MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Mayor Lee Harris said Friday that next week’s Shelby County Commission agenda is a whopper. So, he thought he’d talk to reporters about.
Nothing unusual about that he said.
But after covering government for more than 23 years in Memphis, I’ve never seen it before.
No complaints. It’s good to get access, so you folks can hear what’s going on with the Mayor.
The Mayor said $3.4 million for Coronavirus aid is on the agenda. The money would go to the municipalities.
And he wants to change the sick day policy, thanks to the pandemic. He wants employees to be able to use sick days they acquired even before their six-month probationary period is up.
“When people are sick,” Mayor Harris said, “we want to encourage them to stay home. That’s one of the ways to stop the spread of Colvid-19, and it’s a way to keep people safe.”
Mayor Harris will also introduce a bill that will prohibit the Sheriff’s Office from purchasing certain types of military weapons surplus.
“I mean bayonets,” he said, “... weaponized aircraft, grenade launchers, weapons that require a 50-caliber round or higher.”
There are a total of a dozen weapons on the list.
“We all know you don’t need a grenade launcher to keep residents safe in Shelby County.”
The Mayor said he is working on other plans involving law enforcement.
“The key,” he said, “... is to talk to as many stakeholders as possible and try to build a coalition the best you can.”