Harris, commission are trying to mend old divides
Astrained relationship between former Mayor Mark Luttrell and the last Shelby County Commission lasted into their final hours in office, with Luttrell vetoing items passed by the commission and then-chairwoman Heidi Shafer calling it a “desperate move.”
But Mayor Lee Harris and the new commission immediately signaled that they wanted a different relationship by holding a joint swearing-in ceremony, with Harris sitting in the middle of a row of new commissioners.
Commission Chairman Van Turner said Harris’ focus on uniting the two bodies is “a very big deal.”
“I believe county government works best when both the executive and legislative branches are in one accord,” Turner said. “I’m so happy that the new mayor sees it that way as well and is doing everything possible to work with the county commission. It appears to me that the county commission is reciprocating by doing everything it can do to work with the mayor.”
Harris agreed that mending the divide between the commission and the county administration is a top priority.
“There was great spirit of collaboration here this evening,” Harris said after Nov. 19’s meeting. “I think there was a lot of tension and a lot of suspicion in the early days. I think it’s just a gradual process of inch by inch working with county commissioners, constantly trying to show we do want to work together and partner together.”
Here are four other ways Harris and the commission have signified their desire to mend past divides.
Mayor Lee Harris
Commission, county administration end legal dispute
On Nov. 19, the Shelby County Commission authorized a settlement of state court civil actions between the County Commission and the Shelby County Administration.
The civil actions came after Luttrell clashed with the commission over whether Shafer had the authority to hire legal services to pursue litigation over the marketing and distribution of opioids.
Now, the two entities “have settled their disputes regarding the legal contract for opioid litigation,” the resolution approved Nov. 19 reads. Each will be responsible for its own legal fees.
“Our interests with respect to opioid litigation are not at odds,” Harris told the commission at a committee meeting.
The resolution also says the commission will repeal an ordinance that had limited the county attorney’s representation of the county in civil litigation. The new ordinance, which will have to go through three readings and be approved on its own, will require any “extraordinary litigation” to be approved by the County Commission.
That was included “as a show of good faith and to promote a harmoni-
ous relationship between the Administration and the Legislative Body,” the resolution says.
Harris says he’s unlikely to use the veto
During his time in office, Luttrell vetoed a variety of items passed by the county commission, usually resulting in the commission voting to override that veto.
In a September interview with The Commercial Appeal, Harris said he didn’t expect to use the veto. The only circumstance under which he might would be if the commission stood in stark disagreement to what the citizens of Shelby County want, he said.
“I believe in the people and I believe in the citizens,” Harris said. “If there’s something that is to me pretty straightforward where the citizenry stand, then I might. Other than that, if reasonable people can disagree, then I defer to the county commission.”
Harris signs on to legislative agenda
Also on Nov. 19, the Shelby County Commission approved a slate of requests they will take to the Tennessee General Assembly. This year, they amended the items to say that the recommendations came not just from the Commission, but also from the mayor’s administration.
“We will go together as one Shelby County Government to the Tennessee General Assembly in January to fight for the citizens of Shelby County,” Turner said.
Requests will include asking the state to provide more money to the Ten- nessee Bureau of Investigation for investigating officer-involved shootings, more money for pre-kindergarten for atrisk youth and additional money for economic incentives in Shelby County.
Commission names its own attorney
Earlier this month, the Shelby County Commission approved a plan created by Harris and Turner to have a designated attorney for the county commission.
Marcy Ingram, then chief administrative attorney and ethics officer, was named to the position.
That also arose out of the dispute over whether the Shelby County Commission could hire its own outside counsel for the opioid litigation.