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Committee defers Downtown Public Safety grant MOU as members seek written grant timing and fiscal details
Summary
Budget & Finance deferred a memorandum of understanding for a FY26 downtown public safety grant after members asked for written confirmation of state dispersal timing and other financial clarifications; a public commenter urged a public hearing citing surveillance rules.
The Budget & Finance Committee voted to defer one meeting a memorandum of understanding between the Metropolitan Government and the Nashville Downtown Partnership related to a fiscal-year 2026 downtown public safety grant.
Councilwoman Porterfield said the public health and safety committee had already deferred the measure and asked that Budget & Finance allow time for additional financial questions. Ben Simpson, chief operating officer of the Nashville Downtown Partnership, said the state budget included a requirement that the grant be dispersed by Dec. 31 and offered to provide the citation in writing for council records.
During public comment, Steve Reiter asked for a public hearing on the downtown public safety grant, asserting that earlier local law (referenced in his remarks as bill 2017-646) requires a public hearing before any deployment of surveillance technology. Reiter asked that the community be given an opportunity to speak and that the Midtown BID remain amendable on third reading.
The committee voted to defer the MOU one meeting; the item will return to Budget & Finance with any requested written documentation from the partnership and administration.
