Memphis City Council Regular Meeting – May 21, 2024

The Memphis City Council met on May 21, 2024, at 10:00 AM. The meeting included approval of consent items, impasse votes for six collective bargaining units, and public comments. The council voted to accept the total economic packages of AFSME, CWA, IAFF, IAMAW, IBEW, and MPA, adding over $13 million to the mayor's proposed FY2025 budget. Council members raised concerns about budget transparency, vacant positions, and the need for accurate financial data.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes from the May 7, 2024 meeting.
• Consent Agenda items (1-6): including an ordinance extending the sunset clause for the equal business opportunity program, ordinances authorizing partial payment of traffic citations and amending registration fees, resolutions accepting public improvements and releasing bonds, and a resolution for an honorary street name change for Reverend Carl E. Shills.
• Fiscal Consent item (7): Resolution accepting $6 million in federal grant funds for Cobblestone Landing restoration.
• MLGW Fiscal Consent items (8-13): including purchase orders for sodium hypochlorite and fluorosilicic acid, contract modifications, approval of professionals for bond issuance, and authorizing up to $180 million in electric system revenue bonds.
• Add-on Consent items (28-35): including transfer of $2.8 million from fleet services fund balance, acceptance of insurance proceeds for Bass Pro ($423,714.87) and Bert Ferguson Community Center ($119,583), amendment of council grant allocations, acceptance of $621,574.21 in opioid settlement proceeds, and an amnesty period for fines/penalties (May 21 to June 30, 2024). All passed.

Public Comments & Testimony

Impasse Hearings (items 14-19)

• AFSME Local 1733: Multiple employees (Tamara Bonds, Vicky Burks, Samuel Gaspar, Christopher Jones) testified about low wages, high living costs, and dangerous working conditions. They urged support for a 5% wage increase and $5,000 bonus.
• CWA: Sam Stamper highlighted police dispatcher workload (1.2 million calls in 2023), staffing shortages (99 of 152 budgeted positions filled), mandatory overtime (median 76 drafts per year), and pay disparity with fire dispatchers (4.35% less). Requested 5% increase.
• IAFF (Firefighters): Thomas Malone presented data on retention: 235 departures in 2023 vs 233 hires, 99 departures in first four months of 2024. Cited pay gaps with nearby departments (Collierville, Germantown). Requested 5%/year for two years.
• IAMAW (Machinists): Christopher Harrington requested 7% increase, noting they are 9% behind local market per Lockton survey and compete with private sector.
• IBEW: Representative requested 6% increase plus retention and longevity items (some non-economic). Noted inflation in Tennessee is second highest nationally.
• MPA (Police): John Covington showed that a 3% raise would drop MPD to third in local pay; 5% keeps them #1. Argued higher pay reduces resignations (28% reduction after 2023 raise). Also cited 13 line-of-duty deaths and 5 suicides since 2020.

General Public Comments

• Janice Mundy: Criticized MATA bus service, noting unreported route reductions and lack of communication. Urged council to hold MATA accountable.
• Joe Kent: Called for outrage over MATA's $20 million loan and lack of financial transparency. Criticized budget process and high consulting costs.
• Natasha McGlassen: Urged city to adopt a ceasefire resolution regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, citing economic impacts on Memphis (FedEx, trade).
• Joan Harp: Criticized Memphis Animal Services, alleging lack of medical care and high kill rates. Proposed privatization of animal shelter.
• Walter Brody: Provided closing prayer, announcing his final appearance after 20 years of offering prayers at council meetings.

Discussion Items

Budget Impasse Votes (Items 14-19)

• Council heard presentations from the administration (Chris Allen, interim EDI director) and union representatives for each bargaining unit.
• Administration argued for a uniform 3% wage increase plus $1,500 bonus, funded by vacancies, citing a $53 million budget deficit and the need for fiscal stewardship.
• Union representatives countered that employees have fallen behind inflation (AFSME 22% behind since 2014), face recruitment/retention crises, and that the city can afford increases due to healthy fund balance (over 28% of revenues) and vacancy savings.
• Council members questioned administration about funding sources, the use of unassigned fund balance, and the overlooked 101 firefighter positions. Debates arose about transparency and the need for actual expenditure data.
• The council voted to approve all six union total economic packages, amending the mayor's proposed budget accordingly.

Street Renaming (Item 20)

• Ordinance to permanently rename South Hollywood Street between Union Avenue and Southern Avenue to “Glenn Rogers Sr. Street” passed third reading with an effective date of October 25, 2024, to allow businesses time to adjust.

Other Resolutions

• Item 21: Authorized up to $150 million in general obligation bonds and bond anticipation notes.
• Item 22: Authorized up to $150 million in general improvement bonds (Series 2024) to refinance commercial paper.
• Item 23: Authorized up to $145 million in refunding bonds (Series 2024B).
• Item 24: Approved $750,000 increase to city attorney's FY24 operating budget for litigation expenses.
• Item 25: Amended American Rescue Plan allocation.
• Item 26: Appropriated up to $1.5 million from PILOT proceeds to affordable housing program.
• Item 27: Adopted resolution supporting the After School Act.
• Same Night Minutes: Approved for items 4,5,6,7,8,9,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35.

Key Outcomes

• Impasse Votes (all passed unanimously):
  • AFSME Local 1733: Accepted 5% wage increase + $5,000 bonus; added $5,265,838 to budget.
  • CWA: Accepted 5% wage increase; added $236,666.
  • IAFF (Firefighters): Accepted 5% for FY25 and FY26 with wage reopeners; added $2,969,831.
  • IAMAW (Machinists): Accepted 7% wage increase; added $267,763.
  • IBEW: Accepted 6% wage increase; added $406,274.
  • MPA (Police): Accepted 5% wage increase; added $3,571,230.
• Council directed the administration to provide: a list of all vacant positions with dollar values, breakdown of vacancies over 18 months, actual expenditure data through third quarter, position control report, and a revised budget book with corrected line items.
• The council emphasized that any future budget amendments must be balanced with corresponding revenue or expenditure cuts.
• Public comment items were noted; no immediate action taken on MATA, animal services, or ceasefire resolution.