There are 939 article(s) tagged Shelby County Commission:
Commissioners went ahead with a Monday vote on the Unified Development Code changes proposed by county Mayor Lee Harris. That despite the Byhalia Connection Pipeline companies urging a delay.
The commission is trying to come up with $659,000 in funding for salaries and wages in the clerk’s office without taking the money from county reserves.
Here’s a look at some terms to know as county commissioners begin discussing the proposed budget for the coming fiscal year.
Commissioners may decide if they want to stand down as the City Council has on changes to the Unified Development Code that would involve a setback for oil pipelines. The council delayed action on the same measure as the Byhalia Connection Pipeline companies agreed to drop lawsuits for rights of way in southwest Memphis.
The federal class action lawsuit was filed in 2016, a month after a new computer system was installed by the county to track the movement of pre-trial detainees through the criminal justice system.
The proposal by Assessor Melvin Burgess would have moved the cycle of countywide property reappraisals for taxation purposes from once every four years to every other year.
The commission also approved a $161,250 contract renewal with Global Tel*Link Corp. for maintenance and licensing of the telephone and video communications system at the Shelby County Jail.
The commission delayed two earlier votes on moving to an every-other-year cycle for property reappraisals from the current four-year cycle.
On The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast, Election Commission Chairman Brent Taylor talks about new discussions with county commissioners two months after the Election Commission voted to go to court in the simmering dispute.
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris cited the ongoing impact of the pandemic in saying there would be no attempt to raise the tax rate after recertification. Harris also outlined a six-year, $32 million plan to beef up the county fire department.
Proposals by Memphis City Council members and Shelby County commissioners emerged during a second joint meeting Thursday of the two bodies. But other elected officials expressed concern that just talking about changes in economic development incentives could put the city and county at a disadvantage.
The second joint meeting of the County Commission and City Council includes several proposed changes to economic development incentives used locally to grow the Memphis economy.
The funding is to maintain 171 Health Department positions specifically for the pandemic.
Short-term extensions to the Wellpath contract have been a constant for the current commission since the group began their current term in September of 2018.
Some commissioners have doubts about the move to every other year reappraisals. Assessor Melvin Burgess Jr. says the results will be less sticker shock from increases in values after four years.
Monday’s commission agenda includes prep for the budget season that begins later this month in county government.
A February exchange of letters between County Mayor Lee Harris and County Commission Chairman Eddie Jones shows there are difficult questions about whether the legislative duties of Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. should be limited when he hasn’t been charged with a crime.
The four-hour online joint meeting of the two legislative bodies Thursday, March 25, was mostly questions and answers. The group agreed to start talking about proposals to change incentives at the second April 15 session with plans for a third joint meeting.
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and a representative of County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. sparred Wednesday, March 24, over accusations that Ford violated the county charter with a 2019 grant and Harris’ involvement in the allegation.
The Monday, March 22, meeting also featured the defeat of a resolution calling for federal officials to reconsider a nationwide permit for the pipeline project granted in February by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The County Commission put off a vote on the change in the reappraisal cycle until its April 12 meeting as commissioners hear a lot from constituents about increased property values in the current reappraisal.
Commission also approves the appointment of Dr. Marco Ross as Shelby County medical examiner.
The move to every other year comes as property owners are getting reappraisal notices this month that increased property values by an average of 15% to 20% countywide.
The County Commission Scorecard tracks votes on a piece of legislation in Nashville that would change the way county commissioners are elected and final approval of a share of county contracts for locally owned small businesses.
The notices are drawing fire from a county commissioner after the commission approved $180,000 more in funding last month for the direct mail piece. The assessor’s office says it is Melvin Burgess’ way of “owning” the process.