Reginald Boyce #1

We're talking with the Director of Comunity Affairs for the City of Memphis on The Bev Johnson Show on WDIA Radio.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Memphis probably presents the BEV Johnson Show.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
Let me say, Beth, don.

Speaker 3 (00:10):
Me first.

Speaker 1 (00:14):
Let men you say man, She's gone namphistoga alone.

Speaker 4 (00:24):
No matter of the problem she can have.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
So all the phone and the normans on your mind.

Speaker 3 (00:34):
She understand jim me ding in the hair by chilling
you to just keep them f.

Speaker 5 (00:44):
When around begging out fidoting show.

Speaker 6 (00:48):
Because Bell got.

Speaker 3 (00:50):
Out there heavy.

Speaker 6 (00:53):
You can hear every day you.

Speaker 3 (00:56):
Need when I've have gotten nipen. Good morning, good morning,

(01:45):
good morning, and welcome into w d i A The
BEB Johnson Show. It is in a deed a pleasure
to have you with us once again on the Tuesday,
August fifth, twenty twenty five. Enjoyed this baulous day to day.
Get ready to put your ears on as we share

(02:07):
the good news. This day, we'll find out what's going
on with the City of Memphis Office of Communication. We'll
be talking with mister Reginald Boyce. Then then back in
the house, mister Willie Jacobs will help you with your

(02:28):
final expenses. Yeah you need it, you need it, but
it's your turn to talk. You know you can't. All
you need to do is dial these numbers nine zero
one five three, five, nine three four two eight hundred
five zero three nine three four two eight three three

(02:52):
five three five nine three four two will get you
in to me. And if this day, this, this this day, Tuesday,
August fifth, twenty twenty five, is your birthday. Happy birthday

(03:19):
to each and everyone, and y'all out there who may
be celebrating a birthday on this day, we say, go out, y'all,
go out and celebrate your life. You better, you better.
When we come back, we'll talk by Director Communications, City

(03:46):
of Memphis. See what's going on there next with me
Bevvah Johnson of the bev Johnson Show only a w
d I A good morning and welcome into w d

(04:59):
I A. Let me say that again. Good morning and
welcome to w d I A, home of the Memphis
Chicken and Beer Festival. Remember, get your tickets now at
w d a's website. We're the home of Chicken and
Beer Festival, and get your tickets now at our website

(05:21):
on my wd I A. Well, I am so glad
to have this young man back in the house. Director
of the City's Office of Communications. I hope I've sayen
that right. Special Assistant to the Mayor Yeah, he's back
in the house. He's a py t. What it'ster Reginald boys,

(05:43):
How are you, brother?

Speaker 5 (05:44):
I'm well, I'm well. Directed community fairs, Community of fair
Communications is in your spear, that's your you know, you know,
you know that's my thing. Yes, ma'am, Yes, ma'am. But
I am well. How about yourself. I'm hanging in here. Yes, man,
you look amazing today.

Speaker 3 (06:01):
Well, thank you very much, thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you well. As director of Community Affairs, and I
know you help out the mayor brother since the last
time I've seen you. What going on?

Speaker 5 (06:13):
It's a whole lot going a lot going on. There's
a lot going down. Just remind you all our listeners
why the community fairs exist. We are the bridge with
the bridge between city hall. We are the bridge between
the people. You know, what we try to do at
community fairs is mobilized partnerships, making sure we are solving
real problems. And the way we solve real problems we

(06:34):
listen to real people. You know, we go right where
you are. We host town halls, we are in the neighborhoods.
We're talking to people and our goal is to make
sure that we're driving safety, equity, opportunities across the neighborhood.
We want every neighborhood to have that same pride and joy.
You know again, you know, I'm thirty seven, so I

(06:54):
graduated you a young man, but I remember growing up
when you say a certain area, a certain high school,
I mean, pride just showed up on a person's face.
And we want that to come back. You know, when
you say you from Orange maund you went to Booker
t or your Cobray, you Mailros, whatever school it is
and whatever area it is, people always suck their chest out.

Speaker 7 (07:13):
I mean, you still have people.

Speaker 5 (07:14):
Having reunions and alumni reunions, even if it's three people there.
It's just something about their pride. So that's our job.
That's our goal, is to bring their pride back. But
we got a whole lot going on. So let me
know when you're ready, we're off and running into the race.

Speaker 3 (07:29):
So I'm ready, brother, you ready.

Speaker 5 (07:30):
Well, the first thing we have going on starting tomorrow, Tomorrow,
August seventh, from six to seven, the mayor is hosting
his Economic Empowerment Tour, all right, and so what we're
doing for the next few weeks. Every Thursday for the
next six weeks, we'll be hosting an economic empowerment tour.

Speaker 7 (07:48):
We're just talking about economic mobility.

Speaker 5 (07:50):
So tomorrow, specifically, we're talking about home ownership, the power
of owning your homes and when you own your house,
what kind of you know, how does that position you
for wealth and how does that set you up for
success and not just you, but your family, those that's
connected to your bloodline. So that's going to be held
tomorrow at Riverside Missionary Baptist Church located at thirty five

(08:11):
ninety South third Street. Now here's the beautiful thing is
from six to seven, but we're feeding. Also, we don't
have food, so we're going to start feeding at first.
I said, the doors are going to open at five thirty,
but if you get there at five o'clock, your food.

Speaker 3 (08:24):
Will be ready.

Speaker 5 (08:25):
So from five to six we'll be eating, we'll be
breaking bread, and right at six o'clock we'll get started
with the sessions.

Speaker 7 (08:32):
One hour session.

Speaker 5 (08:33):
I'm telling you it's going to be some knowledge and
just some information that's going to help people.

Speaker 7 (08:38):
Really become homeowners. Folks don't understand this.

Speaker 5 (08:40):
You know, first of all, our generation and our race,
we are at the bottom of home ownership in the
city of Memphis, and so most of those of our
color and of our demographic they have, you know, fall
into the renting cycle. Now, most people be surprised, beb
that the money they pay for rent, they could actually

(09:01):
pay less than that for mortgage. I hear people all
the time talk about they pay two thousand dollars a
month for rent.

Speaker 3 (09:08):
While and then you look at it, you saying you
do how much? And let me say this, Reginald, that
we talk about this housing and becoming a homeowner, and
my folks who come on it says, when you're paying rent,
you're paying that landlord's mortgage.

Speaker 7 (09:23):
There you go, you're paying mortgage twice.

Speaker 5 (09:28):
Yeah, you're paying the mortgage you pay for and the
one he's living in as well.

Speaker 3 (09:31):
And so, but we have to educate our people.

Speaker 7 (09:34):
And while home ownership because there are.

Speaker 5 (09:36):
Some things, some systems, and we understand there's some some
plays out there that try to make homeownership difficult for
certain people.

Speaker 7 (09:44):
But again we want to educate people. That is much
easier than we think it is.

Speaker 5 (09:49):
And then you know, of course, in my past so
I always tell everybody, however, you operate, operate with faith,
operate the faith because no matter what that barrier is,
that burden is, God can knock it down. And so yeah,
we want to get everybody educ it on home ownership.
And then next week with the financial literacy, we'll be
dealing with life insurance. I think the week after that
we'll be dealing with how to you know, pay taxes,

(10:10):
leave state planning.

Speaker 7 (10:12):
All this we just really want to know.

Speaker 3 (10:13):
So, Reginald, is all this going to be? You're kind
of doing a seminar every week every Thursday, every Thursday,
and it's going to be at Riverside. No, it's a
different locations.

Speaker 5 (10:25):
Okay, Okay, so I know, First Baptist Broad would be
one of our host churches. Golden Gate Cathedral, Grace Baptist
Church will be a host church. Who are some other
churches out there. I don't have my listen, but we have,
But every week it'll be at a different church. Is
what we're trying to do is bring it to every community,
to bring it somewhere near. And we've actually been partnering

(10:48):
with MATA to where there are individuals who need bus
passes say hey, I want to hear about that.

Speaker 7 (10:52):
MATTA has supplied us with bus passes that we.

Speaker 5 (10:55):
Yeah, yeah, that you can get a ride there and
learn more about it, so that way you don't have
that transportation and so uh So again we're just excited
about these partnerships and in these courses. These classes will
also be live stream so watch this even if you
can't make it, you can stream it on our social media,
uh city mephis social media community fairs, even at Riverside,

(11:16):
the church that we go to, you can stream it
so that you can still get this information and partner
with us, and so you can know how you can
be in better position for your family to win.

Speaker 3 (11:25):
So so the first one, so it's is it like Reginald,
it's like a as you mentioned with the mayor. Is
it like a town hall meeting? But it's also a
meeting where people will be educated on particular subjects.

Speaker 5 (11:41):
Absolutely, and so let me let me so the mayor
is hosting it, so he won't be leading the court.

Speaker 3 (11:45):
He's just he's I want to speak to the mayor.

Speaker 5 (11:50):
Yeah yeah, no, no, no no, no, so the mayor great, thank
you for that. Yeah, the mayor is just only the host,
he's the great convener. Uh And so he's he and
I have put this series of classes together. But Reginald
Harris with nay REB will be our guests.

Speaker 7 (12:04):
He's the president.

Speaker 3 (12:05):
Yeah, he's the president of ny REB, which.

Speaker 7 (12:07):
Is a national affiliation.

Speaker 5 (12:09):
Real Estate e B. I forgot the EB. But he's
really good. Great work. Shout out to doctor Reginald Harris.
So he'll be leading it, and of course he can
give us some real numbers and some real strategies and
programs that exist for homeowners regard for those who are
entering homeownership regardless of your economic status, because there are

(12:30):
things out there.

Speaker 7 (12:31):
So he's going to educate us on that. So no,
the mayor is just only presenting.

Speaker 5 (12:35):
It good and we want because you know, our folks coming.
I was coming here to see mayor, y'all. I want
I got something to tell you.

Speaker 2 (12:44):
Know it, you know it.

Speaker 5 (12:45):
But but but listen, guys, continue to pray for Shout out.

Speaker 3 (12:48):
To Mayor Paul, you know who's doing amazing work.

Speaker 5 (12:50):
And I want to thank the mayor for allowing us
UH to put this this tour together because he is
not only concerned about the mythhis of today, he is
extremely concerned about the mephis of tomorrow. And he wants
to see generational wealth in all homes. So not just
with a specific color, not with just a specific class.
He wants all Miphians to win. So thank you giving

(13:13):
me or Young for your vision and your support.

Speaker 3 (13:16):
If you've just tuned in this morning, we are talking
I got it straight now, the director of the City
of Office of Community Fairs and also special assistant to
Mayor Paul Young of the City of Memphis. We are
talking about what the City of Memphis is doing in
your office, reginal boys Community Affairs. If you have a

(13:36):
question or two for mister Reginald Boyce, Hey, this is
your opportunity to call nine zero one five three five
nine three four to two eight hundred five zero three
nine three four to two eight three three five three

(13:56):
five nine three four to two will get you in
to us. You're listening to the heart and soul of Memphis.
W d i A.

Speaker 8 (14:10):
Don't go away. The Bev Johnson Show returns after these messages.

Speaker 1 (14:14):
Bev JO show your mind.

Speaker 3 (14:47):
To me.

Speaker 2 (14:50):
I'm telling you to just keep the.

Speaker 1 (14:53):
First around bed enough behoving show.

Speaker 3 (15:03):
Yes, good morning, and welcome back to w d i A,
the Home of the Memphis Chicken and Beer Festival. Get
your tickets now at w d i A. Also, we
are talking this day with this the reginal Boyce, director

(15:23):
of the city's Office of Community Affairs, Special Assistant to
Mayor Paul Young. We're talking about a very special event
that's coming up Thursday. Reginald. We're going to our phone
lines to talk to some of our listeners w d
i A on Forgetful.

Speaker 9 (15:44):
Yesause, I just want to talk to the director, Reginald,
about the community.

Speaker 10 (15:49):
It's something I don't understand. I want to do. You
agree with me or disagree with you?

Speaker 3 (15:53):
Okay, what's your what's your question? Unforgearful?

Speaker 11 (15:58):
Oh have you ever heard the old saying there's a
sucker boy in every minute?

Speaker 3 (16:08):
You've heard that happened? Okay, So what's the question?

Speaker 11 (16:12):
You know, there's there's something out here that's going on,
and I want people to understand what I see and uh,
you know, like for answering, if you just go funding
stuff that's going on right now. I mean, you know,
when I go to a grocery store and I see
someone standing out there and they asking for help, and

(16:34):
they say, give me fired out, they help me do this,
blah blah blah. So I give them fired out, and
then when I come back out of the store, they
still there, don't They tell y'all people something Now I
get it. I do it again to someone else. They
get to fire out and leave, so they let me
know they truly need it.

Speaker 3 (16:54):
Okay, So I'm forget for how what's the question and
how does this pertain to what mister original Boyce is
telling us about that on Thursday?

Speaker 10 (17:04):
About what what what Regin is doing.

Speaker 11 (17:07):
That's a good thing, Miss John, That's a good thing
because see.

Speaker 10 (17:11):
There's something that I call like this.

Speaker 9 (17:13):
You know, there's a feel good moment and there's a
feel good legacy, and that's what he is.

Speaker 10 (17:20):
He's building something they're gonna be good for the people
in the future. And that's happened.

Speaker 11 (17:25):
You know, you know what saying like you know, I'm
not gonna bring you in the fish, but we will
teach you how to see. So it's just a mindset
of people. They don't I just don't understand why people
are not really trying to teach people anything. They just
want to do this still good moment, especially in this
social media stuff, Regima. What is going on with that

(17:48):
is because.

Speaker 10 (17:49):
There's a feel good moment for people.

Speaker 11 (17:52):
Why don't they used all this money to make a
legacy to help people in the future.

Speaker 10 (17:57):
What's one.

Speaker 3 (18:00):
That's what mister Boyce is trying to do. Unforgetful? Okay, okay,
but no but but but no specific question for him?

Speaker 11 (18:09):
Right, Okay, mis Johnson, you don't see it.

Speaker 10 (18:12):
I hope everybody else did. I'm out of here, all right.

Speaker 3 (18:15):
Thank you. W D I a high caller.

Speaker 11 (18:19):
Hey, Beverly like Johnson, How are you?

Speaker 3 (18:21):
I'm doing well. Mt how are you?

Speaker 11 (18:25):
I'm blessed in how they say the Hello somebody?

Speaker 10 (18:29):
Okay, what I would like.

Speaker 11 (18:31):
To uh now you said this young man is the director.

Speaker 3 (18:35):
He he's the director of the City's Office of Community
Affairs for the City of Memphis.

Speaker 11 (18:43):
Okay, great, this is what I want to accident okay,
and they need to just needs to be investigated. Okay.
I know they allocated millions of dollars. I grew up
at Gaping Community Center right on third seat. Okay, it
was millions of dollars supposedly to renovate Gaston Community Center.

(19:08):
I went up to the to the the community center
last year is supposed to be renovated.

Speaker 10 (19:13):
Right.

Speaker 11 (19:15):
I went in to play Beverley, and the millions of
dollars that they supposedly spent is obvious they didn't. I
talked to the director because I couldn't believe they had artifact.
They had stuff in the building that was there when
I grew up in the sixties. The director told me
that the during roof was still leaking in in in

(19:36):
the uh.

Speaker 12 (19:37):
In the in the game room, the pool room.

Speaker 2 (19:40):
It was like that.

Speaker 11 (19:41):
In the sixties Beverly. They didn't do nothing really but
put a basketball floor down. I mean they actually got
the seats in there that was in there in the sixties.
They had millions of dollars that was supposed to be allegated,
I mean allocated to Gasting communities to revive and to

(20:01):
renovate the facility. They sold all of that money. I
don't know who got it, but I went up there
and it really hurted me to see how because you know,
you could see him.

Speaker 10 (20:12):
Would I be going to work?

Speaker 11 (20:13):
You know, it's supposed to have been reding the community
center renovated, but they are going They didn't do much
and nothing. And then Paul Young, his mother and I
were members of New Salem Missionary Baptist Church on ford Street.
I know his mother person we grew up in Newsaalem,
Reverend Williams. But my thing is and with him with

(20:35):
the particular job, would he investigate and they needed to
get the money because what they did to Gaston, it's
a shame. And I remember when blacks were not even
couldn't even go to Gaston community them Hello somebody, But
the money they were supposed to have been allocated. It

(20:56):
was so because I went and walked through the whole
community center and I just could not believe what I saw.
And it's, uh, you know, it's like I said, it's
just sad what happens in black communities. But the money
that are that's being allocated is obviously someone is taking

(21:19):
the money. No one has said anything about.

Speaker 10 (21:21):
You had Jim Strickler on your.

Speaker 11 (21:24):
Show once and they were talking about, you know, how they.

Speaker 10 (21:27):
Were renovating, which has been some.

Speaker 11 (21:29):
Years ago, a couple of years ago or whatnot. But Beverly,
I'm telling you what God was. They hadn't done much
of anything to gas the community center and whoever had
the contract, they need to bring those folks back in
and and and redo gasing, just like the Shelby County

(21:49):
Health Department that they redid. Well, they did a whole
new community, you know, Shelby County Health Department. You got
the paneling coming out of the building that started the
first week when they opened. Okay, So Jeffson, you can see.
I mean, I'm just saying, they all the money they
get these contractors or whatever, and I know it's somebody

(22:13):
that should have been going up to, you know, checking
making sure that everything was being done correctly.

Speaker 3 (22:19):
Okay.

Speaker 11 (22:19):
And it's just the same how they have done Gosson
Community Center. And I think I'm the first one to bring.

Speaker 10 (22:26):
This to the fourth front.

Speaker 5 (22:27):
Yes you are.

Speaker 11 (22:28):
It's just need to be done. Like I said, that
was my safe had.

Speaker 3 (22:32):
I grew up in the file homes, okay.

Speaker 11 (22:35):
And this in the sixties and that was our safe haven.

Speaker 3 (22:39):
Okay.

Speaker 11 (22:39):
And it's a shane what has happened to Gas Community Center.
And if you will, sir and have somebody something you
need to go up there and y'all need to get
that stuff straight now because it's a shame what they
did to the community in South Minton with Gas and
Community Center. It's saying, well, well.

Speaker 3 (22:57):
Mt we thank you for giving a what's that information?
I'm sure Reginald will say something, but thank you EMT
Hello somebody all right, thank EMT Reginald. You will you
will check into that. We're gonna look right into it. Yeah,
I know you would do that, ma'am. I know you
would do that. You're a man of your word, a

(23:18):
man of God, ma'am.

Speaker 5 (23:21):
Again, we thank both these fellows who had questions and
come in. Thank y'all for choosing Memphis and making Memphis
a part of your life and of your journey, because
you could have gone and packed up and moved anywhere else.
So we really really appreciate your concerns. We appreciate your
words and your love for this city. We all want
to see everybody win. Yeah, and it's going to take
all of us. It's going to continue to take us
to to notice the challenges, but work together for the solutions.

Speaker 3 (23:45):
Yeah, that's that's what always.

Speaker 5 (23:47):
Ever, you know, we can all point out the problem,
this is the problem, this is the problem. How can
we work together to make sure we solve that problem,
get a real solution there, and make sure that our
the next generation. Again, I told you I'm thirty, Lord,
I lost my age seven. Yeah, but I have a
twenty roll of fifteen eleven and A seven. And I

(24:07):
want to make sure when they're thirty seven, forty seven,
fifty seven, all of that, that they have a better
city than I grew up in. I grew up in
a great city, you know, but I want to make
sure it's better for them. And so it's going to
take callers like Unforgettable, EMT and mt UH and so
many others that have the same questions and concerns that

(24:28):
maybe you're not calling, but knowing that it's gonna take everybody.

Speaker 7 (24:31):
So again, thank you for choosing Memphis. We love you guys.

Speaker 3 (24:34):
Again, Reginald tell our listeners what's happening this week. So
and this is one of the ways that you can
be a part of Memphis.

Speaker 7 (24:43):
Absolutely so again.

Speaker 5 (24:44):
On Tomorrow tomorrow from five five o'clock, will open the door.

Speaker 7 (24:49):
Thursday Thursday, Oh lord, tomorrow is Wednesday.

Speaker 3 (24:52):
I know you like me.

Speaker 5 (24:53):
I said what you say, Thursday Thursday, Thursday, Thursday, not tomorrow.
You go to the riverside tomorrow. You won't get no food.
You might get Bible studying. Shameless plug.

Speaker 7 (25:02):
But yeah, but but on Thursday, we.

Speaker 5 (25:05):
Are hosting our home Ownership seminar if you Will is
being presented by Mayor Paul Young, doctor Reginald Harris of
nay RAP. He's the president. He'll be hosting a class.
We're going to feed and we're going to learn all
about home ownership, the power of home ownership, why it
is important, what programs exist, How can we make sure

(25:26):
that we have what we need to.

Speaker 3 (25:28):
Own our home?

Speaker 7 (25:30):
And then once we own it, how do we protect it? Right?

Speaker 5 (25:32):
Because owning your house is one thing. Keeping that house
in your name and your family in your in your
lineage is another thing. And so we want to make
sure that people you know and know what you're signing,
don't don't just automatically agree to the first terms.

Speaker 7 (25:47):
I'll never forget.

Speaker 5 (25:48):
We were looking to buy a home a while back
and lending company they pre approved us, and when they
sent us the contract, you know what it said, they
want to give us a balloon payment.

Speaker 3 (25:59):
Wow.

Speaker 5 (25:59):
Now, don't get me wrong. We loved the house, yeah,
but we didn't want no balloons with it.

Speaker 3 (26:03):
Exactly. I want to bring my own balloon right, exactly exactly.

Speaker 5 (26:07):
But most people don't know that, and so they'll go
forward and they don't understand what balloon payments are, and
so then they enjoy their houses for the first four
to five years and in the year six come it
depends on that terms of their balloon payment. You got
to come up with the rest of that money. And
if you don't, guess what what, you've lost the house. Yeah,
and you don't get any money back. And so but
we have the educated people now.

Speaker 7 (26:27):
Of course, the.

Speaker 5 (26:28):
Rule and the goal into the balloon payment piece is
by year three you refinance and they give you another
lending opportunity and all of that. But most folks don't
know that kind of stuff. So we just want to
make sure that we're always educating our people.

Speaker 3 (26:43):
Okay, we're going back to our phone lines to talk
with you. WG I a high caller.

Speaker 2 (26:50):
Good eye morning babel is small.

Speaker 3 (26:52):
Change, Good morning, small change. How are you brother?

Speaker 2 (26:56):
I'll tell you what. I'm good like your son. I'm
staying up, baby, I'm staying up.

Speaker 3 (26:59):
I like that. I hear you.

Speaker 2 (27:01):
I hear you, bab I didn't get your gifts that
you said, mister Reginald.

Speaker 3 (27:06):
Reginald, Yeah, Reginald Boys. He's director of the city's Office
of Community Affairs and special assistant to Mayor Paul Young.

Speaker 2 (27:15):
He got too many titles.

Speaker 3 (27:19):
Yeah, a small chad and he's also a pastor.

Speaker 2 (27:23):
No, oh lord, he got too many titles. He's about
to get to the Thank you for somebody to get
to the mail and do it in respect? Yes, well,
I think it's from my own perspective, people, but I
think a lot of people that's going to be working
and the mail's behad is not doing it because our

(27:45):
city is filthy. Help me, mister Reginald, somebody to get
to the mail because he got out of there and
let him know what's going on. I think a lot
of this could be someved if he only knew because
he played already for But the people's working under the math,
father mayth to your D job and clean up this city.

(28:10):
It don't make sense because we have this math that
y'all just riding around in these cars and not doing
what you're supposed to do. I'm talking to the people
that's supposed to be working, Father Mail under the math,
do your d job and let's clean up our city
and other that bath. I'm with you again. We're gonna

(28:31):
get this inspection station back up because a lot of
this joke, I.

Speaker 3 (28:35):
Wish you know what small change I wish they would
get the inspection stations.

Speaker 2 (28:40):
Back up because a lot of this crap on the street.
And I'm saying that folk get mad if you want,
I don't care, don't. The junk y'all don't even want it.
That's just how bad it is. The junk yard don't
even want And it's a shame for our city to
be run down because.

Speaker 11 (28:56):
Somebody said, well we kill you know, we got to
give him a chance.

Speaker 2 (28:59):
Keep giving them a check. Answer after why they gonna
run you out of your house?

Speaker 3 (29:03):
M I hear your small change?

Speaker 2 (29:07):
Yeah, let's get this back up. This if we.

Speaker 3 (29:11):
What'd you say, I'm losing your small change?

Speaker 8 (29:14):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (29:14):
I was waiting until you got through. We were coming
back through my radio.

Speaker 10 (29:17):
Come in.

Speaker 2 (29:18):
I got the day off. MA, if I ain't in
my big vehicuse, I got the day off. And I'm
glad I caught you in Missus Regins. But please, when
you get a chance, that didn't get to to put
on the mass high. I believe it can't prove it,
but I believe a lot of people that working under
him and for him is not doing what they're supposed
to do. It's just like your hand. You keep all
your fingers clean. You don't get watch one thing and

(29:41):
the rest of them dirty. You could do your job
if you're working for the man, you working for the city.
It's just some of these streets. Lord, I hate to
go down Beverly in this town. It's ridiculous. And we
got some nastiest citizens in there. Where did y'all come from?

Speaker 6 (29:56):
Right?

Speaker 2 (29:57):
Where did y'all come from to be so nasty? I mean,
we got some master. I wish I could see it
like man Helton. I don't do it like man yet
flat nasty yet, flat nasty with that man, I'm gonna
get out in there.

Speaker 3 (30:11):
But Small Change, hold on for a second. I'm gonna
take a break. I got to tell you something. But
just hold on for a second.

Speaker 2 (30:16):
Okay, I'm gonna do your thing, bab I'm gonna keep
holding on.

Speaker 3 (30:20):
Hold on, hold on for a second. Hold on for
a second. Hold on, okay, hold on, small Change. We
are talking, Regine. Do you want to say anything the
small change? How I go to this break? Absolutely?

Speaker 5 (30:30):
First of all, small Change, thank you so much for
calling in and sharing your concerns. Uh and hopefully by
the end of the year you won't be small Change more,
you'd be big change. But but this is the promise
that we will continue to make. Number One, the Mayor
is one hundred per aware of the condition of our streets.

(30:51):
He's he's aware of the condition of our neighborhoods, and
he has already not only charged me, but charge all
of those work in all of these different divisions, those
who work with the City of Memphis that we are.

Speaker 7 (31:05):
Going full fledged.

Speaker 5 (31:06):
We're literally doing a blitz attack to make sure that
we can attack the blight and all the bulkways that
exists in our neighborhoods. That's bringing property value down, that's
obviously putting hopelessness in front of kids when they're walking
into school. So we've already been starting that process this
whole week before school has started. We've had teams out

(31:27):
there ensuring that properties near schools were clean and safe
so as students were walking to school, they didn't have
to deal with some of those things. In fact, here's
a way that not only the City of Memphis can
play a part, but also residents. On September twentieth, so
it makes you mark this down small change in everybody.
On September twentieth, the Mayor's hosting his own your block initiative.

Speaker 7 (31:51):
It is our cleaning initiative.

Speaker 5 (31:53):
Well, we're asking every church, we're asking every neighbor, we're
asking every community based organization to find an area, just
an area near your house, near your church, whatever space
it is. We're gonna own that spot. If every person
just take control, not just only their own yard, but
just around it says, hey, we're not gonna we have

(32:14):
zero tolerance. We're not gonna accept any littering. If I
see you throw something out, I'm gonna report you. If
I see you put something.

Speaker 7 (32:20):
Out here and you don't live out here, I'm.

Speaker 5 (32:21):
Gonna report you. I'm gonna take a picture of your tags.
Because that's a lot of things we have too. You
said that small change, We do have some folks who
literally will cross state lines or will cross other places
and drop their bulkways in someone else's neighborhood and then
drive off, and so you know, it's a lot of
that going on.

Speaker 7 (32:39):
We have a lot of issues with that cleaning, with
the cleaning struggle, and.

Speaker 5 (32:44):
So it's gonna take everybody to make sure that we
own this and we play a part. But the mayor
is one hundred percent aware of it, and he is
one hundred percent committed to it. Literally, we are out there,
boots on the ground literally when we see it, and
that's that's our charge. If we see something, we're asked
to pick it up. We're mandated to pick it up.
It's nothing for me to be in the whole suit

(33:05):
and I see something, pick it up, put in the
plastic bag, and take it somewhere and I go dump
it in, dump it in whatever trash can that I see.

Speaker 7 (33:13):
And so we do.

Speaker 5 (33:14):
And we got to start educating our communities, our neighborhoods
again about what recycling is and what we won't allow.
You know, putting you know, there's a way if you're
gonna put your couch out there, I mean, there's a
way to do all of this and we can get
rid of that bulk waste for you. But just putting
it out there and keep on driving and not telling anything.
Especially if you see something that's been there longer than
the days that has been allocated for it's probably chances

(33:37):
are it's because it hadn't been communicated, and so if
you communicate it as soon as possible, Hey, this is
what I've seen. We've seen tires here, we've seen this, here,
we've seen that, then we can get it up. The
problem is one of the problems and challenges. People see it,
but they don't report it.

Speaker 7 (33:52):
And we all have to.

Speaker 5 (33:54):
Be the eyes for this administration. We all have to
be the hands for this administration, and so we can
do this together. And I really again appreciate you small
change for your passion and saying, hey, I want a
cleaner city, and we agree with you.

Speaker 7 (34:10):
We want our city clean too.

Speaker 3 (34:12):
We are talking with the director of the Office of
Community Fairs for the City of Memphis, special Assistant to
the Mayor, mister Reginald Boys. Hold on, callers, hold on, listeners.
We will get to you next. Right here on w d.

Speaker 4 (34:29):
I A got something to say. Say it next with
Tennessee Radio Hall of Famer Bev Johnson on w d
i A the Bev Josi.

Speaker 6 (35:05):
I mean, I'm telling everyone.

Speaker 13 (35:10):
Talking, and I'm talking with mister Reginald Boys, director of
the city's Office of Community Fairs.

Speaker 3 (35:27):
Reginald going back to our phone lines to talk with Nancy. Hi, Nancy,
good morning, good morning, how are you.

Speaker 14 (35:37):
I'm fine? Thanks for asking. I was calling. What's the report?
Someone to cold Enforcement? What is the steps that they
go through black you report them, but when you pass
by here, you still see that light in front of
their house or either owner a front porch.

Speaker 5 (36:00):
Yeah, so first of all, Nancy, great question. Once you've
done that and you've reported, if it's still there past
I'll say seventy two hours, definitely a week, then you
can do that again. Definitely call our through on one,
so you have our call through one one, make that
complaint and usually they'll jump right on it. But if not,

(36:21):
call it again or have someone else, even from another number,
because sometimes when we get multiple calls from different residents
and that obviously shows that it's a heated spot on
the map. But once you call it usually they respond
right at it. Now obviously we're dealing with human beings.
So I'll say after seventy two hours, after a week,

(36:43):
if you see that that bulk waste is still there,
if you can just make another report and said, hey,
I have the pictures here.

Speaker 7 (36:51):
And not only do I have the.

Speaker 5 (36:52):
Pictures, I've made a report, I've made a call and
if you have yet to got to get a call back,
and if you've yet to see that being handled, and
this is what you can do, and I'll give this everyone.
You can email me at Reginald dot boys at Memphis
t N dot gov. I'll spell it for you. R
E G I N A L D dot that's a period,

(37:17):
b O y c E at Memphis ten t N
dot gov, g O V and so again, if you
feel like, hey, I've made stride and I've made some
some requests and that bulkways is still there, feel free
to reach out to me and we're looking investigated as well.

Speaker 14 (37:36):
Okay, let me read it back. It's original r E
G at N A A D dot boys, b O
y c E at Memphis m E M P h
I S t N dot gov.

Speaker 2 (37:48):
That ma'am.

Speaker 3 (37:50):
Okay, thank you, thank you, thank you, Nancy, bye bye, Hi, Meredith.

Speaker 6 (37:57):
Hey man, thank you so much for getting me into
the Hello to your guest, mister Reginald. Oh, listen, what
prompted me to call? Because I've been in and out
hearing some of what you have to say, but then
when I heard a small change call in, I said,
you know, let me call because I'm wandering and do
mythics actually know what they actually what they really want?
You know, you want us to you want mythics to

(38:18):
put up the.

Speaker 2 (38:19):
Inspection station again.

Speaker 6 (38:20):
I said, absolutely not. The inspection station should not go
up again until missus is able to tax none Mithians. Okay,
because we got so many other counties coming in mythis
working using the roads and pay nothing. But yet the
inspection stations ain't gonna hurt the poor. Now we complain
about matter being a bus station that is inoperable pretty much,
it's no, it does no good for the community. Yet

(38:44):
you can play about people putting together piecing together car
to get back and forward to work. So mssus, what
do you want. I mean, you don't have the bus transportation,
but then you want to hurt the poor people over here.
I just want someone to family say that the tax
dollars and mythis goes to the better communities. You know,
we have the matter matter. The sanitation department come out
on there making a thousand excuses of why they can't

(39:04):
pick up garbage, why in the first neighborhood. But then
I say, you know what, when I left and nis
in the best neighborhoods, they didn't leave the trash on
my street.

Speaker 2 (39:12):
They didn't leave garbage. If they if they say garbage Jews.

Speaker 6 (39:15):
Down or down the driveway when they picked up garbage,
but then the black community they do, So how how
is it? Why is this such a difference, And we
are like, we don't see that. I mean, it's got
to be something done to even out the tax dollars. Okay,
members is one message. Yet are we gonna say home ownership?
People who pay more taxes have more officive homes get
the better tax dollars and community that does not have

(39:37):
home ownership get the low. That means the black.

Speaker 2 (39:39):
Portgo always be the underdog. So what can.

Speaker 6 (39:42):
We do to even the plan field out? We got
the gas chambers coming in with gas turbines, but everyone
to complain about people having money to not have good cars.
I mean, set all messis we need to do better.
And black people are mythhics. Understand what y'all saying when
y'all put these things in place. Okay, mimbers are the
only ones that, like you said before, you hit on
this really well. People coming into myssic doing a lot

(40:03):
of these things. But yet missives and I just miss it.
The poor people are missing of the ones who suffer.
Last comment, I know this movie came out and to
Roger p. Hinton, and she made a comment statement that says,
the black people are not blackly, but poor people are.
It's expensive to be poor. I think a term it's
very expensive to be poor. Why is it? Why is

(40:24):
it so expensive to be poor? Why the poor people
hurt the most? Thank y'all for let me in. That's
my comment.

Speaker 3 (40:31):
Reginald, you'd like to comment on, say a few just
a few things.

Speaker 7 (40:34):
First of all, mayriored it.

Speaker 5 (40:35):
Thank you again for choosing Mephis, keeping Mephis a part
of your life, because again you could have taken your
talents and treasures and your time somewhere else, but you
you continue every day to make Myphis your home and
I appreciate it, and uh, I'm with you. You know,
our city is divided. You have people on both sides
of saying what they want. But we have a we

(40:57):
have a mayor, we have an administration that is committee
to unifying this city. Which is why we host our
town halls to hear allow people get it out, to
voice what it is that they're concerned with, and then
he educates them. And then once we have an inform
we become informed citizens and we say okay, now I
understand this, most people pick it. They'll pick aside why

(41:18):
they like this, why they don't like this, based off
what someone else told them. So they most people don't
do their education. So the mayor is very committed into
making sure they were educated, we're informed citizens. And the
other piece is we have a mayor that is committed
to making sure that all neighborhoods are not just equal,

(41:39):
but equity. And that means that you need what you
will receive the resources and the things that you need
to make sure that you can thrive and be successful.
And so there are no neighborhoods that are taking priority
over any We want to make sure that all neighborhoods
are thriving, make sure all neighborhoods are healthy. Which is
why we have so many and I mean so many

(42:01):
initiatives that are taking place that as we do our
city planning and as we uh and you know, have
all these different meetings, like we want to hear from
the citizens and we want to make sure how can
we make your community, your zip code, your neighborhood successful
Because what it takes for why having to be successful
maybe a little different for Orange maund but whatever it takes,

(42:22):
that's that's the type of hard work going to do,
and so I thank you for it. And again our
mayor is one hundred percent committed to making sure that
all Niffians win.

Speaker 3 (42:32):
Going back to our phone lines to talk with you,
thank you for waiting.

Speaker 2 (42:35):
Hi Orlando, Hello Bev.

Speaker 12 (42:38):
Mine used to be home this morning. Thank you for
taking my call.

Speaker 3 (42:41):
You so welcome. Brother.

Speaker 12 (42:43):
Yes, ma'am, you know I work all over the city.
My job takes me into all parts of this city,
and that you know, with the taxes going up, people
getting raised is downtown and everything as they're cutting back
on probably the services or your bus cup services being
cut the till it is not util it is the

(43:04):
of the sanitation department was probably running short on help.
I got a couple of friends who were shop steers
that work down. But the thing of it is is
that you know, it really takes people who really know
pretty much how to really run a business, because the
city is a business, and.

Speaker 10 (43:22):
People like me.

Speaker 12 (43:22):
I'm buying my fourth house. I've lived in four different
areas of this city, and I have said in the
past there that if three of those areas well, I
want to say three. I'm gonna say two of those areas.
I definitely wouldn't want to move back in first house
I bought was way back in nineteen seventy three, so
that tells you. And then I sackle. When I bought

(43:42):
it in I think ninety two or somewhere along in
eighty two or something like that, I stayed I think
eight year. I didn't Raleigh area. It's pretty nice, still
halfway dec in that house, and now I'm in my
fourth one. But the thing over there where I live now,
right there, if you went off of North park Way
on to month Montgomery, we got some businesses in this area.
Tie business. And man, I tell you the other day,

(44:05):
I was going down the Montgomery going north before you
get to uh well it did then before it gets
to Jackson going north off the North Parkway, and you
will see that people are going to start stacking tied
It looked like maybe one hundred tires was stacked down
there on the street. So I don't know what cold
enforcement does in this city. I don't even know. Uh,
mister Branch, I'm sorry if I didn't pronounce your Are

(44:29):
you and boys? Are you in charge of cold enforcement?

Speaker 7 (44:32):
Uh no, sir, mister Landa, I'm not in charge.

Speaker 5 (44:34):
But we do work together, and so give me that
location where down the tire zone.

Speaker 12 (44:38):
Okay, Well, if you if you turn off a North
Parkway onto a Montgomery going north, uh uh it dead
then Montgomery, what did end before it gets to Jackson? Okay?
But at that then end, I don't know what that
crowd street is that I always turned before I go
over to uh oh goodness or u uh whatever the street.

Speaker 7 (45:03):
There by, like restaurant stores anything.

Speaker 12 (45:06):
Uh no, sir, this is all residential. When you're going
when you come off of North Parkway and start going
down or Montgomery, that's all residential in there. You you
won't see any business. It's it's all but the businesses
that's there is on bail View and Jackson. They got
some tie businesses in there, Okay. And these people now

(45:27):
they if you go in there. I have my wife's
car done on the at this little tie shop at
bail View. I forget the cross street right there, but
it's almost before you get to Jackson. And they said, well,
if you take your four ties that we put on you,
tis well, if you take those four ties, they won't
charge you four dollars to keep the tie. So if

(45:47):
I said. I said, well, okay, throw them in the
back of my truck and I'll cam over there. On on,
I think as ever this press or wherever they take
those ties at, and I'll cam over there. So that's
what I did. But when I see tires pier like
I saw the other day, I know this sanitation truck
for eventually, I hope it will probably go through there
and pick all that stuff up. But it's just sad

(46:09):
to see how weeds are growing. Ap I go through Fraser,
going through over the cross in that area, going on
up toward the Firestone No Firestone that's going on up
the Fraser Boulevard, all down through that area weeds. People
own properties and the city act like they don't know
how to get these people to clean up their own property.

(46:31):
There's a way to get That's what Cold enforcement is
supposed to step up and see all that stuff. I
see businesses, they're supposed to have the property fenced then
where you can't see inside, like a junk yard. They're
supposed to have those things. I like to see the
law book that cold enforcement is using today. I helped work.
I worked in doctor Harriton's campaign when we took over

(46:54):
the when the first Black Mary took over in Mesis.
And I tell you that law book was stick. I
sure would like to see it what it looks like today,
especially with cars. You know, we had the inspection center
going on when you have to get your cars inspected.
But I see cars now, and I understand these people
trying to get back and forth to work driving these
cars because they couldn't drive these cars out of the

(47:15):
city looking like that, you know, no bumpers, no no headlights,
all those different things. And it just said to see
how the city and taxes are constantly going up so
we can give people downtown raises on the city council
and the Shelby County whoever. And they getting raises and
they cutting back in the areas what we really need

(47:36):
the work being done. And I heard you say something
about getting together in the neighborhood and clean up. I
clean up my property. And if somebody is supposed to
be keeping an eye on the city and code enforcement
see somebody violating, they supposed to send a letter or
something to those people, let them know they got to
clean that area up. I think I talked to you
about about a week or so ago, and you say,

(47:58):
and we were talking about the highs building up behind
the Ladies fence, Yes, you remember, Yeah, And that's what
I'm talking about. Some type of cold enforcement, is not.
So whoever's in charge of that. If I was in
charge of colding force, I see the city and I
clean it up because I'd be finding anybody who was
messing the city upright, And that's how you get money.
And then all these vacant loss you could take that

(48:18):
property and build houses on it. In Center you build
up forty thous You take forty thousand dollars building some
property house, and then you can sell it for two
hundred thousand. So you know, it's just it's just a
lot of ways to make money, as seeing in charge
of this city.

Speaker 2 (48:33):
Okay, thank you very much.

Speaker 12 (48:36):
Mister Boys has to say about what I said.

Speaker 3 (48:38):
Okay, thank you Orlando.

Speaker 10 (48:41):
Yes, ma'am, all right.

Speaker 5 (48:42):
Reginald, thank you Orlando again for your comments. I'm gonna
check that information out today of North Parkway to Montgomery
area and just see see.

Speaker 3 (48:52):
That for myself and get some pictures as well.

Speaker 5 (48:55):
And then again, if we start seeing any powers, most
of the time, by the time they're communicated and reported,
it's when it's already a thousand tires. But if we
kind of start seeing that, start four tires here at
eight times, I'm gonna be honest. You see four tires, immediately,
just go ahead and report it. So that way they
know that people are watching. And we have upgraded even

(49:20):
technology and making sure that we are capturing those individuals
who are violating, who are harming our neighborhoods and in
all these different zones and areas where tires and bulk
wats is being collected. So you're underston right and running
the city is a business, and we are thinking in

(49:41):
that terms as well, which is while we got to
make a clean city, because that's that's this is a
business decision. If it's not a clean city, guess what's
gonna happen. Folks are gonn to move out, people are
not gonna want to come invest. And so but also
it's bigger than business. It's people deserve a clean city,
People deserve healthy neighborhoods, They deserve a better Memphis.

Speaker 7 (50:00):
And so we want to continue to work hard and
doing that.

Speaker 5 (50:04):
And I will certainly give a shout out to our
cold enforcement team.

Speaker 7 (50:09):
They are working hard.

Speaker 5 (50:10):
But because we can always use more talent, and we
can always use more people. So are there any other
individuals out there that said, hey, I want to join
the team. You can go to our website City in
Memphis and see what jobs are out there as well.
But just again, this is the problem and the challenges
that we're facing in this city. It is not something
that government can fix along, nor is it something that

(50:30):
residents can fix along.

Speaker 3 (50:32):
It's going to.

Speaker 7 (50:33):
Take every person.

Speaker 3 (50:35):
And so again, we are very very grateful. We welcome.

Speaker 7 (50:39):
Critiques. We welcome when people.

Speaker 3 (50:42):
Notice challenges and they notice.

Speaker 5 (50:44):
Problems and opportunities, but we also welcome when people say, hey,
we're here, we want to work with you, and we
want to help make our home, make our city better.
And so again I want to thank you Orlando that
you didn't take your gifts to Orlando.

Speaker 3 (50:59):
Yeah, keep from here in Memphis.

Speaker 5 (51:01):
But I'll check on that and thank you for reporting
that to me because I didn't even know that, and
we'll look into that asap.

Speaker 10 (51:08):
Thank you. Brother.

Speaker 3 (51:09):
Sounds good. As we get ready to wrap up Regin
Old Boys, tell our listeners we don't want them to
forget about Thursday and what's coming up with the City
of Memphis.

Speaker 5 (51:19):
Absolutely so again Thursday, from five to seven, we are
hosting our Economic Impact We're kicking off our Economic Empowerment Tour.
We're talking about home ownership this week at Riverside Missionary
Baptist Church. It's going to be from the hours of
five to seven five o'clock, we'll.

Speaker 7 (51:38):
Be hosting a dinner.

Speaker 5 (51:39):
So from five to six you can come get you
some food, break bread with us.

Speaker 7 (51:43):
It is free. The entire event is free.

Speaker 5 (51:45):
You don't have to spend a dime on anything on
none of the literature, on the food. Even if you say, hey,
I have transportation barriers and issues, MADA has partnered with us.

Speaker 3 (51:55):
We have bus passes.

Speaker 5 (51:56):
So if you will like a bus pass, please email
me again dot voice at Memphis ten dot gov and say, hey,
we you know or my relative will like to come
and they don't have a cell phone, they don't have
an email, but we need.

Speaker 3 (52:11):
A bus pass that we can get them back and forth.

Speaker 7 (52:13):
Let me know. We'll work with you on that.

Speaker 5 (52:15):
And again, if there are any things that you notice
in the city where you need to make those complaints,
make sure you call three one one. That is what
three one one is there for. We want to partner
with you in making sure that area is clean, making
sure our cities are better. And then here's September twenty
Put this data on your calendar. It is on your block.
We're asking everybody in the city of Memphis on September twentieth,

(52:36):
help us on our block, on our areas, on the
spot of ground that God has blessed us with.

Speaker 7 (52:42):
Clean it. And then not only.

Speaker 5 (52:44):
Clean it, we're gonna maintain it. We're gonna make this
is not a one day thing. We want to teach
and help individuals keep the area clean and hold people accountable.
You know, I'll tell you where I live. If a
car looks like it's it ain't supposed to be there.
You know, everybody walk outside, we look and if they
looked like they about to throw them out the window.

(53:05):
You can't do it now. And that's what we need.
Nosy neighbors again. We don't have them no more.

Speaker 3 (53:09):
What of those neighbors at now?

Speaker 5 (53:11):
Let let folks know you can't pull up in here
and drop nothing. No, no, be nosey again, because I'll
tell you this. Nosy neighbors saved my life. They told
my mom and dad everything I was doing right and
so get nosey again and let's hope people acount.

Speaker 3 (53:26):
I thank you so much, Reginald Boys. You are so
understanding and compassionate that I know you believe in this city.
Mister Reginald Boys, director of the city's Office of Community Affair,
Special Assistant to the Mayor, and he's gonna let me
or Paul Young know what you all had.

Speaker 5 (53:42):
To say, right everything, every word I'm gonna call names
and everything from small change to every unforgetful, whatever the name,
every name.

Speaker 3 (53:53):
Don't let them know. Tell him I said hello and
that you know you are welcome any time to bring
us the good news. Absolutely.

Speaker 5 (54:00):
Yeah, matter of fact, I'm gonna come co host with
you one dad. Play some of my favorite songs, you
play some of your favorite songs.

Speaker 3 (54:05):
Sound like's make it happen. Okay, let's make it happen.
Thank you so much, reginal Boys for being here. Likewise,
as always, we're getting ready to go to the other
side of the BEV Johnson Show. Mister Willie Jacobs is
next right here on do w D i A.

Speaker 8 (54:24):
Whether you're in Arkansas, Tennessee, or Mississippi on Facebook, Twitter,
or Instagram, thank you for listening to The Bev Johnson
Show on doub d I a Memphis BEV show.

Speaker 11 (55:00):
I'm not

Speaker 1 (55:01):
Thinking a pounds of things perfectly