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Record of Proceedings

Memphis City Council Meeting - February 20, 2024

City Council — Tuesday, February 20, 2024
BodyMemphis, Tennessee
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, February 20, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:05

Sergeant at arms, please call our February 20th, 2024 timely council meeting to order.

0:12

Oh, yes, Council of the City of Members.

0:23

I would like to recognize the chapel of the day, Pastor Charlie Caswell from the Pursuit of God Church, invited by Councilwoman Green, Pastor Caswell.

0:33

Please lead us in prayer.

0:35

All right, how y'all doing this morning?

0:37

Let us bow.

0:38

Father God, I just thank you for this day.

0:40

Thank you for these leaders of our city, Father God.

0:43

I pray that you continue to bless them, keep them, give them the wisdom to guide us in the work that you have called us to do.

0:49

Pray for our mirror and the administration, God.

0:51

We just ask that you continue to watch over our young people, our youth, and those in our community, Father God, that is in much need of our service and leadership.

0:59

In Jesus' name we pray.

1:00

Amen.

1:02

Dr.

1:03

Warren.

1:23

That was a beautiful.

1:28

That's my first time hearing that uh Pledge of Allegiance that way.

1:41

Councilwoman uh I don't have a gavel, but you know, if I did.

1:46

All right, Council members.

1:48

We are we do understand that Dr.

1:50

Warren knows the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:52

Um something happened up there.

1:54

I don't know.

1:55

Council Councilwoman Green, you're recognized.

1:58

Thank you so much, Chair.

1:59

I am so honored to stand here today with my colleague from the county, and somebody that I consider a real warrior in a lot of the fights that we are having here for the soul of Memphis.

2:12

He is somebody who is not afraid to do the work, and I mean the real work at his nonprofit and church.

2:18

He will often post pictures of him mopping the floors or painting the walls.

2:22

He's gonna get his hands dirty in all of it.

2:25

I am thrilled that when he saw a need in our community for the um public round public safety, he set up a separate ad hoc committee on the commission so that they could dive deeper into solutions.

2:37

And so it is my pleasure today to present this proclamation to you as chaplain of the day, and I want to do it in recognition of a life exemplary qualities, outstanding service to the city, meritorious involvement in humanitarian affairs, and demonstrated concern for governmental processes.

2:56

So thank you, Reverend Caswell.

2:58

Thank you.

2:59

Thank you.

3:10

Thank you.

3:11

Thank you.

3:11

All right, madam com troler, you know what to do.

3:14

Thank you, Mr.

3:15

Chairman.

3:16

Councilmember Canale.

3:18

Are you here, Canal?

3:19

Here, Carlisle President.

3:22

Cooper Sutton.

3:23

President, Easter Thomas, Ford, Green, Logan, President, Spinoza, Swearing Washington, President, Walker, President, Warren, President, White, President.

3:41

Chairman Smiley.

3:43

Oh, I'm here.

3:43

You have a quorum, sir.

3:45

Thank you.

3:46

Thank you.

3:47

Um, I believe the Vice Chairman Canale has read the uh meeting minutes for February 6th, 2024, Vice Chairman.

3:55

Yes, sir, Mr.

3:56

Chairman.

3:56

I have read and reviewed the minutes from the February 6th meeting.

4:00

Find them to be in order, and I move for their adoption.

4:04

Move by Canale, seconded by Spinoza.

4:18

Council members, please cast your votes for the minutes.

4:28

Carlisle, yes.

4:29

Cooper Sutton, yes, Easter Thomas, yes, Ford, yes, Green, yes, Logan, yes, Spinoza, yes, Swearing, Washington, yes, Walker, yes, Warren, yes, White, yes.

4:47

Chairman Smiley, yes.

4:49

This item passes.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████66%
Personnel Matters█████████████19%
Historic Preservation█████8%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████7%
Summary of Proceedings

Memphis City Council Meeting - February 20, 2024

The Memphis City Council held its regular meeting on February 20, 2024, at 10:00 AM. The meeting opened with a prayer led by Pastor Charlie Caswell, invited by Councilwoman Green, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The council approved minutes from the February 6, 2024 meeting, adopted several consent agenda items, discussed a salary resolution for MLGW, and passed multiple financial items. No public comments were registered.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes Approval: The minutes from the February 6, 2024 meeting were approved unanimously.
  • Consent Agenda Items 6, 8, 9: Approved en bloc:
    • Item 6: Resolution approving engineering plans for Conwood II development 2024 and accepting bond (contract CR 5453).
    • Item 8: Resolution accepting public improvements for Woodland Hills Planned Development Phase 15 (contract 5411).
    • Item 9: Resolution accepting public improvements for Homes at Mineral Wells Planned Development First Amendment (contract CR 5387, bond release).
  • Item 21: Resolution to transfer $500,000 from sidewalks cover line to FY24 City Owned Sidewalks for sidewalk repairs in various locations across all council districts. Approved unanimously.
  • MLGW Fiscal Consent Agenda (Items 11-18): Approved by roll call vote after item 10 was withdrawn. Items covered:
    • Item 11: Contract for right-of-way mowing for $2,034,340.
    • Item 12: Purchase order for sodium hexametaphosphate for $2,052,750.
    • Item 13: Agreement fee for pollution control groundwater quality control for $141,512.25.
    • Item 14: Renewal of cashiering system replacement contract for $51,034.61.
    • Item 15: Ratification of purchase order for distribution transformers for $224,318.84.
    • Item 16: Purchase order for arresters for $513,700.
    • Item 17: Blanket purchase order for control cable for $767,566.
    • Item 18: Ratification of purchase order for pad mount transformers for $3,783,970.64.

Discussion Items

  • Item 1 – Honorary Street Name Change: Resolution approving an honorary street name change on Looney Avenue for Reverend O.C. Collins Jr. (District 7, Super District 8). Sponsored by Councilwoman Easter Thomas. Councilwoman Walker spoke in support. The resolution was approved by acclamation.
  • Item 10 – MLGW Vice President of Corporate Communications Salary: A resolution to approve an annual salary of $200,000 for this position. Councilman Spinoza moved to pull the item from the consent agenda for separate discussion, seconded by Councilwoman Walker. Attorney Wade provided legal background, noting that council’s authority under the 1939 Act and Ordinance 3054 allows approval of salaries over $90,000, and that qualifications can be considered to determine if salary is commensurate. No vote was taken during the transcript; the item remained open for future deliberation.

Key Outcomes

  • The council approved the February 6, 2024 meeting minutes unanimously.
  • An honorary street name for Reverend O.C. Collins Jr. was approved by acclamation.
  • Consent items 6, 8, 9, and 21 were passed unanimously.
  • The MLGW fiscal consent agenda items 11-18 were approved by roll call vote (all present members voted yes).
  • Item 10 (salary for MLGW VP of Corporate Communications) was pulled from consent and discussed; no final decision was reached in the recorded portion of the meeting.
  • No public comment cards were submitted for any agenda item.

Meeting Transcript

Sergeant at arms, please call our February 20th, 2024 timely council meeting to order. Oh, yes, Council of the City of Members. I would like to recognize the chapel of the day, Pastor Charlie Caswell from the Pursuit of God Church, invited by Councilwoman Green, Pastor Caswell. Please lead us in prayer. All right, how y'all doing this morning? Let us bow. Father God, I just thank you for this day. Thank you for these leaders of our city, Father God. I pray that you continue to bless them, keep them, give them the wisdom to guide us in the work that you have called us to do. Pray for our mirror and the administration, God. We just ask that you continue to watch over our young people, our youth, and those in our community, Father God, that is in much need of our service and leadership. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Dr. Warren. That was a beautiful. That's my first time hearing that uh Pledge of Allegiance that way. Councilwoman uh I don't have a gavel, but you know, if I did. All right, Council members. We are we do understand that Dr. Warren knows the Pledge of Allegiance. Um something happened up there. I don't know. Council Councilwoman Green, you're recognized. Thank you so much, Chair. I am so honored to stand here today with my colleague from the county, and somebody that I consider a real warrior in a lot of the fights that we are having here for the soul of Memphis. He is somebody who is not afraid to do the work, and I mean the real work at his nonprofit and church. He will often post pictures of him mopping the floors or painting the walls. He's gonna get his hands dirty in all of it. I am thrilled that when he saw a need in our community for the um public round public safety, he set up a separate ad hoc committee on the commission so that they could dive deeper into solutions. And so it is my pleasure today to present this proclamation to you as chaplain of the day, and I want to do it in recognition of a life exemplary qualities, outstanding service to the city, meritorious involvement in humanitarian affairs, and demonstrated concern for governmental processes. So thank you, Reverend Caswell. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right, madam com troler, you know what to do. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Councilmember Canale. Are you here, Canal? Here, Carlisle President. Cooper Sutton. President, Easter Thomas, Ford, Green, Logan, President, Spinoza, Swearing Washington, President, Walker, President, Warren, President, White, President. Chairman Smiley. Oh, I'm here. You have a quorum, sir. Thank you. Thank you. Um, I believe the Vice Chairman Canale has read the uh meeting minutes for February 6th, 2024, Vice Chairman.

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