Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County
The Metropolitan Council is the legislative body of the consolidated city-county government of Nashville, Tennessee and Davidson County.
Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Type | |
Term limits | 2 Four-Year Terms |
| Leadership | |
Vice Mayor and Metropolitan Council President | Jim Shulman |
President pro tempore | TBA |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 40 Seats: 5 At-Large Seats 35 District Seats |
| Committees | - Budget and Finance – Charter Revision – Codes, Fair, and Farmer's Market – Convention, Tourism, and Public Entertainment Facilities – Education – Health, Hospitals, and Social Services – Parks, Library, and Arts – Personnel, Public Information, Human Relations, and Housing – Planning, Zoning. and Historical – Public Safety, Beer, and Regulated Beverages – Public Works – Rules, Confirmations, and Public Elections – Traffic, Parking, and Transportation |
Length of term | Four (4) Years |
| Elections | |
Last election | August 1, 2019 |
Next general election | August 1, 2023 |
| Website | |
| https://www.nashville.gov/Metro-Council.aspx | |
The Council has 40 members, 35 of which are district council representatives, and five of which are council members at-large. If a member resigns or dies before serving a full four-year term, the member's seat remains vacant until the next election. At-large council members are elected by the entirety of the area the metropolitan government encompasses. One national survey of city councils lists Nashville's as the third largest, behind Chicago and New York City. The Historic Metro Courthouse, 1 Public Square, is where the Council meets.
Under the Metropolitan Charter, members must be over the age of 25 and have lived within Davidson County for a year at the beginning of their terms. Members must also have lived in the district they represent for six months, and they must continue to reside in that district for the duration of their terms. In 2019, according to The Tennessean, annual salaries for council members increased for the first time since 2005 from $15,000 to $23,100.[1] The members elected by districts represent 15,000 to 17,000 residents each, and all Metro Council members serve part-time.
In the 2015 municipal elections, two amendments to the Metropolitan Nashville Charter which increased term limits for members of the Council, both at large and district-wide, as well as reducing the size of the council, were proposed. Both amendments failed with Davidson County voters.
President of the Council
The popularly elected vice mayor is the President of the Metropolitan Council and serves as its presiding officer, but is not a member of the Metro Council and does not vote except to break ties. The vice mayor, a part-time position, is paid $25,230 annually.[2]
Members elect a president pro tempore to serve in the absence of the Vice Mayor, and a deputy president pro tempore once the president pro tempore becomes presiding officer due to the Vice Mayor's death or resignation. Members of the Metro Council who act as presiding officer during the Vice Mayor's absence retain their right to vote on all resolutions and ordinances.
Jim Shulman is the incumbent vice mayor.[3]
Operations
Two-thirds of the Metropolitan Council are required to constitute a quorum before the business of the council can be conducted. The council holds regular meetings each first and third Tuesday of each month. In addition, with 48 hours' written notice, a special meeting may be called by the mayor or the vice mayor. It may also be requested by the majority of the council, which would require 21 votes in favor of the meeting. Meetings are broadcast live on Metro 3 and are archived on the Nashville government website.
The mayor may veto resolutions and ordinances passed by the Metropolitan Council, but the veto can be overridden with a two-thirds majority of the Council. With three-fourths of the entire council in favor, and not subject to veto, investigations may be conducted by the whole council or its committees.
Committees
| Name | No. of Members | Chair | Vice Chair |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget and Finance | 12 | Bob Mendes | |
| Charter Revision | 8 | Kevin Rhoten | |
| Codes, Fair, and Farmer's Market | 11 | Colby Sledge | |
| Convention, Tourism, and Public Entertainment Facilities | 7 | Robert Swope | |
| Education | 10 | Delishia Porterfield | |
| Health, Hospitals, and Social Services | 7 | Sharon Hurt | |
| Parks, Library, and Arts | 10 | Larry Hagar | |
| Personnel, Public Information, Human Relations, Housing | 7 | Mary Carolyn Roberts | |
| Planning, Zoning, and Historical | 16 | TBA | |
| Public Safety, Beer, and Regulated Beverages | 8 | Russ Pulley | |
| Public Works | 12 | Angie Henderson | |
| Rules, Confirmations, and Public Elections | 8 | Dave Rosenberg | |
| Traffic, Parking, and Transportation | 6 | TBA | |
| Ad Hoc Affordable Housing | 10 | Burkley Allen |
Size reduction
In 2005, mayor Bill Purcell called for cutting the number of legislators in the council down to 20 in a proposal in which fifteen seats would be elected by districts and five seats would remain at-large. In 2006 the Metro Charter Review Commission scheduled a public hearing on the council's size. In a poll by The Tennessean, 21 councillors favored keeping the council as it is, and nine favored a reduction in the size of the council.
Dissidents said that if the size of the council were to be reduced, being elected could become a matter of who can raise the most money, and special interests may get involved. Other concerns voiced included council members not being able to get in contact with their constituents, the council becoming less ethnically diverse, and council membership changing from a part-time to a full-time job. Councilwoman Amanda McClendon said a reduction in size may make it easier to pass legislation.
Current membership, 2019–2023
| District | Name | Area(s)/Neighborhoods Represented |
|---|---|---|
| At-Large, Seat 1 | Bob Mendes | Davidson County |
| At-Large, Seat 2 | Sharon Hurt | Davidson County |
| At-Large, Seat 3 | Burkley Allen | Davidson County |
| At-Large, Seat 4 | Steve Glover | Davidson County |
| At-Large, Seat 5 | Zulfat Suara | Davidson County |
| 1 | Johnathan Hall | Bordeaux, Joelton, Whites Creek, Scottsboro |
| 2 | Kyonzté Toombs | North Nashville, Bordeaux, Metro Center |
| 3 | Jennifer Gamble | Brick Church, Goodlettsville, Madison, Whites Creek |
| 4 | Robert Swope | Brentwood |
| 5 | Sean Parker | East Nashville, Cleveland Park, Maxwell Heights |
| 6 | Brett Withers | East Nashville, Lockland Springs, Rosebank |
| 7 | Emily Benedict | East Nashville, Inglewood, Madison |
| 8 | Nancy VanReece | East Nashville, Inglewood, Madison |
| 9 | Tonya Hancock | Madison |
| 10 | Zach Young | Goodlettsville, Madison |
| 11 | Larry Hagar | Old Hickory, Hermitage |
| 12 | Erin Evans | Hermitage |
| 13 | Russ Bradford | Donelson, Airport |
| 14 | Kevin Rhoten | Donelson, Hermitage |
| 15 | Jeff Syracuse | Donelson, Opryland |
| 16 | Ginny Welsch | South Nashville, Woodbine |
| 17 | Colby Sledge | South Nashville, Fairgrounds, Berry Hill, 12 South |
| 18 | Tom Cash | South Nashville, Waverly-Belmont, Vanderbilt |
| 19 | Freddie O'Connell | North Nashville, South Nashville, Downtown |
| 20 | Mary Carolyn Roberts | West Nashville, The Nations, Cockrill Bend |
| 21 | Brandon Taylor | North Nashville, West End, Midtown, TSU |
| 22 | Gloria Hausser | West Nashville, Bellevue |
| 23 | Thom Druffel | West Nashville, Belle Meade |
| 24 | Kathleen Murphy | West Nashville |
| 25 | Russ Pulley | Oak Hill, Green Hills |
| 26 | Courtney Johnston | Creive Hall, Paragon Mills |
| 27 | Robert Nash | Southeast Nashville, Tusculum |
| 28 | Tanaka Vercher | Southeast Nashville, Antioch |
| 29 | Delisha Porterfield | Antioch North-Priest Lake |
| 30 | Sandra Sepulveda | Haywood-Tusculum |
| 31 | John Rutherford | Antioch West, Cane Ridge |
| 32 | Joy Styles | Antioch Central |
| 33 | Antoinette Lee | Antioch South, Cane Ridge |
| 34 | Angie Henderson | Oak Hill, Forest Hills |
| 35 | Dave Rosenberg | Bellevue |
Historical Membership
2015–2019 Memberships
| Office | Person |
|---|---|
| Vice Mayor and President | Jim Shulman |
| President pro tempore | Sheri Weiner |
|
*Loniel Greene served as District 1 councilman from September 2015 until his resignation on January 29, 2016. A special election to name his replacement is scheduled for August 2016. Nashville Attorney and WTVF-TV Legal Analyst Nick Leonardo, who narrowly lost to Greene in the prior race, ran again with numerous endorsements by community organizations including The Nashvillian newspaper winning the election for District 1 Councilmember.
*David Briley served as vice mayor until March 6, 2018 when he became acting mayor upon the resignation of Mayor Megan Barry. Council member Sheri Weiner was initially named interim vice mayor at that time with council member Burkley Allen later being appointed interim vice mayor. Briley was subsequently elected to complete Barry's unexpired term as mayor on May 24, 2018. Council member Jim Shulman was ultimately elected to complete Briley's unexpired term as vice mayor on September 6, 2018.[6]
*Karen Johnson served as District 29 Councilwoman from 2015–2018. She was elected to the countywide office of Davidson County Register of Deeds in 2018. Delishia Porterfield was elected March 19, 2019 in a special election to fill the remaining term until the August 1, 2019 General Election for Metro Councilmember District 29.
Membership, 2011–2015
Council members
|
Council members at large
Vice mayor |
Membership, 2007–2011
Council members
|
Council members at large
Vice mayor |
Membership, 2003–2007
Council members
|
Council members at large
Vice mayor
|
* Member resigned or died before the next election date. On December 18, 2004, Chester Hughes died from brain cancer. C. Whitson and Tommy Bradley resigned on September 20, 2005 and March 16, 2006, respectively. Michael Kersetter resigned April 5, 2006 to run for a seat on the Metro school board. Chester Hughes was replaced by Walter Hunt. Jim Hodge replaced Michael Kerstetter. Robert Duvall replaced Tommy Bradley. Emily Evans replaced C. Whitson. On September 1, 2006, Amanda McClendon became a Judge of the Second Circuit Court for the 20th Judicial District and was replaced by Anna Page.
Membership, 1999–2003
Council members
|
Council members at large
Vice mayor
|
**Ronnie Steine resigned in 2002, and Howard Gentry became the interim vice mayor until later being elected vice mayor in 2003.
Membership, 1995–1999
Council members
|
Council members at large
Vice mayor |
References
- Garrison, Joey (20 June 2017). "Nashville council passes $2.2B Metro budget, pay increase for council members". Tennessean. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
- Garrison, Joey (20 June 2017). "Nashville council passes $2.2B Metro budget, pay increase for council members". Tennessean. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
- https://www.nashville.gov/Metro-Council/Metro-Council-Members.aspx
- "Nashville > Metro Council > Council Committees". www.nashville.gov. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- Gonzalez, Tony. "Newest Metro Council Member Wins By 25 Votes". www.nashvillepublicradio.org. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- Garrison, Joey. "Jim Shulman elected Nashville vice mayor in lopsided runoff election". The Tennessean.
- "Nashville Metro Council Roster Feb 14, 2004". Retrieved 6 August 2020.
External links
- Metropolitan Council main page
- Metropolitan Council rules and procedures
- An article in The Tennessean about incumbent mayor Howard Gentry casting a tie-breaking vote.
- The Metro Charter
- A The Tennessean article on Bill Purcell's proposal
- A Nashville City Paper article on 2003 council member salary raises
- A The Tennessean article on the council meeting on council size changes
- An article on The Tennessean's council member poll
- An article from The Tennessean on member resignations
- Metro Council, 1999–2003
- Metro Council, 1995–1999