Memphis City Council Remote Meeting Summary - January 27, 2026
Memphis City Council Remote Meeting Summary - January 27, 2026
The Memphis City Council held its regular meeting remotely on January 27, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. due to a state of emergency declared by the President, Governor, and Mayor for inclement weather. The meeting was conducted via electronic means to protect public health and safety. The Council approved several routine items, including consent agendas, fiscal items, and two resolutions for emergency repairs and drainage improvements. Multiple items were held for future meetings.
Consent Calendar
- Items 4–7 and 26 (Consent Agenda): Approved unanimously.
- Item 4 (First Reading): Ordinance 5968 renaming Monroe Avenue between Front Street and Riverside Drive as Hyde Square.
- Item 26 (First Reading, Add-On): Ordinance 5969 to amend Article VIII, § 2-370 of the Code of Ordinances relative to arbitration of labor disputes, impasse procedures, and preservation of charter powers.
- Item 5 (Second Reading): Ordinance 5967 to amend MLGW contract and salary limits requiring Council approval.
- Item 6 (Resolution, Same Night Minutes): Approval of engineering plans for Main Street Plaza Phase 1 (CR-5490) and acceptance of a $49,900.00 performance bond from The Cincinnati Insurance Company.
- Item 7 (Resolution, Same Night Minutes): Acceptance of public improvements for Harmony at Morning Grove - Morning Woods P.D. Phase 4 (CR-5436) and release of a $150,800.00 performance bond from The Hanover Insurance Company.
MLGW Fiscal Consent Calendar
- Items 8–17: Approved unanimously. These resolutions authorized various purchase orders, contract renewals, and extensions for MLGW, including:
- Item 8: $1,600,000 for high accuracy voltage instrument transformers.
- Item 9: $84,000 renewal for Internet service provider (AT&T).
- Item 10: $35,186 increase for ILI survey services (TDW Inc.).
- Item 11: $179,308.70 for brackets and LPH transformers (ATG Supply LLC).
- Item 12: $92,626.18 ratification for concrete standards (Engineered Sealing Components).
- Item 13: $305,550.30 for Allen Pumping Station Aerator Re-roof (B-Four Plied, Inc.).
- Item 14: $5,000,000 extension for medium voltage EPR cable (Universal Scaffold and Equipment).
- Item 15: $208,794 for regulators (Howard Industries Incorporated).
- Item 16: $158,427.01 for courier services (Texenn LLC dba Diligent Delivery Systems).
- Item 17: $76,608 increase and change for survey administration solutions (Korn Ferry).
Discussion Items
- Item 21 (Resolution): Transfer of $150,000 from the Memphis Parks Coverline (Project PK24100) to Parks Critical Needs Contingency (Project PK-TBD) for emergency repairs to aquatic facilities, community centers, senior centers, and other assets. Approved unanimously.
- Item 23 (Resolution): Transfer of $367,793.80 from Drainage - ST Coverline (Project ST03205) to Madeline Drain Improvements (Project ST02031) for upgrading the drainage system near Madeline Circle in District 7, Super District 8. Approved unanimously.
- Item 24 (Resolution, Same Night Minutes): Amendment to Council Rules of Procedure (Rule 28) regarding public comment procedures, requiring full home address, driver’s license/state ID/voter registration card, and limiting remarks to two minutes and two agenda items. Approved with one dissenting vote (Councilman Smiley voted no).
- Item 25 (Appointment, Same Night Minutes): Appointment of Kevin Woods and reappointment of Carl Person to the Memphis Light, Gas & Water Board, with terms expiring June 30, 2028, and October 30, 2028, respectively. Approved unanimously.
- Item 27 (Resolution, Same Night Minutes): Resolution to approve and ratify the Chairperson’s decision to conduct the January 27, 2026 meeting remotely due to the state of emergency. Approved unanimously (voted on before items 24 and 25 per Council request).
Items Held or Dropped
- Items 1, 2, 3, 18, 19, 20: Held until February 3, 2026.
- Item 22: Held until February 24, 2026.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comment cards were submitted for any items on the agenda.
Key Outcomes
- All consent, fiscal, and regular agenda items (except those held) were approved.
- The Council amended its Rules of Procedure to tighten public comment verification and time limits.
- Two MLGW Board appointments were confirmed.
- The meeting was ratified as a remote meeting.
- Same-night minutes were approved for items 6, 7, 24, 25, and 27.
- The January 13, 2026 meeting minutes were approved unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
The regular meeting of the January 27, 2026 meeting will now begin. Sergeant in arms, if you will please call our January 27, 2026 Council meeting to order. Oh, yes. Oh, yes, this honorable council of the city of Memphis is here by call to order for the transaction of business pursuant to adjournment. Thank you so much. I would like to recognize our chaplain of the day, Pastor Kenneth Lewis of Briarwood Community Church. He's been invited by Councilwoman Logan. Pastor Lewis, if you will please lead us in prayer at this time. Thank you, Councilwoman Srevers in Washington. And please pray with me. Father God, we thank you for your many blessings upon us. Because you are good. We receive much good from you. We thank you even through this weather event that you have kept things as well as they are. Father, we are we thankful for those who have worked hard to uh keep the streets in order, keep the power functioning, and to keep people well protected. And God, we know that there are some who are still in trouble and have needs, and we pray for them right now. Father, uh, we thank you for this new day. We thank you for this the means you have provided for this council to meet. And although, Father, it is uh less than ideal, but Lord, it is sufficient for this time. Oh God, you have ordained government. Lord, you have you have provided it for the peaceful and orderly function of our society. And Lord, we know that government functions best when it is ordered according to your divine will. Government is your minister, and these councilpersons, Lord, they are your anointed, your ministers. May they minister in truth, in righteousness and justice. We pray, Lord, your wisdom upon each of them. Pray for your guidance. We pray that your purposes may prevail as they conduct this meeting, the business affairs of this city. We pray, Lord, for council um, for councilwoman, our chair, uh chairperson, Sarah Jen Washington, as she leads this council today. We pray for each of the councilpersons, Lord, um, as they uh as they participate in this meeting today. Uh Lord, we pray for each of them for councilwoman Logan, Councilwoman Green, Councilwoman Walker, Councilman Spinoza, Councilman Ford, Councilwoman Easter Thomas, Councilman Smalley, Councilwoman White, Councilwoman Cooper Sutton, Councilman Carlisle, Councilman Connolly, and Councilman Warren. Lord, may your peace and your wisdom rest upon each of them. May you bless them, Father God, their families, their overall well-being as they seek the good of the city, that its citizens, all of us may live a quiet, peaceable, and prosperous life for your glory. We pray, Father God, where there may be proneness to uh conflict, there be cooperation. Uh, where there's misunderstanding, may there may be communication and understanding. We pray, Father God, that whatever is needed to overcome, you would give them the grace to do so. May they know, Lord, they're prayed for, they're supported. And while their jobs are uh challenging in some regards, Father, we know that you have set them apart to do it, and may they do it to the best of their ability and seeking your glory and your will. It's in the name of Christ Jesus, the Savior of the world that we pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you so much. Thank you so much for that beautiful prayer. Councilwoman Logan, you are recognized at this time. Thank you, chairwoman, and amen to that prayer. I'm going to read into your hearing the resolution. Be it hereby known that Pastor Kenneth Lewis of Briarwood Community Church, in recognition of a life of exemplary and outstanding service to this city, his meritorious involvement in humanitarian affairs and his demonstrated concern for governmental process has been appointed chaplain of the day of the Memphis City Council. Pastor Lewis is hereby entitled to all of the honors, rights, privileges, and prerogatives appertaining to the office and the to display of this certificate given on this day, the 27th of January by Chairman Janet Swearing in Washington and presented by myself, Rhonda Logan, member of the Memphis City Council. And I so move. Thank you so much. Thank you.
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