A new chapter in Shelby County government has begun as a new class of Shelby County leaders were sworn into office on Monday, Aug. 31.
Supporters, family and wellwishers packed the stage and audience seating of the Renasant Convention Center in Downtown Memphis to witness the changing of the guard.
Applause from the standing room only crowd ranged from polite to raucous as the nearly 30 office holders individually repeated the litany. Each official was sworn in by the person of their choice. Their first moments in office were blessed by a prayer from Pastor Keith Norman of First Baptist Church Broad.
“We gather keeping in mind that we shoulder the hope of many generations before us and the expectant hopes of those whom have elected us,” said Norman. “Each vote embodied something, dear God, where people cast their hope into the hands of someone whom they believe will represent their best interests.”
Topping the list were Mayor Mickell Lowery and Sheriff Anthony Buckner. They will begin a four year and six year terms, respectively.
Both were welcomed by their predecessors, former Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and Sheriff Floyd Bonner. Other area notables were on hand for the event too, including Memphis Mayor Paul Young.
Lowery and Buckner lead a large slate of Democrats elected during the recent cycle.
Lowery, who just wrapped up his second term on the Shelby County Commissioner, emerged from a seven-candidate primary in May to an easy Aug. 6 win. In his victory speech, he vowed to address early childhood education as a first order of business. Lowery was given his oath by circuit court Judge Cedric Wooten.
and their children Anderson and Zaria after he is sworn in on Monday, Aug. 31, at the Renasant Convention Center. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender)
Buckner was also a popular choice. Both received standing ovations as they stood to repeat their oaths. Numerous uniformed officers gathered in a block of seating and in the Renasant Center balcony. Dozens of SCSO vehicles fronted the cobble stones of Main St.
In addition to the ongoing Operation Safe Memphis task force, Buckner also inherits a decaying and overcrowded jail at 201 Poplar. Both will likely be addressed at some point by the newcomers.
Another group with say in the matter is the Shelby County Commission.
Eight new commission members were sworn into their respective district offices. Among them are Rhonda O’Dell, District 1; Derek Mills, District 2; Michelle Dial, District 3; Mark Billingsley, District 4; Will Richardson, District 8; Karen Streeter, District 9; Lashanta Rudd, District 10; and Amber Huett-Garcia, District 13.
They join five holdovers from the previous term. The incumbents include Shante Avant, District 5. The current chairwoman of the commission helped emcee the event. She welcomed back incumbents Charlie Caswell, District-6; Henri Brooks, District 7; Miska Clay Bibbs, District 11; and Erika Sugarmon, District 12. The new makeup gives the Democrats a 9-4 majority. Districts 1-4 are represented by Republicans. Commissioners serve four year terms.
Term limits mandated that voters turn the page on the Shelby County Clerk’s Office. After Monday’s swearing-in, LaSonya Hall will be on familiar ground in the largely administrative office. The erstwhile Shelby County deputy chief administrative officer has a distinguished career as a political appointee. Hall has also served as interim director of the Shelby County Health Department and the director of the Memphis Public Parks Dept., among others. She replaces Wanda Halbert.
Another revenue-collecting office welcoming a new leader is the Trustee’s Office. Joseph Lee III will replace well-regarded Regina Newman in the task of collecting property taxes and managing county funds.
Meanwhile, former Memphis City Council member Jamita Swearengen returns for another run as circuit court clerk . Likewise, longtime public servant Eddie Jones will return as probate court clerk. Another familiar incumbent is Willie Brooks, who will return for a second term as Register of Deeds. Brooks and Jones are former members of the county commission. The former also served on the Memphis Shelby County Schools board.
During the ceremony, two new members were inducted into service on the MSCS board. T.L. Harris will represent District 6 and Tanya Frey will take the reins of District 8 on the nine-member body. Their entry comes at a delicate time.
On July 1, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order halting a state takeover of the school system by a nine-member state appointed board. A decision on a preliminary injunction is pending. The intervention by the Republican-controlled legislature followed a forensic audit of MSCS flagged $54 million in potential fraud out of an annual budget of $1 billion.
Also sworn into office were a handful of judges, including Javier Bailey II to the 30th Judicial District Criminal Court, Division VIII; Judge Shayla Purifoy, General Sessions Civil Court, Division II; Judge Taylor Batchelor, General Sessions Criminal Court, Division VII; Judge Chris Frulla, Circuit Court, Division III; along with Chancellor Lonnie Thompson, Chancery Court, Part II.
