Budget committee advances FY26 package, forwards dozens of amendments to full commission without recommendation

Shelby County's Budget and Finance Committee on June 11 reviewed the proposed FY2026 operating budget, the one‑year capital improvement budget and a draft five‑year CIP, and forwarded a large set of proposed amendments and requests to the full County Commission without recommendation.

The committee also received updates on the certified property tax rate, the county's one‑year CIP and the five‑year capital plan. Michael Thompson, deputy chief financial officer, told the panel the county had provided materials to the state and “arrive[d] at a rate of 2.6933.” The one‑year CIP proposed in the packet totaled about $160,509,466; the five‑year plan discussed at the meeting covered projects through FY2030 and a $1 billion program column for the same period.

Why it matters: the operating budget, the certified tax rate and the CIP together determine property tax bills, local capital projects such as school and clinic construction, and near‑term hiring and operating choices for county departments. Committee members repeatedly stressed the need for clearer project narratives and funding sources before formal votes.

Major points from the committee meeting

- Certified tax rate: Deputy CFO Michael Thompson reported the county’s certified rate delivered to the state as 2.6933. Thompson said the administration would prepare the resolution to adopt the certified rate for the June 18 commission meeting. “We were able to provide them with all of the necessary documentation to arrive at a rate of 2.6933,” Thompson said. (Deputy CFO Michael Thompson)

- One‑year CIP and five‑year plan: The finance team highlighted projects including Regional 1 Health campus work, the Whitehaven Clinic construction, justice court records upgrades and infrastructure work at county facilities. Finance said a narrative summary of the projects would be circulated to commissioners in advance of next‑week committee work.

- Sheriff’s budget reconciliation and working session: The sheriff’s office and its CAO, Alicia Lindsey, presented detailed reconciliation requests for the sheriff’s FY26 submission, saying some figures in the proposed packet did not match the department’s Oracle/ERP submission. Deputy CFO Thompson pushed back on claims that the sheriff is chronically underfunded, pointing to historical “give back” amounts and underspending. The committee approved a separate working session — to occur before the full commission meeting — for staff and commissioners to reconcile the sheriff’s budget details.

- Many amendments forwarded without committee recommendation: With several commissioners absent, the committee repeatedly moved to forward individual budget amendments and requests to the full commission without recommendation. Items included requests for individual department personnel and operating adjustments, external grant or program funding asks, the sheriff’s amendment package, and a motion to fund planning, design and construction work related to a new jail facility (see “Votes at a glance” below).

Committee direction and next steps

Committee members and finance staff agreed to produce clearer project descriptions, funding sources and cross‑walks between the budget book and the team budget (Oracle EPM) before the full commission votes. Commissioners asked that packet documents and recorded presentations be flagged and circulated ahead of next week’s meeting to help members review the dozens of amendments that were moved to the full commission.

Ending

The committee adjourned after completing its agenda and directed staff to circulate narratives and reconciliations for the FY26 operating and capital budgets ahead of the June 18 full committee meeting.