Shelby County panel lowers MWBE goal for Whitehaven Clinic to 26%; sets 26% goal for possible three‑story bid

The Shelby County MWBE Goal Setting Committee voted in May 2025 to lower the minority- and women-owned business enterprise (MWBE) participation goal for the Whitehaven Clinic construction project to 26% and to set a 26% MWBE goal for a possible three‑story version of the project.

Committee members said the change corrects an earlier calculation that had included a specialty line item that should not have been counted. Dr. Hall, a member of the committee, moved to reconsider the previously approved goal for the Whitehaven Clinic project; the motion was seconded by Administrator James Gloucester and carried without objection. The committee then voted to set the corrected MWBE goal at 26% for the two‑story project and to set a 26% goal for the three‑story option if that version proceeds.

The committee explained that the prior 27.6% figure resulted from including a specialties category that listed only two MBE firms and no WBE firms; the committee said its goal-setting methodology requires at least three vendors in a category for that category to be counted. As a result, the committee removed that specialties dollar amount from the calculation and approved a revised project dollar amount and goal. At the meeting the committee identified the original dollar amount as $4,105,177 and stated the revised dollar amount as $3,911,178.74 when announcing the corrected goal.

Jeff Goodman of the Shelby County Health Department told the committee leadership wanted bids priced for both a two‑story and a three‑story facility and said, “leadership has decided that they would like to price out what both a 2 story and a 3 story facility would look like.” Goodman said if the budget supports a three‑story building the department would pursue that option; otherwise the department would build a two‑story facility. The committee moved to set a 26% MWBE goal for the three‑story bid at an estimated project amount stated in the motion as $5,304,953.62.

County attorney Marcy Ingram told the committee that reconsideration was proper so long as the special-call meeting was properly noticed. Ingram also suggested the motion include the dollar differential, and the motion was amended on the record to note the revised dollar amount.

Votes on the two actions reported at the meeting were recorded as follows: on the two‑story goal correction (to 26% with revised dollar amount), Dr. Hall, Administrator James Gloucester and Victor Anderson voted “aye,” and the chair announced the motion as passed; on the goal for the three‑story option (26% at $5,304,953.62), Dr. Hall and Victor Anderson voted “aye,” Administrator Gloucester was not recorded as voting, and the chair announced the motion carried.

For the record, committee members present at the special call meeting included Dr. Hall; John Gloster; Administrator James Gloucester; Victor Anderson (designee for Commissioner Avant); and Chairman Wilbany. The chair noted all numerical information discussed at the meeting was provided by Glenda Pearson.

The committee had no further business and recessed to its next regularly scheduled meeting in May 2025.