I am monitoring the Shelby Co Commission remote meeting this morning from my @WMCActionNews5 bureau

Remote commission meeting up & running this morning. A few technical difficulties as should be expected when you have a meeting this big & with this many external folks calling in and actively participating

We are awaiting an update from @SCSK12Unified leadership team on #COVID19 response

Now @SCSSuptRay speaking: Last night we submitted a comprehensive packet of the road map to continuous learning. It's a plan of the academic, social, emotional supports that we are providing

Ray: This plan is to keep students engaged during this unprecedented crisis. One positive outcome is an outpouring of support from community partners

Ray: Our teams have distributed more than 50,000 paper learning guides across the city/county. Our teachers & curriculum professionals have developed assignments for students. Mentions lessons airing on @WMCActionNews5

Ray: Our community partners stepped up when we had to call off our meal distribution. 90,000 meals to students from @YMCAMemphis. Also credits @MSouthFoodBank. And credits a $10,000 donation from @MacBo50 to feed families

Ray: We want to be a 1-to-1 district. (One device for all students). We have presented a plan but the funding wasn't there. We have a new plan coming forward. Our school board will take a look at it first.

Commissioner Whaley asking if devices would be something that is an eligible Dept Of Ed use of funds under the CARES act. @SCSSuptRay says the team is researching to see if that is possible

School board chair @MiskaClayBibbs: We reacted very quickly in a time that is uncharted territory. We are dealing with a community that the digital divide is happening. Our students rely on schools in ways people who have the basics in life often forget.

Now we are hearing FY21 budget update for the county

The county's director of administration & finance Mathilde Crosby is presenting a dire financial picture for FY21 for the county. "This is not a rosy picture. We are looking at a $39.4 million deficit before we start looking at expenditure requests."

Crosby says revenue in FY21 will likely be down $17.4 million. Property tax collection rate reduced to allow for #COVID19 underpayments

Now: @MayorLeeHarris says we must grapple with a darkening economic outlook. Because we did not tighten the budget with cuts, our deficit is growing. Our major focus should be to avoid layoffs. @WMCActionNews5

Harris says because we didn't freeze spending, we've had 112 transactions against our budget that have ballooned the budget even more. FY21 should be more about focus on core areas (public health, social safety net)

Crosby says FY21 budget will include across the board expenditure reductions.

Harris: We will be required to make cuts, use some of our fund balance, and generate new revenue in FY21 budget

Harris: It doesn't appear that we can raise our property tax because we are the highest county in the state. And we have topped out on local option sales tax. Many of our taxing options are at capacity.

Crosby: We have formed a committee to achieve long term structural balance for our budget.

Harris: Over the next 6 months a long term sustainability committee we be meeting to talk about long-term budget solutions.

Commissioner @tamisawyer says she is concerned about the mention of layoffs in the media. @MayorLeeHarris says the issue is because we are still spending we don't see a clear path where we know there will NOT be any county layoffs. @WMCActionNews5

Harris: We have to make sure the public is informed. The spending hasn't stopped. We can't say there will be no county layoffs if the spending continues. I wish that wasn't the reality. @WMCActionNews5

On potential county layoffs, I started reporting on the possibility of them as floated by officials last week: https://www.wmcactionnews5.com/2020/04/07/shelby-county-mayor-believes-spending-cuts-will-come-phases-commission-chair-says-layoffs-possible/

Commissioner Brandon Morrison: We have to deal with reality. This is serious business. This is a shared sacrifice. We don't want layoffs. Reasonable spending cuts are reasonable.

Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr: I do not want another 2014 with the city of Memphis budget to happen on the county side where people got laid off and property taxes went up. If we're talking about layoffs I think salary increases have to be off the table

Harris clarifies there will be no salary increases in the budget

Never thought I'd be at a point in my life where I've got a Shelby County Commission meeting on my computer as loud as possible while I do laundry & unload the dishwasher but here we are

Commissioner @mickwright has introduced a proposal to freeze hiring in the county "given the economic position we are in"

County CAO Dwan Gilliam: We support any action like this that will help us navigate the ongoing fiscal situation

The proposal by @mickwright has been amended to except EMS, sheriff's office, health department and community services from the hiring freeze proposal

Also, never change Shelby County Commission committees. Even remotely -- we are hours behind on the agenda!

Vote on @mickwright county hiring freeze (excepting EMS, Sheriff, Health Dept, Community Services) passes through committee with 6 yes, 1 no, 5 abstentions. It goes down with a favorable recommendation, to be voted on again Monday

Director Alisa Haushalter of @ShelbyTNHealth is on hand to give a #COVID19 update

Haushalter says #COVID19 task force has also added preparing for reopening to their list of priorities

Haushalter says 33 deaths reported in Shelby County. Current cases up 81 from yesterday but rate of increase is declining. #COVID19

Haushalter says consistently 70-71% of cases are among African-Americans in Shelby County #COVID19

Haushalter says Friday testing will take place in Hickory Hill, Saturday testing in Frayser. UT will open up sites to expand into Frayser twice a week. Blitz testing pilot program with MFD later this week #COVID19

Haushalter says people have expressed concern with getting tested. Some in the community have said they are fearful of being tested in the first place. Says more public health education is needed

On testing at juve court after a staff member had #COVID19, Haushalter says 15/16 juveniles quarantined tested negative. 1 was released and is now an adult and declined to be tested.