The Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County is the legislative body of the consolidated city-county government of Nashville, Tennessee and Davidson County.

Membership The Council has 40 members, 35 of whom are district council representatives and five of whom are council members at-large. If an at-large member resigns or dies before serving a full four-year term, the member's seat remains vacant until the next election. If a district council member resigns or dies more than eight months before the end of their four-year term, a special election is held to fill the seat. At-large council members are elected by the entirety of the area the metropolitan government encompasses. The Metropolitan Council is the third-largest in the United States, behind the Chicago City Council and the New York City Council. The Historic Metro Courthouse, 1 Public Square, is where the Council meets.

Under the Metropolitan Charter, members must be over the age of 25 and have lived within Davidson County for a year at the beginning of their terms. Members must also have lived in the district they represent for six months, and they must continue to reside in that district for the duration of their terms. In 2019, according to The Tennessean, annual salaries for council members increased for the first time since 2005 from $15,000 to $23,100. The members elected by districts represent 15,000 to 17,000 residents each, and all Metro Council members serve part-time. According to the Charter as currently amended, members are elected to no more than two terms consecutively, not including any partial term to which they may have been elected. However, district member and at-large member are considered to be separate offices for the purposes of this provision.

In the 2015 municipal elections, two amendments to the Metropolitan Nashville Charter which would have increased term limits for members of the Council, both at large and district-wide to three consecutive terms, as well as reducing the size of the council to 27 members, were proposed. Both amendments failed with Davidson County voters.

President of the Council The popularly elected vice mayor is the President of the Metropolitan Council and serves as its presiding officer, but is not a member of the Metro Council and does not vote except to break ties. The vice mayor, a part-time position, is paid $25,230 annually.

Members elect a president pro tempore to serve in the absence of the Vice Mayor, and a deputy president pro tempore once the president pro tempore becomes presiding officer due to the Vice Mayor's death or resignation. Members of the Metro Council who act as presiding officer during the Vice Mayor's absence retain their right to vote on all resolutions and ordinances.

Angie Henderson is the incumbent vice mayor. Olivia Hill is the president pro tempore.

Operations

Two-thirds of the Metropolitan Council are required to constitute a quorum before the business of the council can be conducted. The council holds regular meetings each first and third Tuesday of each month. In addition, with 48 hours' written notice, a special meeting may be called by the mayor or the vice mayor. It may also be requested by the majority of the council, which would require 21 votes in favor of the meeting. Meetings are broadcast live on Metro 3 and are archived on the Nashville government website.

The mayor may veto resolutions and ordinances passed by the Metropolitan Council, but the veto can be overridden with a two-thirds majority of the Council. With three-fourths of the entire council in favor, and not subject to veto, investigations may be conducted by the whole council or its committees.

Committees +Current Council CommitteesNameNo. of MembersChairVice ChairAffordable HousingBudget and Finance15PorterfieldToombsCharter Revision8WeinerJohnstonEducationHuman ServicesPublic Facilities, Arts, and Culture9StylesVoPlanning and Zoning13GambleHarrellPublic Health and Safety13EvansTaylorRules, Confirmations, and Public Elections8SepulvedaPreptitTransportation and Infrastructure12ParkerEvans SegallAd Hoc East Bank7ParkerKupin

Size reduction

In 2005, mayor Bill Purcell called for cutting the number of legislators in the council down to 20 in a proposal in which fifteen seats would be elected by districts and five seats would remain at-large. In 2006 the Metro Charter Review Commission scheduled a public hearing on the council's size. In a poll by The Tennessean, 21 councillors favored keeping the council as it is, and nine favored a reduction in the size of the council.

Dissidents said that if the size of the council were to be reduced, being elected could become a matter of who can raise the most money, and special interests may get involved. Other concerns voiced included council members not being able to get in contact with their constituents, the council becoming less ethnically diverse, and council membership changing from a part-time to a full-time job. Councilwoman Amanda McClendon said a reduction in size may make it easier to pass legislation.

In 2023, the state government enacted a law reducing the size of the Metro Council from 40 members to 20. The move was widely opposed by Nashville residents and leaders. In April 2023, a court issued an injunction against the change, indicating that it unconstitutionally changed election procedures during the campaign.

Current membership, 2023–2027

District Name Area(s)/Neighborhoods RepresentedAt-Large, Seat 1Zulfat SuaraDavidson CountyAt-Large, Seat 2Delishia PorterfieldDavidson CountyAt-Large, Seat 3Quin Evans SegallDavidson County At-Large, Seat 4Burkley AllenDavidson CountyAt-Large, Seat 5Olivia HillDavidson County 1 Joy Kimbrough Bordeaux, Joelton, Whites Creek, Scottsboro 2 Kyonztè Toombs North Nashville, Bordeaux, Metro Center 3 Jennifer Gamble Brick Church, Goodlettsville, Madison, Whites Creek 4 Mike Cortese Brentwood, Nipper's Corner 5 Sean Parker East Nashville, Cleveland Park, Maplewood, Madison 6 Clay Capp East Nashville, Lockeland Springs, Rosebank 7 Emily Benedict East Nashville, Inglewood, Madison 8 Deonte Harrell Antioch 9 Tonya Hancock Madison 10 Jennifer Frensley Webb Goodlettsville, Madison 11 Jeff Eslick Old Hickory, Hermitage 12 Erin Evans Hermitage 13 Russ Bradford Donelson, Airport 14 Jordan Huffman Donelson, Hermitage 15 Jeff Gregg Donelson, Opryland 16 Ginny Welsch South Nashville, Woodbine 17 Terry Vo South Nashville, Fairgrounds, Berry Hill, 12 South 18 Tom Cash South Nashville, Waverly-Belmont, Vanderbilt 19 Jacob Kupin North Nashville, South Nashville, Downtown 20 Rollin Horton West Nashville, The Nations, Cockrill Bend 21 Brandon Taylor North Nashville, West End, Midtown, TSU 22 Sheri Weiner West Nashville, Bellevue 23 Thom Druffel West Nashville, Belle Meade 24 Brenda Gadd West Nashville, Sylvan Park 25 Jeff Preptit Oak Hill, Green Hills 26 Courtney Johnston Crieve Hall, Paragon Mills 27 Robert Nash Southeast Nashville, Tusculum 28 David Benton Southeast Nashville, Antioch 29 Tasha Ellis Priest Lake 30 Sandra Sepulveda Southeast Nashville 31 John Rutherford Antioch, Cane Ridge, Lenox Village 32 Joy Styles Antioch 33 Antoinette Lee Antioch, Cane Ridge 34 Sandy Ewing City of Forest Hills, Green Hills, Bellevue 35 Jason Spain Bellevue

Historical membership +District2023-20272019–20232015–20192011–20152007–20112003–20071999–20031995–1999Vice MayorAngie HendersonJim ShulmanDavid BrileyDiane NeighborsHoward Gentry Jr.Ronnie SteineJay WestAL 1Delishia PorterfieldBob MendesJohn CooperMegan BarryTim GarrettBuck DozierChris FerrellVic VaralloAL 2Quin Evans SegallSharon HurtErica GilmoreRonnie SteineMegan BarryDiane NeighborsLeo WatersGeorge ArmisteadAL 3Burkeley AllenBob MendesTim GarrettCharlie TygardCarolyn Baldwin TuckerDavid BrileyRonnie SteineAL 4Olivia HillSteve GloverSharon HurtCharlie TygardRonnie SteineDavid BrileyCarolyn Baldwin TuckerChris FerrellAL 5Zulfat SuaraJim ShulmanJerry MaynardAdam DreadHoward Gentry Jr.Leo Waters1Joy KimbroughJonathan HallLonnell Matthews Jr.Brenda GilmoreRegina Patton2Kyonztè ToombsDeCosta HastingsFrank HarrisonJamie IsabelMelvin Black3Jennifer GambleBrenda HaywoodWalter HuntChester HughesRon Nollner4Mike CorteseRobert SwopeBrady BanksMichael CraddockDon Majors5Sean ParkerScott DavisJamie HollinPam MurrayLawrence Hall Jr.Frank Harrison6Clay CappBrett WithersPeter WesterholmMike JamesonEileen Beehan7Emily BenedictAnthony DavisErik ColeEarl Campbell8Deontè HarrellNancy VanReeceKaren BennettJason HartLawrence Hart9Tonya HancockBill PridemoreJim ForkumJames Dillard10Jennifer Frensley WebbZach YoungDough PardueRip RymanBettye BalthropTim Garrett11Jeff EslickLarry HagarDarren JerniganFeller BrownMike Wooden12Erin EvansSteve GloverJim GottoTony DerryberryPhil Ponder13Russ BradfordHolly HuezoJosh StitesCarl BurchBruce StanleyCharles O. French14Jordan HuffmanKevin RhotenBruce StanleyHarold WhiteJames Bruce Stanley15Jeff GreggJeff SyracusePhil ClaiborneJ.B. LoringRoy Dale16Ginny WelschMike FreemanTony TenpennyAnna PageArmanda McClendonJerry Wayne Graves17Terry VoColby SledgeSandra MooreRonnie GreerMansfield Douglas18Tom CashBurkeley AllenKristine LaLondeGinger HausserStewart Clifton19Jacob KupinFreddie O'ConnellErica GilmoreLudye WallaceJulius Sloss20Rollin HortonMary Carolyn RobertsBuddy BakerBilly Joe WallsMorris Haddox21Brandon TaylorEd KindallEdith LangsterEdward WhitmoreWillis McCallister22Sheri WeinerGloria HausserSheri WeinerEric CraftonNorma HandJohn Aaron Holt23Thom DruffelMina JohnsonEmily EvansChris WhitsonBob BogenEric Crafton24Brenda GaddKathleen MurphyJason HollemanJohn SummersHorace Johns25Jeff PreptitRuss PulleySean McGuireJim ShulmanDavid Kleinfelter26Courtney JohnstonJeremy ElrodChris HarmonGreg AdkinsMichelle Arriola27Robert NashDavette BlalockRandy FosterJanis Sontany28David BentonTanaka VercherDuane DominyJason AlexanderDurward Hall29Tasha EllisDelishia PorterfieldKaren JohnsonVivian WilhoiteSaletta Holloway30Sandra SepulvedaJason PottsJim HodgeMichael KerstetterLeroy Hollis31John RutherfordFabian BedneParker TolerDon KnochTom Alexander32Joy StylesJacobia DowellSam ColemanCraig Jenkins33Antoinette LeeRobert DuvallTommy BradleyRon Turner34Sandy EwingAngie HendersonCarter ToddLynn WilliamsCharles Fentress35Jason SpainDave RosenbergBo MitchellCharlie TygardVic Lineweaver

References

External links Metropolitan Council main page Metropolitan Council rules and procedures The Metro Charter A Nashville City Paper article on 2003 council member salary raises A The Tennessean article on the council meeting on council size changes - An article from The Tennessean on member resignations Metro Council, 1999–2003 Metro Council, 1995–1999