So far two of the votes for separate items from the MOU pass. RS2026-1736 is now up for grant money to assist in purchasing a tactical support post.

CM Vo speaking against. Asks what happens when we lose local control for these vehicles and others kidnap our neighbors and people that look like her. Brings up example of ppl kidnapped from their homes bc of how they look or having a similar name. Do we need these vehicles?

Did you think it was over, Nashville? We have four more resolutions that the Mayor’s office put in to try and give MNPD more cameras and militarized vehicles—one of which is apparently made from a Wonder Bread truck? I do not remember that character in “Twisted Metal.”

Gonna get time codes for public speakers when I can. Won’t be able to until this is no longer live. But you should definitely check out our speakers tonight. www.youtube.com/live/zqQLPgI...

Playing catch-up with my Notes app from public comments. Shannee says we don’t need any more surveillance, we need housing solutions, traffic calming, homeless outreach, water stations, etc. “With ICE acting like slave catchers and police helping them,” we don’t need to give them more money.

MOU vote fails! Gallery reacts jubilantly!

Move to vote for MOU happens via voice vote. Vote going digital for MOU.

I have a backlog of public hearing statements. Gonna fill those in. Will get time stamps in the future for the video. Y’all gotta watch them. My fingers are failing their job and will be getting a severe talking to. Substitutes are currently being discussed.

I’m bringing my laptop next time 😅

Now returning to other items on public hearing. We’re back to the MOU to Nashville Downtown Partnership & MNPD. RS2026-1733. Lots of folks still here for this one.

Next items moved forward come from CM Preptit. Lots of folks leaving now that Buchanan Street resolution deferred. CM Preptit’s resolution applies a historic overlay, which would limit building materials in some properties N of Shackleton Rd.

Two of these resolutions by CM Taylor adds an overlay to North Nashville on Buchanan St. A companion bill accompanies. CM Taylor asks to defer public hearing to a future meeting, with comment.

Starting again at the top so folks can find the thread. Post below is the end of the last thread. Very full gallery tonight. Also very full outside the gallery. Rule 9.3 amendment is up now. Required multiple members to pull items from consent.

At Nashville Metro Council tonight. More legislation on surveillance will be up tonight. Find out more at: bit.ly/no-on-mou-nashville

We condemn Trump’s illegal war on Venezuela. Read our full statement: www.dsausa.org/statements/d...

Passes Yes (30), etc.

Public hearing now on Kupin's amendment to title 2 of Metro Code of Laws (BL2025-113). Amendment can be found here (underlined items are being added): nashville.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=...

Deferral prevails Yes (19), no (17), abstain (0)

CM Sepulveda says that if NDP does spend money without Council oversight, that they're not a good partner. She would want to make sure that they don't receive any more public money. Says that going around Council was a bad idea—this public outrage is what happens.

CM Welsch notes that CMs have a lot of power in this, even though it can seem like they don't. NDP doesn't act in a vacuum. None of this does. They also depend on Metro for things. Notes that in being bad parters, there might be things NDP would regret happening.

If you're watching the YouTube stream, we're at 8:50pm at this point.

Vote now on motion to defer. Must be 2/3rds. Fails at Yes (20), No (15), Abstain (1).

VM Henderson notes that it's on the record now and that NDP can email the Council accordingly. "The ask has been made." CM Porterfield: "They can also meet me at the back wall." Positive public reaction.

CM Welsch introduces a motion to defer and have a public hearing. (Jan 20, Jan 28th, respectively) Notes a public records request was put in, which she needs time to review, and the public needs time to review. Public now responding positively.

CM Sepulveda's late amendments prevail on a voice vote. More clarification from Director Darby: CM Sepulveda was just intended to remove the CSC camera language, but wasn't intended to remove items from CM Toombs. Darby suggests amending the amendment to get rid of confusion.

VM Henderson moving items in the agenda for the CBID and MOU items up. Various committee votes approving. MOU resolution here: nashville.legistar.com/LegislationD... Search this document for 1659 to see the amendments: nashville.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=...

Michell Flynn notes that this is the season where Kwanzaa and Chanukah, Ramadan, Bodhi Day, and Xmas. Notes that Matthew talks about surveillance by King Herod of Jewish children under 2. Says Wise Men didn't report Jesus' presence.

Public comments starting with Lindsay Lee, chair of Mayor's Advisory Committee Chair on Disability. She notes that the Boring Co tunnel does not make accommodations for wheelchair users.

Council can be followed live (and after the fact) here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RNQ... (Committee meetings and other affairs can be found on the same YouTube account.)

Here at Nashville Metro Council tonight. Pretty full house as folks are here to protest the Boring Co Tunnel and also to speak out against the MOU, which would give money to an unaccountable body for surveillance and other items.

MOU back in discussion. Committee deferral noted.

Discussion on a Gamble/Parker/Benedict bill limiting building height values in single-family districts. CM Kupin has provided an amendment, with several folks from his district speaking on it. Motion now is to pass it to a third reading. Passes with 29 in favor, 7 in opposition, 1 abstention.

The rules change to require a mandatory 60-day deferral for zoning changes within council districts. Because it’s a rule change, it would have to be a supermajority.

Voice vote goes to the “yays,” which ends our comment period. Voting on the move to approve amendment to the rules.

CM Bradford rises in opposition. Says he would support if it pertained to council-wide changes. Similar reasons cited as Benedict.

CM Spain talking about a rule change for Rule 29, which dictates how zoning changes happen. To our reading, this puts in a 60-day waiting period. Seems to be a nod to opposition to recent zoning changes in The Nations to create more “middle options” for housing.

Big themes tonight in Public Comment at Nashville Metro Council: • Support for the Gamble, Parker, Benedict zoning bill (BL2025-1005) • The danger posed by a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to put surveillance tech under a public/private partnership (Toombs, Huffman, Johnston)

Hey Nashville: The Boring Co. is hosting a virtual meeting about the Tesla tunnel today at 4 p.m. on the former Twitter. Allegedly they will be fielding questions from the peanut gallery. In case you’re free.

An Amendment to Rules of Procedure, Rule 29, got deferred. This would add a 60-day required deferral for “large-scale zoning ordinance or a countywide zoning text amendment.”

Rules change like this requires a supermajority. The committee voted against and we had a number of speakers. Motion fails 12-14-1

At the council meeting tonight. CM Sepulveda speaking out against the change to Rule 12, which changes how honorary and other non-binding resolutions are handled. She notes how little time is actually spent to acknowledge important things and putting it on record.

Victories like this start with work in your community to build collations and power. We’re coming together across Middle Tennessee (and not just in Nashville). Join us. midtndsa.org/sign-up/ 🌹

CM Welsch now giving a brief comment. Says that we need to call things what we are if we don’t want to lose our humanity. Interrupted by CMs Cash, Kupin and others. VM Henderson allowing her to speak further, but says that she’s gone past the will of the body.

Resolution RS2025-1545 “We say things to make ourselves feel better. But we don’t do anything.” Give CM Suara’s statement a listen. Asks how we can watch children dying in a genocide and say nothing, but pass this resolution (does say it’s a good resolution).

Reposting the council session here for convenience. Public statements on the Palestine resolution are pretty early on. Will try and get time codes when I can (will post below): www.youtube.com/live/au_LIL5...

I would strongly recommend viewing the YouTube length for the comments in their entirety. I failed to sufficiently keep up with folks’ words.

Public statement speaker and PSL member urging the council to take up the resolution. Notes that cities in the 80s issued resolutions to denounce nuclear weapons. In the 2000s others denounced the Iraq War. “Do it for your children and our children.”

Nashville Metro Council was rescheduled to tonight due to the Special Election Primary for TN7. CM Welsch put forward RS2025-1547 to denounce the actions of the U.S. gov’t and state of Israel in committing genocide against the people of Palestine. It was deferred indefinitely by Rules Committee.

DSA is great. Big tent org that doesn’t compromise on core values. Middle TN has a strong local in @midtndsa.bsky.social