Funding for MSCS maintenance, Regional One rebuild passed by Shelby County Commission
Shelby County Commissioners approved the capitol improvement budget for fiscal year 2025 late hours of Monday night after hours of back and forth regarding Regional One funding and Memphis-Shelby County Schools building allocations.
Commissioner Charlie Caswell abstained, and Commissioner David C. Bradford recused himself. All other commissioners voted in the affirmative.
In previous budget meetings, commissioners expressed the want for there to be dedicated funding for deferred maintenance for Memphis-Shelby County Schools. MSCS deferred maintenance was not initially included within the county budget, but an amendment moved funds around to get a fraction of the estimated $1 billion cost for the district's deferred maintenance tab.
Commissioner Michael Whaley amended the capital improvements budget to also allocate funding for the new school district the University of Memphis will operate. While the bottom line did not change, the amendment lessened the commitment to Regional One's campus rebuild.
Regional One would still be receiving a $30 million match from the five-year capital improvements plan, but it is less than the $37 million initially proposed in Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris' budget.
Harris's proposed budget from last fiscal year had a five-year commitment of $350 million investment; this year he wanted to up that to $500 million. With the adoption of the capital projects budget, the overall five-year commitment was lessened.
The $30 million, according to Regional One representatives, would allow the hospital system to handle demolition and various smaller construction projects this year.
The improvements budget now gives MSCS $7.5 million dedicated to deferred maintenance.
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Harold Collins, chief administrative officer for Shelby County government, said there is no "either-or" when it comes to funding the two new schools or rebuilding the Regional One campus.
Commissioners drilled representatives from MSCS and Regional One, mainly on the small allotment to the deferred maintenance of the school systems in addition to their inability to drill down concrete numbers on overall cost.
There is $155 million missing to fund two new high schools, even with redesigns from the construction teams, Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. said. The two schools are expected to be completed by fall 2027, and Ford said if there is not a plan to find the missing dollars, he would advocate for all of the school funding to go to deferred maintenance.
Commissioners did not approve the 10-year capital improvement plan, which would have clarified a timeline for funding for both the high school builds and Regional One rebuild.
Brooke Muckerman covers Shelby County Government for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at (901) 484-6225, brooke.muckerman@commercialappeal.com and followed on X, formerly known as Twitter @BrookeMuckerman.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Shelby County Commission approves funding for school maintenance, hospital
