Ford won’t be limited in ability to give out grants
Shelby County Chairman Eddie Jones Jr. will not be limiting Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr.’s ability to sponsor grants, despite a request from Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris.
Harris made his request to Jones after an investigation found that Ford had intentionally violated the Shelby County Charter and ethics code when he sponsored a grant to Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-south Inc. — and sold the nonprofit computers from his personal business, a business interest he did not disclose.
“Based on the facts and information contained in the report, I believe it is critical that we take reasonable steps right now to safeguard the County’s grant process and taxpayer dollars,” Harris wrote in a letter to Jones dated Feb. 9 and obtained by The Commercial Appeal via a records request. “Thus I am requesting that you take steps to limit additional grant resolutions initiated by Commissioner Ford.”
Commissioners are each allocated $200,000 from the county’s community enhancement grant program, which was first established in 2015. Commissioners can allocate those funds within their individual districts for nonprofit organizations as well as some governmental and quasi-governmental agencies.
The $450,000 grant to Junior Achievement was not part of the community enhancement program, but an amendment sponsored by Ford during the county’s budget process.
In his letter, Harris suggested Jones limit grant items that appear on the commission’s agenda or agree with Ford “to voluntarily enact reasonable limits on grant-making until the Ethics Commission has had a chance to convene and advise on the appropriate course.”
In his response, Jones wrote that he believes a “blanket refusal” to allow grants sponsored by Ford “would likely lead to another lawsuit challenging the Chairman’s authority to control the agenda,” similar to a lawsuit that occurred several years ago.
“Further, to my knowledge, Commissioner Ford has not been found in violation of the charter by a court of law and though there’s supposedly an ethics investigation pending against him, there has been no ethics commission meeting publicly noticed so far and no finding by same,” Jones wrote. “Therefore, in my view, it would be improper for me, as Chairman, to take punitive actions against him, denying him his right to fulfill his legislative duty to sponsor items, such as grant resolutions.”
The ethics matter of Ford and Junior Achievement has been referred to the county’s ethics commission and outside counsel hired, according to county attorney Marlinee Iverson.
The ethics commission should hold a hearing so they can, if appropriate, refer “the matter to the appropriate office or offices to pursue ouster proceedings against Commissioner Ford,” according to findings from an attorney who investigated Ford’s ties to Junior Achievement.
Katherine Burgess covers county government and religion. She can be reached at katherine.burgess@commercialappeal.com, 901-529-2799 or followed on Twitter @kathsburgess.