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2026-06-16 - Metropolitan Council

Summary

Built from the official minutes (approved as amended on July 7, 2026, with a note on Council Member Capp's abstention). No video or agenda is on file.

  • Regular session, 6:30 PM, with Vice Mayor Henderson present. 38 members present; Gregg, Vo and Gadd absent. Minutes of the June 9 special meeting (2026-06-09 - Metropolitan Council) approved.
  • Budget night. The Council passed the Fiscal Year 2027 operating budget as substituted by the Budget and Finance chair, 35-2-0, and the tax levy, 29-7-0. See Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget.
  • Adopted RS2026-1961 cutting the local grocery sales tax, 28-3-1. See Grocery Sales Tax Reduction.
  • Adopted the main downtown Central Business Improvement District budget 23-10-3 after a failed previous question (18-17) and a failed deferral (9-22-5); the Gulch district budget passed 32-1-1. See Central Business Improvement District Budgets.
  • Passed the eviction right to counsel ordinance on third reading, 33-0-0. See Eviction Right to Counsel Program.
  • Deferred the Vision Zero resolution to July 21 by voice vote. See Vision Zero Commitment Resolution.
  • Consent agenda of general-fund pay plans, grants, contracts and honorary resolutions approved 31-0-0.
  • Withdrawn: the first data center moratorium bill, BL2026-1438 (Data Center Moratorium).
  • First reading of 17 bills, including the board meeting recording bill, two Entertainment Commission bills, the West End zoning bills, and a solid waste contract amendment.

Message from the Mayor

  • The Mayor urged passage of the Chair's substitute budget unamended, citing a proposed 150% increase in housing affordability funding, teacher pay and healthier school start times, and a 22% cut in the local grocery sales tax worth $9 million to families. Details on Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget.

Appointees and confirmations

  • Confirmed unanimously on Council Member Cash's motions: Fabian Bedne (Contract and Compliance Board, term to July 27, 2028, 26-103); Alphonso Harvey (Hospital Authority, term to July 11, 2031, 26-104); Mandy Spears (Social Services Commission, term to April 3, 2031, 26-107).
  • Re-referred to the Rules, Confirmations, and Public Elections Committee for the next meeting: Alvin J. Haney (Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, 26-108); Kristofer Carlson (Central Business Improvement District Board, 26-101); Darius McDonald (Tourism and Convention Commission, 26-111).
  • Cash moved to defer G. Thomas Curtis (Employee Benefit Board, 26-109), approved by voice vote. Cash withdrew S. Will Acuff (Social Services Commission, 26-106) and Jolyn Mezera (Sustainability Advisory Committee, 26-110).
  • Haney and Carlson were confirmed on July 7 (2026-07-07 - Metropolitan Council).

Public comment

  • Registered speakers addressed the Council on matters of interest. The minutes record no names or positions.

Budget items (taken out of order)

  • BL2026-1377 operating budget: 35 yes, 2 no (Eslick, Johnston). Evans-Segall's motion to suspend the rules for a late amendment failed on objection, and her proposed amendment failed by voice vote. Benedict called the previous question twice.
  • BL2026-1378 tax levy: 29 yes, 7 no (Kimbrough, Hancock, Webb, Eslick, Evans, Kupin, Johnston).
  • Pay plans effective July 1, 2026 (RS2026-2004, 2005, 2006) for general employees, Board of Health employees, and Police and Fire. See Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget.
  • Housing Trust Fund grant contract amendments RS2026-2036 to RS2026-2039 (Pathway Lending, Urban League of Middle Tennessee twice, Be a Helping Hand Foundation). See Housing Trust Fund Grant Contracts. RS2026-2035 amended Exhibit A of BL2022-1170 to adjust the Mixed Income PILOT Program.
  • Health and public safety money: $573,833 to Park Center, Inc. for recovery support for people with opioid use disorder (RS2026-2040); $1,718,603 to Depaul USA, Inc. for Strobel House Permanent Supportive Housing (RS2026-2044); a Justice Department grant application for a pilot Sobering and Stabilization Center (RS2026-2008); state grants for CHANT care coordination, high-impact-area substance misuse partnerships, a fatality review program, VOCA victim advocates, Project Safe Neighborhood overtime and the Internet Crimes Against Children unit; and an EPA PM 2.5 monitoring grant amendment.
  • After School and library programming: $1,926,099 (RS2026-2045) and $2,452,026 (RS2026-2046) from the Nashville Public Library to nonprofits through the Nashville After Zone Alliance, plus an amendment with Water Walkers (RS2026-2047).
  • Parks and culture: a greenway license agreement with the State Department of Transportation (RS2026-2048); a grant contract with the Conservancy for the Parthenon and Centennial Park for Celebrate Nashville event services (RS2026-2049); gifts and grants from Centennial Park Conservancy, Friends of Warner Parks and the Battle of Franklin Trust (RS2026-2050 to 2053).
  • Transportation and utilities: amendment two to a Safe Streets for All grant for Nolensville Pike (RS2026-2058); an aerial encroachment at 1209 Brown Street (RS2026-2059); vehicle-related purchasing agreements with Rynse, Inc. and Blink Network, LLC; an Ingersoll Rand contract for Water Services; water and sewer main acceptances (RS2026-2062, 2063, BL2026-1394 at 14656 Old Hickory Boulevard); BL2026-1393 for encroachments at 501 South 2nd Street (ECG East Bank, LP); a lease amendment for the Luton Center at Nashville International Airport (RS2026-2032).
  • Fees and positions: a Fire Marshal's Office fee schedule (BL2026-1328), NDOT fee changes (BL2026-1358), appraisal requirements for right-of-way acquisitions (BL2026-1356), and 17 new job classifications (BL2026-1379).
  • Honorary: retirement of Tom Palko of Water and Sewerage Services, welcome to the Japan National Men's Soccer Team, and Black Music Month.

Resolutions

  • RS2026-1961 grocery tax: 28 yes, 3 no (Evans-Segall, Welsch, Sepulveda), 1 abstain (Johnston). Grocery Sales Tax Reduction.
  • RS2026-2033 downtown CBID budget: Kupin moved adoption; Johnston's previous question failed 18-17; Benedict's deferral failed 9-22-5; adopted 23-10-3 (abstain: Suara, Cortese, Lee). Central Business Improvement District Budgets.
  • RS2026-2064 Vision Zero: the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recommended a two-meeting deferral; Kupin moved to defer to July 21, approved by voice vote. Vision Zero Commitment Resolution.
  • RS2026-2065 honoring Wallace W. "Wally" Dietz as retiring Director of Law, adopted 30-0-0 (Director of Law Confirmation); RS2026-2069 recognizing Juneteenth (June 19) adopted 30-0-0.

Bills on third reading

  • BL2026-1381 Gulch CBID budget: 32-1-1 (Welsch no, Kimbrough abstain).
  • BL2026-1382 eviction right to counsel program: 33-0-0, moved by Suara.

Bills on first reading

  • BL2026-1437 requiring boards with financial authority to record and publish their proceedings: Board Meeting Recording Requirements.
  • BL2026-1431 and BL2026-1432 on the Nashville Entertainment Commission: Nashville Entertainment Commission Changes.
  • BL2026-1445, BL2026-1446 and BL2026-1447 (cancelling a PUD overlay at 2609 West End Avenue and rezoning 43.16 acres to a mixed-use Specific Plan, with building-material restrictions); Capp abstained on each: West End Mixed-Use Rezoning.
  • BL2026-1442 amendment two to the Waste Management, Inc. of Tennessee contract: Solid Waste Collection Contract Amendment.
  • BL2026-1438 data center moratorium: withdrawn by Johnston (Data Center Moratorium).
  • Also passed first reading: BL2026-1430 (publication of the operating and capital budgets), BL2026-1433 (replacing "day care" with "child care" and "adult day services" uses in the zoning code), BL2026-1434 (notice for right-of-way excavations), BL2026-1435 (removing unmetered water connections), BL2026-1436 (lease with PENCIL Foundation), three greenway conservation easements (BL2026-1439 at McCrory Lane, BL2026-1440 on Whites Creek Pike, BL2026-1441 at Holt Road) and two John Hagar Road water and sewer bills (BL2026-1443, BL2026-1444).

Sources