Middle Tennessee DSA

Yes 18, no 14, abstain 4

No debate now. Resolution passes

So far two of the votes for separate items from the MOU pass.

RS2026-1736 is now up for grant money to assist in purchasing a tactical support post.

Yes 20, no 14, abstain 3

Vote passes

CM Sepulveda: “Let’s do more than what is expected. … We do not have to vote for this.”

CM Huffman calls for question.

CM Sepulveda notes that we receive LESS money from the state than other counties.

Says we could put in better infrastructure to save lives. Putting $$ into MNPD isn’t the only thing we can do.

Asks dept chairs to do more. More of community should look like 12 South.

CM Suara says some CMs thinks she’s saying “don’t take money from state.” “The use of the money is what we’re talking about.”

Notes we have a command center. Why do we need another?

CM Vo: Why aren’t we looking at other options as NDP says that council can if they vote down police and surveillance options?

CM Vo speaking against. Asks what happens when we lose local control for these vehicles and others kidnap our neighbors and people that look like her.

Brings up example of ppl kidnapped from their homes bc of how they look or having a similar name. Do we need these vehicles?

CM Allen makes painful analogy that just like we wouldn’t stop taking state money for education, we shouldn’t turn away this money.

CM Nash: This is not about ICE. It’s about large events like the Covenant shooting.

CM Allen says she is concerned abt surveillance. Sees these as different.

Reads into record that NDP sent an email said that funds could be used on different things if council decides.

CM Suara says when she thinks of this, the agency that comes to mind is ICE. Gallery, unanimously: “mhmm.”

She says she will not ignore this.

RS2026-1735 about mobile police command post.

CM Bradford asking about costs vs what we’re asking. Negative responses from crowd in response to admin claims.

⬆️ CM Kimbrough asking to change her vote after mistakenly thinking the vote was to call the question (stop debate, go to actually vote).

Calling the question passed by voice vote and VM Henderson said they needed an electronic vote. Confusion understandable.

Yes 19, No 16, abstain 2

Resolution passes

CM Toombs asks admin abt funds applied to other things. Admin claims money couldn’t be used for other things.

Gallery reacts. We’ve seen evidence to the contrary. Admin seems to back down.

CM Toombs asks if we vote this down whether council could vote on grant funds.

Answer is that another piece of legislation could be filed. Toombs says she was told that the money would go away.

CM Bradford has a question come to him. Asks admin how many of these vehicles we already have (and how many we’ve used in past instances).

Admin saying we have one and we’ve borrowed from other places before.

Also asks how long we’ve had current one.

RS2026-1734 would accept a monetary donation for a “armored rescue vehicle” to MNPD.

Substitute is made on the resolution and passes by voice vote.

Now to the vote itself.

CM Suara notes the similarities to earlier MOU vote. Ppl asked for money to be used otherwise.

RS2026-1732 approves an amendment to the previous grant. First passes by voice vote. Second has to go to electronic vote after an objection. Passes on electronic vote.

RS2026-1731 on a grant from the state for Violent Crime Intervention Fund. CM Suara asks the Mayor’s council whether there are implications for immigrant communities.

Mayor’s council says that there aren’t.

RS2025-1712 opposing Nashville’s most Boring tunnel has been deferred by committee (first meeting in February).

RE2025-1659 is one of them from CM Toombs. She has withdrawn it!

Did you think it was over, Nashville?

We have four more resolutions that the Mayor’s office put in to try and give MNPD more cameras and militarized vehicles—one of which is apparently made from a Wonder Bread truck?

I do not remember that character in “Twisted Metal.”

Gonna get time codes for public speakers when I can. Won’t be able to until this is no longer live. But you should definitely check out our speakers tonight.

www.youtube.com/live/zqQLPgI...

Kelly: Public perception is that a yes vote is complicity in the terror coming to Nashville.

Kelly says that some of the CMs won’t agree with her on a lot, but that TNs deserve the money allocated to them. Points out inflated prices for some items and asks why “fiscally responsible” members don’t care. But we have a problem with small expenditures to help people.

Michelle talks about how access to cameras is unaccountable and how it can view children in public. Mentions dangers of keeping children safe. “My job is to keep my children safe,” says this type of legislation makes that harder.

@themanaen.bsky.social “I know how this city works. Money will be used for MNPD. Now we have a little money in the cracks that can be used to make Nashville safer, not just be a bandage.”

@themanaen.bsky.social asks council to listen to CMs like CM Suara, who spoke against this is committee. Notes the survey of over 500 Nashvillians over how money could be used, which are all eligible and better uses.