What's on the Council Agenda Tuesday Feb. 19.

You can get your own copy of the Metro council meeting agenda at  Metro Council Agenda and you can get your copy of the staff analysis at Metro Council Agenda Analysis. Council meetings can be really, really boring if you don't know what the Council is voting on. With an agenda and analysis, they are just really boring.

There are no bills on public hearing.

There are nine resolutions all of which are on the consent agenda and there is one memorializing resolution which will likely become part of the consent agenda. A resolution is on the consent agenda if it passed the committees to which it was assigned unanimously. Since the committees have not met yet, some resolutions which are listed as on the consent agenda may not be on the consent agenda when the council meets. Bills on the consent agenda are usually not controversial and tend to be routine matters, such as accepting grants from the Federal or State Government or authorizing the Department of Law to settle claims against the city or appropriating money from the 4% fund. However, some atrocious memorializing resolutions that were on the consent agenda have been approved from time to time. Resolutions on the consent agenda are passed by a single vote of the Council rather than being considered individually. Any member of the body may have a bill pulled off of the consent agenda. None on this agenda appear controversial.

RESOLUTION NO. RS2013-584 sets the date for the Mayor's State of Metro address. This resolution sets it for May 20, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. at the Music City Center. I think I will attend. This will be a chance to see the new facility. 

Bills on First reading almost always pass. There are nine bills on first reading. They are considered as a group and are seldom discussed. First reading is a formality that allows the bill to be considered. Bills are not assigned to committee or analyzed by council staff until after they have passed first reading.

Bills on Second Reading: It is on Second reading, after bills have been to committee, that discussion usually takes place. There are thirteen bills on second reading and the ones below are worth watching.

ORDINANCE NO. BL2013-358 approves an agreement between Metro, through Nashville Arts Commission, and the Americans for the Arts in relation to the Americans for the Arts 2014 Annual Convention and Pre-Conference which will take place in Nashville, Tennessee. The arts commission is supposed to raise the money for Metro's share of the expense for this project. If they do not, Metro could be subsidizing this convention to the tune of a quarter million dollars. If the representatives of the Arts commission are confident they can raise the money, then the Council should approve this agreement. However, the Council needs some strong assurance that this will not cost the taxpayers.

ORDINANCE NO. BL2013-359 modifies an agreement with the Renaissance Hotel. Since Metro has built the new Music City Center it is necessary to modify the terms of an arrangement the city has with the Renaissance. I would have to assume this is a fair deal to both Metro and Renaissance, however I hope someone on budget and finance has looked at this agreement carefully. 

Bills on Third Reading: There are eight bills on third reading. Third Reading is the final reading. If a bill passes third reading it becomes law unless it is vetoed by the Mayor, which has only rarely happened.

All of the bills on third reading are zoning bill and should interest no one except close neighbors. All of them, except one, have been approved by the planning commission. The disapproved bill is BILL NO. BL2013-353 which would rezone a piece of property on Tanksley Ave to benefit Tire Recappers. This bill has been controversial. 

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