The 9:01: Proposed fee could drive transit renaissance in Memphis — and lower taxes The 9:01 is a weekday column on all things Memphis

Ryan Poe | Memphis Commercial Appeal

Show Caption Hide Caption Innovate Memphis' transit funding plan A quick look at Innovate Memphis' transit funding paper.

The Memphis City Council may charge a transportation fee — but could also lower taxes.

Ignoring urban design principles, the Memphis City Council approved a Beale surface parking lot.

The council opted against approving recommendations on Beale Street crowd control.

Expect more hiring announcements this week from Shelby County mayor-elect Lee Harris.

Good morning from Memphis, which is preparing for Exposure, a showcase of local organizations and people, as part of 901 Day tomorrow. But first...

The Memphis City Council unsurprisingly voted Tuesday to allow a surface parking lot on Beale and ducked a decision on whether to bring back a Beale Street entry fee.

What's more surprising, perhaps — and much more important — is how close the council is to voting on a "transportation utility fee" on both residents and businesses, generating anywhere from $30 million to $62 million a year in funding for the Memphis Area Transit Authority, paving and potholes, and other road projects.

That discussion has been on the city's back burner since I broke the news back in 2016.

But council member Edmund Ford Jr. is spearheading a revived proposal — and seems determined to win its approval within the next couple of months, before he gives up his council seat to focus solely on his new job as a Shelby County commissioner. (He'll serve as both council member and commissioner starting Sept. 1. At City Council yesterday, he greeted me with this: "I'm not going anywhere. You know what I mean.")

The council has generally frowned on the idea of increasing fees in one of the lowest-income cities in the country, but Ford may win some votes by concurrently proposing to use excess revenues from the fee to lower property taxes. That's a major selling point for economic development hawks, considering our combined city-county tax rate is the highest in the state.

Another selling point: The long-neglected and underfunded MATA would have a dedicated funding stream. That could be huge, especially as momentum builds for what could be a massive expansion of MATA, with support from Mayor Jim Strickland and county mayor-elect Lee Harris.

Memphis could use a transit renaissance. Better transit means better access to better jobs, the lack of which has contributed to Memphis' persistently high poverty rate.

Here are the four fee options the council is considering:

The Memphis City Council is exploring a "transportation utility fee" to fund MATA, fill potholes within 24 hours, do more paving, etc.



Here are the fee schedule options presented to the council today: pic.twitter.com/VtB9JKNuiX — Ryan Poe (@ryanpoe) August 28, 2018

But back to Beale Street. The council ultimately decided against accepting the 24 recommendations of a security consultant for controlling crowds on Beale Street — even after council member Kemp Conrad offered to exempt a street cover charge.

Conrad wasn't too happy about that, firing off a data-laden tweet about the need to come up with a way to control the street's at-times massive crowds:

25% stampedes on memorial day weekend, 22 of 23 stampedes when no charge, 89% after midnight, and in 2018 40% of time over 10k on street. Frustrating two members blocked a debate on this reasonable position that prevented targeting on Saturdays only-the purported issue w study https://t.co/Mzg4Xob8Ej — kemp conrad (@kempsuper9) August 29, 2018

Former Downtown Memphis Commission president Paul Morris tweeted back, "Take that for data!" Conrad replied: "Today was an old school 'facts don’t matter' kind of day."

Council member Joe Brown argued for the status quo ("I ain't worried about Beale Street. It'll take care of itself"). But other council members recognized that if the council doesn't take swift action it could have blood on its hands, as council chairman Berlin Boyd put it. "It's a powder keg," Boyd said of Beale Street.

One possible answer to the crowd control problem that I haven't heard much discussion on was brought to mind by this tweet from former 9:01 columnist Chris Herrington:

And 2. Regardless, the Beale entertainment district probably needs to extend geographically, have better infrastructure (lighting, etc), and more diversity in terms of club types/ownership, for the reasons Mario says. — Chris Herrington (@ChrisHerrington) August 29, 2018

Expect more discussion at upcoming council meetings.

However, although they didn't "accept" the recommendations, the council voted to spend $788,000 on "bollards," which are heavy posts designed to prevent cars from running into pedestrians. The posts will be placed at both ends of the entertainment district and will line Second Street, Daniel Connolly reports.

In other council news, here's a photo of the council's new committee digs, in use for the first time Tuesday:

But there's more work to do. Council members complained of the lack of trash cans and a clock. Also, television news crews ran into a big issue:

Nice new renovations to the @MEM_Council committee room but no microphone hookups in media area. Big problem! @CityOfMemphis go to county commission committee room across plaza to see how that room is set up. Much better media access @WMCActionNews5 pic.twitter.com/1f3eHdYbEO — Kendall Downing (@kendall_downing) August 28, 2018

Boyd tells me he's working on those issues.

So, with that renovation out of the way, is a chamber renovation next? Boyd replied by saying the roof of the chamber is leaking on council members. So, that's probably a yes.

Finally, here's your council moment of Joe:

Council member Joe Brown says we're in an economic crisis. What crisis? Dow is up, CM Martavius Jones says.



Brown: "You know who controls the Dow, Martavius? The computers." — Ryan Poe (@ryanpoe) August 28, 2018

A county in transition: Shelby County mayor-elect Lee Harris couldn't attend Tuesday's transition team meeting, but that didn't stop some major brainstorming from happening. About 30 invited professionals divided into six groups to discuss the county's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats ( known as a "SWOT" analysis).

Here are a couple of the analyses on economic development and education, which will be two of the most important challenges for Harris' fledgling administration:

The transition team should turn in its final recommendations to Harris by the end of October, transition team co-chairman Paul Morris told me.

Also, here's a very low-quality video of Morris announcing the hiring of Patrice Thomas, who as chief administrative officer will serve as the mayor's right-hand woman, as pointed out in yesterday's The 9:01.

Harris should also announce the next county attorney this week ahead of his swearing-in ceremony Thursday, and may also name a communications director.

Farewell, Jimmy Moore: The longest-serving Circuit Court clerk in Shelby County history, Jimmy Moore, leaves the office this week after deciding not to seek reelection.

Moore served on the Memphis City Council from 1986-'94, and then as Circuit Court clerk since '94. The Republican will be succeeded by Democrat Temiika Gipson, who defeated Republican Tom Leatherwood in the recent August county election. She is sworn in Thursday, along with other county officials, and will take over on Sept. 1.

Spotted among the crowd at a going-away party for Moore this week were Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, Congressman David Kustoff and former Memphis City Council member Tom Marshall.

Wondering about the bakery? Contractor Montgomery Martin has a couple photos of the $70 million mixed-use redevelopment of the Wonder Bread Bakery in Downtown:

The Bakery development is in full swing in downtown Memphis. Steel installation on the existing Bakery structure. Site grading for the new, four story, multifamily structures. Footings for the new pre-cast garage. pic.twitter.com/MIWuzucVzj — Montgomery Martin (@mmcbuilds) August 28, 2018

Once finished, the development — one of many underway or in the Downtown pipeline — will include apartments, retail, offices and various amenities.

The Highlight: Are you ready for 901 Day, the annual day we celebrate Memphis?

If not, get ready and then head to AutoZone Park at 6 p.m. this Thursday for Exposure, which is a festive introduction to some of Memphis' best organizations and people.

As if you need more reasons to go, I'll be playing "local celebrity kickball."

The Highlight is a regular mini-feature on someone or someplace making Memphis better. Have a suggestion? Email The 9:01's Ryan Poe.

Good reads:

Mark Giannotto has an excellent column on the death Friday of 16-year-old football player Dennis Mitchell of Byhalia.

of Byhalia. Are you pumped up for the start of Tiger football Saturday? If not, read this story from beat reporter Drew Hill.

Saturday? If not, read this story from beat reporter Drew Hill. A new convention center hotel could get TDZ funds after a council vote Tuesday, The Daily News reports. Why that's important: the redevelopment of 100 N. Main will fill an empty, blighted building while at the same time expanding Memphis' capacity for conventions. Two birds, one stone.

could get TDZ funds after a council vote Tuesday, The Daily News reports. Why that's important: the redevelopment of 100 N. Main will fill an empty, blighted building while at the same time expanding Memphis' capacity for conventions. Two birds, one stone. The New Tri-State Defender (which really should drop the "new" at this point) has a video of Detroit planner Maurice Cox sharing urban planning lessons with Memphis. Here's a gem from Cox, as quoted in the article: "A city’s downtown is its heart, and you only have one heart. If the heart stops beating, a city dies. ... But the soul of a city is in its neighborhoods. And there are many souls in every city. And the soul of a city must be nourished too."

Happening today:

For more happenings, check out The CA's events page and its summer events roundup.

The Fadeout: I finally got around to watching the excellent documentary on Fred Rogers, "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" A favorite Rogers' song shown in the movie:

Reach Ryan Poe at poe@commercialappeal.com and on Twitter at @ryanpoe.