$15 minimum wage set for county employees
All Shelby County employees, including temp workers, will be paid at least $15 an hour after a resolution proposed by county Mayor Lee Harris was approved by the Shelby County Commission.
Under the new initiative, 340 active county employees will see their pay increase by Jan. 1. This includes all law clerks, custodial workers and secretarial staff.
The pay increase does not require an amendment to the current budget, but will draw on current resources instead.
In a statement, Harris spoke to the importance of the resolution applying to temporary workers.
“The same reasons used to lift the wages for the full-time workers can be applied to our temporary employees,” Harris said. “This is an impor-
property and get this thing going ... we will have to address that when we come in for final plan of any of the uses."
The board voted 3-1 to approve the outline plan for Carrefour, with Massey voting against it and Barzizza abstaining.
While the developers are looking at office, retail and dining for the first phase, Cannon said they would not start building until 60 percent of the office building is leased, and there are potential tenants.
Alderwoman Mary Anne Gibson praised the project.
"I do believe this is a dynamic project," she said. "It is a beautiful project."
Gibson asked that any amendments would go through the planning commission before being approved by the board, and Cameron Ross, director of economic and community development, affirmed that would happen.
"Approval of this outline plan is not going to immediately affect city staff," Ross said. He said each phase must still be planned and then go through the city's approval process.
Ross told Massey the approval was for office, retail and hotel. Massey challenged that amendments would not have to be presented to the board because its current T5 and T6 zonings allow apartments. Ross said if multi-family housing was to come up in future plans, it would have to be approved by the planning commission and the board.
Although citizens had an opportunity to speak about the development during Nov. 26’s board meeting, none came forward.
The addition of a traffic signal on Kirby Parkway between Poplar and Poplar Pike was a concern during the planning commission meeting in October. Alderman Forrest Owens said he met with the Carrefour team and that the traffic signal is warranted.
"From a common sense standpoint, you have some questions about putting a signal in that short span from Poplar to Poplar Pike," he said. "I think the simulation (presented by developers) shows no major disruptions."
Th outline plan called for traffic signals, which will be approved as developers bring forward plans for the different phases of the project.