NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nearly two weeks ago, Metro councilwoman Delishia Porterfield spoke about the newly-enacted state law forcing Nashville to slash the number of its council members in half — from 40 down to 20 — a process that usually takes half a year, crammed into a matter of weeks.
"This is going to be very, very confusing for the community," she said.
After speaking with several Metro Council members and staff with Metro's Planning Department, we're taking a look at what the process could look like in the coming days.
This week's Metro Council meeting:
On Tuesday, Metro Council members listened to more than an hour of public comment, with the vast majority opposed to the idea of a 20-member Metro Council.
The public comment was tied to a specific resolution from councilwoman Courtney Johnston, asking Metro Planning to draw up a map with 17 district council members and three at-large members, who represent the entire county. Other council members filed substitute resolutions, asking the planning department to consider other configurations like 15 district members and five at-large members, as well.
Last night, after hearing public opposition to the redistricting, Johnston withdrew that resolution entirely. But that withdrawal may not have a large impact on what's to come.
Meanwhile, the clock has been ticking:
The state law gives Metro’s planning department until April 10 to recommend one or more maps to Metro Council. (The legislation actually says 30 days from when the law is enacted, which would be April 8, but Metro Planning says Metro's legal department told them since that date falls on a weekend, the deadline is moved to the next weekday).
With that deadline looming, weeks ago the Planning Department decided it couldn’t wait for Metro Council to pass a resolution giving them direction on which maps to draw. So, Metro Planning went ahead and drew up two maps, released on March 24. On Wednesday of this week, Metro Planning released two more maps with the same two configurations.
Therefore, when Johnston withdrew her redistricting resolution, Metro Planning says it didn't have any practical impact to the process that lies ahead; because the planning department had already drawn up maps, the council didn’t need to pass a resolution asking the planning department to draw up maps.
What's ahead:
On Thursday, April 6, the Metro Planning Commission will meet at the Sonny West Conference Center, 700 President Ronald Reagan Way, at 4 p.m. to hear more public comments and to recommend one or more maps to Metro Council. If the commission can’t decide on recommendations Thursday, it will schedule another meeting on Friday to make a recommendation.
Under the state law, Metro Council will then have until May 1 to accept or reject the Planning Commission’s recommendation and adopt one final approved map. If Metro Council chooses not to accept a map, that triggers a clause in the state law that extends the current Metro Council terms by one year. Metro Legal has said this is a clause in the law they will fight in court.
The courts:
Metro has filed a lawsuit against the state to invalidate the law. On Tuesday, a three-judge panel heard arguments in the case, but it still hasn’t issued an opinion. If the court sides with Metro and says the state law can’t be enforced, Metro Planning says all its work will immediately stop and things will move forward as is: a 40-member council with elections coming up in August.
Whatever the decision, the losing side will almost certainly appeal. If so, given the approaching election deadlines and with fund raising already underway, the Tennessee Supreme Court may decide to use its “reach-down” power to immediately hear the appeal, rather than going to the Tennessee Court of Appeals first.
