[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6056500,"mediaKeyId","3310090-25bc048ec92bbe240311ba2fad72cfe4","parentId",3310090,"title","Human Resources requests flat general fund but flags rising health claims and pilots family‑care options","audioSeconds",1390,"startMs",11220000,"endMs",12610000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3310090-25bc048ec92bbe240311ba2fad72cfe4&start=11220&end=12610","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3310090-25bc048ec92bbe240311ba2fad72cfe4/thumbnail_11220000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6056500/Memphis-City/Shelby-County/Tennessee/Human-Resources-requests-flat-general-fund-but-flags-rising-health-claims-and-pilots-familycare-options","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6056500-f9c8288f7292115205a4dbdb97d4dc76/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183684&Signature=DhbZ8s1070A~w55vgrc7k09CMj7qjM2kaChsbH6G4dzzzyzIn7ccza1umzRA3fYxJjqCERFhOZTqWDFuYQXmEbTXx~1fwi43WoloIc2lsd77aGzHh6jBcA~bf1EsuDPqymWegR9u-j~CUjOKZlL8rWiTGe365sgkWhPtdyT2QJvtiCser2WEMstnxgo1KJ4TpDA8cCFv5eU8drlXLHMbhsuec4PaiF3dWrbIEX8ohhMRzchVzxOnEhFwYU2-DC8sCZKrNZxI8jjXauhsviV3AhQztrMM8k5ejgNWd3SAgHSPceyZ7HODA8qSgbVib9KDa97NeWXSahmQH6PFl8XR2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Memphis City, TN","date","2025-05-14T18:50:41Z","article","Chief Human Resources Officer Fonda Foushee told the budget committee the HR general fund request for FY26 is essentially flat at roughly $10.15 million. The general fund priorities are leadership development, recruitment pipelines and improved employee experience through career pathways and a revamped HR business partner model.

Foushee said HR will add a metrics dashboard to track time‑to‑fill, retirements, safety incidents, call center performance and investigations so the division can better measure outcomes and drive accountability. The general fund complement was reported as 63 positions across HR programs, with the general fund holding 48 positions.

On benefits, HR reported the health insurance fund request of about $107.7 million for FY26. The division forecasted health‑care claims rising 18.4% over FY25 and said that growth is driven by national trends and renewed utilization — particularly elective procedures that were deferred during the pandemic — and rising drug costs. HR plans to expand the employee health center services to include occupational health, physical therapy and diabetes management and to run a marketing campaign to increase employee awareness and participation in wellness and chronic‑condition programs.

Committee members discussed data collection and return on investment. Foushee said HR tracks utilization, incentives redemption, and clinic usage and provides quarterly health‑committee reports; she and council members also discussed piloting a family‑care option that would include child‑care and elder‑care support for certain workforce groups (dispatchers were cited as a near‑term pilot) and the possible introduction of lifestyle spending accounts.

On retiree coverage OPEB, HR requested roughly $35.5 million and described a modest increase in expected claims and a plan to host retiree wellness events to drive engagement. HR said it would not raise employee premiums in FY26 despite forecasted claim increases.

Committee members asked for continued data on utilization and outcomes, including whether preventive programs reduce long‑term claims; HR said it will provide utilization figures and that some anecdotal cases (for example, biometric screening identifying serious conditions) supported the preventive approach.

No formal council action was taken during the hearing; the committee asked HR for additional metrics and more detailed cost‑benefit material on the health‑center expansion and family‑care pilots.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Budget Hearing - May 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The human resources director presented a flat general‑fund budget request focused on leadership development and recruitment pipelines and warned the committee that the city’s self‑insured health plan is forecasted to see an 18.4% rise in claims for FY26.","taxTitle","Memphis City, Shelby County, Tennessee","taxId",3648,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6056503,"Memphis Parks proposes flat complement, new revenue push and sparks debate over MRPP payment accounting",568,2172000,2740000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3310090-25bc048ec92bbe240311ba2fad72cfe4&start=2172&end=2740","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3310090-25bc048ec92bbe240311ba2fad72cfe4/thumbnail_2172000.jpg","/articles/6056503/Memphis-City/Shelby-County/Tennessee/Memphis-Parks-proposes-flat-complement-new-revenue-push-and-sparks-debate-over-MRPP-payment-accounting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6056503-0dd84b0b08d06adcacd3e21f50a297e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183684&Signature=BTinNiNhCPlxAuAxYeKfnX6j9LMlnNNdF9pu9eRQkE~YvwRJg6I~lUrqahhNmX5r-ziVENu13LLr23MvqPN6qVeU3s0G9y6~WL8gcDqrwxDZiIR4a2ALj3JBUVd3Iq~YaAPQUviMJOsgIemm0zi6Lca~~2BKqcvg1raNt3yHh~~u6AkNwA1MKF0keC7xFBFs15YinPX6r1JixJGTeQXs-bCj3YEIFjz4bFGwyqzP3O4mf4Y~~NDxkMliCtJz2umUQa7R4WwkPZvmbqZiy2xlJtU5~zLRBBztJFKC~cvUPRO536ggw7AF9WxBeSBlJAEMB5L~mqh4wlUTlojGHyr~hg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Interim Memphis Parks director Marsha Allen told the budget committee on May 14 that Parks will hold its authorized complement steady at 270 positions and is prioritizing youth programming, water‑safety initiatives, community centers and clean attractive parks as the division faces budgetary pressures.

Allen said managed partners account for a significant share of the division’s spending and described a $2.63 million increase in grants and subsidies tied to MRPP management fees; she said most of the shifts in the Parks budget reflect reclassifications moving managed‑partner fees into dedicated legal levels. Council members questioned that accounting.

“It cannot be treated as a grant. That's not what it is by contract. So just rebook it,” Councilman Carlisle told the director during the hearing, pressing Parks and the administration to show the payment in the appropriate line in the Parks legal level rather than in grants and subsidies. Director Allen and administration staff agreed to reclassify the item and to move MRPP into the “managed properties” legal level.

Parks told the committee it is pursuing a cost‑recovery strategy (Memphis Parks’ cost recovery is currently about 19% versus a national average of about 26%) and plans targeted revenue efforts such as events at Liberty Park organized by its managed partner, expected golf cost‑recovery of 86% at city courses, and sponsorships and grants for programs like Play Your Park. Allen said Parks will not raise golf prices this year and highlighted CAPRA accreditation as a competitive advantage for grants.

Members also pressed Parks on details including an unstated plan to “unfund” 12 positions in FY26 but retain them on paper as unfunded vacancies so positions can be restored later; Parks said the move reflects fiscal planning rather than layoffs. Vice Chair Swearingen Washington asked about a proposed indoor aquatics facility projected in the CIP for 2027; Parks said Glenview is the preferred location subject to an ongoing land acquisition.

Council members asked for clarification on exact contract amounts and suggested the administration circulate the MRPP management agreement to the committee. Administration officials and Parks said the city cannot unilaterally reclassify contractually stipulated payments without reviewing the contract terms; they agreed to provide the agreement and follow up on whether proposed cuts comply with contract language.

The committee did not take a formal vote on Parks budget items during the hearing; members asked Parks to return with corrected accounting lines, a breakdown of managed‑partner fees, and more detail on sponsorship and cost‑recovery plans.","Interim Memphis Parks director Marsha Allen presented a FY26 budget that holds staff complement steady, increases managed‑partner fees and shifts accounting lines for the Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP). Council members pressed Parks and administration on contract classification and whether the MRPP payment can be treated as a grant.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6056510,"Memphis IT seeks AI readiness, 3‑1‑1 overhaul and cybersecurity upgrades in FY26 budget",732,796000,1528000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3310090-25bc048ec92bbe240311ba2fad72cfe4&start=796&end=1528","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3310090-25bc048ec92bbe240311ba2fad72cfe4/thumbnail_796000.jpg","/articles/6056510/Memphis-City/Shelby-County/Tennessee/Memphis-IT-seeks-AI-readiness-311-overhaul-and-cybersecurity-upgrades-in-FY26-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6056510-163e1bc7596625ffd25c0275ccf4b42b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183684&Signature=J81QxSXqzoWsh4YStcpJQbd18bxCOw0iBgwdPWkWotXMiHGozykp662vxtsitRtCfX2rNJiY4EH0G7p1IleONLBe6nRijp2MXInD6M5oV1adSrwKfvD4qMO~rSOxwm5NDM-bRw6dRpxNDH1MSbNWJEPnJREcnlpetFExu3AyfbV0YRQihIqlNpNwn6xuqqkpCPw29ttAUhozbLMTAsCmJWBdZxYQxeeGm5Fo8qkPRbJTlA-iVlONHtRqNG1WnV9kTXSamWwctM42IhBFDLdBkV6pZGH6~Cc-qYurFz0PzFzjQsnrQP4o-2wqu3uNhZeiGbXHZfGp1X2SBLHEaRuFSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chief Information Officer Eric Keane told the City Council budget committee on May 14 that the Information Technology division’s FY26 priorities are preparing the city for AI, replacing the unsupported middle layer of the 3‑1‑1 work‑order platform, modernizing cybersecurity and continuing smart‑city infrastructure work.

Keane said the city is “working hard to make that happen” for an AI platform by putting data “in one place that you can trust.” He told the committee the IT team is already using AI in 9‑1‑1 for voice translation and noise recognition and plans heavier use of AI in 3‑1‑1 for case intake, routing and closure.

The city also plans to replace the 10–11‑year‑old work‑order management core of its 3‑1‑1 system, Keane said, and expects to add funding in the operating budget to replace that unsupported software. He described the initiative as a move to a best‑in‑class, closed‑loop platform that can support mobile, chatbot and AI features and that will integrate with enterprise systems such as Oracle.

Keane warned the committee that IT operating costs are being squeezed by software‑as‑a‑service licensing: “a lot of our budget is dedicated towards software licenses,” he said, noting the short‑term inflation of operating costs as the city shifts to cloud SaaS but arguing it is the right long‑term approach. He also described ongoing cybersecurity work that includes penetration testing, simulated phishing exercises and third‑party reviews with private partners.

On enterprise applications, Keane told the committee the city is funded to migrate its on‑prem Oracle infrastructure into Oracle Cloud Infrastructure so systems such as HR and payroll will be consolidated into a single cloud bucket. He said that migration will reduce data synchronization lags and make subsequent AI work easier.

Committee members pressed for timing and funding detail for the 3‑1‑1 improvements; Keane said changes to the public web and mobile “face” for 3‑1‑1 are already rolling out and that broader capability additions are aimed for August–September, with formal work aligned to the new fiscal year starting in July.

Keane and members emphasized the goal of citywide coverage for smart‑city tools, with Keane saying the camera mesh and command center work were not intended to be downtown‑only. He described partnerships (FedEx among them) that provide vendor guidance on what capabilities the city should prioritize.

The committee did not take formal votes on these items during the hearing. Members asked for follow‑up briefings with more specific timelines and cost detail for the 3‑1‑1 replacement, the Oracle migration and AI readiness steps.","Chief Information Officer Eric Keane told the City Council budget committee the IT division will focus FY26 spending on AI/data platform work, replacing the aging 3‑1‑1 work‑order core, and continuing cybersecurity and smart‑city infrastructure investments while managing SaaS licensing pressure.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6056495,"City Court, Clerk warn of pending move from 201 Poplar and urge investment in virtual court and records digitization",282,9064000,9346000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3310090-25bc048ec92bbe240311ba2fad72cfe4&start=9064&end=9346","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3310090-25bc048ec92bbe240311ba2fad72cfe4/thumbnail_9064000.jpg","/articles/6056495/Memphis-City/Shelby-County/Tennessee/City-Court-Clerk-warn-of-pending-move-from-201-Poplar-and-urge-investment-in-virtual-court-and-records-digitization","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6056495-fc23e436f8c667718fef448841e71d3a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183684&Signature=VWzT-tfGtdzKPMUwciplK31UJvPx8LpnwdIxB5JhXzFiOUPUlftWiKSnHriY0gIaJOAQG~1aYQzYvgoD9wpLNU7Kt1h54Ntf1wWAFA2RZv1Tj5q7XnIEtoQsr26-x~BjQwCtYnRkGMtZucDXtAx1eFpVXje6~isBsz2GY7-mpCwDbdTrTSt9oqWCJ24pcjmBRj7HyI~ueWApur5-tv2HUQyQdO9bbha-w8217GyiX6jYocmNaoUL5xccErhnZx~aFoH8HeSfZyS2nYAOZmUPtYfAyveZ2ZOmDr4UbBWhCd-27DYPe2AWdlrvUjwVTcREPT1nY8W2~9Q37tlnrkj-lA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Judge Chandler, the municipal court’s administrative judge, and City Court Clerk Taketa Johnson told the budget committee that the court and clerk are facing several operational strains: an outstanding lease/holding‑over situation at 201 Poplar with a notice to vacate at the end of the calendar year; a need to implement virtual/hybrid court procedures; and the upcoming expiration of the court’s document and ticket management contract in November 2025.

Judge Chandler told the committee the city charter states city courts are to be housed at 201 Poplar and said the court faces uncertainty because a lease renewal has not been finalized. The clerk’s office said the contract for its current court document and ticket management system will expire in November 2025 and the office is preparing an RFP for a replacement. Clerk Taketa Johnson said the new system should allow virtual court appearances, online public access to court records, and better online payments, which the clerk’s office expects will increase collections.

The clerk described a storage problem for paper records — an eviction from an earlier shared storage arrangement required the office to move roughly 8,000 tons (as described by staff) of documents and is currently paying about $24,000 a year for off‑site storage. The clerk’s office said digitization is a priority but that complete scanning (particularly for older bound records) will require an RFP or third‑party scanning and additional funding.

On revenue, committee members noted the appropriation statement shows $4 million in fines and forfeitures but the clerk said collections and unallocated suspense accounts indicate actual cash flows are higher: the clerk reported a suspense account holding approximately $6 million and said total collectible receipts including red light/speed enforcement could be about $8 million. The clerk also reported approximately $1.1 million in tickets (5,051 traffic tickets) in collections that are between 90 days and 10 years old; tickets older than 10 years cannot be actively collected for legal reasons though balances may remain on the books. Council members pressed for more precise revenue accounting and for recommendations on amnesty, payment plans and stronger collection pathways.

Clerk Johnson and committee members urged quick procurement of a new court management system that supports virtual court access and better online payments; Council and administration staff also discussed the need for short‑term storage and longer‑term digitization plans and asked the administration to assist in finding interim space if the court must relocate.","Judges and the City Court Clerk testified that the court faces a notice to vacate 201 Poplar, the city charter names that building as the court location, and the clerk's office is pursuing a new ticket management system and digitization to reduce storage costs; committee asked for clearer revenue accounting and details on collections and amnesty.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Human Resources requests flat general fund but flags rising health claims and pilots family‑care options

Memphis Parks proposes flat complement, new revenue push and sparks debate over MRPP payment accounting

Memphis IT seeks AI readiness, 3‑1‑1 overhaul and cybersecurity upgrades in FY26 budget

City Court, Clerk warn of pending move from 201 Poplar and urge investment in virtual court and records digitization