Nashville Metro Council Meeting Summary – June 3, 2025
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Nashville Metro Council Meeting Summary – June 3, 2025
The Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County met in regular session on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the Metropolitan Courthouse. The meeting included public hearings on the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, extensive public comment, and action on numerous resolutions and ordinances. Key themes included the FY2026 operating and capital budgets, affordable housing, Metro employee pay, eviction legal defense, and community safety initiatives.
Consent Calendar
- Approved by a 34-0 vote: routine resolutions and ordinances, including sewer easements, grant acceptances, property dispositions, recognition of Bar-B-Cutie SmokeHouse, Older Americans Month, and Harvey Milk Day, as well as second-reading ordinances on alarm permits, new positions, property sales, park donations, street naming, water agreements, and sewer infrastructure projects.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Multiple speakers expressed opposition to recent ICE raids and called for Council Member David Benton to resign, citing his comments at a press conference with a congressman under federal investigation. Speakers argued that the raids target all immigrants and cause trauma.
- Several speakers advocated for a fully funded Barnes Housing Trust Fund at $30 million, a revolving housing production fund, and increased investment in the Eviction Right to Counsel program.
- Metro employees, including teachers, paraprofessionals, dispatchers, and sanitation workers, urged the Council to restore the originally proposed 2% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and step increases, arguing the mayor's 1% cut is a betrayal of trust.
- Dozens of youth and community members from the Southern Movement Committee called for full funding of the Varsity Spending Plan ($10 million) to address gun violence through community centers, restorative justice, and an Office of Youth Safety.
- Supporters of the expanded Downtown Central Business Improvement District spoke in favor, noting it would generate $8 million in services without burdening citywide taxpayers.
- Speakers also requested funding for the musicians' parking program, the Brooklyn Heights Community Garden, and a zero-fare transit program.
Discussion Items
- FY2026 Budget Public Hearings: The Council held public hearings on the Capital Improvements Budget (BL2025-835), the Operating Budget (BL2025-833), and the Tax Levy (BL2025-834). Over 100 citizens spoke during the nearly five-hour hearing, with the majority urging increased funding for affordable housing, Metro employee pay, Metro General Hospital, and community safety programs. All three bills passed second reading with re-referral to the Budget and Finance Committee.
- Emergency Communications Investigation (RS2025-1209): Council Member Ellis sponsored a resolution requesting the mayor to investigate the operations and culture of the Davidson County Department of Emergency Communications. A motion to defer to August failed (10-24), and the resolution passed 32-1-1 after a call for the previous question.
- Eviction Right to Counsel (RS2025-1256): The Council reallocated $2,220,235 in ARPA funds to provide legal representation for low- and moderate-income renters facing eviction. The resolution passed 32-0-1.
- Metro Employee Pay Plans (RS2025-1258, RS2025-1259, RS2025-1260): Resolutions to adopt new pay plans for general employees, police/fire, and health board employees were deferred to the next meeting by rule, as committees recommended a one-meeting deferral.
- Downtown Central Business Improvement District (RS2025-1261): The Council approved initiating the creation of an expanded downtown CBID, setting a public hearing for July. The vote was 31-3-0.
- Immigrant Heritage Month Resolution (RS2025-1291): Adopted unanimously after emotional speeches from council members sharing their own immigrant backgrounds and solidarity with the immigrant community.
- Pride Month Resolution (RS2025-1292): Adopted unanimously, with Council Member Olivia Hill, the only out transgender elected official in Tennessee, speaking about ongoing attacks on the LGBTQIA+ community.
Key Outcomes
- BL2025-835, BL2025-833, BL2025-834 (Budget bills): Passed second reading with re-referral to the Budget and Finance Committee for further amendments. Final substitute budget will be considered June 10.
- RS2025-1209 (Emergency Communications investigation): Adopted 32-1-1.
- RS2025-1256 (Eviction Right to Counsel): Adopted 32-0-1.
- RS2025-1258, RS2025-1259, RS2025-1260 (Pay plans): Deferred to next regular meeting.
- RS2025-1261 (Downtown BID): Adopted 31-3-0.
- RS2025-1262 (Breaking Barriers grant): Adopted with one abstention.
- RS2025-1274 (Settlement for Claude Garrett estate): Adopted 32-0-1 with co-sponsorship.
- RS2025-1289 (Belcourt Theatre 100th anniversary): Adopted.
- RS2025-1291 (Immigrant Heritage Month): Adopted.
- RS2025-1292 (Pride Month): Adopted with co-sponsorship.
- BL2025-876 (Zoning change at 1253A 3rd Avenue South): Passed first reading as amended (clerical correction).
- BL2025-809 and BL2025-810 (Dickerson Pike mixed-use development): Deferred one meeting.
Meeting Transcript
Announcements. All right. I want to start off. I want to start off by acknowledging uh the native land we are currently on. Uh, as a reminder, these are native lands. Uh, these are originally the Cherokee, the Shawnee and the UC people lands. Um, and I want to read a quote that I read last week because I still think it's relevant to our current times. Terrible things are happening outside. At any time of night and day, poor helpless people are being dragged out of their homes. Families are torn apart. Men, women, and children are separated. Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared. Women return from shopping to find their homes sealed, their families gone. Anne Frank. You all are Nashville, you all are Davidson County, you all are Tennessean. No matter where you were born, who you love, what religion you practice, what you look like, you all belong here. All right. We do have one presentation today by Councilmember Coopin, who will be reading in regard to foster care month. Uh I think it's on. Is it on? Good. Well, good evening, everyone. Um, I'm really excited to be joined by a rising superstar, Ella Batamy. She um has worked really hard at the state to get a law passed, um, a foster youth bill of rights. Um, and just really exciting work to get up there and testify and and work with legislators to make something happen. Um, so really, really exciting, and so we had a resolution recognizing uh foster care month and foster care memorial day. Um, and so want to uh read through this real quick. So this is a resolution recognizing May 2025 as National Foster Care Month in Nashville and Davidson County, whereas National Foster Care Month provides an important opportunity to raise awareness of the needs of the more than 391,000 children and young people in foster care. When people are encouraged to wear blue to support youth in foster care, and whereas a 2024 State of the Child in Tennessee report found that more than 5,200 foster youth resided in Tennessee, and more than 800 youth aged out of foster care in the state in 2023, and whereas to support those in foster care, the Tennessee General Assembly passed Senate bill 1015 in April 2025. And whereas the bill was drafted and advocated for by Ella Brynn, a Nashville teenager and Metropolitan Nashville public schools graduate who aged out of foster care. And whereas Ms. And whereas Miss I don't know me mispronounces Brennan, thank you very much, used her own experiences in the foster care system to call for change and lead the passage of the bill, which ensures children in state custody have the right to education, housing, and medical care. The bill also ensures children can contact legal representation without restriction and can report violations of personal rights without punishment and whereas the General Assembly separately passed House Bill 103, which extends transitional services for former foster youth from age 21 to age 23. And whereas it is the job of all residents of Nashville and Davidson County to protect the best interest and welfare of foster children in our community, and whereas it is also the role of the community to mourn the loss of those youth who die while in foster care, acknowledging their inherent value as human beings and remembering their lives as a parent would whereas organizers plan to dedicate the third Sunday in May to memorialize youth who have died in foster care and teamwork. Whereas it's fitting and proper for the Metropolitan Council to recognize the thousands of youth in foster care in Tennessee, their foster parents, and those who advocate for their best interests and welfare during and after their time as foster youth, and whereas it is further fitting and proper to honor and remember those who have died while still in foster care. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the council of the metropolitan government of Nashville and Davidson County that the Metropolitan Council goes on record recognizing May 2025 as National Foster Care Month in Nashville, Tennessee. The resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of the Metropolitan Government requiring it. Congratulations. If you'd like to say a few words, today, um, we recognize both youth who are in foster care, but the youth who have passed away in custody, and I would like to share how many that is. It was 11 youth who died in foster care in 2021, nine in 2022, 13 in 2023, 11 in 2024, and six so far this year. Tonight, we remember them. We mourn them because they were valuable members of the Nashville community. I was privileged enough to be able to leave foster care behind me, and it's time that we acknowledge there are children who never will. You don't, and tonight there is a huge show out for issues in our community that we all care about. And I love seeing Nashville rally around these issues, and I urge you to consider foster care as one of those. We are the children of your community, and you don't have to foster a child to care to stand up for us. So I urge you to organize with your church, your library, whoever your community is, organize book drives, natural hair product drives, f mentor a child's, just care. There are so many ways to get involved. Um, and so I am beyond hopeful with the passage of this bill and this resolution that we as a community are going to rally around foster children. So I thank you on behalf of myself, the foster children in Tennessee, my siblings, and the kids who are suing DCS.
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