Finally, you can change Memphis government. A vast majority of Memphians is not pleased with the direction of our city. Finances are a shambles, the debt soars, city reserves are gone, city hall is rife with arrogance, cronyism, and incompetence. You may not be able to change the politicians, but you can change the rules that govern them. Each voter gets seven votes to elect the first city charter commission in 40 years.

Charter commission?
What does it do?

• It gives voters a chance to change the way city politicians must govern.
• On August 3 you will elect seven Memphians, one in each city council district.
• Each voter will vote for one member in all seven districts.
• The commission will solicit public input, deliberate, and within two years bring to voters recommendations for changes in the charter.
• No changes can be made without voter approval.

Who are we?

• Memphis taxpayers who formed in 2004 to oppose city council’s outrageous abuse of city pensions.
• We learned that meaningful changes by ordinary citizens would require changes in the city charter.
• Signatures of 10,485 Memphis voters were needed to create a charter commission. We obtained more than 30,000.
• Despite aggressive opposition by city hall our petition was certified in 2004.
• City of Memphis sued and delayed a charter commission for two years.
• We are volunteers. We’ve worked thousands of hours to make this commission a reality.
• We’ve paid the costs from our own pockets. Our attorneys labored pro bono. This has been an extraordinary exercise of democracy.
• We are NOT politicians and have no political ambitions.

Important changes are needed in our city charter.

Here are examples of changes that we believe should be brought to voters.

• Term Limits Limit city mayor and city council members to two terms.
• No MLG&W Sale Prohibit the sale of MLG&W without voter approval.
• Tighten Ethics Prohibit elected and appointed officials from doing business with the city or any entity that receives city funding.
• No Charter Changes Prohibit city council from making any change in the city charter by ordinance or otherwise without voter approval.
• Pension Reform Remove future elected and appointed officials from existing city pension plan, substitute 401K plan common in private industry, and prohibit city council from setting its own pension rules.
• Budget Checks & Balances Require line-item budgeting, and prohibit switching money from one item that has been OK’d to another item without joint approval of mayor and council.
• Open Records Require that all official city documents including ordinances, contracts, etc. be posted on the city web site in timely fashion.
• Appointees Redefine the titles and number of mayoral appointees.
• Restrict Elected Officials from voting membership on any city or county board or commission.
• ‘The Charter is Law’ Render illegal any act that conflicts with city charter or state law.
• Contracting Authority Prohibit mayor from signing any contract unless it has been approved, and funded, by city council.

You get seven votes.
Vote for one member in every district.

Concerned Citizens of Memphis recruited an extraordinary team of candidates, one in each district. These outstanding Memphians combine a wealth of educational background, corporate, financial, legal and government experience; civic, charitable and religious service; talent and diversity of age, expertise, gender and race.

Joe Fox Position 1

Mr. Fox was born in Newburg, Germany, and has lived worldwide. He has been a Memphian for 13 years, and is a graduate of West Tennessee Community College. He was graduated subsequently from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Reserve Academy and Sheriff’s Accelerated Academy, and he was chosen Reserve Officer of the Year in 2003 before becoming a full-time Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy. He and his wife, Cathryn live in the Cordova area of Memphis. Deputy Fox also coaches children’s baseball and basketball at Germantown Baptist Church.

John Malmo Position 2

Mr. Malmo is chairman emeritus of Archer/Malmo, Inc., the mid-south’s largest advertising agency, and is a marketing consultant. He’s a graduate of Boston University and a U.S. Army veteran. He served 12 years on the Memphis Park Commission Board, seven as chairman. He’s been a director of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, Advertising & Marketing International Network, several corporations and civic groups from the Boys Clubs to Memphis Symphony; vestryman of Grace-St. Luke’s Church, and is chairman of the Moore Tech board of trustees. He wrote a business column in The Commercial Appeal for 11 years. He and his wife, Betty, have two children.

Charles J. Strong Position 3

Mr. Strong has been vice president of Piano’s Flowers & Gifts, a family-owned business for 25 years. He has been a resident of Whitehaven for 45 years and is a graduate of the Memphis College of Art. He is a past president of the Memphis Jaycees, past president of the Kiwanis Club of Memphis and currently is lieutenant governor of the Kiwanis division that encompasses all 10 clubs in Shelby County, and president of the Whitehaven Economic Development Corporation. He and his wife, Barbara, have three children.

Fred Davis Position 4

Mr. Davis is president of Fred L. Davis Insurance. He is a graduate of Tennessee State University and the first African American member of the Independent Insurance Agents of America. He was elected to represent a majority white district on the first Memphis City Council, is past president of the Liberty Bowl, served seven years as a director of the Memphis Park Commission and serves on several civic boards. Mr. Davis has received the Humanitarian Award of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. He and his wife, Ella, have three children.

Russell J. Hensley Position 5

Mr. Hensley is managing partner of The Bogatin Law Firm, PLC, and a graduate of Ole Miss and the University of Memphis School of Law. He is a former staff attorney of the City of Memphis and former adjunct professor at CBU. He is a former director of The Wonders Series, and a director of Memphis Athletic Ministries, Victory Ranch, Memphis Boys’ Athletic Association, a deacon of Second Presbyterian Church and a member of the Memphis & Shelby County and Tennessee Bar Associations. He and his wife, Missy, have two sons

Patsy Turner Position 6

Ms. Turner is a Ford Foundation and National Science Foundation scholar with a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee State University. She was an administrator for Roadway Express for 30 years and formerly a member of Teamsters Local 667. Today she operates her own home-based travel agency and is a Mary Kay Cosmetics sales consultant. She is a volunteer at the Orpheum Theatre and is executive secretary at Living Epistles Outreach Ministries of Memphis. Mrs. Turner and her husband, George, have a daughter and three sons.

Anthony Milton Position 7

After 20 years with Nolan’s, Inc. Mr. Miller opened Synergy Technologies Group, LLC, of which he is president and owner. The firm designs and installs commercial audio and video systems for corporate and non-profit customers. Mr. Miller is a native Chicagoan who attended Wilbur Wright Junior College and Triton College, both in Illinois, and has lived in Memphis for the last 21 years. He serves on the Memphis City Schools Telecommunications Advisory Committee. His wife of 18 years, Freddie, is a native Memphian.

Please help.

Help defray costs of this campaign. Printing, postage, advertising and legal research expenses to date have exceeded $10,000. We expect additional $40,000 out-of-pocket costs. Please send a check (no amount too small) made out to Concerned Citizens of Memphis to John Lunt, CCM, 718 Mt. Moriah Rd., Memphis, TN 38117