MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - It should be a simple question, at least that's what a member of the Shelby County Commission thinks. Justin Ford told a former member of the board he disagreed with her comments that most in Shelby County couldn't name their commissioner or any member of the commission.
Ford called it nothing but an old cliché, but there seems to be some truth behind it.
Shelby County is a big place: all new and shiny and pretty out east, old and sometimes dreary downtown. People don't vote much in Shelby County; turnouts have been historically low over the last few years. Former Shelby County Commissioner Edith Moore told the board earlier this week she knew the reason why.
"There are people out there who don't know who we are, or who you are, or who is representing them," she said.
Those twenty words got under Commissioner Justin Ford's skin.
"I've heard that a million times," Ford replied. "That's so cliché in this political world. That's...that's far from true."
Several people told abc24.com they didn't know who their county commissioner was, or any of their names, for that matter.
And then we talked with Glen Sturdivant, who was the only person who could name anybody who is currently serving as a Shelby County Commissioner.
"Mike Ritz, I know is one of them. The only reason I know that is because he had a big argument. I also saw he had something to do with the topless bars thing. They had a big dispute about that."
All those fights that have been going on, they've resulted in Glen Studivant actually paying more attention to what county commissioners are doing.
"At the same time it's kind of like when you watch a fire. That kind of thing," he said.
By the way, here are the members of the Shelby County Commission:
- Wyatt Bunker
- Heidi Shafer
- Chris Thomas
- Mike Ritz
- Terry Roland
- Sidney Chism
- Melvin Burgess
- Justin Ford
- Henri Brooks
- Walter Bailey
- Steven Mulroy
- James Harvey
- Brent Taylor
Of course, many of these people care that you only remember their names come election time. That is, if you vote.
