. My zip code is 38016. Madam Chair, Mr. Chairman, commissioners, county administration, fellow citizens, I stand before you today not just as an advocate, but as a voice for every public servant, every citizen who walks through the doors of Shelby County government buildings expecting safety, dignity, and justice. Today, the courts at 201 Poplar are closed. Signs on the doors declare that this building must not be occupied until health department grants permission to reopen. Let that sink in. in the seat of our criminal justice system is uninhabitable. This is not a maintenance issue. It is a public health emergency. And 201 Poplar is not alone. The Shelby County Juvenile Court Building has been shut down due to asbestos, mold, and lead hazards as well. Employees were getting sick, and Judge Targ Sugarman himself has said, is one hurdle we face after another. This nearly century-old building has not had the appropriate maintenance it needs in quite some time. But here is a deeper truth. We did not get here overnight. These buildings did not fall suddenly. They fell because we allowed deferred maintenance to become a norm. We responded to crises instead of preventing them. And in doing so, we have failed the very people who make our government work. Our judges, our court staff, our correction officers, and the countless public servants who show up every day to serve this community. We cannot wait for a loss of life or limb to finally take action. That is not leadership. That is negligence. And while we rightfully focus on physical infrastructure, we also must recognize that our people, our elected officials, our judges, and our judicial branch employees deserve equitable funding for salaries and operations. You cannot ask dedicated public servants to deliver justice in buildings that make them sick, on salaries that fail to reflect their value while operating under budgets that force them to choose between basic needs and public safety. The judicial branch is not a luxury. It is a co-equal pillar of democracy. It cannot function without safe facilities, fair compensation, and operational resources that allow it to do its constitutional work. When we shortchange our courts, we shortchange justice itself. so i'm here today to ask this commission to draft a resolution that will use contingency funds to commission a county-wide facilities assessment a comprehensive evaluation of every shelby county government building so we can prioritize deferred maintenance with data and not panic We have seen this approach work before. The County Commission has previously authorized funds from contingency reserves for critical audits and assessments. Let us do the same for our facilities. We owe every judge who presides over a courtroom, every clerk who processes a filing, every officer who maintains order, and every citizen who seeks justice. Let us stop waiting for the next building to be condemned. Let us stop waiting for the next preventable death. Let us act now. Thank you.

Judge Sugarman.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair. My name is Judge Park Sugarman, Shelby County Juvenile Court. My responsibility to every child, parent, guardian, attorney, Community partner and employee at Jubal Court is to ensure they are provided an environment that is safe, functional, and capable of supporting the work that we do. We're not talking about simply replacing ceiling tiles, fixing plumbing, or repairing an elevator. A major, at minimum, renovation is needed at Jubal Court. We've also learned that if this project proceeds as a major renovation, portions of the work may trigger additional requirements under the international existing building code as adopted by the Shelby County Commission. Depending on the final scope, those requirements may include structural evaluations and seismic upgrades. It also raises an important question. Can children, families, staff, attorneys, and community partners realistically and safely remain in the building while years of construction are under way? The conditions inside the building are already affecting daily operation. There is brown contaminated water. lead reoccurring leaks mold and asbestos concerns in an aging infrastructure inoperable elevators so we are not ada accessible or compliant and issues of environmental concerns continue to impact the people who enter our doors every day this building represents represents years of deferred facility maintenance we've worked around these conditions for years we've accepted limited temporary repairs we've adjusted But there comes a point when simply managing a problem is no longer a responsible decision. This building serves hundreds of people every single day. You've seen the photographs. We sent you a video to look at of our conditions. You also have been invited to tour the building and welcome that opportunity. And we continue to welcome babies into an environment where we have our safe babies court into a court that is not safe for babies. While we continue to do this work, We hope that we will work with us to cure these environmental conditions and make this place safe for children and families to enter. Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, so at this point,

Commissioner Whaley, I'm going to ask you just to give an overview of the process of where we are with the budget, just so we are able to all be on the same page about the process moving forward in order to get the operating budget approved. So, Commissioner Whaley, I'll turn it over to you.

Okay. All right. Thank you, Madam Chair. First, I think, you know, just we did do a lot of good work in committee going through that, and so the first thing I want to just bring to your attention is the essentially this Christmas colored spreadsheet that lays out all of the amendments that were presented to date. So the first few of them up at the top were the ones that we did Okay, so the first ones at the top are the ones that we had done the Wednesday prior. And then, sorry, just above that, just so you understand where these numbers came from, at the top you see the recapture rate on the tax rate, which is 2.663814. And then below it are the two rates that we have been basing these amendments off of. one is 269 which is an increase over the recaps rate of 2.6 cents and then 271 which is an increase of 4.6 cents and in the tax rate we have restricted those two pennies to the general fund balance and so we've been simply working off of 269 so after if you follow the math here after we accounted for those amendments that were made to hit the fund balance from two Wednesdays ago that left the sort of remaining space between the recapture rate that the proposed budget is based on and the 269 at about 4 million so we started at 4 million in committee we first started with cuts you saw that here some were accepted some were not and then that left us at the end here with two point four six two million which is the gap between again two point six six three eight one four and two point six nine so what I would suggest as we consider further motions to amend that we take them in the in the same order in terms of and I think that's how they're presented for us today so their first reductions in the budget and then internal amendments uh... and then external amendments and these are all only ones that we have already considered uh... before us so any amendment would require a majority vote so it requires seven votes of the body uh... to be adopted onto the amended The other thing I would note, and I think you've stated this before, Madam Chair, is that the good news is that we do not have to solve every issue today. As we all know, we often take budget amendments almost every meeting throughout the year. So we don't need to create kind of a false deadline in the sense of solving every challenge in front of us because that too often will lead to not fully thinking through how the program will be administered so uh... what i would still press and this is what i did earlier is that we if uh... there should be no rush to necessarily spend all of this uh... gap because we know we're gonna have needs that will come up we've already heard from some of them and so we want to make sure that we're in a position to be able to meet those needs But if we find ourselves in a rush to spend it all down, then I fear that we will not be in a place to be able to do that. So having a remaining balance here is a good thing because it just goes back to the fund balance and nothing prevents us from amending the budget as we do almost on a regular basis. So with that, I think I'll turn it back over to you. We've got these motions. We can take them up as you please and go from there.

I have one other comment card. It's a general... comment card, Carrie Litton.

Just to provide some context, I am good.

Ms. Litton, if you could say your name and zip code.

Carrie Litton, 38107.

And you could pull the microphone down some so that it's.

Okay. Did you hear me?

Yes. Okay, cool. You'll have two minutes to speak.

Okay, my name is Carrie Litton, and... basically for want to say support the funding for mental health court program I had previously had gone through the program from 2024 to I graduated December 4th of 2025 last year and it is a wonderful program It gives inmates second chances to commit to getting their life straightened out and walking down a better path. And I seriously, seriously, really, really... I'm nervous right now. I'm not a big on speaking.

Take your time.

So... All I just want to say is the funding for it, I seriously think that would be the... I'm so sorry. I'm not a big speaker. But yes, I totally feel that the funding for this program would... benefit a lot of inmates and it benefited me very, very, very well and it helped me out in so many different levels. I did have a few stumbles along the way the first few rounds, but once I finally had my last chance, I was like, I've got to get through this. I need the help because I'm sick of going down rabbit holes that I'm a former drug addict, and I really, really am grateful for Mental Health Court. They really helped me out in more ways than anybody could ever understand. And I really love this program, and I think funding the program would be in good interest.

Thank you. Appreciate you coming down. All right, so colleagues, you have before you a stack of amendments that been brought for these were amendments that were not approved in our committee and so of course we gave commissioners the opportunity if they wanted to bring any other amendments at this time these are only budget amendments that have already been heard there are no additionals there are no add-ons to the budget process so i'm going to start with amendment 41a which point of information yes okay so let's say there's something on this sheet here can we reconsider those yes what is that process is after the ones we what is the process we're going through the stack that is in front of you if there are any other amendments that you would like to make then you can make them at that time after we've gone through the stack of 41 a through G Okay, Palminterian Read 41A.

Item 41A is a motion amending the fiscal year 2027 operating budget to reduce the Sheriff's Department budget based on historical expenditure trends, sponsored by Commissioner Erica Sugarman.

I have a motion by Commissioner Sugarman, a second by Commissioner Caswell. Commissioner Sugarman, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And so this basically takes the fiscal year 2026, and it goes back to 2026. And again, everybody's making sacrifices. As you all know, we have stated that we are in a situation where our fixed costs are increasing, but we're not seeing an influx of revenue. In fact, it's stagnant. And so that is a concern because, number one, there are five... Maintains of effort, not just the shopping college commission, sheriff's department, finance and administration, et cetera. And so what this does is we can take it back, but we cannot go back beyond 2026 because that is the threshold. And if you look at, and I mentioned this in the meeting on Wednesday, for example, they have over budgeted and underspent said, I went back to 2022 every fiscal year. And so again, this just closes the gap between what's being budgeted as opposed to what's actually being spent. And as you stated, Chair, if they need to come back, like they usually do, they can come back. But the concern is we're increasing our budget each year since 2022 since I've been here. And the concern is we're not going to be able to continue to fund. And I'm not a proponent of raising taxes. And so I think we should stick to 2026 budget that was adopted. And it's not that much difference. If you see that what they budget for 2027 is $207.2 million, as opposed to what they budget in 2026, which is $206.6 million. And also, if you look at the... If you look at 2022, what's actually expended versus what was adopted, there's a variance of 4.8 million. 2023, there's also a variance. And so again, it's just to close that gap because we really want to get down to what the divisions actually need. uh... because again the slope is going up as far as the budget but what's coming in is flat especially when we have and i know mayor young has spoken to this we have a decreasing population in shelby county and that means a decrease in the tax base so that is a huge concern especially when we have so many mandates that are pushed by the state that we have to make sure that we're very cognizant that when we start increasing the budgets, we can't go back. We cannot go back. And so that is a huge issue. Thank you.

So there's an amendment before us, and so before, you know, if there's going to be discussion, I think if we're, are we accepting this amendment without objection? If not, then we need an objection so we can discuss. I have an objection from Commissioner Mills. I'm gonna let CAO Lindsey speak.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Alicia Lindsey, Chief Administrative Officer, Shelby County Sheriff's Office. I just want to remind the Commission that there is a maintenance of effort on salaries for the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. Excuse me. So there's one increase in fiscal year 2027, and that's primarily based upon the ordinance that this body passed for the salary of the sheriff. And then as it relates to Commissioner Sugarman's incident motion, If you take the Sheriff's Office budget back to 2026, basically you're eliminating all the contractual obligations that came before you already. So earlier, a couple of Wednesdays ago, we came before you, there were contractual increases in information technology, building security, et cetera. So if you take it back to the 2026 level, you'll be eliminating all of those increases. And further to that point, Something else I was gonna say. Oh, the information provided, the historical trends. I understand fiscal year 2022, 23 and all that, but if you look at fiscal year 2025, you'll see that in salaries, we've turned back about $500,000. And in O&M, the majority of that money was carried forward to the next year. So it's not as though we are asking for huge budget increases or increases in our budget and not spending our funds. So I believe I provided all the commissioners copies of the fiscal year 2025 actual from the county's annual comprehensive financial report that should be relied upon as far as the actual span for the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. Thank you.

Commissioner Sugarman.

Thank you, Chief Lindsay. You are correct. It is not a big difference. It's only $595,000. But again, we've got to consider the long term. Because incrementally, we're going up, up, up. And what you're actually spending does not equate to what you're budgeting. And that is a huge concern. because we're asking taxpayers to make up that difference as far as raising the tax base on an artificial budget. And so that is a concern. It's only 595. I'm not requiring you to pull it from any particular place. That's on you. I'm just asking the Commission to be very cognizant. We have five maintenance efforts. And we were not explaining that until I called CTAS, and they went through each one of those. And I thought, for example, it was just three, you know, and then it was four, and then I said it's a fifth one? And so I think that we have to be very cognizant about how we go ahead and increase these budgets until we all have a clear understanding, what does that mean, what does that entail? Salaries is a part of that. And again, Chief Lindsay and the Sheriff's Department, whenever you all want to come down, we usually give you what you want. That is not the issue. The concern is the budget is the issue and the actual expenditures. And so we're on a, our costs, our fixed costs are rising and extremely scary from a fiscal perspective. Thank you.

Commissioner Caswell.

thank you manager and chief appreciate if you can't give me one minute uh... cause i hear my colleague and i and i had some concerns and one of the amendments that i've brought but i've uh... uh... i took it withdrew it i know you want here in committee because i was told that it was maintenance of efforts and we couldn't go into the maintenance of effort my my only concern really that i have been in really in some of the digging into the budget in trying to find where we could focus It was the overtime situation. We know like this year where we went to with overtime. Could you tell me how much did you all budget for overtime? Is that considered factored into this amount where Commissioner Sugarman is sharing today?

Alicia Lindsay, Chief Administrative Officer, Shelby County Sheriff's Office. For fiscal year 27, the baseline budget for overtime is 11.7 million. We have asked for an additional 10,166,000.

Okay, so 11.7 million and you asked for an addition of 10 million. And I know when I talked with Chief Buckner, he kind of broke some of that down. We had the snow days and the officers were taking people, hospital, different things to where overtime was occurred during that week or so. So what are you factoring the need for that $10 million on? Is it the same expected outcomes?

Alicia Lindsay, Chief Administrative Officer, Shelby County Sheriff's Office. I believe I shared with the Commission the number of vacant positions that we have in both correctional deputies, dispatchers, and sheriff patrol. And with the jail being a 24-7 operation, if you have vacant positions, you must continue to staff the building, right? So if you look at historical trends, you'll see, I wanna say from 2024, we spent about 23 million in overtime, 2025, we spent about 26, As of, I want to say, Sunday's data that came out, we're about 25 million. There's another half a million that hasn't posted. And then there's an accrual that also has to post. So it's basically, you have to staff the jurors when the jurors are sequestered. You have to staff the jail. And then, for example, if an officer is on... A call just because their shift ends doesn't mean they can just leave right then. They have to finish reporting. And then there's medical and jail transports. So for those reasons are what we have overtime for. And I also sent you all a list of those type things and the number of hours associated with each. And I want to say that vacancies were about 52% of what's driving the overtime.

Yeah, and CAO, if you could hand, I know that just recently when you all came with some of those items, we talked about drones. I see one of our chiefs out there talked about the need for purchasing drones and some other items. And then we've seen where the DOJ gave $300 million worth of grant. They talked about Memphis. and our opportunity to apply for some of those dollars. Have that been considered? Because maybe we can go after those dollars instead of using general fund dollars. I just wonder because they mentioned us and they said this money was for that use.

Alicia Lindsay, Chief Administrative Officer, Shelby County Sheriff's Office. I don't want to misspeak, but I think that's for other jurisdictions other than Memphis, not Memphis, because Memphis has already had an influx of the Memphis Safe Task Force and those type things. This is just an attraction to other areas.

Yeah, and just as my time calls, Chair, I just say if we can truly push that consideration since they are here and we talk about sustainability, this capacity will help us in sustaining that work, right, once they're gone. So thank you, CAO.

Commissioner Whaley?

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. Chief Lindsay, I'm just trying to track the comment you made just about that if this amendment is proved that that strips out the the contractual item. I don't understand, because so the amount that's in the FY27 budget is the 207-225-085, which is actually just under the amended FY26. And so what the motion's referring to is the adopted 26. But my understanding is we approve these, the 1.9 million of contractual items,

uh... that was about that would have been a part of those would have been included in your effort twenty-seven pose all that we don't need for those items alicia lindsey chief administrative officer should be kind of shares office we may be saying the same thing i just wanted to be in a vacuum that Okay, this body previously approved in committee to provide an additional 1,000,009 for contractually related items, and then you have this second amendment coming saying take it back to the 2026 level. I didn't want that to get caught in the discussion. I just want to make sure if there's another decrease, it's a decrease to the 1,000,009.89, not the total to whatever that total is. I just want to be very specific about the amendments. Do you track what I'm saying?

Yeah, I understand, but I think that's not clear in this motion, that that's specifically what it's trying to roll back. Right. So I think we just all need to be clear about what we're doing here because what we've done so far is actually the effect of adding back in 1.9 million of O&M, not affecting the maintenance of effort. Correct. And what we have before us is just a general reduction down to the FY26 adopted budget, not the amended budget.

Correct.

so we just need to understand that and decide to take whatever action we wish to take, but... Yeah, that's the point I'm just trying to make.

Okay. Because I don't want... Because it says 500 and something thousand, the verbiage may actually take it back to 2026. I just wanted to be clear about what is the number.

Right. I understand. Okay.

And I guess this might be an appropriate time for... me to ask a question of the county attorney about maintenance of effort as Commissioner Sugarman mentioned there are CTAS provided some insight about which entities we were responsible for maintenance of efforts and the Election Commission came up as well as what's the other the highway. So just wanting to have some better understanding about the maintenance of effort because one, the election commission's budget based on what is in this proposed budget increases the election commission budget pretty significantly. So would we be required, would that then become their new threshold of their maintenance of effort?

Megan Smith County Attorney's Office, there is a maintenance of effort for the election commission. It is different in the way it is set up compared to the other maintenance of effort, meaning you have to look at comparable years with the election commission. So in this year, 2026, there are elections. The comparable year would be 2022. So if you increase the funding in 2026 beyond what it might have been previously set at in a comparable year, you are increasing the maintenance of effort.

So essentially, if we're increasing the 2027, and I think, Director Tifton, we would need some insight from you all about whether or not the 2027 is comparable to any other year, understanding that we have the redistricting, so there is an election this year, but wanting to make sure that this increase this year does not tie us to a maintenance of effort that isn't comparable to other years. She's saying that if we do that, if we increase, we could be setting a new maintenance of effort. I'm trying to make sure that that's not what we're doing with this year's budget.

Audrey Tipton, Director of Administration and Finance. I think what I understood Attorney Smith to say for FY2027, the Election Commission, we would have to look at FY 2023, look at their budget, FY 2023, and see if we are increasing the budget at 27 versus 23, then there would be a new maintenance of effort established if we do approve the budget.

Can you look at that from where we are now, just so that we can make a decision? We'll need to make a decision before we vote on the overall operating budget. So if you could just, that question needs to be answered. Are there any other, Commissioner Sugarman, are you wanting to speak on your amendment again? My question is, did you want to speak on the sheriff's budget again?

Thank you, Chair. Yes, thank you so much. And I just want to mention again that we're not asking you to cut anything specifically, but we also try to maintain our maintenance of effort. And that is the intent. When I was in the meeting on Wednesday, they asked me to go back and go back to 2026, and that's what I did. Okay, but if you want to, again, come before us for any additional, you can. All we're trying to do right now is maintain our maintenance of effort, and that's it. Thank you. Thank you.

All right. We're now voting on the amendment. This is 41A, which is a reduction to the sheriff's budget by $595,393. So if you're voting aye, then you're voting yes to the reduction. If you're voting no, then you're voting no to the reduction in this amendment. Please prepare the screens for a vote.

Chair, my screen doesn't work. Count me as an aye.

Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Caz, Whaley, Clay Bibbs, Caswell, Sugarman, Shalai, Thornton, Chairwoman Avent, Commissioners Mills, Wright, Morrison, Vice Chair Bradford, vote a no.

We have seven ayes, four noes. That motion passes. I'm gonna ask if staff, if there are budget amendments where there's a reduction or amending the budget, if we can also make sure we're keeping up a tally. as we did on Wednesday. All right, 41B.

Item 41B is a motion amending the fiscal year 2027 operating budget to reallocate $420,961 from the Shelby County Government operating budget to the offices of the District Attorney General and Public Defender. This item requires a reallocation of one, $240,549 to the District Attorney General's operating budget and two, $180,412 to the Public Defender's operating budget for a total reallocation amount or $420,961 from the general fund, sponsored by Commissioner Charlie Caswell Jr. and Commissioner Brittney Doyle.

Is there a motion? I have a motion by Commissioner Shalai, second by Vice Chair Bradford. Is there, are we accepting this amendment without objection or if there's objections for discussion? Okay, I have an objection by Commissioner Brooks. Commissioner Brooks, you're recognized.

Thank you. And I think I tried to get some clarity on this in our meeting on Wednesday. This looks like an unfunded Monday to me. So I looked at it a little more carefully and had a clearer look And it's maybe not an unfunded mandate on the county, on county government.

Could you pass, excuse me, could you pass that out?

If you don't mind. It looks like at first blush you would see, you would think it's an unfunded mandate on county government. So I did have an opportunity to get a fiscal note from the Fiscal Review Committee of the General Assembly. And according to the fiscal note, It does revise certain provisions of the Tennessee Code annotated without making any significant changes to the law. And we all know it's just adding those two, adding two courtrooms. And then the fiscal impact, the assumption from Fiscal Review Committee is the proposed legislation does not significantly impact state or local government operations. Any fiscal impact would not be significant. So what that says to me is that it's not incumbent upon the County Commission to add this money in for the staffing of this DA's office. Not the DA's office, but the two clerks. What it says to me is that the DA can make some simple adjustments in his budget to accommodate the staff positions. and that will eliminate the need for the county commission to finance the DA's amount of $420,000 plus the additional money for the public defender. So it's not a matter of not wanting to support the DA. It's just a matter of making sure that we don't take money out of the general fund, that we don't have to. And so I'm seeing this is not a mandate on us. The DA should just make some small adjustments in his budget and take care of these two staffing positions. We have county, I'm not sure how many county positions we have over in the DA's office. Maybe someone from HR can tell us that. But maybe you can just shift some of those county positions that we're paying for over to those new courtrooms. Thank you. But I do want to hear from HR regarding the county positions, the number of county positions. Someone from HR.

If we could get someone from HR to come down to answer. Commissioner Brooks, can we circle back to your question? Yes, sure. Vice Chair Bradford.

I just wanted to hear from the DA on this item. I think we heard something similar at committee, and so I just wanted to see what's changed between now and committee.

Thank you, Madam Chair and Commissioners. District Attorney Steve Mulroy, 38117, zip code. Yes, so we had a larger item in committee, and it failed. And at the time, Commissioner Avant had suggested reducing the initial ask for the DA and public defender together because of the 75% match requirement by $283,000. That was never actually considered in committee. I think this proposal by Commissioner Caswell incorporates that suggestion of reducing the total amount by $283,000. We'd already thought that we had boiled it down to the bare bones, two prosecutors and two paralegals for two new courtrooms. But this limits it to one prosecutor and then two very, very basic paralegal positions. So the entire amount is reduced by $283,000. We will cannibalize other divisions as much as we can, but there's a limit to how much we can do that and still maintain what we need to do in the other divisions. And if we don't get some assistance, I think we're going to slow down the pace of processing these cases Problematically.

Commissioner Caswell. Thank you, Madam Chair. And again, to your point and committee, Madam Chair, I brought this item back because I asked the DA would he be suitable to reducing the $283,000 that you asked for that went forth in that previous resolution that passed, and he did. And the other thing you suggest to my colleague, I hear you, Commissioner Brooks, is that we fought for these two courts. We asked the state to give us these two courts because we needed more court capacity here. uh and my thing is that we can we can't wait on the state to fund these if we're going to have these courts in september that i ask that we do something now i and i hear you that have the d.a to look into his capacity to what he can do i know that some of the 200 000 was to take some other jobs away or some other positions that were there so again i'm just trying to for something that we fought for from the state to get two courts added to help with the process of getting people in and out of that 201 poplar and a quicker rate. I'm asking that we consider this compromise by the DA to be able to make sure these courts are running coming September.

Thank you.

Commissioner Whaley.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just have two questions. One is just, D.A. Mulrive, you can help us understand, I guess, the net change in courts here because, you know, we had some we had more courts additionally and then we lost them and now we're gaining them back so are we just trying to understand how that relates to staffing because as i don't recall you reducing prosecutors necessarily when we lost the court so what's like what's trying to understand that can you explain are we are we net more courts or are we just back to where we were

uh commission uh district attorney steve mulroy 3117 uh commissioner we are at a net increase of one court um a year or two ago we went down from ten to nine and then now we've added two so we're at a net plus one and as we discussed in committee even though it's the same number of cases you still have a bare minimum that you have to have in each court to process the docket and to negotiate as things are going on in each courtroom. So just like if you add several schools, you can say, well, it's the same number of students. Well, you still need to add at least an irreducible minimum of some staff to staff each of those schools. It's the same thing with courts. But to answer your question, we are at a net increase of one court over what we were two years ago.

Okay, great. And then the other thing I just want to make sure we understand is I saw the note with finance around the other amendment that we had in committee, so I want to make sure we all align on essentially reducing that out of of our tally here that you no longer need that component because if we don't do that i don't i don't understand what would be different about this right then when we brought a committee the numbers would still add up so i need to we need to make sure that that we uh... either by resolution or we may have to pull the actual resolution to see if it named that dollar amount uh... but we may need to pull out that two hundred eighty three thousand twenty seven dollars that was accepted in twelve r Because that's no longer needed per what I saw with finance. So I just want to make sure we're all understanding that.

Okay. We can make sure that's done. That's all I had, Madam Chair.

Okay. Okay. Madam Chair, may I make one brief comment on that? Yes. So to Commissioner Whaley's point, what he's referring to is an email that you all should have received. Our CAO in New Garland had a chance to confer later last week with the finance department, and I believe what's been agreed is that rather than $283,000, the actual amount that needed to be clawed back, if you will, or scraped off is $9,000. So I just wanted to make sure that was clear.

So, Director Tifton, do you want to just add clarity about, because this was a discrepancy about the amount of money that each department was, you were, the administration cut back from each department. And it was based on the number of vacancies that each department had. So if you could just clarify.

Sure. Audrey Tipton, Director of Administration and Finance. Originally the number of vacant positions that we were taking off of the DA's budget was incorrect. So we got a new file and it came down to

seven thousand plus the benefits and i think that's around nine thousand dollars so the number went from twenty three down to nine thousand it was a part-time position they had one part-time position or a temporary position one temporary position and that would have met the threshold of any positions that had been vacant over 12 months that would have been met the threshold that you were utilizing with all the departments that the the vacancy had been vacant for 12 months or greater That's correct, yes.

We did go back and correct all of the departments.

Commissioner Brooks? Just a point of clarity, if we can, to the DA. I just need to understand, I think you said we were net two positions. Well, if you recall, I need to understand, the two positions were taken, two courtrooms, General Sessions were taken from us. So we've gotten back two that were taken, not the same, one General Sessions and one civil, right? Yeah. It seems to me we're even stealing.

Good evening. Jessica Inengoro, Chief Administrative Officer of the District Attorney's Office. The two courts that were taken... more than a year ago was one circuit court clerk clerk. I'm sorry, one circuit court and one criminal court. Those are both state courts. And when the legislature restored positions, judicial positions, they created two criminal court positions. So circuit is still down one circuit is civil. They are down one. And now instead of, we started with 10 criminal courts, we went down to nine. Now we're going to be at 11.

So we had an increase of one from where we were two years ago.

Okay, so the two General Sessions courts that were taken away from us, they are still vacant?

They're not General Sessions.

Jessica Inengaro, Chief Administrative Officer of the DA's office. No General Sessions courts were taken. One criminal court and one circuit court, both state courts. Sessions is a county court.

And both of those were in state courts?

Correct. The state took away one criminal state court and one civil circuit state court. They haven't restored the civil circuit court, but they have put back two state criminal courts. So we're now going to be at 11.

Okay. And they are staffed with county DAs. Is that correct?

We are staffed with a mixture of county and state funded DAs.

We're talking about the two new ones.

The two new ones will be, we don't distinguish. So the two new ones will be staffed with a mixture of both county funded and state funded DAs depending on experience and HR determinations. There's no distinction.

Commissioner Brooks, did that answer your questions? We're ready to move forward? Okay. All right, we are ready to vote on this amendment. This is 41B, an aye. Accepts the amount, the budgeted amendment amount. A no. Rejects the amendment. Please prepare the screen for our vote. Please report the vote.

We have aye votes from Commissioners Whaley, Clay Bibbs, Caswell, Sugarman, Mills, Shalai, Wright, Thornton, Morrison, Bradford, and Chairwoman Avent. Commissioner Brooks has voted no. I have 11 ayes and one no.

That motion passes.

Thank you, Commissioners.

All right, please make sure that we are keeping a tally so that we now have added in 420,000 to that running total.

Yeah, can I, if you would, I do think it'd be a good idea just to make sure, before we go further, to align on where we are, because there was also this other, the other resolution I was referring to actually needs to be changed, but I don't think we need to make any motions because the item itself did not actually, in a resolved clause or the caption, lay out that specific dollar amount, that what it said was that it was the specific, I think, can I see that one again? that it was only nine thousand two hundred and forty five dollars not two hundred eighty three thousand twenty seven dollars so I just want to make sure we understand that so the first thing is that after the amendment with the sheriff it was and I know Commissioner Bradford is also tracking this so to make sure we it adds up it came to three million fifty seven thousand four hundred and seventeen dollars and forty cents Okay, and then if you modify what was accepted 12R in committee, which was $283,027, we did that because that was the understanding at the time, but after speaking with finance, it's actually down to $9,245. So if you subtract that out, you basically subtract out $270,782. So that brings that new total before this latest amendment to $3,331,199.40. Okay, and then you take the recent action we just did, which was $420,961. So that takes it down to $2,910,238.40. So that should be where we are at right now. $2,000,000.

two million nine hundred and ten thousand two hundred and thirty eight dollars and forty cents madam chair i'm not sure that's correct because i think that item failed concerning the two the two hundred and something thousand

That item did pass. It passed. What failed, Commissioner Wright, was the amendment to add in 700 plus with the different positions and clerks. That did fail. But the 208, the original 283 did pass. That amount did pass. Okay. Is everyone clear? We're at $2,910,238.40. Please read 41C.

Item 41C is a motion amending the fiscal year 2027 operating budget to allocate $1,300,000 from the opioid settlement fund for the Shelby County Mental Health Court and district-based opioid abatement initiatives, sponsored by Commissioner Charlie Caswell, Jr. Do I have a motion?

Some motion by Commissioner Sugarman second by Commissioner Commissioner Shalaw Can we Commissioner Caswell, yeah madam sure I want to redraw redraw that item, okay 41 C we've been drawn without By the sponsor, all right 41 D I

Item 41D is a motion amending the fiscal year 2027 operating budget to address employee salary compression, sponsored by Commissioner Erica Sugarman.

I have a motion by Commissioner Sugarman. Is there a second? A second by Commissioner Brooks. Commissioner Sugarman?

Thank you, Madam Chair. And so I spoke with some of the elects, and so they would like to have an opportunity to get together to decide, well, to get with the HR as well as finance to determine how that we can deal with the compression. And so I'm asking that we put a freeze on that account number until they have opportunity to get together and to deal with the compression. And they assured me that that could be done in the first quarter of 2027 budget year.

So Commissioner Sugarman, are you withdrawing your? No, not at all.

It's a freeze on the amount of the 1% salary increase.

so that they can get together and determine how they can address the compression. We're just putting a freeze on it until they have opportunity. On Wednesday, we spoke about a committee formed so they can address the reallocation of the 1% to deal with the compression. And so I'm not withdrawing it at all. It's been changed. Before, on Wednesday, that one actually was gonna allocate, deal with the compression, but there was not enough time to actually get with finance and budget as well as HR. And then also there was a clerk or two, not mentioning names, that wasn't present. And so we're gonna give the opportunity to HR, the clerks, and finance so that they can come with the actual figures, how much that will cost. And so right now we're just asking to put a freeze on that account.

Okay, so Commissioner Sugarman, there's a couple of things that I just want to make sure that my colleagues are aware of what this resolution does. There was a 1% in the proposed budget by the mayor. There's a 1% increase to all county employees. This particular resolution is asking to reallocate that 1%. Just let me finish. A motion to amend, thank you. Motion to amend is to take the 1% and deal with compression that some of the electives have brought to our attention. Is everyone clear about that's what this amended resolution is, motion is trying to do? Is everyone clear about that?

So I would just say to withdraw the motion.

and then make like 41d1 what you're actually requesting because like amending and okay so the account number is 52.95 and what's in the count is 5.306301 i just want to make sure that's not reallocated somewhere that it's frozen so that they have opportunity to deal with the compression

Okay, so there was a motion on the floor. Is there an objection to the motion so we can discuss? Okay, objection by Vice Chair Bradford. All right, I'm going to go to Commissioner Clay Bibbs, and then we'll come back around to anyone else who wants to speak on this.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So this is really more so a point of information. If I understand correctly, the 1% wouldn't take place until January, am I correct, of 20?

No, I think the 1% would take place July 1.

architect and director of administration and finance the one percent would take place starting in july and that's where we have the funding for the one percent increase in the account that commissioner sugarman is talking about freezing so my question is are we saying now that we're not going are we're going to freeze the one percent increase as well okay i i

I'll let the sponsor of it answer, but I just wanted to verify where was it written, because the last pay increase didn't go into effect until January, and you're saying this one you would like to go into effect July 1. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Does anyone else like to speak on this issue?

thank you about it and so again the funds we're at requesting um... through the clerks that they would like to come up and speak i see some in the background uh... so that we could address the compression issue uh... and again this is to hold it in account number five two nine five and the amount that's in that account It's 5 million, 5.3 million. And so we're asking that the 1% not be distributed throughout the county, but to address compression. And so I see the clerk's back there, nobody's wanna speak, but anyway, that's what they came to me with. They wanted to get together and they said they can resolve it within the first quarter.

Commissioner Sugarman, I do just wanna make sure that we're clear, the folks that came to speak on Wednesday do not represent all of county government. So keeping in mind that these are the electeds, but there's also the compression issue that comes into play with the administration. So I don't know that $5 million is going to take care of the entire compression issue, which is why we have the discussion about even to get to a starting point where that might be. So I just want to be clear that that was just the electors.

Correct, and you are correct. And according to the clerk, they gave me the list as far as they were concerned, and it's like $1 million something. So again, I would like the opportunity for the HR, Finance and Budgets, the clerks and to address the compression in the county governments.

Vice Chair Bradford, did you want to speak? You were in the queue. Okay.

So I think I'm reading this as a budget neutral item, I believe. I guess my question to the administration, what's your feel on this? Do you understand what the intent is, that type of thing?

Harold Collins, Chief Administrative Officer. The administration holds firm that our commitment is to provide one percent increase to all county employees effective july one we do not believe that freezing to allow for the compression discussion to occur uh... if this body decides it wants to do that then they can come you all could come back in another another time as chairman whaley said you have the opportunity to come back at the beginning of the year particularly if it's going to take those the clerks and hr and finance

through the first quarter we prefer that our employees get the benefit of the one percent increase today all right so uh commissioner sugarman do you want to withdraw this and then make the changes submit a 41 What's the last one?

Point of information is what I'm changing because it's neutral. Right here, I have the clerk stated that it will cost them, which is not less than the 5.3. And so all I'm trying to do is freeze it so that the HR budget can get together and deal with compression.

Otherwise, the money's not going to be there to deal with compression. It's still going to be there.

This is, and I think it was probate clerk Jones on Wednesday said, this is just, oh, there you are. Can you speak? Thank you.

All right, I will get back to the queue. I spoke, Commissioner Sugarman, you're in the queue now. Have you finished your comments? Okay, so the chair says Vice Chair Bradford, but it's actually Chairwoman Aman. So Chairwoman Aman, go ahead.

Thank you. I just want to make sure that we are clear that when we made these salary adjustments, we caused compression within all of Shelby County government, the clerks, for the administration, and I don't recommend us making a decision that blindly impacts all of county government by saying, let's just reallocate five million when we have no idea what the true compression number is. We cannot make these decisions in a vacuum. And so my follow-up conversation with Clerk Jones, and I think he was speaking on behalf of some of the other clerks, is that they would like to have an ad hoc created to really evaluate this so that we are moving and making decisions based on real data. So we cannot take an excerpt of data from one clerk or one department to make a blanket decision that impacts all of county government. I am more than happy to appoint an ad hoc and ask the administration to also show up with all of the electeds, all of our clerks to make sure that we are getting data that is informed about the entire of all of Shelby County. We cannot keep making decisions in a vacuum because this one decision then has a ripple effect. Because if the compression issue is more than $5 million, then what do we do? Because now you've said we're going to take care of compression, but we don't have any additional dollars to take care of something that could be more than $5 million or less than $5 million. And so I really want the, you know, thank you, Clerk Jones, for coming forward. Thank you for the conversation that you and I had earlier today that asked, you know, our commitment, my commitment to set up the ad hoc, asked the administration to participate in that, because we have just passed a compensation policy that says we have to address the compression issue. It is stated clearly in the compensation policy that we just passed. So, Clerk Jones, if you'd like to speak.

Absolutely. So Eddie Jones, Shepherd County Appropriate Court Clerk, 140 Adams. All of the clerks, we got together, we went outside, stood in the hallway, we talked about this and we agreed. Because the one thing that we didn't want to do, even though we wanted our offices to be okay, what we did not want to do was to impact all of county government and so that the compression would still exist. And so we're simply asking to form this ad hoc committee. Because let me tell you what the problem is. I've been on this side. Now I'm on the other side. And I can tell you what I'm seeing that I didn't see when I was on this side that I get to see it on this side and there's not a whole lot I can do about it. So what I would say is this. That ad hoc committee The administration, the electives. The only time the electives get it is after they have created it, never talked to any of us, and then expect us to go to the civil service and approve it. And then it gets to you all. And so we have problems there that don't get resolved. This is why I think this ad hoc committee needs to happen while we're all sitting down with a voice at the table looking at this holistically so that you can fix it. We got some concepts and ideas I think that we can so that it doesn't happen again. It's just got some things that just has to be put in place.

Does anyone else want to speak on this motion? We're going to vote. If you're not withdrawing.