Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County
The Metropolitan Council is the legislative body of the consolidated city-county government of Nashville, Tennessee and Davidson County.
The Council has 40 members, 35 of which are district council representatives, and five of which are council members at-large. If a member resigns or dies before serving a full four-year term, the member's seat remains vacant until the next election. At-large council members are elected by the entirety of the area the metropolitan government encompasses. One national survey of city councils lists Nashville's as the third largest, behind Chicago and New York City. The Historic Metro Courthouse, 1 Public Square, is where the Council meets.
Under the Metropolitan Charter, members must be over the age of 25 and have lived within Davidson County for a year at the beginning of their terms. Members must also have lived in the district they represent for six months, and they must continue to reside in that district for the duration of their terms. In 2019, according to The Tennessean, annual salaries for council members increased for the first time since 2005 from $15,000 to $23,100. The members elected by districts represent 15,000 to 17,000 residents each, and all Metro Council members serve part-time.
In the 2015 municipal elections, two amendments to the Metropolitan Nashville Charter which increased term limits for members of the Council, both at large and district-wide, as well as reducing the size of the council, were proposed. Both amendments failed with Davidson County voters.
President of the Council
The popularly elected vice mayor is the President of the Metropolitan Council and serves as its presiding officer, but is not a member of the Metro Council and does not vote except to break ties. The vice mayor, a part-time position, is paid $25,230 annually.Members elect a president pro tempore to serve in the absence of the Vice Mayor, and a deputy president pro tempore once the president pro tempore becomes presiding officer due to the Vice Mayor's death or resignation. Members of the Metro Council who act as presiding officer during the Vice Mayor's absence retain their right to vote on all resolutions and ordinances.
Jim Shulman is the incumbent vice mayor.
Operations
Two-thirds of the Metropolitan Council are required to constitute a quorum before the business of the council can be conducted. The council holds regular meetings each first and third Tuesday of each month. In addition, with 48 hours' written notice, a special meeting may be called by the mayor or the vice mayor. It may also be requested by the majority of the council, which would require 21 votes in favor of the meeting. Meetings are broadcast live on Metro 3 and are archived on the Nashville government website.The mayor may veto resolutions and ordinances passed by the Metropolitan Council, but the veto can be overridden with a two-thirds majority of the Council. With three-fourths of the entire council in favor, and not subject to veto, investigations may be conducted by the whole council or its committees.
Committees
Size reduction
In 2005, mayor Bill Purcell called for cutting the number of legislators in the council down to 20 in a proposal in which fifteen seats would be elected by districts and five seats would remain at-large. In 2006 the Metro Charter Review Commission scheduled a public hearing on the council's size. In a poll by The Tennessean, 21 councillors favored keeping the council as it is, and nine favored a reduction in the size of the council.Dissidents said that if the size of the council were to be reduced, being elected could become a matter of who can raise the most money, and special interests may get involved. Other concerns voiced included council members not being able to get in contact with their constituents, the council becoming less ethnically diverse, and council membership changing from a part-time to a full-time job. Councilwoman Amanda McClendon said a reduction in size may make it easier to pass legislation.
Current membership, 2019–2023
| District | Name | Area/Neighborhoods Represented |
| At-Large, Seat 1 | Bob Mendes | Davidson County |
| At-Large, Seat 2 | Sharon Hurt | Davidson County |
| At-Large, Seat 3 | Burkley Allen | Davidson County |
| At-Large, Seat 4 | Steve Glover | Davidson County |
| At-Large, Seat 5 | Zulfat Suara | Davidson County |
| 1 | Johnathan Hall | Bordeaux, Joelton, Whites Creek, Scottsboro |
| 2 | Kyonzté Toombs | North Nashville, Bordeaux, Metro Center |
| 3 | Jennifer Gamble | Brick Church, Goodlettsville, Madison, Whites Creek |
| 4 | Robert Swope | Brentwood |
| 5 | Sean Parker | East Nashville, Cleveland Park, Maxwell Heights |
| 6 | Brett Withers | East Nashville, Lockland Springs, Rosebank |
| 7 | Emily Benedict | East Nashville, Inglewood, Madison |
| 8 | Nancy VanReece | East Nashville, Inglewood, Madison |
| 9 | Tonya Hancock | Madison |
| 10 | Zach Young | Goodlettsville, Madison |
| 11 | Larry Hagar | Old Hickory, Hermitage |
| 12 | Erin Evans | Hermitage |
| 13 | Russ Bradford | Donelson, Airport |
| 14 | Kevin Rhoten | Donelson, Hermitage |
| 15 | Jeff Syracuse | Donelson, Opryland |
| 16 | Ginny Welsch | South Nashville, Woodbine |
| 17 | Colby Sledge | South Nashville, Fairgrounds, Berry Hill, 12 South |
| 18 | Tom Cash | South Nashville, Waverly-Belmont, Vanderbilt |
| 19 | Freddie O'Connell | North Nashville, South Nashville, Downtown |
| 20 | Mary Carolyn Roberts | West Nashville, The Nations, Cockrill Bend |
| 21 | Brandon Taylor | North Nashville, West End, Midtown, TSU |
| 22 | Gloria Hausser | West Nashville, Bellevue |
| 23 | Thom Druffel | West Nashville, Belle Meade |
| 24 | Kathleen Murphy | West Nashville |
| 25 | Russ Pulley | Oak Hill, Green Hills |
| 26 | Courtney Johnston | Southeast Nashville |
| 27 | Robert Nash | Southeast Nashville, Tusculum |
| 28 | Tanaka Vercher | Southeast Nashville, Antioch |
| 29 | Delisha Porterfield | Southeast Nashville |
| 30 | Sandra Sepulveda | Southeast Nashville |
| 31 | John Rutherford | Southeast Nashville, Antioch, Cane Ridge |
| 32 | Joy Styles | Antioch |
| 33 | Antoinette Lee | Antioch, Cane Ridge |
| 34 | Angie Henderson | Oak Hill, Forest Hills |
| 35 | Dave Rosenberg | Bellevue |
Historical Membership
2015–2019 Memberships
Membership, 2011–2015Council members
Council members at large
Council members
Council members at large
Council members
Council members at large
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Council members at large
Council members
Council members at large
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