Charter commission group tries to stay separate from consolidation debate
Leaders of a political action committee pushing for a metro charter commission say such a group is necessary to explore a more efficient local government.
Bill Dries
Reporter
Bill Dries covers city and county government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for more than 40 years.
There are 3663 articles by Bill Dries :
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August 2021
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Shelby County -
City of Memphis City Council opens discussion of latest consolidation effort
Forming a charter commission to look at consolidated government could move from discussions to a vote later on Tuesday depending on how the discussion goes and whether it shows there are seven votes supporting it.
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City of Memphis Consolidation questions, doubts linger on council
The earliest the City Council could vote on setting up a charter commission is its Sept. 7 meeting.
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City of Memphis Trio of pipeline proposals reach critical juncture
The second council meeting of September could see final votes on all three of the ordinances. The council also made some key amendments to two of the proposals that impose local regulations on crude oil pipelines proposed for the city.
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Update
MetroCounty Health Department says it will ‘make adjustments’ after governor allows opt-out on masks
Shelby County Schools leaders, however, say the school system’s mask mandate remains in place despite the executive order that also includes mask mandates by school systems. Shelby County Commissioner Van Turner is suggesting the county should take the issue to court.
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City of Memphis Hospital emergency directors call for immediate countywide mask mandate
The letter circulating Tuesday warns of “catastrophic” effects that could “affect health care at every level.” Meanwhile, the city council is urging Gov. Bill Lee to rescind his executive order to allow parents to opt out of school mask mandates.
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Coronavirus Most — but not all — county commissioners support return to masks
There are also questions about whether the move back to masks is legal, given the governor’s recent executive order.
Related story:
Health Dept. Director: Shelby County mask mandate ‘needs to happen quickly' -
Coronavirus Health Dept. Director: Shelby County mask mandate ‘needs to happen quickly’
“We must have a universal mask mandate in Shelby County and it needs to happen quickly,” Health Department director Dr. Michelle Taylor told the County Commission Wednesday.
Related story:
Most — but not all — county commissioners support return to masks -
Health Care Regional One starts getting ARPA dollars to reopen 21 needed beds
The CEO of the region’s trauma center and safety net hospital said national competition among hospitals for the skilled specialists needed to put 21 beds back in use at Regional One is intense and costly.
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City of Memphis Local redistricting numbers taking shape
U.S. Census figures show some County Commission districts have grown in population while others have lost population since a decade ago.
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Real Estate ‘Dramatic’ changes in local rental market meet old challenges in affordable housing
Three leaders of the federally-funded effort to help pay overdue rent and utility bills talked on “Behind The Headlines” about what the new market reality means for the city’s growth with a shortage of quality affordable housing.
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Shelby County County Commission Scorecard: New action overrides mayor’s earlier veto
The commission scorecard focuses on a rare veto by the county mayor and the County Commission’s vote earlier this month to override that veto. It’s another chapter in a contentious political saga as the commission enters the last year of its current four-year term of office.
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Shelby County County Commission votes on more Regional One funding
The Monday, Aug. 23, county commission meeting also includes a resolution calling for a countywide mask mandate and another resolution calling on Tenn. Gov. Bill Lee to rescind his executive order that outlaws mask mandates in schools.
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Shelby County Regional One to get $3.6M county cash infusion, more to come
The county-owned hospital is hiring to reopen 21 beds with $2 million in city funding approved last week. The county funding will also help over the next 13 weeks as Regional One competes with other hospital systems across the country to hire skilled health care workers to meet the demand from the latest COVID surge.
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Shelby County County Commission approves employee pay raises and bonuses
During the spring budget season, the commission opted for the one-time bonuses over a pay raise proposed by County Mayor Lee Harris. But after the fiscal year started, the move began to grant the pay raises as well as bonuses.
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City of Memphis County Commission supports three pro-masking resolutions
The Shelby County Commission asked Gov. Bill Lee to rescind his executive order allowing parents to opt-out of school mask mandates. It also passed resolutions supporting a countywide mask mandate and spending funds on masks for all county public school systems.
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Shelby County Pipeline setback ordinance advances to final commission vote
A proposed ordinance establishing setback requirements for oil pipelines will advance to a final Shelby County Commission vote next month despite getting only five “yes” votes from commissioners this week.
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State Government Feds could get involved in state conflict over mask mandates
The state’s executive order banning mask mandates is taking fire from President Joe Biden as well as Biden’s education secretary Miguel Cardona, who this past week specifically questioned the legality of the executive order.
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Premium
Shelby CountyCommission’s veto override of ethics panel takes another turn
Commissioners made changes Monday to the blue ribbon ethics panel it created despite a veto by county Mayor Lee Harris. The changes didn’t go down well with those who wanted the group to report directly to the commission and not the county Ethics Commission.
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Update
ElectionsTami Sawyer will not seek second term on County Commission
County Commissioner Tami Sawyer announced Monday she will not seek a second term in the 2022 county elections. Her decision means six new faces on the commission in the next election.
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Update
Shelby CountyHarris ethics complaints dismissed
The two complaints were over a 2020 contract for a $1 million marketing campaign to urge Shelby Countians to wear masks.
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City of Memphis City Council Scorecard: school masking, landmarks districts, coal ash
The City Council Scorecard looks at recent council votes that don’t seem to pack a political punch but nevertheless call for an attention to detail.
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Shelby County City’s representatives in D.C. differ in reaction to Afghanistan attacks
Some say the attacks demonstrate the problems in the rapid withdrawal of U.S. troops and a lack of planning.
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Behind The Headlines Why the City Hall homeless encampment isn’t there anymore
The director of Hospitality Hub and the head of its fundraising and awareness partner Dragonfly talked on “Behind The Headlines” about the decision to move away from the tent cities and encampments that are part of the approach to homelessness in other cities.
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City of Memphis Federal court rules TVA refusal to close on sale of Bellefonte plant was legal
Developer Franklin Haney’s plan to buy the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant and sell the electric power it generated to Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division started the ongoing exploration of MLGW possibly leaving the Tennessee Valley Authority.
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