MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Shelby County Clerk’s Office does not plan on closing any more locations, representatives told county commissioners Wednesday.

But the clerk’s office did have a big ask for the county commission: to give back money cut from the clerk’s budget.

“I am here today to ask that the body restore the funding for FY 24 to the tune of $1,096,604,” said Janet Hooks, who was appointed by commissioners this year as the special advisor to the clerk’s office.

Hooks said 25% of Clerk Wanda Halbert’s staffing for next year is “wiped out,” crippling the office. She told them the clerk’s office understaffed, and there is a high turnover rate.

Last week the commission held a soft opening for its new office on Riverdale Road. Hooks says the office is not fully operational because it doesn’t have enough staff.

The four employees they do have were pulled from Poplar, Raleigh, Whitehaven, and Mullins Station locations, creating a backup at those locations.

She believes a culture shift and an increase in pay could help with hiring and retention.

“It may also be that amount of work that is required mandates that the job be reclassified and from there, we determine if that reclassification also comes with an increase in salary,” Hooks said.

The county commission did not vote on whether to restore funding to the Clerk’s office.

She also told the commission the Poplar Plaza location will not be closing at the end of the month when the lease expires, and that the clerk’s office has plans to stay in the same area.

They are now in the process of negotiating a lease at a different location within that shopping center.

Currently, four of the county clerk’s offices have either expired or expiring leases.