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Shelby County Commission restores $21.9M in cuts, adopts amended FY26 budget
Summary
The Shelby County Commission on June 23 accepted a friendly amendment that restored $21,895,746 in cuts to the FY26 operating budget, reallocating other mayoral increases, removing duplicative sheriff funding and increasing vacancy savings; the measure passed 8–1 with two abstentions.
The Shelby County Commission on June 23 adopted an amended resolution that restores $21,895,746 in previously approved FY26 budget reductions and balances the county finances by removing certain mayoral additions and duplicative salary funding.
The amendment, offered by Commissioner Amber Mills and read into the record, would “restore the $21,895,746 of budget reductions in Item 52D Exhibit A approved on 06/23/2025” while removing $12,232,787.69 from the FY26 approved budget modifications, removing duplicative $6,487,586 from the sheriff’s office payroll items, and increasing countywide vacancy savings by $5,389,219. The parliamentarian read the written amendment aloud after members agreed to have it reduced to writing.
Commissioner Mills explained the approach on the floor: “I move to use the 12,000,000 above the MOE and then the 6,000,000 that is the duplicate 3% raise to the sheriff's employees. And then the remaining balance be funded by the vacancy savings.” Audrey Tipton, director of administration and finance, told the commission the vacancy savings number would be $5,389,219.
After the amendment was accepted without objection and the item taken to a roll-call vote, the clerk announced eight aye votes; Commissioner Caswell voted no; Commissioners Ford and Thornton abstained. The clerk reported "8 ayes, 1 no, and 2 abstained," and the chair declared Item 1 passed as amended.
Why it matters: the amendment restores funds cut in last week’s actions while identifying specific offsets. Several elected officials and constitutional officers who spoke during public comment said the restored amounts still leave operational risks for courts and other offices, signaling follow-up budget requests may appear after the fiscal year begins.
Provenance: topic introduction read at the start of Item 1 and the final roll-call vote were recorded on the transcript and read aloud by the clerk and parliamentarian.
Votes at a glance: ayes — Clay Bivs, Sugarman, Mills, Wright, Brooks, Lowry, Avant, Chairman Whaley; no — Commissioner Caswell; abstained — Commissioners Ford and Thornton. Item 1 (as amended) passed.
