Shelby County land bank reform measures to have final vote during April meeting

An ordinance aimed at changing the Shelby County Land Bank did not receive its final approval during Monday night's Shelby County Commission meeting. The ordinance, which has been in and out of committee and commission meetings since October, requires a fourth read and will have to go through another round of meetings before its final vote.

The initial vote passed with slim margins, with seven Commissioners voting in the affirmative, three voting no and Commissioner Henri Brooks abstaining. Most resolutions, unless otherwise specified, need seven votes to pass.

After the first vote, Commissioner Britney Thornton suspended the rules which passed the ordinance without needing a fourth reading. Commissioners initially thought that suspending the rules would let there be another vote directly after, as has happened in previous meetings.

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After some discussion between the county attorney and the parliamentarian, it was found that suspending the rules to prevent a fourth read allowed the ordinance to be passed Monday night for the final time.

Some Commissioners expressed confusion regarding the suspension of the rules, so Thornton withdrew her motion and the ordinance will now move on to a fourth read.

Thornton has been advocating for changes to the department since she was elected and created an ad hoc committee to look at reforming aspects of the land bank.

Thornton told The Commercial Appeal previously that her experience buying properties from the land bank inspired her to evaluate the department, and ultimately try to reform it so it could produce revenue for the county.

Thornton has made changes to the proposal based on feedback she received from fellow commissioners and other staff members. One change includes implementing an independent fact review process that purchasers can request and pay a fee for to get a proper property assessment.

Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr., who has been a supporter of the legislation and advocated for the ordinance to be moved up on agendas, expressed concern that there would not be enough commissioners in their seats at the next meeting to vote for the item, or that the nos would outweigh the yeses.

"I don't know how to play politics, I just know how to sit here and vote," Thornton responded.

Public Works Director Cliff Norville said the overall cost of the additional positions needed for the changes will be $329,575. Additional marking and changes to the list of properties on the county website would be $28,000.

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Much of the discussion did not surround the contents of the ordinance, but around how to move the item politically.

Commissioner Michael Whaley said he was concerned about specific districts being called out because district lines change every 10 years. In the ordinance, Thornton named four districts that have properties that are blighted at disproportionately higher rates.

The ordinance was amended to strike that portion.

Previously, Norville said that some of the changes Thornton wanted to make would make more sense as changes to policies and procedures. Commissioner Shante K. Avant asked Norville if those changes were removed, to reflect those changes. Norville said he was in complete support of the ordinance as it stood Monday night.

The land bank ordinance is scheduled for a final vote on April 9.

Brooke Muckerman covers Shelby County Government for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at (901) 484-6225, [email protected] and followed on X, formerly known as Twitter @BrookeMuckerman.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Shelby County Commission to vote on land bank reform in April