Mayor Lee Harris' Update on New Health Department Director Dr. Michelle Taylor

Every day dealing with COVID-19 is more political than the last. Our Health Department employees have been harassed and threatened.

The politicization of the pandemic has been a dangerous trend here and around the country, as we continue to battle COVID-19...

Mayor Lee Harris' Update on Reducing Recidivism in Shelby County

Roughly 95% of all inmates nationwide will return to their communities, a fact that's true for the inmates in custody with the Shelby County Division of Corrections, where the average stay is from two to four years.

I believe while those inmates are in She...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on Shelby County Homeowner Programs

We're proud that Shelby County administers a program to help residents buy homes and fulfill the age-old American dream.

And we're especially proud of the recent changes we've made to give program participants more money for down payments, lower interest r...

Mayor Lee Harris' Update on 50 Days with Under 100 New Coronavirus Cases

In early March of 2020, the first case of the coronavirus was confirmed here in Shelby County.

Since that day the capacity of local government has been tested like no other time in recent history. We’ve been called on to help support the local ec...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on Ongoing Mental Health Reform Slate

Over the course of many months, we have instituted a growing slate of mental health reforms to better the lives of Shelby County residents and our county employees.

As has been stated many times before, the coronavirus pandemic brought to the fore the some...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on the 2021 Mayor's Summer Work Experience Program

This week it was my privilege to welcome some of Shelby County’s best and brightest young people for the first day of our 2021 Mayor's Summer Work Experience program.

It’s an opportunity for participants to work a paying summer job and learn about Shelby C...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on COVID Vaccines for Sick and Shut-in Senior Citizens

With summer just a few weeks away, Shelby County and our nation seem well on the road toward a return to normalcy.

But as eager as we are to get back to our lives before the coronavirus pandemic, it is critical that we continue to make progress getting She...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on the Safe Leave Policy for Shelby County Employees

Last year my administration enacted a new Shelby County paid parental leave policy for employees whose families welcomed a new addition.

Unfortunately, there are other, less joyous circumstances that arise and force employees to be away from work.

Recently,...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on what CDC Changes Mean for Shelby County

The message last week was simple and profound: If you’re vaccinated, you’re safe. No masks, no social distancing.

That was the announcement a few days ago from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and President Joe Biden. Our ...

Mayor Lee Harris' Update on Local Oil Pipeline Legislation

This week we acknowledge a step forward in the protection of Shelby County neighborhoods and our valuable water resources from oil pipelines and the potential damage they can spawn.

On Monday, the Shelby County Commission approved in the first of three rea...

Mayor Lee Harris' Update on the Shelby County Community Gardens

Last year, when we made the decision to reestablish the Shelby County Community Gardens, the coronavirus had not yet touched our community and social distancing was not even in our vocabulary.

The intent then was to provide a free outdoor space for residen...

Mayor Lee Harris’ update on Removing Barriers to Mental Health Care for Shelby County Residents

My administration’s work toward better mental health care outcomes for our community has taken another step forward.

On Monday the Shelby County Commission approved a contract with Alliance Healthcare Services, a mental healthcare provider, that ...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on the $1.4 billion Proposed Shelby County Budget

Earlier this week, I presented my third consolidated budget to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.

I’m pleased to say that the $1.4 billion proposed budget contains no property tax increases, no cuts, gives a 1.5 percent pay raise to all ou...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on the Move with the Mayor Community Bike Ride

Last Friday was a beautiful day, perfect for riding a bike.

That’s what Assessor of Property Melvin Burgess and I did with dozens of our friends, colleagues and neighbors.

We led a safe, family-friend bike ride through Shelby Farms Park to kick of...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on the COVID-19 Community Council

More than a year into our battle with the coronavirus, we have all worked hard to reduce fatality and infection rates, to re-open businesses, and to return to our churches and family gatherings.

We’ve worked to emphasize best practices, like wear...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update Regarding the Need for Local Restaurant Worker Relief

I think we all recognize that our local restaurant and hospitality industries have been hard hit during the course of this pandemic. That’s why, over the last several weeks, we have partnered with several members of the Shelby County Board of Co...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on $32 Million Investment in the Shelby County Fire Department

You may not have heard, but we recently brought Fire Engine 60 back into service. The return of Engine 60 is a long time coming for the communities of Brownsville Maher Woods and East of Old Brownsville, and this is just the start. We are committed to mak...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on Police Reform

Right now, Shelby County Government is in the midst of considering law enforcement reform. In Shelby County, the discussion of law enforcement reform builds on the best practices and ideas that we have seen come out of our very own Sheriff’s Office. Even ...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update Regarding Historic Measures to Combat Climate Change

Recently, the County Commission approved the largest purchase of hybrid fleet vehicles in Shelby County Government’s history. In addition, the Division of Planning and Development has been awarded $500,000 in federal grant funding to implement a...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on Our First Two Years in the Mayor's Office

Dear friend,

This month marks two years as Mayor of Shelby County, the largest in Tennessee and, in my opinion, the greatest county in America.

Together, we have accomplished a lot.

We have focused on supporting working families. As one of the largest and hi...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update Regarding New Grant Program to Expand Virtual Communication for Seniors

This pandemic has impacted all of us, but none more so than our seniors and our residents of long-term care facilities. Seniors, in particular, are a priority risk group because of the high risk of complications with COVID-19. Because of this, nursing hom...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Message on Virtual Learning Supports

As you know, Shelby County Schools recently began the school year. Unlike any year before, this school year’s start is virtual. That means that all of us should think deeply about what we can do to support the thousands of virtual learners in our communit...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Message on Celebrating Life in These Extraordinary Times

I may be biased but I believe Shelby County is one of the greatest places to live.

What makes our community great are the people.

This summer, I had the chance to celebrate several very special Shelby County residents on their birthdays. Although we should ...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on Mask Use in our Community

We know that this community and our neighboring communities are working very hard to slow the spread of COVID-19. We all meet together regularly and safely. We are coordinating our response.

But, we cannot ignore the reality that our cases are likely to mo...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update Regarding the Commission’s FINAL VOTE to “Ban the Box” of Criminal Inquiry

Yesterday, the County Commission took the final vote on our Ban the Box ordinance, and approved the measure.

Ban the Box is an effort by our administration and the Shelby County Board of Commissioners to create a new countywide policy that eliminates inqui...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on the Importance of Masking Up to Slow the Spread of COVID-19

We continue to adjust to life amid COVID-19, since the virus will likely be with us for the foreseeable future. We have all made important sacrifices. But we are at a pivotal point, and we must not let up. That’s why masks are now required in pu...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update Regarding the Last Chance to Redeem “Ban the Box” Ordinance

As I have mentioned in past messages, the County Commission is currently considering our ordinance to Ban the Box. This new ordinance would remove the inquiry into criminal history from most Shelby County Government job applications. Ban the Box creates m...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on July 14 Southern Justice Summit

On Tuesday, July 14, Shelby County will partner with the Memphis Urban League on the first #SouthernJustice Summit. This all-virtual conference will bring together activists and thinkers around issues of arrest and detention, bail reform, alternatives to ...

Mayor Harris’ Update on Effort to “Ban the Box” of Criminal Inquiry from Shelby County Applications

This Monday, the County Commission will consider the third and final reading of the “Ban the Box” ordinance. “Ban the Box” is an effort by our administration and Commissioner Sawyer, with support from several other ...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on Extensive List of Reforms to Protect Shelby County Inmates

Today, I signed an Executive Order to expand the protections for prisoners housed with the Shelby County Division of Corrections. This Order will build on our previous efforts to be extremely aggressive in working to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our pri...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update on Implementation of County Government’s First Paid Parental Leave Policy

I am pleased to report that Shelby County Government has just put the finishing touches on the first paid parental leave policy for county employees. That means, starting next week on July 1, county employees will have access to six weeks of paid parental...

Mayor Lee Harris’ Update Regarding the Need to Expand Medicaid in Tennessee in Light of COVID-19

Shelby County and the state of Tennessee were facing a public health emergency long before COVID-19 hit our communities. The Tennessee General Assembly has let seven years pass by without expanding Medicaid, and that single decision has left hundreds of t...