On First Reading: Pre-Budget Public Comment, More License Plate Reader Talk

@startleseasily is a fervent observer of the Metro government's comings and goings. In this column, "On First Reading," she'll recap the bimonthly Metro Council meetings and provide her analysis. You can find her in the pew in the corner by the mic, ready to give public comment on whichever items stir her passions. Follow her on Twitter here.

Metro Council celebrated spring break on Tuesday by debuting a pre-budget public comment period and passing one of several bills designed to clean up the license plate reader legislation they passed last month. 

Montage Musings

There’s a new introductory montage to usher us into virtual council meetings, courtesy of the fine folks at the Metro Nashville Network. You can watch it here, though I prefer Councilmember Sean Parker’s version. It technically premiered last month, but I saw it live for the first time on Tuesday, and as you may have guessed, I have thoughts. Listen, I get where MNN is coming from. You have to spice things up if you want to compete for primetime viewership. All I’m saying is, we have far too many CMs for each one to be individually featured. 

Here’s what I’m proposing: Before each meeting, roll your introduction, but only feature the CMs who said the most outrageous things at the previous meeting. Think senior yearbook, but instead of an inspirational quote under your headshot, it’s just the dumbest thing that’s come out of your mouth in the past couple of weeks.  

An Evening of Firsts

Tuesday’s meeting included the first-ever pre-budget public comment period, the last-minute brainchild of CM At-Large Burkley Allen, who currently serves as the council’s Budget and Finance Committee chair. It was capped at two hours, because apparently that’s all CMs can handle before the required public hearing on the budget in June. Since we don’t actually have a proposed budget on which to comment, this was more of an open-mic night. Like, what kind of vibes are you hoping this year’s budget hits you with? 

Housing vibes were high on the list, with multiple speakers and organizations requesting that Nashville do more to support its most vulnerable residents — instead of spending time negotiating sports deals that may or may not help a single Nashvillian whose name doesn’t rhyme with Smirk Bygill.

Education vibes also got top billing. Shout out to this self-described “itinerant representative” of the Metro Nashville Education Association, who made Vice Mayor Jim Shulman giggle with her clever combination of movie recommendations and educational funding goals. She had me at “As if!” (If you haven’t seen Clueless, please do not speak to me again until you have. And if you don’t find it delightful, please do not speak to me again, ever.)

Another first: A new application form on hubNashville allows nonprofit organizations to indicate their desire to partner with Metro departments to support the city’s work. According to CM At-Large Bob Mendes, this is supposed to let the mayor’s office know you’re interested in being included in the budget. CM Mendes doesn’t often @ me, so when he does, you know it’s some important shit. 

I’m not sure how much any of this will change the council’s approach to the budget this year. Many of the organizations that spoke on Tuesday are among those that came out against license plate readers, and well, we all know how that turned out. But it would be super cool if the council decided not to give them the middle finger this time, right?  

27th Time’s the Charm

At this point, it probably seems like I’m angling for a whole separate column just for my license plate reader takes. I promise I’m not. At least, not yet. But I’m sorry, it’s important. And don’t people say you have to repeat something, like, 27 times before someone remembers it? Yes, 27 times — that’s what I’m going with. 

CM Mendes’ bill to ensure that the Community Oversight Board has the same kind of LPR access as the district attorney and public defender — to ensure the COB is able to investigate complaints of misuse or abuse of LPRs — passed on third and final reading Tuesday night. Which is good news, as far as LPRs go. Of course, if the council had never passed such a convoluted mess of a bill in the first place, they wouldn’t need to keep cleaning it up, but I guess some folks like legislating in draft mode. Here’s hoping they get it right one of these days!

This month is a blessed and glorious five-Tuesday month, which means On First Reading won’t be back until the first Thursday in April. Think of this as a spring break for your soul.