Votes at a glance: Key Shelby County committee recommendations from April 30 committee day

The Shelby County Board of Commissioners’ committee meetings on April 30 produced favorable committee recommendations and other actions across several policy areas. This roundup lists the principal items, the motions, who presented or sponsored the items at committee, and recorded committee votes.

Votes and outcomes (committee recommendations) - Cordova Ridge PD (public works committee): Resolution to accept public improvements and release the subdivision performance bond (cash/check dated 06/18/2021) for Cordova Ridge PD Fourth Amendment, Phase 12, Parcel 11B PD-0903-02cc. Staff reported the subdivision contains 51 lots and recommended approval. Motion moved by Commissioner Sugarman; seconded by Commissioner Morrison. Committee vote: Shugerman, Mills, Bradford, Morrison, Brooks — 5 aye votes. Outcome: favorable recommendation.

- Sewer Rehabilitation Project (public works committee): Resolution approving a construction contract with Abe's Contracting (transcript: Abe's Contracting / Abe’s Contracting LLC) for $1,196,000 plus an extra work allowance of $120,000 (total $1,316,000) funded by the State American Rescue Plan Water Infrastructure Grant and local match adjustments. Chris Mason, Shelby County Engineering, noted the grant match formula and that prior local design costs are being applied to the match. Motion moved by Commissioner Sugarman; seconded by Commissioner Mills. Committee vote: Sugarman, Mills, Bradford, Morrison, Brooks — 5 aye votes. Outcome: favorable recommendation.

- Z2024-011CO, 10827 U.S. Highway 64 (Land Use, Planning, Transportation & Codes): Ordinance on second reading to amend the Unified Development Code to rezone property in unincorporated Shelby County from Conservation Agriculture to CMU-3 (Commercial Mixed Use 3) for a sliver of frontage on Highway 64. DPD staff (Brett Ragsdale) reported 25 notices were mailed and the applicant held one neighborhood meeting; the Land Use Control Board recommended approval. Motion moved by Commissioner Avant; seconded by Commissioner Mills. Committee vote: Sugarman, Mills, Bradford, Morrison — 4 aye, Brooks — abstain. Outcome: favorable recommendation with 1 abstention.

- PD2023-008 time-lapse waiver (Land Use): Resolution waiving the Unified Development Code’s time-lapse requirement to allow an applicant for PD2023-008 to refile a similar application. Sponsor: Commissioner Amber Mills. Committee vote: Sugarman, Mills, Bradford, Brooks — 4 aye votes. Outcome: favorable recommendation.

- Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence grant (Community Services): Resolution to amend the FY2025 grant fund operating budget to accept $6,700 for direct emergency assistance to victims of crime (period 07/01/2024–06/30/2025). Presenter: Sandy Bromley, Division of Community Services. Motion moved by Commissioner Sugarman; seconded by Commissioner Mills. Committee vote: Sugarman, Mills, Bradford, Brooks — 4 aye votes. Outcome: favorable recommendation.

- FY2025 community nonprofit appropriations (Budget & Finance committee): Substitute resolution amending the FY2025 operating budget and appropriating $665,000 (substitute caption; original $540,000) to support several local nonprofit organizations (Power Center CDC, SisterReach, Clean Memphis, Limon Owens CDC in partnership with City Leadership, and the Military Tri-State area retirees project, among others). Office of Innovation staff presented; the funds are drawn from previously encumbered ARPA-related funds for projects that did not advance. Committee action recorded: 3 aye votes, 2 abstentions. Outcome: favorable recommendation (record shows 3 ayes, 2 abstains); several commissioners requested follow-up documentation on ARPA funding eligibility, remaining ARPA project details, and oversight for grants that include travel or event support.

- Budget and finance: March 2025 monthly financial update (Administration & Finance). Deputy Director Daniel Schonbaum reported property tax and other revenues higher than prior year; personnel expenditures up $19.2 million; county credit ratings were affirmed at AA1/AA+. Motion to receive and file report passed with committee recommendation (4 aye votes recorded in committee). Outcome: favorable recommendation.

- Shelby County Chancery Court FY2025 operating budget amendment (Budget & Finance): Deferred for later committee consideration to allow time for compensation-study data and subcommittee review (moved to May dates). Outcome: deferred.

- Land bank and delinquent tax property conveyances/sales (Core City Neighborhoods & Housing): Resolution approving conveyance of two delinquent-tax parcels to the Town of Arlington for green space adjacent to the Wolf River (appraisals indicated ~$11,300 and ~$7,000); and a bundled sale of 98 delinquent-tax parcels to identified purchasers (total sale proceeds reported $255,750). Land Bank staff presented. Committee votes recorded: conveyance to Arlington — favorable recommendation (3 aye votes); bundled sales — favorable recommendation (4 aye votes reported elsewhere). Outcome: favorable recommendations.

- Building Home / Homestead Act joint ordinance (Core City Neighborhoods & Housing): First reading of a joint city-county ordinance to reauthorize and rebrand a homestead-style program as the Building Home program to transfer surplus public land to qualified builders under performance agreements to guarantee constructed housing returns to the tax rolls. DPD presented the program structure; policy and implementation details to follow in subsequent committee sessions. Committee action: first reading with favorable committee recommendation (2 aye votes recorded in committee). Outcome: move forward to additional readings.

- Pay parity and related public-safety items (Law Enforcement, Corrections & Courts): Substitute ordinance adjusting Shelby County Division of Corrections compensation to align with Shelby County Sheriff corrections deputies (pay parity). Committee passed substitute with effective date 15 days after passage (mover: Commissioner Sugarman; substitute approved in committee; recorded committee vote reflected aye counts). Additional Sheriff's Office items — contracts, grants and equipment purchases — were recommended favorably by committee.

- Trustee third-quarter report and audit committee items: The Shelby County Trustee presented the third-quarter revenue and collection report (net property collections ~95% through third quarter) and highlighted the county portfolio and adulting 101 outreach; committee recommended receiving and filing the report (committee vote: 6 aye). Outcome: favorable recommendation.

What to watch next - The nonprofit appropriations drew questions about ARPA funding eligibility and project reallocation; commissioners requested follow-up documentation and recommended staff bring clear funding-source memos before final county appropriation on the commission floor. - The Building Home ordinance will return for subsequent readings with policies and procedures to be finalized, including applicant qualifications and anti-displacement language discussed by stakeholder groups. - The XAI matter (Hospitals & Health item) will return as a continuing oversight item with monthly updates requested by the committee, and the health department and county attorney will provide written timelines and legal analyses.

Sources and presenters Items were presented by Shelby County staff and departmental directors including Ahmad Nemati (Public Works), Chris Mason (Shelby County Engineering), Brett Ragsdale (DPD), Sandy Bromley (Division of Community Services), Daniel Schonbaum (Deputy Director, Administration & Finance), Nora Sarsour Ishmael (Office of Innovation), Esther Sykes Wood (Land Bank administrator) and Casey Smith Alexander (Shelby County Health Department). Commissioners who moved or sponsored items include Erica Sugarman, Amber Mills, David C. Bradford Jr., Henry E. Brooks, Charlie Caswell Jr., Miska Clay Bibbs and Edmond Ford Jr.

This roundup reflects committee-level actions and recommendations on April 30; items will advance to the full Shelby County Board of Commissioners (the commission floor) for final votes according to the commission calendar.