Halbert asserts independence in response to county mayor’s ultimatum
Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert says she has a back-up plan to move the clerk’s office now at Poplar Plaza to an old bank branch at Quince and Perkins.
There are 57 article(s) tagged Shelby County Clerk:
Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert says she has a back-up plan to move the clerk’s office now at Poplar Plaza to an old bank branch at Quince and Perkins.
What began as a call for a special counsel to investigate the clerk’s office turned into a special adviser hired by and reporting to the county commission, working with Clerk Wanda Halbert in a three-month period.
If the Shelby County Commission adopts a resolution of no confidence in Halbert, 88,481 voters have to sign a petition to put a recall question on the ballot. Republican state Rep. Mark White’s bill brings that down to 5,899.
Less than 24 hours before the partial closing begins, the Shelby County Clerk says it is to “stay ahead of February’s anticipated rush.”
The Commission Scorecard covers October votes on a change to county ethics rules, filling a vacancy on the MSCS board, Election Commission funding and the new commission’s relationship with County Clerk Wanda Halbert.
The commission’s unanimous vote covers staffing, a job study and the opening of the clerk’s new Riverdale Road location by Halloween. But Clerk Wanda Halbert and County HR director Gerald Thornton clashed on some of the basic details of what the office has and what it needs. County Commission delays final vote on how chief ethics officer is pickedRelated story:
Under the current law, 15% of registered county voters have to sign a petition to get a recall question on the ballot. State Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis) wants to lower that to 1%.
It took some effort, but Connor Dunning and Catherine Wylie finally got their marriage license — with a little help from their friends — from the office of Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert this week.
County Court Clerk Wanda Halbert said the weeklong closing to the public, which begins Monday, Sept. 19, is necessary to clear a backlog of car titles. It’s the Shelby County Clerk’s second closing in a month.
“Unfortunately, over the course of the last several weeks there have been many reports of new operations and customer service issues at your offices,” the county mayor wrote in the memo to Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert. County Clerk’s office closes to public for second weeklong ‘blackout’Related story:
Long lines formed outside the Shelby County Clerk’s Mullins Station office Thursday, Sept. 1, despite a policy instituted in July that was intended to eliminate such scenes.
The move could have been a start toward ouster proceedings against Clerk Wanda Halbert.Related story:
Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert also responded to allegations from the Assessor’s office that her cut off of information from a county database on new business permits has cost the county $4 million in tax revenue. Assessor alleges Halbert decision costs county $4M a year in lost tax revenueRelated story:
As comptroller urges ouster of Wanda Halbert, a new controversy emerges.
The response from Comptroller Jason Mumpower is a response to a bipartisan resolution from the Shelby County Commission calling for state oversight of the county clerk’s office led by clerk Wanda Halbert. It also raises the possibility of some kind of local ouster effort
“But at some point, every adult needs something from the county clerk. And what we need most now is efficiency — something Halbert promised when she ran for mayor in 2009 but is clearly incapable of delivering.”
The Tennessee Comptroller’s office confirmed Halbert’s vacation to Jamaica with Comptroller Jason Mumpower calling her “AWOL.”
The Tennessee Comptroller’s office plans to meet with other state officials about assisting or providing oversight of the Shelby County Clerk’s office and its distribution of license plates and the renewal of car tags. County Clerk’s office limits number of car title drops for auto dealersRelated story:
The Shelby County Clerk’s office will put in place new procedures for auto dealers, including a one packet limit for car title applications, during its closure next week.
Wanda Halbert says the office will be closed to the public during these periods.
“The present Shelby County Clerk is running for reelection. This is her system and record after 3 1/2 years on the job with a record backlog of tags.”
The Shelby County Clerk’s office will implement a callback system beginning Tuesday, July 26, in an effort to eliminate the long lines of people waiting to renew auto license plates in person.
A poll of dealers in the Greater Memphis Automobile Dealers Association showed their backlog of tags at more than 7,400 with some applied for as far back as April.
The County Commission Scorecard tracks the votes on the end of the budget season and several unrelated longstanding controversies the commission got off its plate in a marathon June 6 meeting.
The clerk’s office has been late in mailing the plates and stickers for most of this year, with complaints increasing. County Commission approves budget specifics in marathon sessionRelated story: