There is a Metro Council Meeting tonight at 6:00 pm… An agenda has been provided, and you can watch the meeting live via channel 3 or stream live on your electronic devices. Also, please do not respond to this email... You can reach me at [email protected].

COVID-19 Vaccine

Metro Public Health Department is scheduling appointments for anyone 16 years old and older.  Anyone under age 18 will be required to have signed approval from their parent or guardian.  For more information, click here.

What I've Been Up To:

• There are several opportunities to support the clean up efforts from the flooding - Sign up for a volunteer slot with Hands on Nashville.
• ShotSpotter: We are moving through the procurement process and are close to the next steps. 
• North Nashville fiber optic cable installation... I know you have seen this project all across the District. Contractors are boring through sidewalks and right-of-ways to install their cable lines. I have been working with Verizon and Public Works to receive more information. Once I hear more, I will follow up with you.

What's Happening Tonight

Tonight's agenda is 42 pages... We have several Commission appointments that covers the first 2 - 3 pages.

BL2020-526 - This item is on Public Hearing in our District - It will change industrial land to residential commercial. We've held two public community meetings to discuss and I will be moving forward with this legislation.

RS2021-794 - This resolution approves a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Metro Public Works (PW) and Metro Water Services (MWS) to transfer the personnel and operational activities related to solid waste disposal from PW to MWS. Section 8.402 of the Metro Charter provides that PW is responsible for “the collection and disposal of garbage and other refuse, and maintenance and operation of facilities for the disposal of same.” Thus, all operations related to the collection and disposal of solid waste and recycling have always resided with PW.

The administration is proposing the transfer of the operations to MWS as an initial step toward the creation of a Metro Department of Transportation to consolidate various transportation functions from other departments into one department. Since most transportation-related functions are currently part of PW, the MOU notes that it is appropriate that non-transportation functions be transferred out of the department. The resolution and MOU recitals identify the advantages for transferring the solid waste functions to MWS in terms of sustainability efforts and to facilitate the possible creation of a solid waste enterprise fund, though it is unclear how such an enterprise fund would function since, unlike the stormwater division of MWS, the solid waste division operates primarily on general fund tax dollars, not customer/user fees. The MOU also notes that MWS already has a support system, such as a call center, a fleet management program, and administrative support.

Pursuant to this MOU, after July 1, 2021, all PW solid waste disposal employees and equipment would be transferred under the administration of MWS. The agreement also provides for the transfer of all funds associated with this function. MWS would be required to keep separate accounting records pertaining to the solid waste disposal responsibilities. MWS would take over the enforcement of all federal, state, and local solid waste disposal and recycling rules and regulations that PW is currently responsible for enforcing. The MOU provides that MWS would also be required to comply with all regulatory requirements associated with solid waste disposal, such as reporting requirements and maintaining closed landfills. MWS would be required to submit an annual report to PW about the solid waste disposal activities and funds expended, as well as planned future capital projects.

Section 5.04.065 of the Metropolitan Code provides that the transfer of any funds, equipment, services, or property valued in exceed of $500,000 from one department to another must be pursuant to an MOU approved by resolution adopted by the Council with 21 affirmative votes.

The Council Office would note that it is questionable whether a permanent transfer of the solid waste functions from PW to MWS through an MOU is consistent with the Metro Charter. As noted above, Section 8.402 of the Charter provides that PW shall be responsible for “the collection and disposal of garbage and other refuse, and maintenance and operation of facilities for the disposal of same.” Section 2.01(36) of the Metro Charter provides that “when any power is vested by this Charter in a specific officer, board, commission or other agency, the same shall be deemed to have exclusive jurisdiction within the particular field.” Finally, while Section 1.05 of the Charter provides that the Council can declare certain services prescribed by the Charter to be obsolete by ordinance, there is nothing pertaining to the transfer of functions to other departments.

That being said, the transfer of functions between these two departments is not unprecedented. In 2002, the stormwater division was transferred from PW to MWS by MOU. But there was a subsequent ordinance and eventually a Charter amendment to officially make the transfer. The Council Office recommends that the transfer of the solid waste functions from PW to MWS be included as part of a future Charter amendment resolution considered by the Council.

BL2021-707 - This is a bill on first reading introduced by me. This ordinance will change a vacant lot from RS5 to R6-A. I've spoken with the neighbors that are adjacent with the property, and they are in favor of the zone change.

BL2021-716 - This is a bill on first reading introduced by me. This ordinance will amend a Specific Plan zoning owned by the Lexus dealership in Metro Center to allow for a parking lot.

BL2021-493 -  This ordinance will make it unlawful for any person owning or operating a school bus, a recreational vehicle with a length in excess of twenty feet, any recreational vehicle with a combined length in excess of twenty feet, or a dump truck of more than fifty-four thousand pounds of gross weight, including the load therein, to leave such vehicle parked on any of the streets or alleys within the jurisdiction of the metropolitan government during the hours between sunset and sunrise, regardless of whether such vehicle is loaded or empty. 

BL2021-617 - An ordinance repealing Resolution No. RS2020-154 pertaining to the $10,000,000 annual Metro Water Services payment in lieu of taxes, and amending Chapter 15.32 of the Metropolitan Code to reduce water rates to offset the $10,000,000.

BL2020-620 - This ordinance, as amended, creates a Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (DADU) Overlay District in Title 17 of the Metropolitan Code. An overlay is a tool that can be used by District Council Members to create DADU overlays. This means that certain areas will allow for DADU's (Detached Accessory Dwelling Units - such as Garage with Apartments) in neighborhoods that add the overlay in the future. There is a county wide community meeting to discuss this item in more detail on April 21.

    DADU meeting information: 

• Wednesday, April 21 
• 6:00 PM 
• Zoom Meeting - https://zoom.us/j/97815178643?pwd=a200ZXBoYlNrc3g1ZG5tRXFOVEJUdz09#success

BL2020-387 - This ordinance will amend the Health Benefits for Council Members following their service of two full terms.

Dates to remember:

• THIS SATURDAY: Mayor Cooper would like to partner with District 21 to kickoff Spring Cleaning with a Community Clean up - We are recruiting volunteers to help. - Two Locations!
  • Lee Chapel AME Church - 1200 DR. D.B. Todd Jr. Blvd.
  • Pearl-Cohn High School - 904 26th Ave N
  • The clean up will begin at 9:00 AM and End at Noon
  • If you are joining, please wear a mask, closed toe shoes, and long pants

• Thursday, April 29 - District 21 Virtual Town Hall Meeting - 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm - SAVE THE DATE

Lets Connect:

I invite all District 21 residents to reach out to me directly with any information or concerns in our community. Email is the best form of communication, but invite you to call me as well. My contact information is below.

Contact information: Email - [email protected] / Phone: 615.946.9700

Best regards,

Brandon