Metro Council Reconsidering Action on Convention Center Authority

Nashville’s Metro Council will wait another two weeks before making its final vote on the creation of a Convention Center Authority.

Tuesday night members passed a resolution to shift oversight of the proposed project from the Metro Development and Housing Agency. But a move by member Mike Jameson for the council to reconsider its actions means it’s not a done deal.

Jameson says he felt passage of the resolution was unnecessarily rushed. He wants more time to get explanations about how the change of hands would work, and discuss the matter with constituents.

And Jameson says the measure would essentially let the mayor and city finance director approve the Authority’s decisions in place of the council.

“That is not something that this council, as a separate branch of the government, as the legislative body whose job description is to provide a check and balance to the executive level – We should not be handing over that sort of authority.”

The measure would create a nine-member body appointed by the mayor; Metro Council will vote the resolution up or down September 1st, without debate.

–

Tuesday the council also passed on second reading a measure banning discrimination against gay employees.

And it opted out of a state law allowing carry-permit holders to bring their guns into parks. The 22-to-18 vote cements a standing city ban on guns in parks.