Memphis City Council Meeting Summary - October 21, 2025

The Memphis City Council convened on October 21, 2025, to conduct routine business including fiscal consent items, contract renewals, building code amendments, and budget transfers. The meeting opened with a prayer and special recognition for Pastor Stephen Brown. The Council proceeded to approve a series of funding resolutions, budget amendments, and ordinances, with notable public discourse surrounding storm shelter mandates for schools and labor rights for library workers.

Consent Calendar

• MLGW Fiscal Items (13-24): Approved contract renewals and awards totaling approximately $16.5 million for substations, switch gear upgrades, filter valves, IT services (OneLink, Cook Systems, CTD Staffing, NIXTEC, Stradistics, Tech Systems, VACO), and temporary employment services.
• Fiscal Grants (7-12 & 39): Approved grant receipts from International Paper Foundation, Hyde Family Foundation, and Tennessee Dept. of Disability & Aging totaling $243,000 for programming and data software; amended FY26 operating budget.
• Planning & Development: Approved engineering plans for 1870 Coventon Pike, final plat for Dexter Grove Subdivision, bond releases for Frank Kazaza and Madison Midtown Apartments, and honorary street renaming for Pastor Elmore Shelton Jr.
• Add-ons: Approved Ordinance 5959 (small business enterprise program amendments), Resolution 36 (DOT grant for traffic signals), Resolution 37 (special use permit for 1936 Elms Avenue), and Resolution 40 (community grant program application period amendment). All passed unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Winnie Hardaway: Expressed strong opposition to Item 25, arguing that removing the mandatory storm shelter requirement for educational buildings compromises safety for children and benefits construction companies. She cited historical precedents like Hurricane Katrina to argue that extreme weather events are inevitable. Position: Full opposition to making storm shelters optional; urged reconsideration.
• Keith Caldwell: Stated that the city has a responsibility to respect the dignity of all labor. Position: Full support for organized labor and collective bargaining agreements.
• Emily Rogers (Union Representative): Criticized the Council for focusing on wage increases while neglecting employment status. Explicitly requested the Council commit to placing a referendum on the ballot to change library workers' status from "appointed" to "civil service." Position: Full support for civil service status for library workers; urged immediate legislative action.
• Councilman Smiley: Responded to Rogers by stating he sees no reason the Council should not let the people decide via a ballot referendum and pledged to bring this issue to the next meeting. Position: Supportive of a referendum process.
• Samar Solomon: Argued that Mayor Young's administration is attempting to roll back labor progress and that library workers deserve the right to collectively bargain. Position: Full support for collective bargaining and civil service protections for library workers.
• Alexandra Farmer: Described salary reviews as a distraction from the core issue of union rights. Stated that library workers should not be forced to wait for wage adjustments but should instead have the right to form a union. Position: Full support for unionization and referendum on civil service status; views current wage offers as a sidestep.
• Denise Yule (Library Worker): Shared a personal testimony stating that without civil service and union representation, his hands are tied regarding community duties. Position: Support for union representation and civil service status.
• Kylie Thalkmore: Spoke against censorship, drawing parallels to authoritarianism. Position: Opposition to restrictive measures; called for resistance rather than compliance.

Discussion Items

• Item 25 (Ordinance 5955): Storm Shelter & Middle Scale Housing:

  • Councilwoman White: Recused herself from the vote, citing her role as special counsel for the County Commission.
  • Chief John Zina (Development & Infrastructure): Explained that the ICC 500 standard for storm shelters can add ~$1 million per project, currently prohibiting school developments (e.g., Whitehaven High School, Hutchison School). Presented the ordinance as making the shelter requirement optional (consistent with the previous year's moratorium) to allow projects to move forward. Stated that Shelby County Schools typically dismiss students during storms and that new projects would benefit from this flexibility.
  • Councilwoman Cooper Sutton: Clarified the cost implications ($500/sq ft) and confirmed that the moratorium allowed projects to proceed without the mandatory standard, which this ordinance would make permanent.
  • Councilwoman White (Comment, not vote): Remarked that the County Commission has already approved similar items and emphasized that one should not claim extreme weather will never happen, referencing Hurricane Katrina.
  • Councilwoman Easter Thomas: Expressed comfort with the vote despite having three school-age children.

• Item 26 (Ordinance 5956): Existing Building Code:

  • Chief Zina: Clarified this item applies existing building codes to renovations to ensure consistency with the new standards for new construction. Councilwoman White recused herself again.

• Item 27 (Ordinance 5957): Fire Code & Sprinklers:

  • Chief Zina: Explained that this item adopts state-approved amendments for small multifamily housing, allowing NFPA 13D sprinklers (tapping domestic water) for up to eight units, resulting in significant cost savings. Also noted exceptions for commercial uses on the ground floor of mixed-use buildings.
  • Maurice Spidey: Questioned who would repair the buildings (union vs. non-union) and expressed frustration that the administration builds well but does not "build people." Position: Support for union workers; criticized administration for prioritizing building over people.

Key Outcomes

• Item 25 (Ordinance 5955): PASSED (10 Yes, 0 No, 0 Recused). Made storm shelter requirements for educational buildings optional.
• Item 26 (Ordinance 5956): PASSED (10 Yes, 0 No, 1 Recused [White]). Extended optional storm shelter standards to existing building renovations.
• Item 27 (Ordinance 5957): PASSED (11 Yes, 0 No). Adopted fire code amendments for small multifamily housing and sprinkler requirements.
• Budget & Grants: All Fiscal Consent, Add-on, and CIP Transfer resolutions (Items 30-35) PASSED unanimously, including $2.35M for roofing, $438k for security/electric, $1.6M for HBAC repairs, $1.5M for emergency repairs, and $25.9M for wastewater lagoon renovations.
• Same Night Minutes: Granted for all consent, add-on, and agenda items.
• Labor Action: Councilman Smiley committed to drafting an ordinance to place the library worker civil service status question on a ballot for a public referendum at the next meeting.