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Council committee approves MOU with Nashville Downtown Partnership after narrowing language and adding surveillance oversight provisions
Summary
After public testimony opposing a memorandum of understanding that would route FY26 downtown public-safety grant activity through the Nashville Downtown Partnership, the committee approved a revised MOU with amendments that reinforce Metro Code 13.08.080 public‑hearing requirements for surveillance technology.
The Public Health & Safety Committee approved an amended memorandum of understanding (RS2025-1659) between the Metropolitan Government and the Nashville Downtown Partnership (NDP) tied to the FY26 downtown public-safety grant after extended debate and several amendments intended to clarify oversight and limit surveillance uses.
Four members of the public spoke in opposition before committee debate. Joseph Killinger urged rejection because of unanswered questions about the proposal and fiscal oversight. Eman Minned said the MOU conflated the Nashville District Management Corporation (NDMC) and the NDP and warned that only Nashville would hand control to an unaccountable private entity, citing Metro Ordinance BL 2017-580. Macy Fluharty (Black Alliance for Peace Solidarity Network) warned the MOU could enable purchases of armored vehicles and surveillance technologies by a private entity and called for a public hearing. Manning Hall urged the committee to contract with the NDMC — which council oversees — rather than the NDP and cited past contractor violations linked to NDP contractors.
Metro Legal and administration witnesses told the committee that Metro must comply with Metro Code 13.08.080 (surveillance-technology public-hearing requirements) regardless of MOU language and that acceptance of donated surveillance equipment for Metro use requires council approval. The Toombs amendment replaced the original MOU exhibit with a cleaner version that explicitly required compliance with the code; an amendment by Council member Coopin clarified recital language, reporting and donation requirements; Council member Sepulveda’s late-file amendment removed references to specific vendor software (including Leosight) from the exhibit. The committee approved Amendment 1 (7–1), Amendment 2 (6–0–2 not voting) and a late-file amendment (8–0), then voted to approve the MOU as amended (6–1–1).
Counsel and administration said the state awarded the grant to the NDMC and that, under the parties’ agreement, NDMC would be the contracting entity with the state while NDP would be the operator and recipient of funds for operations; Metro said the MOU’s intent is to bind the Downtown Partnership to specific permissible uses and to require public hearings before any surveillance technology is accepted or used by Metro.
