A Budget and Finance committee meeting on Oct. 1 turned to county cash management after a sponsor introduced a temporary suspension of certain county grants. County finance staff proposed amending the fund‑balance policy to add a formal cash‑flow management policy that would allow installment disbursements for large non‑county grant contracts and require enhanced planning and reporting.

Vice Chair David Bradford had proposed a resolution to suspend Shelby County grants and certain on‑budget expenditures until Jan. 1, 2026; the item returned to committee for reconsideration. Finance Director Audrey Tipton and other administration officials presented an alternative approach: amend the fund‑balance policy to formalize cash‑flow procedures, forecast receipts and time the disbursements so the county does not exceed its available general‑fund cash balance.

Tipton told the committee the amendment would aim to prevent negative general‑fund cash balances and to add controls such as installment‑based disbursements for county‑issued grant contracts. "This would be to ensure that we don't go negative on our general‑fund cash," Tipton said. She offered to provide monthly, in‑arrears cash‑flow updates to the Commission so members can see cash position and forecast needs ahead of critical months (Tipton referenced November as a previously identified critical month).

Committee discussion focused on process and timing. Commissioners asked whether the cash‑flow policy would replace or supplement a temporary suspension; Vice Chair Bradford said he would carry the suspension item to Monday to consider the new cash‑flow resolution and later withdrew the suspension after the committee took up the cash‑flow amendment. The cash‑flow amendment (an add‑on caption at the meeting) was sent to the full Commission without recommendation so the body can review the policy language and reporting expectations.

Committee members asked staff to specify reporting cadence and to explain how installment disbursements would be executed for multi‑award programs; Tipton said the procedure would include timing of payments so county disbursements match budgeted revenues and that staff would bring monthly cash‑flow reports to the Commission if requested.

No immediate spending cuts were enacted at the committee; rather, the committee advanced the cash‑flow amendment for full Commission consideration and signaled a preference for a rules‑based approach to timing large grant disbursements rather than a blanket suspension.