Committee approves ordinance shifting hiring of Nashville Entertainment Commission director to mayor, cuts voting seats

At a Feb. 18 meeting of the Arts, Parks, Libraries & Entertainment Committee, members approved an ordinance amending chapter 2.147 of the Metro code of laws to rename the Nashville Music Entertainment Film Commission to the Nashville Entertainment Commission, reduce its voting membership and change who hires its executive director.

The ordinance, BL2025-688, passed on second reading at the committee after a lengthy debate and a failed substitute. The committee recorded 4 votes in favor, 3 against and 1 present-not-voting when it approved the bill as filed.

The legislation reduces the commission—s voting membership from 15 to 11 and establishes four ex officio members. It also changes the hiring authority so the executive director would be hired by the mayor or a designee rather than directly by the commission. Supporters said the change aligns the commission with other Metro practices and would increase accountability and cross-departmental coordination. Opponents said the entertainment sector requires specialized, industry-recognized leadership and warned mayoral hiring could politicize the office.

"I don't think that the hiring of the executive director should be in the hands of the mayor's office," Councilmember Welsh said, arguing that the commission's industry expertise best positions it to choose leadership the creative community will accept.

Proponents from the mayor's office and its working group described the change as consistent with recent reforms and said the smaller membership size reflects guidance from surveys of commissioners and staff. Dave Rosenberg of the mayor's office said the working group surveyed both commissioners and people who work with the commission and concluded the revised structure would improve operations and accountability.

Councilmember Sepulveda, who sponsored related reform work, said the working group studied individual boards and commissions and recommended sizes based on each body's responsibilities. She also highlighted concerns about commissions hiring and managing staff without HR involvement and suggested a role for HR in setting criteria and screening applicants.

Councilmember Stiles moved a substitute that would have kept the commission's existing hiring authority and membership size; the substitute failed, and the committee moved forward with the ordinance as filed. Stiles argued the commission and its community partners did not support removing hiring authority and that the commission had been closely involved in creating the office and selecting its leadership.

The committee discussion also referenced options commissioners had considered, including making the commission an independent department with its own support staff, a route the commission members had discussed as an alternative to the language in the bill.

With the committee vote, the ordinance advances with the changes approved at the meeting. The committee record shows the substitute vote did not carry and the original bill passed by a narrow margin at the committee level.