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Nashville council defers vote on downtown public‑safety MOU after heated debate over surveillance and oversight
Summary
After hours of public testimony and council debate about surveillance, transparency and who controls grant funds, the Metro Council voted 19–17 to defer a memorandum of understanding with the Nashville Downtown Partnership until Jan. 20 so members can seek further clarifications and amended language.
The Metropolitan Council on Tuesday delayed action on a proposed agreement between Metro government and the Nashville Downtown Partnership (NDP) tied to a state FY‑26 downtown public‑safety grant, after public commenters and council members raised concerns about surveillance, governance and public hearing requirements.
Council members approved a one‑meeting deferral, 19–17, moving the resolution to the Council’s Jan. 20 meeting. The item had been amended repeatedly on the floor, and sponsors and special counsel circulated revised versions of the memorandum of understanding during debate.
Supporters of amendments said they intended to preserve Metro oversight and require that any surveillance technology donated to or acquired by Metro be subject to existing Metro code public‑hearing requirements. Special Counsel Margaret Darby told the chamber that Metro Code of Laws…
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