Commission approves state grant to keep four victim-witness coordinators, adds clause limiting county obligation

The Shelby County Board of Commissioners on Monday voted to accept $182,339 in state grant funds and to amend county budgets so four partial victim‑witness coordinator positions in the District Attorney's Office remain filled.

District Attorney Steve Mulroy told commissioners the grant replaces previously available state funding and that without the money the office would have to lay off the four coordinators who work with victims of sexual assault, child abuse and domestic violence. "This is not an item in which we are asking for any new money from the county," Mulroy said on the record.

Why it matters: commissioners were sharply split over whether county general‑fund dollars should be used to supplement recurring state grants. To resolve that concern, the commission adopted an amendment stating explicitly that "should grant funding be discontinued or not replaced...Shelby County government will not be obligated to continue paying employees" in the four position numbers created by the resolution.

Deputy Chief Financial Officer Michael Thompson told the commission the county's policy target for fund balance is higher than current reserves and said the county's preliminary audited fund balance is roughly 14%. Thompson reiterated the administration's long‑standing position that general‑fund support for recurring grants is not sustainable, but did not say the resolution would require drawing on fund balance. "Any funding that you take from fund balance would continue to lower the percentage," he said.

Commission debate focused on two points: whether the money would in practice increase county obligations if the state stopped funding, and whether the county could absorb the supplemental amounts. Commissioner David Bradford, who moved the amendment that became part of the final resolution, said the new clause "clears this up" and removes the commission's legal exposure if the grant ends.

The final tally was 9 ayes and 1 abstention. Commissioner Henry Brooks abstained on the vote. The resolution amends the DA's FY2026 grants fund operating budget by $182,339 for the grant period 07/01/2025 through 06/30/2026 and adjusts position control to add 4.7 FTE in the grant fund and 4.3 FTE in the general fund (the positions are partial positions shared across funding sources), with up to $89,041 from existing general‑fund personnel funding to supplement salaries and fringe.

Commissioners also noted operational timing: the DA said the state had provided an extension but warned that sending the item back to committee risked missing the grant signature deadline.

The vote maintained funding for the four victim‑witness coordinator positions while adding the county protection language requested by multiple commissioners and the administration.

Ending: The DA said the office will continue to use the grant money to avoid layoffs of employees already serving in those coordinator roles. The amendment that was added preserves that near‑term staffing while limiting long‑term county obligations if the state discontinues funding.