After a heated Oct. 6 Memphis City Council meeting was forced to recess, council members completed the rest of its agenda.
The council reconvened at city hall Oct. 8 to pick up where it left off before a disgruntled audiencebecame disruptive at the Oct. 6 meeting, though tensions persist.
Memphis City Council Vice Chairman Chase Carlisle spoke at a press conference ahead of the Oct. 8 meeting to address the Oct. 6 meeting that erupted into yelling among audience members and some council members.
"We can be better," Carlisle said, directed at all parties.
Committees, meeting reconvened
Prior to the 4 p.m. meeting, the council held the first of five special Planning and Zoning committee meetings dedicated to workshopping data center legislation. With several ordinances proposed
by different council members currently on the table, the hope is to streamline the legislation before a final vote, according to Carlisle.
Two policies were brought to the main meeting for a first reading, but no definitive decisions have been made in terms of final data center regulations or a moratorium.
City council bans some protestors after Tuesday's meeting
At least one person has been served a ban notice from Memphis City Hall.
LJ Abraham, a community advocate, said she was prohibited entry from the building when attempting to attend the Oct. 8 meeting as a result of her role in Tuesday's protests.
The notice, shared with the Commercial Appeal, is signed by Chairwoman Jana Swearengen-Washington.
"While all are welcome to let their voices be heard, any use of abusive, profane language, personal remarks to any member of the Council or the public, or any disorderly conduct that disrupts the meeting will not be tolerated ..." the letter said. "As a result of your disruptive behavior, your attendance at Council Meetings for the next two meeting dates."
Swearengen-Washington confirmed knowledge of the bans at the end of the meeting, spurred by a question from state Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, who is also running for U.S. Congress.
It was not immediately clear how many people were served ban notices.
Council punts law enforcement resolution to next meeting
The Memphis City Council might call for U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement and the Tennessee National Guard to leave Memphis, but it will have to wait until the body's next meeting.
The council is considering a resolution calling for the removal of ICE and the National Guard from the city. Both agencies have been considerably present in Memphis for the last year as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force.
Originally brought to the body by council members Yolanda Cooper-Sutton and Michalyn Easter-Thomas, the resolution would have no legal power, but simply reflects the wishes of the elected officials.
In a Oct. 6 committee meeting, Easter-Thomas said the resolution comes following a recent ICE raid in which 121 people were detained at a bar in Berclair, and around the one year mark of the Memphis Safe Task Force's presence in Memphis.
"The city in the last 12 months has seen nothing but strife, issues, raids, killings since we've had them in our city..." she said. "It's just about time that we're able to take control of our city back from federally mandated state and federal occupation."
Easter-Thomas called on the city to partner with residents and community-based organizations to develop sustainable public safety initiatives, but did not elaborate with specifics.
But some council members pushed back.
Councilman J. Ford Canale said the city must uphold the law, and since the council doesn't have the authority to remove the agencies from Memphis, he doesn't want to give the city false hope.
"We can have a heart for those that get torn away from their families, while also standing with law enforcement and upholding the rule of law," he said.
The council has generally seemed in support of retaining the assistance of some agencies that are part of the task force, including the Tennessee Highway Patrol and U.S. Marshal's Service. Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn "CJ" Davis has repeatedly testified to the positive effects the highway patrol has had on alleviating some of MPD's traffic responsibilities.
The city council will take up the resolution at its Oct. 20 meeting.
Other agenda items
The council approved more than $5.7 million in Memphis Light, Gas and Water contracts, the largest of which authorizes the purchase of seven new bucket trucks for the public utility.
Council members also approved retired Judge Loyce Lambert-Ryan as Chair of the city's Board of Ethics and appointed Myrtle Winfield to the board. The board oversees ethics complaints lodged against elected or appointed city officials.
The city's new retirement and pension system will now also apply to police dispatchers, fire dispatchers, fire alarm operators and paramedics employed in the city's fire department.
In July, the council amended the pension system for police officers and firefighters to increase the multiplier for years of credited and remove a provision reducing retirement benefits for those retiring before a certain age. The council approved the expansion Oct. 8, meaning that these policies will be applied to the additional class of city first responders.
Annie Goldman covers government for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at annie.goldman@commercialappeal.com or 901-930-7431, and followed on X @AnnieSGoldman.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis council reconvenes, passes pensions, approves $5.7M for MLGW
