Shelby County Charter Committee

David Lillard, Chair of the Shelby County Commission, has advised all Shelby County cities of the importance of the Shelby County Charter Committee. Due to the importance of this matter, I am reprinting his letter published on the Shelby County website.

I cannot overemphasize the importance of this Charter Committee. The Charter Committee can suggest changes to any part of the Charter which could significantly impact Lakeland.

GO TO www.shelbycountytn.gov for detailed information on this proposal and an opportunity to comment.

In addition to the Charter Committee (the Shelby County Comnission), there is a "Consolidation Committee" which is reviewing the possible consolidation of the Shelby County Sheriff and the Memphis Police Department. This could have a MAJOR impact on Lakeland, so all Lakeland residents are urged to keep up with these talks. In spite of the great importance of the possibility of a Sheriff/Memphis Police Consolidation, there is only ONE suburban representative allowed on the Committee. (Bartlett Mayor McDonald is the representative on the Consolidation Committee-an excellent choice by the way.)

ANY changes in the Shelby County Charter must be voted on by Shelby County residents. Some possible changes are changing the powers of the County Sheriff, making the Sheriff appointed rather than elected etc.

I encourage all Lakeland residents to take the time to review the information at the Shelby County web site and comment. Residents are also encouraged to personally attend the Committee meetings.

(The letter below is posted on the Shelby County website from Chairman David Lillard. We appreciate the open communication encouraged by Chairman Lillard.)


To the Citizens of Shelby County, Tennessee
Dear Fellow Shelby Countians,
A recent Tennessee Supreme Court case dealing with the Charter form of county
government in Knox County, Tennessee held that the offices of the Knox County Sheriff,
Register, Trustee, Assessor and County Clerk were not properly established. This ruling
has implications for Shelby County which also has a charter form of government and the
Shelby County Charter also does not expressly establish these county offices. As a result,
we must at a minimum amend the Shelby County Charter in order to provide for a
method of establishing these offices. The Shelby County Charter and the operations of
Shelby County Government materially affects all citizens of the County, including
citizens who live in Memphis or any other municipality.
To address these issues, the Shelby County Board of Commissioners has formed an Ad
Hoc Committee on Shelby County Charter Amendments. The Committee includes all 13
County Commissioners. The purpose of the Committee is to review the Charter, seek
public input, and formulate proposed charter amendments to be voted on by the people in
a referendum.
The Committee solicits the input of the people of Shelby County on a variety of topics
related to the Committee’s work. So that your comments may be timely considered by the
Committee we ask that you submit your comments as soon as possible. All comments
received will be distributed to each of the Commissioners on the County Commission.
Regardless of where you live in Shelby County, your opinions are important.
Initially, the meetings of the Ad Hoc Committee will be held in the 4th Floor Committee
Room of the Shelby County Administration Building at 160 N. Main Street (southwest
corner of Second Street and Poplar Avenue) in Memphis. The schedule of these meetings
is posted on the Shelby County Website. However, the Committee will also hold multiple
public hearings at various other locations at dates, times and places which will also be
posted on the Shelby County Website as they are determined.
The Committee is not restricted to consideration of only those Charter issues directly
raised by the Knox County case. The schedule of meetings of the Committee and public
DAVID H. LILLARD, JR
Chairman
Shelby County Board of Commissioners
130 North Court Avenue. Memphis, Tennessee 38103 (901) 524-5176. Fax (901) 524-5024
Email: dlillard@bpjlaw.com
Citizens of Shelby County, Tennessee
Shelby County Charter
Page 2
November 2, 2007
hearings, along with key documents, are available on the link titled Charter Amendment to be
proposed by County Commission that is posted on the homepage of the Shelby County
Website at www.shelbycountytn.gov.
Some limited illustrations of the areas where your input is solicited include, but are not limited
to:
• Issues or current Charter provisions you feel that should be considered by the
Committee for possible revision or amendment
• Your views on the issues to be considered by the Committee.
• Public Hearings- Suggestions as to the number of hearings to be held, the locations
and times of the hearings; the structure of the hearings (for example, should open
comments be permitted, or should comments be limited to a defined list of issues?
• How should notice of the public hearings and Committee meetings be made available
to the public, i.e. publication in a newspaper, etc?
Please provide your comments electronically by using the Citizen Comments Link on the
Shelby County Website.
If you prefer to mail your comments, please direct them to Ad Hoc Committee on Shelby County
Charter Amendments, Shelby County Board of Commissioners; 160 N. Main Street, Suite 450;
Memphis, Tennessee 38103. If you wish to speak to a staff member regarding any aspect of the
Committee’s operations or work, please call the staff member assigned to this Committee, Clay
Perry, Deputy Administrator of the Board of Commissioners, at 901-545-4301.
Of course, please relay this information in any form you desire to your neighbors, friends and
fellow citizens as the Committee genuinely seeks input from all citizens of Shelby County.
Thank you for your consideration of this important work on behalf of the people of greater
Shelby County.
Sincerely yours,
David Lillard
Chairman of the Board of Commissioners
cc: Honorable AC Wharton, Jr.,
Mayor of Shelby County