Metropolitan Council (Davidson County)

The Metropolitan Council is the legislative body of the consolidated city-county government of Nashville, Tennessee and Davidson County.

The Council has 40 members, 35 of which are district council representatives, and five of which are council members at-large. If a member resigns or dies before serving a full four-year term, the member's seat remains vacant until the next election. At-large council members are elected by the entirety of the area the metropolitan government encompasses. One national survey of city councils lists Nashville's as the third largest, behind Chicago and New York City. [The Historic Metro Courthouse, 1 Public Square, is where the Council meets.

Under the Metropolitan Charter, members must be over the age of 25 and have lived within Davidson County for a year at the beginning of their terms. Members must also have lived in the district they represent for six months, and they must continue to reside in that district for the duration of their terms. By 2005, according to The Tennessean, members were being paid an annual salary of $15,000. The members elected by districts represent 15,000 to 17,000 residents each, and all Metro Council members serve part-time.

Two-thirds of the Metropolitan Council are required to constitute a quorum before the business of the council can be conducted. The council holds regular meetings each first and third Tuesday of each month, but may also have adjourned meetings of regular meetings on week day or hour it may fix. In addition, with 48 hours' written notice, a special meeting may be called by the mayor or the vice mayor. It may also be requested by the majority of the council, which would require 21 votes in favor of the meeting. Meetings are broadcast live on Metro 3 and are archived on the Nashville government website.

The mayor may veto resolutions and ordinances passed by the Metropolitan Council, but the veto can be overridden with a two-thirds majority of the Council. With three-fourths of the entire council in favor, and not subject to veto, investigations may be conducted by the whole council or its committees.

The popularly elected vice mayor is the President of the Metropolitan Council and serves as its presiding officer, but is not a member of the Metro Council and does not vote except to break ties. Members elect a president pro tempore to serve in the absence of the Vice Mayor, and a deputy president pro tempore once the president pro tempore becomes presiding officer due to the Vice Mayor's death or resignation.

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