City Council - Regular Meeting

Good afternoon, good afternoon. I would like to call out October 6th, 2026 council meeting to order. All rise please. Thank you. I would like to recognize our chaplain of the day, Pastor Percy Hunter of Christ United Baptist Church, invited by Councilwoman Cooper Sutton. Pastor Hunter, if you would please lead us in prayer, we will follow the prayer with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Thank you for that beautiful prayer. Councilwoman Cooper Sutton, you're recognized.

Thank you so much, Councilwoman Cooper-Sutton. Thank you, Pastor, for that beautiful prayer. Madam Comptroller, if you will please call the roll.

Thank you. Vice Chair Carlisle, I believe you've reviewed the minutes.

It's been moved by Vice Chair Carlisle. Been seconded by Councilman Canale. Madam Comptroller, if you will please prepare the screens to vote to approve the minutes of the September 15th, 2026 meeting.

That item passes. Welcome to the October 6th, 2026 regular meeting of the Memphis City Council. Meetings of the council shall be conducted in an orderly manner to ensure that the public has the full opportunity to be heard and the deliberate process of the council is retained at all times. Our staff has meeting agendas available upfront. Allison, raise your hand. as well as comment request cards for members of the public wishing to be heard on a specific item. All those wishing to speak on an item must turn in their comment card to staff before the item is called. If you are not here to speak

Councilwoman Easter Thomas and Councilwoman Cooper Sutton, you are recognized at this time.

Madam Comptroller, if you will please show that approved by acclamation. Please call item number two, Madam Comptroller.

Madam Comptroller, if you will show that as amended with same night minutes. and that that item has been approved by acclamation. If you will please call item number three.

Councilman Warren, you're recognized at this time.

Madam Comptroller, if you will please show that approval by acclamation.

We will now move to the regular agenda items, starting with item number 21.

Attorney Wade, did you want to add some insight?

All right. It's been moved by Councilwoman Green. Let me get a second. Second by Smiley. Councilman Smiley, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We've been discussing data centers in the city of Memphis for quite some time. If you all remember, I think it was Councilwoman Cooper-Sudden who was adamantly against data centers in the initial. Since that time, we've experienced a lot of, I'm gonna be very direct, disrespect toward the community from particular data center, organizations without lacking community engagement and also the same lack of transparency when it comes to elected officials. Subsequent to that, the council sponsored a moratorium for temporary data centers in our community. What happened today u

We can entertain a motion to amend it to include it, or we can discuss it at the working session on Thursday. We need a traffic study. We need to talk about how many people who are in the areas, whether their property values will be negatively impacted if these data centers continue to expand. There's a lot of stuff that this warrants forum doesn't contemplate, but it doesn't prevent us from passing it today and then coming back here on Thursday and working to put forth and amend this current moratorium. So, you know, with that, I just ask this body to take a vote today and stand with the peop

No, it's your room, JB. Easter Thomas, you're recognized, Council Member Easter Thomas.

Yes, ma'am. It's a friendly amendment. Absolutely, absolutely.

So respectful. I'm just glad you read it. Thank you. Thank you.

Yeah. Councilman Walker, you're recognized.

Just to highlight one other thing, I think this body also, most of us agreed to start working session on Thursday. So it's not that... we're not gonna be doing anything. I think it's incumbent upon us to hear the people, but also making sure that the laws we put forth will pass legal muster, but also making sure that we are putting laws in place that actually protects communities and the city of Memphis.

Councilman Carlisle and then Councilman Smiley. Oh, Logan, okay, I'm sorry. Councilwoman Logan. Yes, Councilwoman Logan.

Councilman Smiley, and then we're going to move to the cards.

All right. Thank you. I just want to address a couple of things. There are some concerns about whether or not it passed legal scrutiny. Nothing within this ordinance. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. There are some questions about, you know, the legalities of the moratorium. Anything that... I'm a lawyer. I read. I graduated in the top third of my law school class. I understand this. But anything in the ordinance, the moratorium that could potentially be problematic from a legal standpoint, we put in the study committee. And as it relates to the funding that Councilwoman White mentioned, and a

Councilwoman Cooper-Sudden, you're recognized. Thank you, Chairwoman.

Councilwoman White, are you still in the queue?

Councilwoman White. Did you want to say something? Councilwoman White.

I'm going to get peace. Councilman Carlisle, you are recognized. Carlisle.

All right, so now the item on the table right now is special item number one to hold item number 19, 20, 21, and 31. It has been moved and second. Please prepare the screen for the vote. Madam Comptroller, if you will please prepare the screen. Council, please cast your vote.

Those items will be held. Those items will be held. We're gonna have to have a recess. We're gonna recess the meeting. Item is in recess, meeting is in recess.