In a close vote, the Shelby County Commission has decided to delay a decision about reallocating funds meant for a new mental health facility to instead cover emergency repairs at the Shelby County Jail; the division reflects a dilemma, pitting immediate infrastructure needs against long-term health care investments. During the meeting, reported by Action News 5, Commissioner Amber Mills characterized the failure to fund jail repairs as akin to a "back door, 'defund the police' process" and advocated for the urgency of allocating the $15 million needed for various jail repairs which include issues with locks and plumbing.
The vote resulted in a 7-6 split favoring a delay, with some commissioners, like Edmond Ford Jr., seeking clarification on the potential use of Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funds for the mental health facility, to the commission's reluctance to sideline funding for immediate jail repairs, per WREG. Another commissioner, Britney Thornton, expressed frustration with the commission's inaction, suggesting litigation against Shelby County might be the only course to prompt action, according to the same WREG report.
Commissioner Charlie Caswell questioned the urgency of the reallocation of funds away from the mental health center during the meeting, as reported by The Commercial Appeal. Caswell suggested seeking alternative funding sources, such as reallocating funds from Regional One while keeping the American Rescue Plan Act Funds with the mental health center.
Chief Deputy Anthony Buckner, of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office (SCSO), highlighted the jail's dire state in a social media post prior to the vote, and during the commission meeting, Officer Donna Echols expressed concerns over the inability to effectively secure inmates due to the facility's deteriorating conditions with doors that won't lock, inmates are booby-trapping doors so they can sleep at night, as obtained by WREG. Sheriff Floyd Bonner noted the added pressure of an impending state certification inspection, which would look more favorably on the jail if funding was on the way, in a statement obtained by Action News 5.
Amid the on-going debate, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris underscored the importance of expanding mental healthcare opportunities within the facility, referencing the case of Gershun Freeman, who died following an altercation with corrections deputies in 2022; Freeman's family, represented by attorney Ben Crump, argues his mental health crisis was a contributing factor, as Mayor Harris told Action News 5. These events put the county at a crossroads between immediate needs and a recognition of the moral imperative of mental health in the carceral system.
