There are 806 article(s) tagged Shelby County Commission:

• January 2021

  • Harris says restaurant workers relief aimed at those most affected

    The Shelby County Commission votes Monday, Jan. 11, on the proposed $2.5 million fund drawn from county reserves. 

    By Bill Dries January 08, 2021

  • Harris proposes county $2.5M restaurant workers relief fund

    Harris took the proposal for grants of $1,000 per qualified worker to commission committee sessions Wednesday, Jan. 6.

    By Bill Dries January 06, 2021

• December 2020

  • 5 critical votes by the Shelby County Commission

    From an ongoing budget battle to police reform and new voting machines, these are five critical votes by the Shelby County Commission in 2020 as chronicled in The Daily Memphian’s County Commission Scorecard.

    By Bill Dries December 31, 2020

  • County Commission Scorecard: Pandemic maneuvers and keeping police reform alive

    The last County Commission meeting of the year included important decisions on governing in a pandemic, with a path to nine votes through compromise and the fine print of the newest health department directive.

    By Bill Dries December 24, 2020

  • County commission approves PILOT extension fund for Downtown parking project

    Shelby County commissioners approved Monday, Dec. 21, the use of a PILOT (payments in lieu of taxes) extension fund to finance a five-part, $62 million Downtown parking project.

    By Bill Dries December 21, 2020

  • Last of county police reform measures pushed into new year

    The delay in the final vote on requiring County Commission approval for the sheriff to acquire surplus military hardware came after Sheriff Floyd Bonner complained he hadn’t been consulted. County Mayor Lee Harris disputed that assertion.

    By Bill Dries December 21, 2020

  • County Commission supports health directive, fines for violations

    Shelby County commissioners voted Monday, Dec. 21, to support a health department directive announced earlier in the day and, in a separate vote, to give the health department the authority to cite and fine business owners for violating the directive.

    By Bill Dries December 21, 2020

  • County Commission has busy afternoon ahead

    The commission is taking final votes on an ordinance that would let Shelby County Health Department levy fines for COVID violations, and a requirement for Shelby County Sheriff’s Department to get commission approval to acquire surplus military equipment and weapons. 

    By Bill Dries December 21, 2020

  • Commission makes changes to proposal for Health Department fines

    The ordinance cleared second reading Wednesday at a special commission meeting with seven votes. However, nine votes will be needed to approve the ordinance at Monday’s final vote of the commission.

    By Bill Dries December 16, 2020

  • Memphis school leaders ask $30 million for learning loss and literacy

    The request would increase to about $50 million annually in the third year as the Memphis district hires more teacher assistants for students in K-2.

    By Laura Faith Kebede December 15, 2020

  • County leaders contemplate budget red ink

    Last week’s budget retreat by the Shelby County Commission included word of a $27.5 million deficit and calls for the county to come up with a way to replenish its reserves and avoid short-term borrowing.

    By Bill Dries December 12, 2020

  • Increased ‘volatility’ is backdrop as commission calls for statewide mask mandate

    Shelby County commissioners called on Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee Monday, Dec. 7, to enact a statewide mask mandate, but the vote wasn’t unanimous. It was among a series of COVID-related measures. 

    By Bill Dries December 07, 2020

  • County Commission questions financing of $62M Downtown parking project

    Monday’s delay by the Shelby County Commission follows a similar delay in approval by the Memphis City Council.

    By Bill Dries December 07, 2020

  • Statewide mask mandate and Medicaid expansion top county commission agenda

    The commission also votes on funding for a public health coordinator’s position at the Shelby County Health Department as part of the ongoing discussion about the county’s pandemic response.

    By Bill Dries December 07, 2020

• November 2020

  • Mutual Respect: Commissioners Sawyer and Wright rise above political quarrels

    They seldom agree, just like a couple of United States Supreme Court justices you might remember. But Shelby County commissioners Tami Sawyer and Mick Wright share a healthy respect for one another.

    By Don Wade November 29, 2020

  • Health officials: New restrictions a compromise to head off holiday surge

    A group of two dozen business owners were critical of the new restrictions, telling county commissioners they will destroy businesses already on the edge. Some argued they are worse than the problems posed by the virus. Meanwhile, the first vaccine shipments could arrive in mid-December.

    By Bill Dries November 24, 2020

  • County Commission may offer first reviews of pandemic restrictions

    The Monday commission session also features a move toward a new disparity study in awarding county government contracts and a decision on increasing county funding to the conservancy that operates and maintains Shelby Farms Park on county land.

    By Bill Dries November 23, 2020

  • Opinion: Conservative commissioner says we can ‘Live divided, together’

    I’m a Republican serving with a Democratic majority, in a blue county of a red state. Shelby County government may not be the perfect model of comity, but the nation could take courage from how well we get along.

    By Mick Wright November 20, 2020

  • Commission seeks to stem flow of county budget ‘surprises’

    The latest hiccup is a higher-than-expected contract for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center to run the county’s forensic center for the region, with the county dipping into its reserves for the difference. 

    By Bill Dries November 09, 2020

  • County settles minority contracting lawsuit, agrees to end program

    Shelby County government has settled a lawsuit by mechanical contractors with a payment of $331,950 and an agreement to end the program that gives a preference to minority businesses in awarding county government contracts.

    By Bill Dries November 09, 2020

• October 2020

  • County budget season blueprint gets closer look

    Budget committee chairman Edmund Ford Jr. amended his resolution to stick with the county’s policy of keeping its financial reserves at 20% of general fund revenues. He has suggested a 15% to 20% guideline.

    By Bill Dries October 27, 2020

  • Reducing county reserve fund has risks, commission is warned

    The commission will vote Oct. 26 on setting new parameters for the spring budget season. And the county’s CFO says it could be dangerous to lower the percentage of reserves on hand. 

    By Bill Dries October 26, 2020

  • County Commission Scorecard: Police reform bundle, voting machine contract

    The County Commission Scorecard tracks the final stand of a set of four police reforms applying to county law enforcement and what may be the last stand of the $5.8 million contract to buy a new voting system for the county.

    By Bill Dries October 16, 2020

  • County Commission questions $1M pandemic marketing campaign

    The contract stirred the political embers of a recent budget season in county government as well as some spirited debate among commissioners about mask requirements.

    By Bill Dries October 14, 2020

  • County Commission rejects contract for voting system

    A $5.8 million contract for a new voting system in Shelby County failed Monday, Oct. 12, in a 6-5 vote by the Shelby County Commission.

    By Bill Dries October 13, 2020