Whitehaven resident Patricia Smith is one of about 10% of MLGW customers affected by billing issues over the past year due to faulty smart meters. 

Memphis City Council heard oppositions to the new Memphis Art Museum before giving the green light to an agreement with the Brooks Museum to run it and punted a vote on closing two streets in Chickasaw Gardens.

If approved, members who serve two terms, or eight years, would get city health benefits for life. The council also approved a pay raise for incoming Mayor Paul Young and put a fifth referendum on the August 2024 ballot. 

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City nails down Brooks Museum agreement, delays vote on Chickasaw Gardens gates

The City Council voted 8-2-1 Tuesday, Dec. 19, to approve conveying ownership of the stadium to the U of M Auxiliary Services Foundation and $120 million in cash to help pay for $220 million in renovations. 

The Memphis City Council ends its term with a vote on a proposed extension of health benefits for some departing members and on a 2024 ballot question, allowing the body to set the pay for its members.

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland’s portrait was unveiled Friday at City Hall. 

Also happening this week: The Memphis City Council wraps up for the year, and the Memphis Tigers play top-ranked UVA.

Documents outline the transfer of stadium ownership from the city to University of Memphis Auxiliary Services Foundation. 

Following last year’s Winter Storm Elliott and mandatory, rolling blackouts, the TVA has invested about $123 million to prepare its equipment for extreme weather. 

“We’ve had a number of dialogues over the past couple of months, and I feel confident that she can and will be able to lead us into a better space with regards to public safety.”

Memphis wasn’t part of original expansion plans for passenger-rail service in and through Tennessee. But connecting Memphis to Nashville would also give travelers New Orleans and Chicago. 

If approved by the Memphis City Council in a Dec. 19 vote, the mayoral salary would increase from $170,000 to $210,000 for Mayor-elect Paul Young.

Springer will continue to serve in his role with the City of Memphis through the end of Strickland’s term that ends Jan. 1.

The new community center, scheduled to open in 2025, is just yards away from the existing community center, which is one of the most used in the Memphis Parks system.

The music festival by Mempho Presents is May 3-5, 2024, with a lineup expected early next year.

“The council chairman failed to take advantage of an opportunity to positively affect the lives of thousands of Memphians. Rather than receive help, they were served up hollow words.”

“I cannot guarantee that nothing will happen,” Doug McGowen, president and CEO of Memphis Light, Gas and Water said. “But I can guarantee that we’re much better prepared than we were last winter.” 

Also happening this week: Prep Curry’s Grizzlies line drops, the Tigers come home and qualifying petitions are due for General Sessions Court Clerk. 

“I heard loud and clear from City Council and from other people that moving the headquarters from Downtown was not the right signal at this time,” MLGW’s president and CEO told The Daily Memphian. 

The final approval of the August 2024 referendum for city voters came Tuesday, Dec. 5, in a chaotic roll call. The council has another ballot question on the way to allow it to set its own pay.

“I believe, and my team believes, this is the necessary remedy for decades of disinvestment and failed decisions under previous presidents and previous councils,” said MLGW CEO Doug McGowen.

The council aired its concerns about what the city was receiving for transferring ownership, the future of the Southern Heritage Classic football game, how the City Council learned about the deal and more.

Richard Smith said Tuesday that the family could pull its pledged $50 million gift if the Memphis City Council doesn’t transfer ownership of Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium to the University of Memphis.

Related story:

Council member’s push for U of M foundation board seats could stall Liberty stadium deal

The Memphis City Council will also tackle moving state funding for the Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium renovations and a resolution to give Mayor-elect Paul Young a raise.

“It is suspicious that MLGW prefers to generate power — TVA’s job — rather than publicly admit TVA is hobbled. Whose interests are being protected?”