Lee A. Harris, Shelby County Mayor

Stan's Special People Spotlight was shining on The Honorable Lee A. Harris, Shelby County Mayor.

WDIA'S Stan Bell sat down to conduct the interview and discussed the brand new Summer Initiative with the Mayor.

The conversation also shifted to allow listeners to call-in to ask questions concerning his accomplishments and endeavors during his tenure as Mayor. The Mayor graciously accepted the task, and addressed issues in the county and city.

Mayor Harris is a graduate of Yale University and Morehouse College. He is also a Memphis native--graduating from Overton High School.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Memphis, storing and bread, walking the walk and talking and talk.
It's the stan Bell Morning Show, weekday mornings from six
to ten AM on the Heart and Soul of Memphis
ten to seventy WD.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
I A all right, let me give my microphone there,
y'all gonna hear something like this. Yeah, cut, need some
aill on my boom microphone. Everybody, all right, whoo, we
are back now. I'm gonna do something real quickly, and
then I gotta take another quick break because I gotta
get you all ready for the one thousand dollars nationwide keyworders.

Speaker 3 (00:26):
I know everybody could lead.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Could use a little bit of paper, cheese, the narrow
go scriller. What how as they say mission they when
they say cheddar Yeah, geez, hold on, give me.

Speaker 3 (00:38):
Give me a microphone.

Speaker 2 (00:39):
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to stand special people spotlight in
the studio with me right now.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
They're honorable lee A Harris.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
I've been trying to get that a out of them
for a long time with their stand for but I
just google it. I guess maya chive cut it. Bir Harris,
Welcome to the program, Sir, Hey, hey, hey.

Speaker 4 (00:57):
And I gotta say there were no momosas in the
green room you.

Speaker 3 (01:01):
Heard I did. I've been listening. Well, thank you.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
Well, you know you got to say that the mayor
it's I know it's Friday, but the mayor doesn't in dull.

Speaker 3 (01:12):
That's right, That's right.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah, but other crew members, y'all welcome to it. It's Friday,
as often you say sometimes in the meetings Friday. Uh,
when you all have your meetings a mayor, do you,
I know you you kind of meet with your.

Speaker 3 (01:28):
I meet with them all day every day.

Speaker 4 (01:29):
Yeah, we had a great meeting about your show and
preparing for your show because we know you got all
the listeners out there, and so we want to make
sure we were ready to go.

Speaker 3 (01:37):
That would be true. Mayor. You sure know what to
say in the meetings.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
And you know what, I'm so pleased to have you
here is as one of the men who shoulders. I
standing on Rufus Thomas, mister Rufus Thomas, respect day. It
is a plump, pleasing pleasure and a privilege to have
you on w G I A. That's my guest this morning.
Many of you know Amya Harris. He is the mayor
of Shelby County educated man. And I want to get
that out of the way because most of y'all know,

(02:02):
and I don't take it for granted.

Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yale University, Moorhouse College. Uh, DJ is prominent Overton. I'm
going back now.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
I don't remember that stand, but I take a word
for it. I wasn't now, but they heard you turn
I heard you turn it out. Yeah, Watkins over to
what class were you?

Speaker 3 (02:18):
Mayor Harris trying to do the math? Did that's good enough? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (02:31):
And I DJ did his birthday party back in the day.
I don't want to say too much because it'd be
like I'm partial on this interview. DJ is for the
birthday party about about five years ago something, trying to
do the math for a work in my head. So
y'all get the idea of who we're talking to, Democratic Party,
all of that good stuff. But but actually, you know,
he speaks truth to power. I'm excited to have Mayor

(02:52):
on the show.

Speaker 3 (02:53):
Uh. He's been doing a pretty good job.

Speaker 2 (02:55):
But if you beg to different, you maybe want to
call and let us know, or if you have any questions.
But first of all, for almost you here, Mayor, for
a real important reason, A vibally important reason.

Speaker 3 (03:03):
Let's talk about Art for All culture.

Speaker 4 (03:06):
Well, what we've done stand is we've opened up the
Office of Nonprofit Services and as part of that office,
we do a lot of art and culture or outreach.
So there are lots of new programs in Shelby County Government.
One is Our for All Festival. And in addition to that,
when we came to talk about today is our Culture Pass.
Our culture Pass. People are always talking about what can
young people do during the summer months and during the

(03:28):
course of the school year. What activities do we have
in memphisins Liberty Land is closed and all of that.
I mean, I can't even remember. We used to have
a water park, we used to have all kinds of things.
And so now we've decided in Shelby County Government to
give young folks something to do, and we call it
the Culture Pass. So it's more than you know, thirty
organizations that are going to provide free admissions, one time,
free admissions for young folks to experience their cultural offerings.

(03:52):
And so one example of that is the Hadilou Theater,
which has been a really, really great partner to our
Culture Pass. And so if you pick up a Culture Pass.
You're entitled while seats are available, to go to a
free play at the Hapteleuth Theater. Now, this is primarily
focused on elementary age school students, and so if you've
got an elementary age school student, you have over thirty offerings,

(04:12):
including the Hadelu Theater where you can go and partake
of what they offer for free one time from now
until the end of the year. So we've got the
Hateleuth Theater stand, We've got the Memphis Rock and Soul Museum.

Speaker 3 (04:25):
You can go there for free.

Speaker 4 (04:27):
We've got We've got Theater Memphis, We've got the Metal Museum,
We've got all kinds of organizations. Davis Manor Historic Site,
so that's one of the oldest structures in Memphis.

Speaker 3 (04:38):
Shelby County. It's in Bartlett.

Speaker 4 (04:40):
If you've always wanted to go there and not pay well,
it's on Shelby County Government from now to the end
of December. Playhouse on the Square, that's one of my
favorite organizations in Memphis and Shelby County.

Speaker 3 (04:52):
It's at Cooper and Union.

Speaker 4 (04:53):
You can go there if you've always wanted to see
a play at the Playoffs on the Square and you're
an elementary age school student, get your parents and sign
up for this culture past and you can go see
a play for free at the Playhouse on the Square
in Mephis. So there are over thirty offerings along those lines,
and it's never been done before. It builds on some
of our other work which is also ongoing before we

(05:15):
get a chance to talk about that, which is our
Summer Pass, which gives you a chance to go to
museums and so forth free during the summer months. And
you can go to the museums and so forth that
are part of our Summer Pass an unlimited number of
times during the summer months.

Speaker 2 (05:28):
So, so, mayor how can people register and get these
free cultural culture passes?

Speaker 3 (05:33):
So I'm glad you act.

Speaker 4 (05:34):
So we in Shelby County Government, we really are serious
about outreach, and so we've hired an Art and Cultural
Liaison to coordinate all of this and to and to
do outreach and to bring that bring the word to
them and bring the word to the people.

Speaker 3 (05:48):
That's right.

Speaker 5 (05:50):
In here.

Speaker 2 (05:50):
Just a matter of moments, I know, as you mentioned,
Jesus Shelby County Arts and Culture Liaison, and I'm gonna
have to discuss the new Arts and Culture pass, this
free access pass and just a little bit for they
kind of students.

Speaker 3 (06:00):
I think this is wonderful, Mayor. You know. I don't
like to bring you.

Speaker 2 (06:03):
In here and get straight up and start trying to
get to all of the issues right off the bat,
but I want to. I always like to accentuate the positive,
and I think this is a great thing. And we'll
talk more about this and then we'll move into another direction.
If you have time, and if you want to take
some phone calls, that'll be gracious of you, sir, all
will take a break. Check c h e c K.

(06:24):
That's check worth one thousand dollars. Get to our website
my wdia dot com.

Speaker 3 (06:31):
No many of you are hanging on for that one.

Speaker 2 (06:33):
And because we've got our special guest in here, I
want to make sure I get that in and generally
it's a more towards the top of the hour, but nevertheless,
we got in there for you, and I'll probably do
a repeat of that one thousand dollar nationwide keywork for
those who may be just joining us.

Speaker 3 (06:49):
Again, it's checked c h e ck. Take that.

Speaker 2 (06:56):
A stormer would say, take that to our website for
your chance to win one thousand dollars. Right if you're
just joining us, I'm in the studio with the Mayor
of Shelby County, the Honorable Lee A. Harris, and we're
talking in Shelby County Division of Community Services, Art for
All and this culture Pass. Let me get a bike
back on the Mayor and they will bring in Liaison

(07:18):
Nakeisha Cole to talk more and discuss more about to
do arts and culture past. Matter of fact, that's how
I get missus Cole on the radio. Now talk to us,
missus Cole, about this free access pass for Shelby County students.

Speaker 5 (07:29):
Well, this project grew out of the Shelby County Arts
and Culture Nonprofit Committee and our goal is to create
arts access and awareness for all Shelby County residents, regardless
of where they are, where the neighborhood was, zip code
that they reside in, and as a collective, it was
decided that we would create this culture Pass. So special

(07:51):
thanks to all of the nonprofits who are supporting this
effort and working with us here at Shelby County. But
all of these experiences are are encapsulating what arts and
culture is in art in our community. That's one of
our greatest imports and exports. If you know anything about
Memphis and Shelby County, our arts and culture is unparalleled.

(08:12):
So we want to be want to make sure that
all young people, elementary school students again, regardless of where
they live. Was it code, get experienced the arts and
culture opportunities that are in our community.

Speaker 2 (08:24):
Okay, now I'm try right there. So is there a
living on these passes? How is it living or or
you know, how do you become a pass holder? But
is it up to how so many members in the family. Well, no,
that everybody probably want the body. You got to have
a living somewhere, right.

Speaker 5 (08:38):
Yeah, So it's one past per family and it has
to be an elementary school student that signs up for
that past. So that is the past holder and their
family members that are able to take part in these programs.

Speaker 3 (08:48):
So where's the past is available?

Speaker 1 (08:49):
Where?

Speaker 3 (08:49):
What can I know?

Speaker 5 (08:50):
They right now are at all eighteen Memphis area library
and at twenty four community centers.

Speaker 3 (08:57):
Oh that's a lot that website then go on and register.

Speaker 5 (09:02):
Yes, okay, well it's not on one artfraul dot com.
Not on one artfraul dot com. Backslass Culture Pass, but
you have to have an active past this brochure to
activate it. So you have to go to the library
to pick up your packast and register on site.

Speaker 3 (09:18):
Okay, what a campaign? Stand that?

Speaker 4 (09:22):
The one time is we have one time per organization.
So we've got dozens of organizations participating. So you can
go to each one of these organizations and get your
free benefit. And so for example, I told you about
the Hadelu Theater. The Children's Museum of Memphis is one
of our participating organizations. Davis Manor in Bartlett, the Memphis

(09:43):
Rock and Soul Museum, the Memphis Youth Arts Initiatives, which
is in Whitehaven, the No Silence More Foundation, which teaches
kids coping skills when there are issues at home. You
can go there for a free session. The Metal Museum.
You can get free emissions to the Metal Museum one time.
So there dozens of organizations that you can go to

(10:04):
and get a free service as a result of the
Culture Pass, and you can do it all year long.
So I don't think there's a family out there that
can hit all these organizations, but you can try. And
so that's what this is all about, and the only
real requirement is you know, the conditions that each one
of the organizations put forward, and each one is a
little bit different, but we're shooting for free emissions for most.
But the only other condition is you've got to have

(10:25):
an elementary age student. So any family with an elementary
age student can take advantage of these free services, and
they obviously a company the elementary age student, and they
can bring other members of their family, but they got
to have an elementary age student in order.

Speaker 2 (10:38):
To go to the hat loop, which changes what maybe
like up to fifth grade maybe three K through.

Speaker 5 (10:44):
Five, yeah, or yeah, up to fifth grade. But if
you're a sixth grader, I.

Speaker 3 (10:47):
Mean, yeah, I think that's awesome.

Speaker 2 (10:51):
And they can go to any one of those at
Memphis library locations, right, yes, or the Twitter for Memphis
Community centers as you mentioned, you know there are quite
a few of them anyway. So right, so let me
get this out to WR listeners. You can follow them
at nine on one art for all right, follow you
on instag Facebook, Okay, And that email address was what

(11:12):
is that what they needed to take originalline?

Speaker 5 (11:15):
What is the website website nine on one artfurall dot com.

Speaker 4 (11:19):
That last culture pass and so remember saying, this is
our culture Pass, and we've always had at least for
the last two years, and this will be our third
year having a summer pass. We've called nine on one
student passport in the past, and we're calling the Summer
Pass going forward. And the Summer Pass entitles you to
go to eleven participating museums and cultural institutions over and

(11:41):
over again during the summer, and we encourage our students
who are out for the summer to go to all
of them, and we send special prizes in the mail
if they go to all them and so forth, and
so we don't worry and we'll tell you more about that,
because that hadn't quite we haven't rolled it out yet
because it kicks in over the summer, and so we're
about I can't rush ahead of just shit, Well you can,

(12:03):
you can do it, lou But I'm talking about the
sum I'm talking about the Summer Pass, the summer past. Remember,
there are cities like Washington, d C. And Saint Louis
that make their museums free, and so Summer passes our
effort to make our museums free in Memphis and Shelby County,
and so just during the summer months. We try to
make as many as we can free for families throughout
the entire summer, no matter how many times they come.

(12:25):
So Culture Pass runs all the way through the summer
and more. And you can go one time to a
whole lot of places. Summer past is just for the summer,
and you can go over and over again if you're
out of school, to these eleven participating institutions.

Speaker 2 (12:39):
Just like in d those places again that I want
you to shut out some names of places they can go.
That's going to intrigue and compel and say ooh mam,
I want to go to that?

Speaker 3 (12:49):
Who I want to? I mean, all of them are great,
but we were talking about, you know.

Speaker 2 (12:53):
No more what wild wheels and water and the places
that venture Parks used to have and so name some
of the places I know you said had it, Lou Hattielu.

Speaker 4 (13:01):
On the Culture Pass, you can go see a free
play and you can do that all year long, one time,
and so there are many many others that are like
their that Davis Manor Historic Site which is in Bartlett,
Memphis Rock and Soul Museum, you can go, you know,
one time, all year long and one time doing.

Speaker 3 (13:17):
The course of your Metal Museum.

Speaker 4 (13:18):
You can get in free at the Metal Museum if
you want to go one time anytime during the year.
This is all culture pass stuff. They're like dozens of
institutions on our culture Past, because we've brought together all
these nonprofits and said, what could you offer. Playhouse on
the Square. You can go one time see a show
anytime from now already, right now, you can go past.
You can go to Playoffs on Square right now, see

(13:38):
a play you and your family, longs an elementary age
student with you.

Speaker 3 (13:42):
You can go right now.

Speaker 4 (13:43):
You have to go online and register and do the
rest of that, but you can go right now for free.
Blues Hall of Fame Theater, Memphis, the Withers Collection Museum
and Gallery. It's on and on and on for that
and for the summer past. The Summer passes where you
can go over and over again. I mean it's places
like Rock and Soul Museum, it's the Pink Palace, or
the Museum of Science and History, it's the Dixon Gardening

(14:05):
galleryes the Fire Museum, it's the National Civil Rights Museum,
it's the Metal Museum, it's the Brooks Museum. You can
go to those places during the summer. With our Summer Pass,
you can go over and over again. Now, I don't
want to dwell on the summer past too much because
we're going to do a rollout on that as well,
and that rollout is coming. But the Summer Pass is
basically starting May twenty six and throughout the rest of

(14:25):
the summer while the kids are out, we just go
ahead and prepay. We've basically prepaid for emissions to all
these places for the summer months, so these kids can
go starting May twenty six, but there'll be a separate
rollout for that. Right now, Nikisha Cole and I are
really focused on getting the word about our new program,
which is the Culture Pass. That's the brochure that I
keep looking down at and try and trying to rattle.

Speaker 3 (14:45):
Off all these places.

Speaker 4 (14:47):
And the difference with the Culture Pass is we put
together many many more places. But we've said families can
go one time, not necessarily over and over again. But
the Culture Pass is not necessarily about the summer. It's
just about getting a taste of Mephis and the taste
of history, having something fun and safe to do for
your family, and focusing on these elementary age school students

(15:08):
that's what the culture passes about, and so that's our
new program.

Speaker 2 (15:10):
I get it, and I know the research appreciation of
arts can have a positive impact on educational attainment and
personal development. So I think this is outstanding and it's
good that you are still as mayor for a little while, longer, longer.
I know, not much you talking about earlier. Yeah, you've
always had I guess you know. I mentioned off the

(15:32):
air everybody you know, healthy Shelby. The mayor has a
lot of events out there, and now it's time for
vibing arts and the culture scene.

Speaker 3 (15:41):
So that's right.

Speaker 2 (15:41):
I know you're thrilled, and know the families that are
listening to me this morning, I thrilled as well.

Speaker 3 (15:45):
Ms Cole. Thank you for all that you do.

Speaker 2 (15:47):
Working alongside the mayor and the administration as being a liaison.
Anything in additional things you want to add, I'm gonna
go to.

Speaker 3 (15:54):
Break a little bit. Actually, yes, I do.

Speaker 5 (15:56):
In line with our Art for All initiative, we are
having our third Are for All Festival on May tenth
at cross Town Arts. It's a free festival. We'll have
forty organizations represented. There'll be performances, fun, food, family, fun.

Speaker 3 (16:14):
When it bring out. Is this the Art for All
festival or in the fall? No? Actually May tenth, Yes,
Saturday May tenth Free festival a Crosstown Concourse.

Speaker 5 (16:24):
Crosstown Concourse, Crosstown Arts at Crosstown Concourse.

Speaker 3 (16:27):
Is that inside outside inside? Yeah, make sure because I.

Speaker 2 (16:31):
Know there's a venue coming real soon the Crosstown Concourse
and I know that. I guess that's gonna be erected
sometime soon. But yeah, this is the inside of.

Speaker 3 (16:38):
It, inside of it.

Speaker 4 (16:39):
Yes, We've done two or three years in a row
now and it's a really fun festival. Lots of kids,
lots of family. It's just a family friendly event on
a Saturday. So if you look on something on Saturday
May tenth, are for all festival, Google it obviously, have
websites and all the rest. Google it are for All festival,
Crosstown Concourse all day long, May the tenth.

Speaker 2 (16:57):
All right, So this half of the stands special people
Spotlight talked about Art for All Culture pass. We've got
the Honorable Lee Harris, the Mayor of Shelby County in
and also the liaison with Shelby County Administration and of
course with mister Harris Liaison Nakeisha Cole. We've been discussing
the new Arts and Culture Pass, a free access pass,
with Shelby County students, and I want to thank them

(17:19):
for talking about that. All right, So on the other side,
we'll share some other things that Shelby County and Mayor
Harris's administration is doing.

Speaker 3 (17:25):
All right, there you go. Thank you so much.

Speaker 2 (17:28):
For coming back and staying with us. So many of
you want to get a coffee break. When I do that,
I get it, certainly appreciate that. All right, this double
jobt Listen, let me take a quick email here, so hey, stand,
don't forget to announce my daughter and dad birthday on
the Morning show and the Afternoon show when you go
over there. Okay, that's Ronda Austin. I think that's Williams. Yeah,

(17:50):
says staying. If you go ahead and do it, please
wish my daughter Shilanda a happy three seven thirty seven
birthday and my dad Billy a happy Oh.

Speaker 3 (18:00):
Ring the bell eighty octagenarian.

Speaker 2 (18:04):
Okay, then then what he said, you get eighty by
reasonable strength and help Grayson Mercy and all that seventy
is the promise, right, Ms Cole ring the bell for
three score and ten talks dad, and then you get
ten more.

Speaker 3 (18:18):
That's ten more place of grade eighty. Who gone? Then?
So there you go.

Speaker 2 (18:23):
I don't see the mama name. No, let me say
he said, Bill. Oh and my dad, Billy is the
one that's eighty. Okay, it's April twenty five. The birthday
is on the same day. My dad listens to you
every day on both radio stations. All right, Dad, thank you.
That's from Ronda Austin. All right, and I think that's

(18:44):
what we have right now. Make sure I got all that.
Take care. I'm on social media, I'm on the messenger,
I'm on everything, I'm on Graham, I'm on TikTok, I'm
ooh on on all of it. So let's make sure
we got there. You go, all right. So if you
have a question for the mayor, the Arnoble, Lee Harris
is in the building, as we say w d IA,

(19:07):
not the one five three five nine three for two
eight hundred five zero three nine three for two or
eight three three five three five nine three four two.
We've talked about arts for all culture paths the first
half hour of the first part half of the hour,
and now we want to get into eat, maybe a
little politics or what the mayor is addressing in his
in his waning moments, if you will, months in his administration,

(19:27):
and what he has done. I mentioned to him even
off air, I'll be transparent that he's made several appointments,
if you will, and elevated people, as Drake would say,
elevate people to different posts where he thinks they will
do it a yeoman's job, if you will, and it
would be key for the County of Shelby.

Speaker 6 (19:44):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (19:45):
Then you can go to the phone line. Whatever you
may have, whatever question you might want to have for
the mayor. You're okay with that?

Speaker 4 (19:50):
Mayor?

Speaker 2 (19:50):
Yeah, a little cool in the gang. Let's see, let's
go here, w d a gamone? Who's first on the radio?
Question for the mayor? And what else you got to say?

Speaker 7 (20:00):
Good morning Staying and good morning mayor Harry?

Speaker 3 (20:03):
Hey? Yeah, yeah, go ahead.

Speaker 8 (20:08):
Okay. I got two questions.

Speaker 7 (20:10):
My husband want to know what are your plans when
you leave office this term? Are you gonna run again
or do you have your site set for something?

Speaker 3 (20:20):
Now?

Speaker 4 (20:21):
Well, I've got about sixteen months left, so a little
bit more than a year, and I'm working really hard
to run all the way through the tape and get
a lot of things done in the waning months. So
I'm really focused on that. And so just recently, for example,
we broke the ribbon on the new Fraser High School,
working with the superintendent over there, the interim superintendent.

Speaker 3 (20:43):
He's doing a great.

Speaker 4 (20:44):
Job, and all of us got together Stephanie Love, who's
been a real force in the Fraser community, and we
cut the ribbon on that high school. I'd love to
be able to cut the ribbon on a new Cordova.
That project has reached a little bit of a stalemates.
I'm working hard on try to get that project revived,
and I've just got a whole host of things. Regional
One is on my plate right now, trying to rebuild

(21:06):
Regional one and trying to move that facility to your
union to union as commercial media exactly. So that's this
is a pretty big load. So I'm really focused on that.
I appreciate the question. I'd love to stay involved one
way or another, and I think I will stay involved
one way another. I was a professor at the University
of Memphis before this job, and I really liked teaching,
so I think that's an option and uh, you know,

(21:27):
if there's a way I can serve the public at
the same time, I'd love to be able to do that.
But uh, you know, we'll see. But I'm gonna work out.
I'm gonna work like real hard for these sixteen months.
I may not work as hard as stand Bail, who
we see everywhere, but but I'm gonna try to come close.

Speaker 3 (21:40):
That's right question, Go ahead.

Speaker 7 (21:45):
Second question, are you gonna do a senior palm a
game this year?

Speaker 4 (21:48):
One hundred percent? That senior problem is never going anywhere.

Speaker 7 (21:51):
The man, that was awesome. It was awesome last year.

Speaker 8 (21:56):
A fortunate day.

Speaker 9 (21:57):
Have you said a date?

Speaker 4 (21:58):
So I've got to get with the team. They actually
put a lot of effort into that and they're working
on it. That's actually in our healthcare program. It's called
Shelby Cares, and so Shy Cares does things to promote
good health, and senior prom is one of those things
that promotes good health and social networks and all the things.
And so we're definitely doing it, and we're going to

(22:18):
make sure it's around even after that leave. We're gonna
make sure that that continues to go. Because our seniors
get out, they get to build social network. They get
it around and it's fun.

Speaker 3 (22:27):
Like you said, it was beautiful.

Speaker 9 (22:29):
It was wonderful.

Speaker 2 (22:30):
Last year, it was really really nice.

Speaker 7 (22:32):
Hats off to you for that, and thank you for
all you're doing for the young people as well. Everything
sounded really really good, really good.

Speaker 2 (22:40):
Well, thank you, thank you, Happy Friday. All right, thank you,
appreciate you. And let's go take another phone call. On
a phone call, Met Harris.

Speaker 3 (22:47):
You on the radio. Who's next? Yeah, thanks for waiting. Yeah,
it's your turn. You it there? You live? Sounds like David,
I'm not sure, go right.

Speaker 10 (22:58):
Ahead, right, trying to turn I'm trying to turn this
app off.

Speaker 3 (23:03):
Yeah, I know you're surprised. You got right to you. Yeah,
go ahead, David, you got yeah.

Speaker 11 (23:08):
Yeah, you know you know.

Speaker 10 (23:09):
I'm a I'm a fan of standing man because he
believes in living in great radio. So, uh, mister Matt, how.

Speaker 3 (23:18):
You doing today? I'm good.

Speaker 4 (23:20):
You know, it's the end of the week. I'm doing
all right, although I got stuff on Saturday, but I'm
still doing.

Speaker 10 (23:24):
Good, good good.

Speaker 5 (23:26):
Uh.

Speaker 10 (23:27):
Ticha cole Chicole, How you doing today doing a studio?

Speaker 3 (23:31):
I'm doing pretty good today.

Speaker 12 (23:32):
How are you?

Speaker 10 (23:34):
Miss mis Cole.

Speaker 9 (23:35):
I'm pretty old, so I should a google. I said,
ain't Keisha Cole like something.

Speaker 3 (23:42):
I get. I'm gonna get a houtagram with you. You
know what. I've gotten that for a very long time,
Like yeah, that.

Speaker 9 (23:49):
Happens even since he yeah, yeah, but like at my
old school. You know, I'm R and B and sould
and blue, so I got but you.

Speaker 3 (23:59):
Know that's all right. Well, let me thank both of you.

Speaker 10 (24:02):
And mister man Is you know, you know, you know
my voice.

Speaker 3 (24:05):
You know, I followed you, I voted for you.

Speaker 10 (24:07):
You and I had a couple of disagreements about something,
but overall, I've been very very pleased with your representation
of me, and so I thank you for your service
throughout the years.

Speaker 4 (24:20):
And I was going to say thank you David. You're
the watchdog, so we appreciate you.

Speaker 9 (24:30):
It well, I appreciate that.

Speaker 1 (24:33):
Brother.

Speaker 10 (24:34):
Let me just say I now I'm thinking about going
back to the teacher so I can go to something
of these places free.

Speaker 9 (24:40):
I'm trying to kneel down and crawl into them.

Speaker 10 (24:42):
Maybe they see that I'm only four years old or
five or six or something in elementary school, because this
sounds like something.

Speaker 3 (24:49):
Very nice man and beautiful. It's not too late to
have another kid.

Speaker 9 (24:53):
Dawn put that in the universe. I'm taking you you know.

Speaker 10 (25:02):
Well well but no, no, well no, now that we're
gonna close the book on that stand.

Speaker 9 (25:18):
But anyway, let me say we always hear.

Speaker 10 (25:21):
Complaints saying as you know, I know you you listened
to W I L before you became our host here
folks all well, body said it too. Ain't nothing to
do with message that they can play. God Rich isold
and I'm listening to the places that mister.

Speaker 8 (25:37):
Man was man so many places I.

Speaker 10 (25:40):
Even didn't know existence that these young people can do.
So they got something to do during the summer, you know,
and that's great because we need to keep the old guy.

Speaker 9 (25:49):
You could tell me, mister.

Speaker 10 (25:50):
Maynor ms cole An, I don't mind makes the Devil's workshop.
So and one of the things that that Stan said
that I agree. I was an athlete what's up coach
tod to missus cops in school, and that kept me
from doing some things I should not have done. So
your art, if you play music, if you act, if
you do all these things, they may be inspired to

(26:11):
go into those different places within their mindset and spend
time on that.

Speaker 9 (26:16):
So I really appreciate this.

Speaker 3 (26:18):
I think this is great for our babies.

Speaker 10 (26:20):
And I thank you both of y'all for for letting
us know what's going on. And then thank you and
y'all have a great day.

Speaker 3 (26:26):
Thank you, David.

Speaker 2 (26:26):
Back to another phone line. W D I, Hey, come
on to you the radio. Thanks for waiting your turn.

Speaker 9 (26:30):
Now, okay, go on, loss the door. Hell yeah, you.

Speaker 2 (26:35):
Said somebody unlocking the door. Closed the door for a minute,
close close the door. You know, you know that song
closed the door.

Speaker 12 (26:46):
You know that song closed the door outside of us.

Speaker 9 (26:51):
I'm I'm so glad you guys made them.

Speaker 3 (26:53):
That's safe as.

Speaker 12 (26:54):
Saying you in the you're in the mayor of.

Speaker 1 (26:57):
Sap Town, mar you know.

Speaker 12 (27:00):
Let me let me say good moring to you staying
and you're guess and and uh, I'll come on to
your wife Collum and my man Mail.

Speaker 3 (27:08):
But let me say this right here now.

Speaker 12 (27:09):
They'm not mater. I know you probably don't, you know,
listen to a radio show too much, so Broy, you
probably listening every now and then. But you know they
call me a sweet building like people some time, you know. Now,
I'm a little builder this morning because I'm gonna figure.

Speaker 9 (27:20):
Can you tell me what's going on with.

Speaker 3 (27:23):
The sherycount of jail.

Speaker 12 (27:24):
Not that that I have the one in jail, but
I just feel so sorry and so saved for some
of the people that are there. And you got to
know that the people that go visit the jail, you know,
it's it's just this nerve breaking now it's its you,
you know what I mean, make you feel some kind
of wait, you know, to even walk in this place knowing.

Speaker 9 (27:39):
That it's infected, you know what I mean.

Speaker 12 (27:41):
So if it's infected, was something you know?

Speaker 7 (27:43):
And my thing is this right here?

Speaker 2 (27:44):
Let me ask you.

Speaker 6 (27:44):
I'm i'ma get off the radio.

Speaker 3 (27:46):
When I started talking, I can't stop, and I know you're.

Speaker 9 (27:48):
Not gonna be there along.

Speaker 12 (27:48):
Let me say this right here now, okay, I heard
them say something about it. We need billions of dollars
to do this jail to What are you saying?

Speaker 3 (27:56):
Are we trying to.

Speaker 9 (27:57):
Get a new jail?

Speaker 10 (27:58):
Are we what are you saying?

Speaker 9 (28:00):
Think you tell it right quick?

Speaker 3 (28:01):
Well?

Speaker 8 (28:01):
Are we trying to get a new jail?

Speaker 9 (28:02):
My thing, I'm an I'm gonna hang up.

Speaker 3 (28:04):
My thing is just right here.

Speaker 12 (28:05):
Now you're talking about business dot. Now you got people
that's suing people because people can die there.

Speaker 7 (28:10):
I don't have no money to say.

Speaker 12 (28:11):
You know, you're talking about paying to make the taxpayer pay.

Speaker 3 (28:13):
That's what it sounds like to me. And we started
paying for props that we didn't do.

Speaker 12 (28:17):
It's not our faults when these people died in in
jail and then y'all getting too I ain't talking about you. Well,
I do want you to know that I think you're
doing a great job, you know, but but but I
know you can't do it by yourself.

Speaker 8 (28:27):
But I do want I want you to answer my question.

Speaker 12 (28:30):
What are they going to do about the jail?

Speaker 10 (28:33):
You know?

Speaker 9 (28:33):
And I feel it so like I said, I hear
it on the radio. I hear three talking.

Speaker 12 (28:36):
You know, people go to jail, you know, for whatever reason,
you know what I mean. They still are hearing, you
know what I mean. And I know people say, well,
you know, like for you know, I feel so sad
when people go to jails and the murder whatever they're done.

Speaker 9 (28:47):
But you don't want to go to a red and
fistic place, you know.

Speaker 2 (28:49):
What I mean?

Speaker 12 (28:50):
And I know people say, well when they kills them
and they can't go anywhere. But no, that's not spare
you know, but I just want you to ask me.
But I want you guys up a great weekend thanks
to taking my call.

Speaker 9 (28:58):
What's up, prince Ville, I thought you guys have roo
great weekend.

Speaker 3 (29:01):
Oak of take lady right, mayor.

Speaker 4 (29:04):
Well, I think the jail is, you know, built in
nineteen eighty one, but the reality is it's not the
oldest building in Shelby County. We've got plenty of old
buildings and we're managing through and managing through the problems
with those buildings. And so I'd like to see more
conversation around some of the buildings that are truly in need.
I mean, the jail is built in nineteen eighty one. Well,
most schools in Memphis and Shelby County were built before

(29:25):
nineteen sixty. And so we've got you know, roofs caving
in on students, and we've got folks that are too
hot and too cold, they can't focus on learning in
the classroom. We got windows that don't open, classroom too hot,
and so you know, if you want to do some
about the jail, stop the floor of folks into the jail,
and the way to stop the flow of folks that
into the jail is to do something about the schools,
and the schools in a horrible condition, and so that's

(29:47):
why I'm focused on making sure we find the resources
for New Frasier, New Cordova, and schools all over our community.
The one problem we've had is we've had a divestment
from our neighborhoods. We've had city and county pick up
and leave and leave these neighborhoods for dead. And I'd
like to see us figure out a way to invest
in these neighborhoods. And one of the most straightforward ways

(30:07):
to invest in neighborhoods is to invest in schools, particularly
new school construction. So I'd like to start that kind
of conversation. The Memphis Shelby County School System, which was
founded in twenty thirteen, it's never built a new high
school until New Frasier, and so we're working with the
superintendent on that. He's doing a great job, and I'd
like to see that be a blueprint for more in
the future. So, yeah, the jail is built in nineteen

(30:29):
eighty one and so forth, But you know, you know,
I managed the prison at Shelby Farms and the prison
that shell Be Farms is one hundred years old, and
we managed through that process every single day. We're a
whole lot older than that jail. And so you know,
you're going to have an election in twenty twenty six,
and I think this is going to be a subject
of debate among the candidates running for sheriff, and we're
going to have to pay attention to the pay attention

(30:50):
to what they say around how they're going to reduce
the jail population, how they're going to reduce jail deaths,
what they're going to do about visitation, what they're going
to do about repairs that are needed, what they're going
to do about the operations to the jail. Because I
think if we had answers to some of those questions,
I think we'd be in a an improved place. But yeah,
the jail is old, not the oldest, and we've got many,
many more needs in Memphis and Shelby County. So I'm

(31:11):
not for a sales tax to rebuild a jail unless
we're gonna unless we're gonna also pay attention to the
other infrastructure needs in Memphis and Shelby County. Our roads
are in a sorry state. And our kids are going
to schools that are falling apart. All right, we're talking
to the Honorable Lee Harris, Mayor of Shelby County. Stands
Special People's Spotlight. Take a break, well against a break,
be right back. Thank you so much for being here.

Speaker 2 (31:32):
Everybody stands Special people Spotlight. Thet'll bring that down just
a little bit. I've got a lot of things going on. Man,
we multitask doing the commercial breakscase you didn't know. The
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris the head of the executive branch.
He oversees and manages the day to day operations of
the county government, and he's also responsible for budgeting, strategic planning,

(31:53):
fostering economic development. Mayor Harris also acts as a resource
for other elected officials. He meets with groups matter of fact,
you own leaves here to going to a meeting. He
meets with individuals as you and county leaders to address
issues and facilitate solutions.

Speaker 3 (32:09):
How I'm doing so far, Mayor Harris?

Speaker 5 (32:12):
Uh?

Speaker 3 (32:12):
Can I continue?

Speaker 2 (32:13):
The Mayor is the chief executive Mister Harris is responsible
for exercising all executive and administrative functions of the county
and matter of fact, many of you probably didn't know.
He is also the chief financial Officer, responsible for managing
the county finance. And now I know you've got some
folks that work in finance, you know, with you, Mayor Harris,
but basically tag you with the mayor is responsible for

(32:36):
entering into contracts and making purchases on behalf of the
county government and so on and so forth. He deals
with budgeting, leadership, representation. Matter of fact, you heard him early.
He has liaison in here Ms Cole, and he regularly
meets with community groups and individuals to address concerns and
gather and put. That's why I'm so glad that he
said yes coming on on the stan Bill Mornings show

(32:58):
in WEDIA. With that being said, let's go back to
delicately to the phone lines and talk with some amost constituents.

Speaker 3 (33:07):
Let's go here. Tell me d I come on, you're
the radio lie with the mayor.

Speaker 8 (33:10):
Well, Hello, hello, Hello, this is MARETI thank y'all so
much for lay me and saying to you mayor. Hello,
to miss key Chico, Hello to you as well. So listen,
I am driving here to work and I was just
gonna listen today you know, wasn't it gonna even call?
And then I heard, you know, Lady P called and
she was concerned about the jails, and everybody have a
right to be concerned about what they've concerned about. But

(33:31):
you know, I find it laughable that we someone make
a comment that if someone murdered somebody, it's unfair that
they live in poor conditions in jail. I mean, it
really is levable because I want jail to be as
bad as they can be. It makes you not want
to go back. Ever, if you're going to jail, or
if you're there for the rest of your life, that
you murdered someone, you shouldn't shouldn't be happy and smiling

(33:51):
in jail. It's just my opinions. But what made me
call Mayor is because you answered her question the way
that you did, and you based on the importance of
your agenda. And this is how I just get the
schools are more important. The failing schools systems are as
how deplorable some of the conditions are. So I'm thinking,

(34:12):
why are they deplorable? Why are our kids going to
school in such horrible conditions? When everybody says and everything
that something goes on, they say, oh, it's for the kids.
It's for the kids. This billion dollar budget that Chlby
County has for the school system, that when the school
board of the Blues now they want to fight to
the death if they want.

Speaker 9 (34:32):
No money, they want no buildings.

Speaker 8 (34:33):
Why what buildings do they want? And they've falling apart
in deplorable What might do they want? Where where is
this money that this billion dollars, the two billion dollars
that everyone is fighting over, and yet our kids are
going to school with the roofs falling in on their heads.
So I'm going to hang out the next you answer that.
The second question is I do kind of find it
deplorable that you all are there today? And I know

(34:54):
the shorting my old winning that's gonna come up, But
the fact that we have the Shelby County mayor on
here today and it's not up about Elion month and
these turbides coming to Memphis in three, A, one or nine,
the neighborhood that I actually grew up in, and it's
not even being discussed. And if we laughing and talking
and don't get me wrong, we want to do things
for the kids and all that, that's great, but this

(35:15):
is a big concern of ours. And I just think
bout you being there today. And you know, doctor Tay
was on yesterday, and I know I asked her some
hard questions about you know, when this thing come up
to Eli month's here for a couple of years, if
people start getting sick with cancer and having an issue,
are y'all gonna stand up for the people and say, hey,
it's a problem here, it's coming up. I mean, everything

(35:36):
was just washed over. So Mayor, you know, with our
respective you can just elaborate on those two things. I
would greatly appreciate it. And y'all have a great day.

Speaker 3 (35:43):
Thank you. Mary.

Speaker 2 (35:44):
Just appreciate your phone call. Interesting questions.

Speaker 4 (35:46):
Mayor Harris, Well, I didn't know our health director was
here yesterday, but that's that's a good sign and it
just goes to show we've got really the best health
director in the country, Michelle Taylor, who's home grown. Of course,
it just goes to show you you can have home
run talent in Memphis come back and lead and serve.
And so I know that her heart and mind is
in the same place as mine is that we're going

(36:07):
to do whatever it takes to protect our air and
protect our water. Obviously, I've been leading these fights for many,
many years. You know, I led the fight to stop
TVA from pumping our aquifer several years ago, which gave
you know, which gave momentum to the movement. When I
was in the state Senate, I passed the law to
acquired the school district to notify parents about lead in

(36:29):
the water at the schools. And we've got too many
schools with lead in the water, and so that really
has changed systems and changed our awareness around these issues.
And so I've been in this fight for a long time.
And obviously I'm the politician that you know doesn't care about,
you know, the corporate dime or anything like that. I'm
against corporate subsidies. I'm against the pilot program. I may

(36:50):
be one of the only elected officials in office right
now who are against pilots and subsidies and all the
rest of it. And so, you know, doctor Taylor and
I are both on the same page that if we
can legally do anything to protect our air and water,
then we're gonna do it. And so that speaks to
where we are right now, is that tonight there is
a public comment period. It's at fairly high school, and

(37:12):
so it's from five to seven o'clock and fairly it's
at forty nine to fifty fairly road. I would tell
you to make your opinions known, because you know that's
important as part of the process. The reality is, the
Health Department and yours truly doesn't have all the powers.
I mean, I wish I had more powers, and I'm
going to do everything I can within my powers. I
wish the Health Department director had more power because I

(37:34):
trust her and I know that she, like me, is
not beholden to any interest. I wish the state representative
had more power. But the reality is we are all
bound by laws, and so we're going to do what
we can. And I just would command you to go
to that public comment period. As to the next question,
what happened to all the school's money, Well, we all
want to know, but at some point we got to
move forward, and we've got too many problems in our

(37:56):
school system to stick our head in the sand and
complain about the past. We've got to move forward, and
so I'd love to have answers to those questions, but
I've got to do in the short time that I
had left I've got to do everything I can to
protect kids and make sure the next generation of kids
have a first rate learning environment.

Speaker 3 (38:10):
And so that's what I.

Speaker 2 (38:11):
Intended to do intend to do. Thank you and thank
you Marder for the question. I hope that answered be
for you. Back to the phone lines, we go, w
D I A you in the radio? Who's next?

Speaker 3 (38:18):
Yeah? Do all I can? Clyde, yes sir, Yeah, And
mister Harris, yes sir. It seems like marriadly hit the
niil on.

Speaker 6 (38:29):
The head when she said where's the money going? But
it seemed like when we had a school and superintendent
in there where she was concerned about where the money
was going, and it seemed like that she found out
that the money was going to contracts that really wasn't
being sealed. And it seemed like when she started putting
some contracts down and stuff, all of a sudden she

(38:50):
became a target.

Speaker 9 (38:52):
And I just feel like we got the wrong people
on the school board.

Speaker 11 (38:56):
And I just don't understand how.

Speaker 6 (39:01):
Y'all are not keeping up with the money with these
people mental this is to keep the money, we should
not have both meaning school superintendent, eat and out the
door like and the way we spend money.

Speaker 3 (39:13):
Yeah, thank you, that's under your domain. May Harsh, Well,
you know I was, you know, I was for keeping
Tony Williams.

Speaker 4 (39:20):
So I didn't want to go through all this, but
we've been through over these months. I felt hard to
keep Tony Williams, and I felt hard to keep them
from firing Marie Fagan's when she came in.

Speaker 5 (39:30):
Uh.

Speaker 4 (39:30):
So, I've partnered with so many superintendents over the course
of my career.

Speaker 3 (39:33):
I just don't know what to say.

Speaker 4 (39:34):
I keep partnering with superintendents, they keep coming in and
I keep partnering with them. All I got to say
is the last three or so have been just outstanding.
So Marie Fagan's was outstanding, Tony Tony Williams was outstanding,
and uh uh interim Superintendent Richmond Is is really really
great in outstanding to work with.

Speaker 3 (39:49):
So and I continue to work with these folks.

Speaker 4 (39:51):
I'm gonna do a sit down with Marie Fagans next
week on Wednesday, y'all are all invited fat.

Speaker 3 (39:56):
Ex Institute of Technology. At six pm.

Speaker 4 (39:58):
We'll be sitting I'll be sitting down with Marie Fagin's.
We'll have a public conversation of what it means to
lead in memphisis Shelby County. So you know, I'm with
them there, but you know we couldn't stop it. You know,
they wanted to fire and that was the right. So
you know, you got to move on.

Speaker 3 (40:12):
You got to move on, folks. So nobody don't want
to hear it. But you know I can't. I can't.

Speaker 4 (40:16):
I can't tell you anything but the truth. You got
to move on.

Speaker 2 (40:18):
Yeah, let's move on to another call of w g
I A good morning. The radio tag you with hey, hey,
good more understand how you doing? Thank you, sir, coming man?

Speaker 11 (40:26):
Yeah you're there all right, Yeah, good morning, Mayor Harry, Yes, sir, yes,
I want to ask you about the streets and the highways. Uh,
I think I think our streets are regulated by the
city and the highways are by the state, if I'm
not mistaken.

Speaker 3 (40:41):
And money he's allocated.

Speaker 11 (40:44):
Towards those items. Who should we contact in regards to
the streets in highways? You know, I know they you know,
feel in the pipe like a temporary piece. But what
about pavement, because our streets are in horror conditions it
is well as bad ways.

Speaker 4 (41:04):
Well, it's like you say, streets are generally the domain
of the cities where the streets lie, and so Shelby
County doesn't have a whole lot to do with repaving
or filling potholes. From time to time, we do have
a project or two, but that's not principally our domain.
And as you say, some of the major arteries are
principally state or state responsibility. In federal we've lobbyat the

(41:24):
federal government to give us more funding for some of
those projects.

Speaker 3 (41:27):
Lamar Avenue really comes to mind.

Speaker 4 (41:29):
We've fought really hard from Lamar Avenue that could be
an economic generator for our entire community.

Speaker 11 (41:35):
Right, Okay, so you don't have any ideal about like
district leaders responsible for any of those things in the city,
in those areas in the cities.

Speaker 4 (41:48):
Well, from twenty eleven, yes, sir, from twenty eleven to
twenty fourteen, accidents on the city council. So I can
tell you your city council has a lot of power.
So if you can figure out who your city council
person is, particularly your district council person, they should be
able to troubleshoot your you know, neighborhood level problems. So
if you have a you know, potholes around where you're

(42:09):
commuting every day, or if anything, you know you've got
a blighted house next to your neighbor, next to your
next next to you, or whatever it is. They should
be able to solve that, uh, if you can contact
your council member, particularly that district council member.

Speaker 3 (42:21):
Right, Okay, appreciate you, Appreciate you.

Speaker 2 (42:24):
And that's a valid question because of course, another responsibility
of the county mayor is responsible for the care and
custody of county property and and and it is Shelby County,
because yuppy county is Memphis, right, and so you you
wear a lot of hats, mayor. And I thank the
WDI listeners for uh for asking you these questions. We
also know that the mayor appoints members of county boards

(42:44):
and commissions as well as department heads, subject to confirmation.

Speaker 3 (42:47):
Of course by JEP county commissioners.

Speaker 2 (42:48):
But all that is on the plate, and these court
questions I think are vitally important that they're raising. I'm
taking my last break. We up against another break. We're
talking with UH, my special guest stand special people, spotlight,
the honorable Lee Harris, get that green I forgot there's
another word we could use for money, right, uh g
R E E N. It's worth one thousand dollars. What
could you do with that money? By your brand new iPhone?

(43:09):
What is that sixteen plug?

Speaker 1 (43:11):
What you call it?

Speaker 3 (43:12):
Sixteen?

Speaker 2 (43:12):
You can get you a drawer. You could get you
a new laptop with that money.

Speaker 3 (43:16):
Thousand get you. You can get some stuff done with.

Speaker 2 (43:19):
A grand plan a vacation. You put that money on
the vacate whatever it is. Right, So we're in the
waning moments of the stan Bille Morning Show. Our special
guests the honorable Lee Harris, Yale, Man More House Man, Watkins,
Overton Man doing it. We got him in, We got
him on the show. Mayor Harris has a whole lot

(43:41):
of responsibilities. Man, I mean, I know I'm making them
tired just to say it, you know. But the most
important thing is, I always say, the most important ability.
The most important ability is responsibility.

Speaker 3 (43:54):
Talk stand and I.

Speaker 2 (43:56):
Got him in the seat. How many moments you said, man,
here's fourteen? Hey, after your administer, there are sixteen, I
think so so you out in twenty twenty six. Wow,
but you get some stuff done until that time comes.
Right here, all right, so let's get back to the
phone on. I know you got to roll and take
a couple more if you don't mind, and then we're
gonna wrap it up.

Speaker 3 (44:15):
W d I.

Speaker 2 (44:15):
Good morning on the radio with a Mayor Harris. This
is a Mayor Lee Harris Show features Dan Mail.

Speaker 13 (44:20):
Yes, sir, good morning, stand good morning, Mayor Harris.

Speaker 4 (44:23):
Are you sir, I'm good, good morning, welcome to the
Mayor Harris Show. That's right feature standing there. I appreciate that. Yeah,
all right, all right, good morning Colin. Thanks for calling.
Go ahead, Good morning Mayor Harris.

Speaker 13 (44:38):
Yes, sir, Mayor Harris. Of course I my your your intelligence.
You're one of the much sharper officials I believe, and
so thank you for that. And I would say my
question is, of course I studied at the London's shul

(45:00):
of Economics since political science myself. With you not being
a large supporter of the pilot program, would you elaborate
briefly on what the pilot program.

Speaker 11 (45:14):
Is and why you are not a large supporter of it, and.

Speaker 13 (45:18):
Just ending with it, what would you say is has
been your your greatest accomplishment since thus far, since being
Shelby County.

Speaker 3 (45:27):
Mayor all, hey you, thank you, sir, Thank you, sir Mayor.

Speaker 4 (45:31):
I'm working really hard on Regional one to get that
off the ground right now, and I'm hopeful that that'll
work out. But you know, we had you know, six
or seven goals at the start of my administration in
twenty eighteen, and it's you know, make Shelby County one
of the best places to work, protect our water, build
get Shelby County schools to start building high schools, provide

(45:52):
greater access to healthcare. And i'd like to say we've
made an impact on all those things, but you know,
we'll let the records speak for itself and let others
make judge of that. With respect to the pilots, the
pilots are another fancy way of saying, we give tax breaks,
specifically property tax breaks to corporations when they decide to
come to Memphis, or stay in Memphis, or decide to

(46:13):
expand in Memphis. So everybody pays a property tax, except
for these corporations that have been decided to not pay
their property taxes. So instead of paying one hundred percent
of their property taxes, typically they'll pay ten percent of
their property taxes or twenty five percent of their property taxes,
and that's the so called incentive to come to Memphis,
stay in Memphis, or expand their business.

Speaker 3 (46:34):
I don't believe that's true. I don't believe that's how
the economy works.

Speaker 4 (46:37):
I believe businesses land in Memphis, businesses go into business,
businesses expand in order to make a profit, and that's
the motivating factor. And so I don't think you need
to give a property tax break in order to give
an incentive to business. I think all I think business
is already incentivized by the prospect of making profits. And

(46:59):
so you know, I think a businessman cares whether Mayor
Harris or mayor Young gives them a property tax break.
Are they going to make a decision about their business
because of what we think, or because of what the
city council think, or because of what the County Commission thinks.
I say, no, they don't make any decision based on
any of that stuff. Now they'll take it, they'll take
the free money from us, but they don't make any
business decision based on it.

Speaker 3 (47:18):
And so I think it's I think it's a fraud.

Speaker 4 (47:21):
Obviously, I'd love to see it end, and that everybody,
regardless of whether they not you are a business or
an individual. I'd like to see everybody pay their fair
share of taxes. But there's just not enough folks of
that opinion and public office to make that happen. And
so you know, we have the system that we have
and we'll probably have it for a while until something changes.
But no, I don't think there's much going on with

(47:41):
with property taxes that property tax breaks have benefit us.

Speaker 2 (47:43):
All right, and last question, and we'll let you get
out of here. Mayor Harris Wdi goome on you on
the radio. Let's call it.

Speaker 3 (47:49):
You're on air.

Speaker 9 (47:50):
Hey, thanks for macause you didn't have to. Good morning
they Hans and good morning made. I think that's the
most important thing, the children and with the jail. And
I'm like you, good way with that program because all

(48:10):
the bats then you let them come here, look at them,
they leave, they leave, and you got an empty building,
which it's an eye soce and you focus on the children. Now,
maybe these want to come to jail. Jail is not
bad enough because that there was, people wouldn't keep returning

(48:31):
to jail. You got these people that's doing all this stuff.
Y can habit chilling just after yesterday. It's nonsense.

Speaker 3 (48:41):
So don't to me.

Speaker 9 (48:44):
Yeah you building with jail, but you got the billing
of jail. That's jail, because here there nessus jail. That's
a joke. I'm gonna say till today.

Speaker 3 (48:53):
I die, I have one calling me.

Speaker 9 (48:56):
Tell my whole long, cause damn you said me home
long it's to do? Then get to these people with them.
We got to reach out and help in my city.
You already know how I feel you. We want you
all to do all the work, but we don't want
to put in no effort to help you. You know

(49:17):
I'm doing all this stuff. You know those jog yesterday,
them kids at somebody house. So instead of you doing
the right thing, telling me you won't, I hate it.
You know that they dine in jail, But jealous, how
you gonna be anough shy jail and keep me out
of it if I can go there and call and

(49:40):
do what I do. So don't focus on the jail
right now.

Speaker 8 (49:44):
The jail is new.

Speaker 9 (49:46):
My house was built all way down the road. You tell,
jail is built in the eighties. Okay, you tore it up.
If you build something from the ground, don't don't focus
on on jail. I love what you're doing for the
chander and everybody within the sound of my boss. Don't
call them here talking about your children. Ain't got nothing

(50:08):
to do. I'm like, Davy, Uh can we gonna look?
I got look till we calling what That's the lead
that every battle should take at ban of jail because
it don't get no better than this. And focus on
what you're focusing on children because wrong people men from

(50:32):
children and the people in jail. Stop going to jail because.

Speaker 3 (50:37):
Jail is jail.

Speaker 9 (50:38):
It's not jail because you keep going in and after door.

Speaker 3 (50:42):
And chip the leice.

Speaker 9 (50:44):
These are repeat that people go and baring them out
what sheep barn in the crown out For now, on
that note, I want you to have a focus and
enjoy your weekend and staying burn. I be back at
you Mondy.

Speaker 3 (51:00):
All right, all right, she said them out for Appreciate
that and always do us. Thank you lady, the appreciate that.
Thank you d listeners, thank you so much.

Speaker 2 (51:08):
All right, And before we go, Mayor Hars, missus, Cole
and Elasta, additional words I would say, I won't say
last words. Additional words before we get out of here.
I know we're all excited about Art for All Culture
pasts and what you mentioned about all of that, and
we took down, we took some notes and anything else
we want to add to that or we okay.

Speaker 5 (51:26):
Just families, take your children to public libraries and to
community centers to pick up your culture passes and join
us on May tenth at cost Town Concourse at Crosstown
Arts for the Art for All Festival on Saturday May tenth.

Speaker 3 (51:42):
Family fun.

Speaker 2 (51:43):
Yeah, I think I'm going to that hi or Hill
community that's close proximity to my house. Get my stuff,
pick up my all my Art for All Culture pasts
right May mayor almost inherentes may hairs the mats in
that may hairs.

Speaker 3 (51:56):
Thank you man.

Speaker 2 (51:56):
You know I always say two most important words in
the language. Thank you man you carved out some time
for a little loadit and our big old audience man
to be with us.

Speaker 3 (52:04):
Man, any additional words you want to say before you
get out of here?

Speaker 4 (52:06):
Well, speaking of Harington, I met with Mary Harrington yesterday
and he was looking good. Five eighty five. Happy birthday
to Mary Harrington. Really thankful to you, stand bell for you.
You know you put in the work. Like you said,
you're ubiquitous around Memphis and Shelby County and you know,
just pleased to be here. And obviously we miss Bobby,

(52:27):
but you know you're really caring on the legacy and
we just we're just pleased appreciate of you if you
have getting the word out every single day, so thank
you for that. And if you're a nonprofit out there,
what we've been talking about today is as an outgrowth
of our office of our Office and Nonprofit Services, which
we call right now the Nonprofit Committee Committee, and we
coordinate activities for about four hundred nonprofits. And so if

(52:49):
you're a nonprofit out there, this is our art and
culture segment of the nonprofit community today we talked about.
But if you are any kind of nonprofit, we'd love
to be able to reach out to you and know
what you are doing and how we can raise awareness
around your services. So being touched Shelby County, TN dot gov,
we'd love to get to know your nonprofit and and
services better. Again, thanks to your callers, thanks to the audience,

(53:11):
thanks to you staying. Thanks w and you're more than welcome.

Speaker 2 (53:13):
The Art for all culture passes free for elementary students
and up to three family members. The Art for All
Culture pasts will give students from marginalized backgrounds free access
to experience the arts with their families. Thank you so much,
every kind of Mayor, Lee Harris and Nakisha Cole for
swinging by and the April Fox with the press and
the eight Ashley Davis and my former students at Woodale

(53:35):
back in the day.

Speaker 3 (53:36):
Uh Greenville. What's your name, Kylo Rice?

Speaker 2 (53:41):
Yeah, that's right right. Thank you everybody, Keller Robinson, Strategic
Community Communications Manager.

Speaker 3 (53:48):
Everybody, Kyler Rice.

Speaker 2 (53:49):
That's you communications specialists, and thank you wd I listeners,
thank you callers, thank you to all the emailers who
who shot some information to me as well. Man, we
gotta do it all over again tomorrow morning. Not tomorrow morning,
Monday morning. This is Friday n Monday morning at six
am the All Blue Saturday I Go GRIZ twenty twenty
five Playoffs Game four Saturday evening FedEx Form.

Speaker 3 (54:12):
The mobile food pantry, by.

Speaker 2 (54:14):
The way, is in the morning, same place, same time,
at the Saint Patrick Catholic Church.

Speaker 3 (54:20):
There.

Speaker 2 (54:20):
I'll be out there on the ones in Tuesday and
on Sunday. Mark Stansbury three till seven with Sunday's best Gospel.

Speaker 3 (54:29):
He's on and popping.

Speaker 1 (54:30):
It's The stan Bell Morning Show weekdays from six to
ten AM on the Heart and Soul of Memphis.

Speaker 3 (54:35):
Ten to seventy wd i a