Downtown Memphis Commission seeks budget approval as council presses for detail on Block by Block, toilets and development plan

Shandell Ryan, president and COO of the Downtown Memphis Commission, presented the DMC’s FY 2026 budget to City Council committees on May 20 and described the organization’s shift to a Block by Block contract for downtown cleaning, safety and hospitality services.

Ryan said the DMC is the city’s central business improvement district and that most of its work — safety and hospitality, clean and green, beautification, marketing and events — is funded through the CBID assessment rather than city or county taxes. The presentation outlined roughly $4.8 million in projected assessment revenue for the coming year, a modest conservative increase for a reassessment year, and noted a one-time equipment purchase intended to reduce three-year contract costs.

A major change in the budget is the shift of safety and hospitality employees from DMC payroll into a national contractor, Block by Block, a move Ryan said will bring a larger downtown command center capability and camera-monitoring support. Ryan said the change will allow DMC to expand cleaning, safety and hospitality services and bring new tools — street sweepers, a mega-broom, deodorizing equipment and seasonal landscaping — to downtown operations.

Council members used the presentation to press for more transparency and a strategic plan tying DMC day-to-day work to longer-term downtown development. Councilman Carlisle, who led a sustained line of questioning, requested: a program-by-program funding history for 2023–2025; audited financial statements for DMC-related entities; a breakdown of wages and contract dollars in the major budget buckets; and details about a roughly $200,000 annual contribution DMC makes to a transit pilot (the Groove) that supplements MATA funding. Carlisle said he wants a return-on-investment analysis for DMC microgrants and pilots and asked for clarity on the DMC’s balance and spending.

Ryan and DMC staff responded they are preparing more detailed materials and told the council the Block by Block contract will bring an operational command center and national experience to downtown operations. Several council members asked for more immediate actions: Councilwoman Dr. Warren pressed for public restrooms downtown and suggested requiring restrooms in new downtown parking or development projects; Councilwoman Logan and others urged stronger, clearer plans for attracting development and filling vacant buildings; and Councilman Espinosa said DMC and council staff were already coordinating on downtown parking and safety initiatives.

Multiple council members asked the DMC to return to the June 2 committee meeting with requested documents and further details. Ryan agreed to deliver the program funding history, grant and loan breakdowns, the three-year equipment plan, and the DMC’s audited financials for affiliated entities. The council set June 2 as a follow-up budget wrap-up date and asked the DMC to produce the requested materials for committee review before final budget actions.