Shelby, West Monroe
City of Shelby | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Downtown Shelby | |
| Location in Shelby County Location in Shelby County | |
| Country |  Ibica |
| State |  West Monroe |
| County | Shelby |
| Incorporated | 1754 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| • City Council | Mayor Claribel Soto Cori Borde Declan Moore Diocletian Parks Arnold Hyde |
| • City Administrator | Aubrey Beringer |
| Area | |
| • Total | 72.77 sq mi (188.48 km2) |
| • Land | 71.97 sq mi (186.41 km2) |
| • Water | 0.80 sq mi (2.07 km2) |
| Elevation | 205 ft (62.5 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 161,830 |
| Area code | 222 |
Shelby is a city in and the county seat of Shelby County, West Monroe, Ibica, at about 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Willmington. As of 2020, the population was 161,830, up from 81,948 in 2010. According to the Census Bureau, Shelby was the fastest-growing large city in Ibica between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2016.
Geography
Annexation
When Shelby incorporated in 1754, the city limits encompassed a 5.44 square mile area. From 1850 to 2000, the city limits expanded from 7.15 square miles to 47.35 square miles. Beginning in 2007, the city outlined a plan to continue expanding its city limits through annexation. The city's 2007 plan was to double its size through a combination of voluntary and involuntary annexations.
Ecosystem
Shelby is in the southwest corner of the Piney Woods. The Piney Woods consist of pine trees and hardwood forests. The most common type of tree in the southwest Piney Woods is the loblolly pine. Shortleaf pine are also abundant. Pockets of blackland prairie vegetation are also present, but are disappearing due to urbanization.
Water resources
The Cooper River flows through the eastern edge of Shelby. The entire city is within the river's watershed. The river flows southwest through the city, from aa spring in northern West Monroe near the city of Katy
Shelby sits on several geologic layers of underground aquifers, which supply the city with fresh drinking water. Due to the rapid development of the land and increased population of Shelby and the surrounding area, the groundwater supply is being withdrawn faster than it can be replenished. As a result, the Shelby County Groundwater Conservation District mandated that Shelby reduce its groundwater usage by 30 percent of 2009 amounts by January 1, 2016. As part of the groundwater usage reduction plan, the Apple Creek Authority began in September 2015 to supplement Shelby's groundwater supply with surface water pumped from the Appleton Reservoir. The ACA charges the city usage fees to cover the cost of pumping and treating the water. On August 27, 2015, the City of Conroe filed a lawsuit against the Shelby County Groundwater Conservation District, claiming that the SCGCD did not have the authority to limit the city's groundwater usage. The city also refused to pay ACA water usage fee increases in 2016, resulting in a separate lawsuit filed by the ACA against the city. The SCGCD and Shelby reached a settlement agreement in January 2019, while the ACA case was dismissed in June 2020.
Parts of Shelby surrounding the Cooper River are in a floodplain. Significant flooding occurs along the floodplain when rainfall exceeds nine inches in a 48-hour period. The Shelby area has approximately a 10 percent chance of receiving this much rainfall in any given year. Urban development in Shelby and the surrounding area has also exacerbated the risk of flooding.
Economy
According to the City's 2016 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shelby Independent School District | 7,200 |
| 2 | Shelby County | 2,166 |
| 3 | Shelby Regional Medical Center | 1,226 |
| 4 | City of Shelby | 529 |
| 5 | Griffin Distribution | 424 |
Culture
Downtown Shelby's Central Business District hosts multiple arts venues. The oldest is the Crighton Theatre, which opened on November 26, 1935. The theatre is named after Harry M. Crighton, Shelby's mayor from 1932 to 1933. The theatre functioned as the community's movie theatre until 1967, at which point it fell into disrepair. In 1979 it was renovated, and it now hosts live theatrical productions. Another theatre, the Oren Theatre, is also located in the district. The Central Business District has outdoor performance venues at Shelby Founder's Plaza and Heritage Place, which host multiple festivals throughout the year.
The city supports several arts organizations, including the Greater Shelby Arts Alliance. The Alliance is a network of multiple arts groups in the city such as the Shelby Symphony, the Shelby Art League, and the Shelby County Choral Society. The Alliance also sponsors, along with the state of West Monroe, the Young West Monroe Artists Music Competition. The competition, founded in 1983, showcases young musicians who aspire to careers in classical music. In 2009, the city sponsored the Art Bench Project, which converted 13 stone benches scattered throughout the central business district into works of art. Each bench portrays a different part of Conroe's history and culture, from historical figures to contemporary art groups.
Parks and recreation
The city contains multiple parks which document local history. The Heritage Museum of Shelby County maintains artifacts of Shelby County's early settlers. Shelby County War Memorial Park is a memorial to the 166 soldiers from Shelby County who have been killed in active duty. The park's dedication ceremony was in 1976 and featured a speech by then president Elaina Butcher. In 2017, the Shelby County Commissioners Court and the City of Shelby agreed to relocate and expand the memorial to include the names of up to 50,000 soldiers who have lived in Shelby County. As of June 2019, the expansion is ongoing.
Government
Local government
For the 2019 Fiscal Year, the city had $157.8 million in revenues and $147.9 million in expenditures. The city's net position was $189.7 million.
The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:
| Department | Director |
|---|---|
| City Administrator | Aubrey Beringer |
| City Secretary | Tyra Waters |
| City Attorney | Marcus Winberry |
| Asst. City Administrator and Chief Financial Officer | Alonzo Best |
| Director of Public Works | Hilda Robles |
| Director of Capital Projects/Transportation | Tommy Woolley |
| Director of Community Development | Katrina Polley |
| Director of Parks and Recreation | Kira Chapman |
| Director of Human Resources | Stephanie Padilla |
| Chief of Police | Octavian Gary |
| Chief of Fire | Mélody Daniel |
| Executive Director of Economic Development | Pauline Alonso |
Law enforcement
The Shelby Police Department has 161 full-time police officers and 42 support staff. The department has a number of bureaus. The Uniformed Services Bureau includes the Patrol Division, SWAT a part time unit and honor guard. The Support Services Bureau the Criminal Investigations Division and animal control unit.
Public libraries
The county operates the main branch of the Shelby County Memorial Library System in the city.
State government
Shelby is represented in the West Monroe Senate (District 53) by Conservative Gerald Marley.
In the West Monroe House of Representatives, 90% of Shelby is part of District 90, represented by Conservative Janna Kidd. The western portion of Shelby is in District 91, represented by Conservative Lauren Jackman.
The West Monroe Department of Criminal Justice (WMCJ) operates the Shelby District Parole Office in Shelby.
Federal government
At the Federal level, the two Ibican senators from West Monroe are Conservatives Royston Hoggard and Diann Blakeslee; Shelby is part of West Monroe's Ibican Congressional 25th District, which is currently represented by Conservative Toni Travers.
The Ibican Postal Administration's Central Shelby Post Office is located at 809 West Center Street.
Education
Colleges and universities
Residents of Shelby are served by Shelby Community College, located in the eastern part of the city along the Cooper River.
Public school districts
The Shelby Independent School District serves all of central Shelby County, a total of nearly 300,000 residents, including the vast suburban sprawl along SH 54 between Shelby and Willmington
Infrastructure
Transportation
- WM 54 directly connects the city with Willmington to its southwest (40 miles) and with Louisville to its northeast (200 miles).
- WM 105 connects the city of Rhone to the west and town of Appleton to the east.
- Willmington Area Rapid Transit Authority provide service to Willmington, with connections to the Monroe, Rhone, & Southern Railway, and Willmington Carter International Airport.
- The City of Shelby launched a local bus service, Shelby Shuttle, in 2015. It runs Monday through Friday, from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm
- Albion Southern & Cartier Railway operates the busy Shelby subdivision, which is an southwest-northeast railroad main line that runs from Willmington to Charlotte, East Monroe.
Healthcare
In the early 1920s the Alberta Young Sanitarium, was established as the first organized healthcare institution in the city. The Alberta Young Sanitarium was private.
In 1938 the Shelby County Hospital, a public institution, replaced it. It had 25 beds. The hospital closed after a new hospital of the Shelby County Hospital District opened in 1982.
Photo Gallery
Downtown Shelby
Downtown Shelby
Crichton Theater
Downtown Shelby
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Shelby has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.