MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office is asking for more than $15 million from the County Commission to fix the jail downtown.
Sheriff’s Office Chief Administrative Officer Alicia Lindsey went before county commissioners requesting the money be reallocated from the mental health safety and justice center that was previously approved using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
Lindsey says they’ve already spent more than $5 million on repairs but says they need another $10 million immediately to start work before a state inspection later this month that could lead to decertification should it fail the inspection.
“Time is of the essence, and I will simply say that I’m glad it’s coming up now but this could’ve come up two weeks ago,” County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr said.
Alicia Lindsey, chief administrative officer, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office said there is a priority to take care of emergency issues at the jail.
“Since July 12 we have been sending emergency justification requests," Lindsey said. "This is a stack of them to Shelby County purchasing administrator.”
Those emergency justifications include an infrastructure that continues to crack. Lindsey said in addition to a dilapidated jail kitchen, there are plumbing and air conditioner issues and severe electrical issues, as well as more than 600 doors that need to be replaced at the jail following a power surge earlier this year.
"To date were at $15,571,529.52 that the Sheriff’s Office does not have in its budget to fund,” Lindsay said.
Lindsay says in addition to the $10 million needed, they need to be reimbursed for money they have already spent on repairs.
“This body the Shelby County board of commissioners is responsible for the jail, the sheriff, that’s the tenant, we are the landlord we asking the tenant to take care of everything, it’s the landlord that supposed to take care of everything,” Ford Jr. said.
The committee meeting ended without a vote, tabling the issue until Monday.