Three observations from the Memphis City Council’s bus
They looked toward the back of the bus from time to time, suspicious of the reporter who had perched themselves on the backseat. Then, like students uncertain about but unfazed by a substitute teacher, they went about their business.
Nine members of the Memphis City Council rode a city of Memphis bus from City Hall to Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium Tuesday where the Memphis Showboats of the United States Football League announced they would be coming to town.
When a quorum (seven) of the Memphis City Council is together, it constitutes a public meeting so The Commercial Appeal rode the bus with the city’s legislative body.
There was no notice of the bus ride given. A reporter only rode the bus after it became clear that most of the City Council would be leaving the body’s normal meeting at City Hall and taking a bus together. There is no record of what took place beyond the notes and recordings taken by a reporter, so The CA is sharing its observations from the back of the City Council’s bus.
The nine members on the bus were: Council chairman Martavius Jones, Vice Chairman JB Smiley, Jr., Cheyenne Johnson, Rhonda Logan, Michalyn Easterthomas, Edmund Ford, Sr., Chase Carlisle, Jeff Warren and J. Ford Canale.
Memphis Parks and Neighborhoods Director Nick Walker rode the bus on the way to Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Dan Springer, the city’s deputy chief op- erating officer, rode it both ways.
Sunshine law largely ignored
Throughout the bus ride, several members of the City Council discussed issues before the body with one another. There was some discussion of the Downtown Sheraton’s request for a Tourism Development Zone surcharge — a 5% tax added to all things sold on the side.
The Tennessee Open Meetings Act does not require a body to take action for it to constitute an open meeting. It just needs to deliberate. Court decisions have held that two members of a body discussing an item before the body over the phone constitutes an open meeting.
Camaraderie has grown since fraught 2020
This version of the Memphis City Council was elected in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic started shortly thereafter, forcing the City Council to conduct its meetings online.
The work-from-home dynamic did not do wonders for the interpersonal relationships among the council. The widespread protests and national dialogue about social justice, systemic racism and police brutality
didn’t help either. It was often easier for members on opposite sides to see one another as other — you don’t have to look someone in the eye on a video conference.
When the council went back to in-person meetings in April 2021, the vibes began to change. Members started to get to know one another. The civility has improved.
The general vibe on the bus Tuesday was pleasant. These people largely like each other. The council still sorts itself to an extent by white and Black. The same happened on the bus. But, as often is the case in Memphis, sports is a social lubricant.
On the way to see the Memphis Showboats “return” to Memphis, there was bus wide discussion of the differing meanings of Wide World of Sports. For the Gen X members of the council — Jeff Warren and Martavius Jones, it was an ABC television show.
For some of the millennial council members — Chase Carlisle and JB Smiley, Jr — it meant the Disney venue that hosted youth sports tournaments.
Jokes about 2023 mayoral race
On the way back from the big reveal, the discussion
turned to the upcoming mayoral race. Smiley turned to the rest of the bus and began to speculate on what candidates could still get in.
The widespread perception among politicos is that if four or five Black candidates get into the race — at present there are five announced — it opens the door for a white candidate to win the mayor’s office. Smiley, with a grin, called Carlisle a “dark horse” in the mayoral race.
“Or his wife may murder him because he’s got three small children,” Carlisle replied.
The discussion then turned to former judge Joe Brown of reality TV fame and his chauvinistic comments about women at a forum last month. Smiley said that despite those comments, Brown would see a significant share of the electorate.
“He’s gonna get 10,000 to 15,000 votes,” Smiley said.
Samuel Hardiman covers Memphis city government and politics for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached by email at samuel.hardiman@commercialappeal.com or followed on Twitter at @samhardiman.