A bid to require Memphis Light, Gas and Water employees to live within Shelby County fell short Tuesday, Aug. 22, of going to voters in a 2024 referendum.

The referendum ordinance proposed by council chairman Martavius Jones failed on a 5-3 vote on third and final reading.

Jones proposed the ballot question after the utility board voted in June to do away with its residency requirement that had required MLGW employees to live in Shelby County within six months of being hired.

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Before the vote, Jones said the change back to the same residency requirement that all city employees have currently was “just a clean-up of the charter.”

Council member Jeff Warren disagreed, citing problems MLGW has had filling some positions.

“Until they can tell us they’ve got a waiting list for employees, I don’t think we should be tying their hands,” he said. “It is foolish for us to try to limit them. I think it would be damaging to our community.”

Voting for the referendum were: Jones, Michalyn Easter-Thomas, Edmund Ford Sr., Cheyenne Johnson and Jana Swearengen-Washington.

Voting no were: Warren, Ford Canale and Frank Colvett.

Not Voting: Chase Carlisle, JB Smiley Jr.

Absent: Rhonda Logan, Worth Morgan, Patrice Robinson.

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Meanwhile, the council gave final approval Tuesday to another ballot question for city voters in 2024 that would restore the city court clerk’s position as an elected office if approved by voters.

The council approved the referendum ordinance on an 8-0 vote.

Voting yes were: Canale, Carlisle, Easter-Thomas, Ford, Johnson, Jones, Swearengen-Washington and Warren.

Not voting: Colvett, Smiley.

Absent: Logan, Morgan, Robinson.

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The city court clerk has been an elected position since 1975 when city voters approved a city charter amendment. But a recent review of the city code found the referendum should have been held in an even-year election cycle by state law.

The council approved a resolution earlier this year recognizing the mistake and returning the office to an appointed position by city court judges. The mayor forwards their choice to the council for its approval.

Current clerk Myron Lowery, who was elected in 2019, remains the clerk until his four-year term of office ends at the end of this calendar year.

Jones also proposed the referendum ordinance to return the clerk’s position as an elected office.

And he has proposed another ballot question for 2024 that would permit partisan primary elections for city offices. He delayed the first of three votes Tuesday on that ordinance for three weeks.

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The council has already approved two other referendums for 2024.

One would offer voters a choice of several gun-control options, including an assault weapons ban within the city and limits, on the state law that allows ownership of some guns without any kind of permit.

The other ballot question would require candidates for Memphis Mayor and any of the 13 city council seats to have lived in the city or the council district they are running for at least 2 years prior to election day in city elections after this year’s elections.

In other action Tuesday the council:

• Approved a set of 7 capital-spending items totaling $13.1 million for various parks projects, including $5 million toward a new Lester Community Center and another $5 million for the redesign of the Audubon Golf Course.
• Delayed final votes on new tow-truck rules and a set of rules for party buses.
• Delayed a vote on plans for an expanded Cash America pawn shop on Overton Crossing at Frayser Boulevard that has drawn opposition from the neighboring Memphis Business Academy.