Nashville Metro Council defers $15 million downtown safety funding decision until January
Nashville Metro Council voted 19-17 to defer a decision on how to spend $15 million in state funding for downtown safety improvements, pushing the vote to January 20 after several residents voiced opposition to the proposed memorandum of understanding with the Nashville Downtown Partnership.
Before the deferral, council members approved several changes, including removing two proposed surveillance software systems — LeoSight and Fivecast — after residents raised concerns about potential federal overreach and disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities. The amendments also added funding for computers and laptops for police and city staff and simplified some project descriptions, such as the purpose of noise-detection devices…