[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6527617,"mediaKeyId","3558847-104f37ff379fc344422f068fa5633da0","parentId",3558847,"title","Planned development for medical education group recommended favorably after neighborhood outreach; district commissioner seeks more engagement","audioSeconds",1606,"startMs",2413000,"endMs",4019000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3558847-104f37ff379fc344422f068fa5633da0&start=2413&end=4019","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3558847-104f37ff379fc344422f068fa5633da0/thumbnail_2413000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6527617/Shelby-County/Tennessee/Planned-development-for-medical-education-group-recommended-favorably-after-neighborhood-outreach-district-commissioner-seeks-more-engagement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527617-31487a638115cc6b9b47fbcf38f23b43/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432561&Signature=lqwJohkephDFXxglOt1i6KcYuC9DdF~-jrGDy0C1s5FT9dekkbCj9ZWE2yOYkAK5qiimrNKyXcGzMCecHCD0fLpHM~hS~YEOOjJ4w~-ftEY4r2SH1DvZ3gDNItF8gKkBfQRFp1vxvWSmWOIopNHwMJCnw8yomAG41h8ljFRvNUz0FJDLriC2L4NA5ADDImDiTX7qQ64-z5NNhzCb7M7x8UoIPr3AyFcBQnGGCwh3YpszK6Y59-a0sqT0A43IE0Kx033DLPMTM5IVLgFtMqquAYJwekORnifwVKbdQKb2BWofCb68IyKXFrjRzoVJGdRAV8PJw9HnrtegtCMb-etMSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Shelby County, TN","date","2025-05-28T00:00:00Z","article","The Shelby County Land Use, Planning, Transportation and Codes Committee recommended approval of a planned development (case PD2025-001CO) for land on South Forest Hill Irene Road to allow an office and storage facility for the Medical Education & Research Institute (MARI).

DPD presentation and uses. Chloe Christian of the Division of Planning and Development told the committee the site is currently zoned conservation agriculture and is mostly vacant; the applicant proposes a metal building for storage of medical equipment and whole-body donations and limited office use. DPD staff concluded the proposal is consistent with the Unified Development Code and found no undue adverse impacts to the neighborhood. Staff recommended approval with outline plan conditions.

Neighborhood meetings and concerns. Commissioner Shontay Sugarman pressed the applicant and DPD about neighborhood outreach, arguing that a single attendee at a neighborhood meeting was insufficient notice for residents and asking that the case be moved to the next committee meeting until further community outreach could occur. Applicant Blair Parker said the notice radius was expanded so the required 25 property owners were notified, that a single neighbor initially raised concerns but was satisfied after follow-up meetings, and that the site is bordered primarily by a contractor storage yard, a church and a veterans cemetery rather than dense single-family housing.

Applicant comments. Jason Owens, representing MARI, described the nonprofit as a hands-on surgical training center that operates a whole-body donor program and trains physicians and medical professionals. Owens said the organization has outgrown its Cleveland Street location and needs expanded facilities for training and storage to support local medical education and partnerships with institutions such as the College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Committee outcome. After debate and a failed motion to defer, the committee recorded votes that produced 5 ayes, 1 no, 1 abstention, sending the ordinance forward with a favorable recommendation to the full commission. At least one commissioner emphasized continuing outreach to adjacent property owners after committee approval.

Ending: Planning staff and the applicant said they would continue outreach and to work with the sponsoring commissioner on additional constituent outreach; the case will proceed to the full commission as recommended by the committee.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Shelby County, TN - --> Committee Meeting for May 28, 2025 - May 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Shelby County Land Use committee voted to recommend approval of a planned development allowing an office and storage facility for the Medical Education & Research Institute at 0 South Forest Hill Irene Road after staff said the applicant expanded neighborhood notice and resolved a neighbor's concerns.","taxTitle","Shelby County, Tennessee","taxId",19114,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6527621,"Shelby County commissioners delay tax-rate vote after trustee flags $9.5 million projection gap",4892,7996000,12888000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3558847-104f37ff379fc344422f068fa5633da0&start=7996&end=12888","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3558847-104f37ff379fc344422f068fa5633da0/thumbnail_7996000.jpg","/articles/6527621/Shelby-County/Tennessee/Shelby-County-commissioners-delay-tax-rate-vote-after-trustee-flags-95-million-projection-gap","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527621-2daeca23488e3dbb4f56194cceb51424/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432561&Signature=Ue8qvNgsmtoiF~yZ2nX3VQxo7Q44Mqdm2v2p1nWZMBUm42Qc~BX35~06sWtL3UYcVUbaZ9AJPKB8TPzi~XBnEVmkAzmrfx1q884x2b28aBPNTKOg~TjOSIjf-biN0IbmncJu~B27DzZXSq4FSICJg0FnEWP1aW99snj1fn60JafITxrMv3H9J9~ahxUgn4FUo2-DkP6PCjgLUEBDt47JD4LxhZ9w7kJxnz1ck0~aQjYlmjhwy3W5KYbfuzSZ8ZUT9IL9Y2oDrC5NYHVlSTQT1~hKrTF2levSGfwDlirB-HmYB3FxDTdnMqiF5bd9m4IRvryK9wHAFfY~t6q4sssA~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Shelby County commissioners on Monday postponed final votes on the county's certified tax rate and the FY2026 operating and capital budgets after the county trustee and finance officials disagreed about revenue assumptions underpinning the proposed plan.

The delay came after Regina Newman, Shelby County trustee, told commissioners the proposed budget counts on an unusually high property-tax collection rate (98%) for FY2026 that she said is not supported by historic billing-collection patterns and would create an estimated $9.5 million shortfall if adopted as-is. Deputy Chief Financial Officer Michael Thompson defended the administration's proposed numbers but agreed to hold items for two weeks so staff and elected officials could reconcile assumptions.

Newman said she provides the administration with a conservative forecast each year and that previous adjustments in collection percentages explain some year-to-year variance. \"I can't make up numbers and give them to you guys for the budget and say, 'oh, we can do 99%,'\" Newman told the commission. \"That is a fantasy,\" she added, referring to the proposed 98% collection rate for certain tax categories.

Finance and trustee disagreement. Thompson told the commission that his team prepared the certified-rate submittal following the assessor's certified role and that the county had submitted the calculation to the state as usual. He also provided historical receipts during the meeting showing that collections can exceed the earlier forecasts in some years. Newman countered that the county's fiscal reporting uses a different baseline (percent of billed taxes collected) than some of the administration's revenue forecasts and cautioned commissioners against adopting a budget based on optimistic collection assumptions.

What commissioners did. Commissioners voted to move the third-reading ordinance and related budget items (the tax-rate ordinance and the FY2026 operating and capital budgets) to the June 18 committee meeting and the June 23 commission meeting for additional review. Multiple commissioners asked finance and the trustee to confer and present reconciled figures in that intervening time; several said they would support amendments or alternative revenue fixes rather than adopting the proposal immediately.

Why it matters. Commissioners and staff repeatedly flagged the county's fragile fund-balance position and the risk of relying on optimistic revenue assumptions while proposing multi-million-dollar new or increased recurring expenditures (including raises and new program funding). Several members emphasized that if the county overestimates collections, midyear cuts, hiring freezes, or other fiscal adjustments could be required.

What comes next. Finance and the trustee were asked to produce reconciled numbers and a clear schedule showing how the certified tax-rate calculation maps to the FY2026 revenue totals in the ordinance and budget exhibits. Commissioners set subcommittee review dates (June 4 and June 11) and directed staff to prepare item-level analyses for the June 18 committee meeting so commissioners could consider targeted amendments before the full commission vote.

Ending: Commissioners said they prefer to decide the questions with shared, documented assumptions and gave staff two weeks to respond. If the numbers remain inconsistent, the commission will consider specific amendments at the June committee and full meetings rather than approving the budget and rate on the current timeline.","Commissioners moved the third reading of the county tax-rate ordinance and related FY2026 budget items to June 18 after the county trustee and finance staff clashed over revenue projections and collection-rate assumptions.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6527613,"Local researchers warn of breaches in Memphis aquifer protective layer; community group pushes groundwater protection plan",1208,4948000,6156000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3558847-104f37ff379fc344422f068fa5633da0&start=4948&end=6156","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3558847-104f37ff379fc344422f068fa5633da0/thumbnail_4948000.jpg","/articles/6527613/Shelby-County/Tennessee/Local-researchers-warn-of-breaches-in-Memphis-aquifer-protective-layer-community-group-pushes-groundwater-protection-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527613-13ada16f1c8c2c5eeff274e364a33465/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432561&Signature=ECm-jZM4fLuNO3-~GkduNuOwOJ90bpj7ZRL0oUAWn1nV~NagW~1ViNHsKPOjpP39D66I2UL8qwvyJYVk36NshONmUB7ME5zDuEedW8e4Ozj1keU52SUVShkl5NLNmzgkOpu1z9rVGWlpJbWxmJ22P1U6v2z5H5Y4qxvdufZCS0aq85slxKxQtDdhm-EycVCuhus812AJ1TOOzPjtOnCSbO5md5my2bg1cFh6xySe~IjRvsdt4BxjpmZv2tlWColLSIGLh6GHpSd-2gqaEV20FgiFcS573Y-LM2-UVL3TTRrRQhPMo~9HF0YPZL9PULQBQOethlwsN8AenpLqvM5mIw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Speakers at the County's public-works committee on Monday outlined new findings about the Memphis aquifer's vulnerabilities and urged coordinated local action to protect the county's sole drinking water source.

Researchers' briefing. Leslie Taylor (presentation lead) and Scott Schaeffenacker summarized results from a University of Memphis aquifer study funded partly by MLGW ratepayers that found the geologic clay layer that protects the Upper Memphis aquifer is discontinuous in places and contains breaches where contaminants can migrate more rapidly. The study's analyses of \"water age\" show some production wells sample ancient water (2,000+ years old) while others contain a higher share of younger groundwater (decades-old), which increases vulnerability to recent surface contamination.

Contamination and well-field risk. Presenters noted specific concerns near the Davis, Allen and Sheehan well fields and near Collierville, where legacy industrial contamination and Superfund sites have encroached on well fields and, in some cases, forced closures of production wells. The group warned that groundwater moves slowly (decades), meaning contamination released years ago can still be migrating to production wells.

Groundwater protection plan. Protect Our Aquifer and University of Memphis presenters urged the county to adopt a coordinated groundwater protection plan that would include: wellhead protection overlay districts; more monitoring wells and a public monitoring network; a recharge-zone mapping and zoning overlay; site-specific observation/warning requirements for facilities that store hazardous materials; and funding/fee updates to ensure program staff can carry out monitoring and enforcement.

Funding and governance. Presenters said the county's Groundwater Board exists but meets irregularly; the Health Department houses water-quality staff who administer well permits and septic permits and could provide technical support. The group recommended updating the existing meter fee (55 cents per meter set in 1990) and clarifying fee-setting authority to fund monitoring, staff and programs. They also encouraged greater public education and K-12 outreach on the aquifer.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to arrange presentations from MLGW and continue planning a county-level response. Protect Our Aquifer said it will provide draft menu-of-options for a groundwater protection plan and requested the county's participation in upcoming studies and advisory processes.","Researchers and Protect Our Aquifer representatives told commissioners data show younger, faster-moving groundwater and known contamination plumes approaching some well fields, and urged creation of a coordinated groundwater protection plan and stronger monitoring.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planned development for medical education group recommended favorably after neighborhood outreach; district commissioner seeks more engagement

Shelby County commissioners delay tax-rate vote after trustee flags $9.5 million projection gap

Local researchers warn of breaches in Memphis aquifer protective layer; community group pushes groundwater protection plan