Memphis City Council: September 1, 2026

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----: meeting to order. Memphis,
----: I would like to recognize our chaplain of the day, Evangelist Latrice Ryan of Latrice Ryan Ministries Incorporated, invited by Councilwoman White. Evangelist Ryan, please lead us in prayer.
----: Thank you so much. Let us bow. Father, we bless you and we thank you for who you are. We thank you for being holy. We thank you for bringing us together, especially on the 901 day. Father, we ask now that you will give our council members, you will give them wisdom to make the right decisions. You will give them to courage, the courage, Father, in Jesus' name to enact those decisions. Father, we ask that you would bring unity in our city. We ask that you would bring safe to our safety to our streets. Cover every neighborhood. Cover every schools. Cover every every council member. Cover every [clears throat] elected official in the name of Jesus. Cover the citizens of Memphis. And Father, let us know, God, and give us confirmation that we shall arise out of every disparity. We shall arise out of every uh discouragement. That we shall arise that we are stronger together than we are departed or divided in the name of Jesus. We ask these blessings in your name. in Jesus name. Amen.
----: Amen.
----: Please remain standing for the pledge of
----: allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God indivisibley and justice for all.
----: Councilwoman White, you are recognized. Evangelist Ryan, I just want to say on behalf of myself as well as the Memphis City Council, thank you so much for being our chaplain of the day, but also

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----: thank you so much for your prayers over our city, state, nation continuously. We know that we benefit from your prayers. You are greatly appreciated and thank you. And one other thing I will say is is that the one thing is Evangelist Ryan has a Tuesday morning 6 a.m. prayer that I have been tuning into probably for the last what four or five years. Even if I miss Tuesday morning, you can always go back and watch the replay.
----: Yes.
----: Thank you so much for your beautiful prayer, Evangelist Ryan.
----: Madame Controller, if you will please call the role.
----: Thank you, Madam Chair. Council members Canali, Carlilele, Cooper, Sutton, Easter, Thomas Ford, Green,
----: Logan, Spinosa,
----: Smiley, Walker,
----: Warren,
----: White, Chairwoman swearing in Washington.
----: Madam Chairwoman, you have a quorum.
----: Thank you. I believe Chairman Ford has read the minutes for the August 18th meeting.
----: Yes, Madam Chair. Thank you. I have reviewed the meeting minutes from August 18th, find them to be in order and move for their adoption.
----: It has been moved by Councilman Ford Canali, second by Councilwoman Green. Madam Controller, if you will please prepare the screens for the vote.

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----: Our vote for the minutes. Canali, yes. Green, yes. Smiley, yes. Spinosa, yes. Walker, yes. Yes. White. Yes. Chairwoman Swaren Washington. Yes.
----: That item passes. Welcome to the September 1, 2026 regular meeting of the Memphis City Council. Meetings of the council shall be conducted in an orderly manner to ensure the public has the full opportunity to be heard and the deliberate process of the council is retained at all times. The Sergeant-at-Arms has meeting agendas available up front 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 the sergeant-at-arms before the item is called. If you are here to speak on a specific item, you can note your request to give general comments at the end of the meeting. As chair, I will only recognize citizens that properly registered to speak by submitting a completed comment request card with the sergeant-at-arms. Please remember that members of the audience and persons addressing the council will not be permitted to engage in gossip, make defamatory, personal, slanderous, or profane comments or use abusive or vulgar language. The chair of the council may maintain order by giving any persons who are in violation of the stated rules of decorum a warning to cease by giving any persons who are in

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----: violation of the stated rules of decorum. a warning to make sure that in order to leave the council chambers or by giving an order for security personnel to remove any disruptive person in the council's chambers who refuses to leave voluntarily. These rules are also posted on the doors as you entered the chamber and as you pick up the comment cards. The holes are item number three. Item number three will be held until October 6, 2026. Madame controller, if you will please call item number one. Item number one is a resolution approving an honorary street name change on Union Avenue between Dunlap Street and Manaza Street for Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris in recognition of his dedication and lifelong commitment to Shelby County District 6 Super District 8. This resolution is sponsored by Councilwoman Green and there is a request for same night minutes. Councilwoman Green, you are recognized.
----: Thank you, Chair. Um, as you know, for many years I worked in the office of Mayor Lee Harris, and we are planning a street renaming in his honor later this month. I just wanted to acknowledge that he was the first black full professor of law at the University of Memphis. He is now a tenure full professor at Miss. He was the first black leader in the Tennessee General Assembly, a two-term county mayor, previous council member here and budget chairman, and he was a state senator. And I think in his years of service, especially ones that I worked in, he's done incredible work for the community. I'll note as he left, he invested $150 million in a new school in Frraasier, and I think he is worthy of

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----: our recognition, and I ask for your vote. That item has been moved by Councilwoman Green and second by Councilman Smiley. Are there any colleagues who would like to be in the queue?
----: We're waiting. Fork and Alley, can you come up for a second, please? Madam Controller, if you will please prepare the screen for the vote. Canali abstained. Ford, no. Green, yes. Smiley, yes. Spinosa, yes. And Walker, yes. That item passes. Madame Controller, if you will please

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----: call the consent agenda items, which are items 4 through 9, 23, 25 through 26, and the same night minute items six, seven, eight, and nine.
----: Thank you. We have general ordinances up for first reading. Ordinance to amend chapter 25, pension and retirement system of the city of Memphis, Tennessee, up for first reading. Ordinance number 5983 is sponsored by the administration. Item number 25 on our add-ons is an ordinance to establish a strategic large load development and digital infrastructure district program to replace a blanket data center moratorum with source neutral tiered and timed review to define substantial compliance to adopt a Memphis water assurance standard and recurring fiscal floor to require strategic develment agree agreements to authorize Memphis Digital Infrastructure Development District number one and for related purposes up for first reading. Ordinance number 5985 is sponsored by Councilman Spinosa and there was a request to add this on to the consent agenda for first reading. Item number 26 is an ordinance of the city council of the city of Memphis, Tennessee, amending ordinance number 5367 known as the Memphis and Shelby County Unified Development Code to establish regulations for the sitting initial development, construction, expansion, alteration and operation of largecale data centers establishing ing data center development standards. Prohibiting rout routine evaporative and once through cooling requiring closed loop

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----: water circulation systems. Prohibiting major withdrawals of local water resources for data center cooling. Requiring water conservation and monitoring. Requiring progressive use of renewable and non-carbon electricity. Establish a schedule for the phase out of carbon-based electricity, establishing requirements for expansion of existing data centers, providing for public disclosure, reporting, enforcement, penalties, and other matters related there too. up for first reading. Ordinance number 5986 is sponsored by Councilman Warren and there was also a request to add this on for our we have a second reading general ordinance. Ordinance number 5982 is sponsored by council members Smiley Green, Swarington Washington, and Easter Thomas. We have joint ordinance number 23 amending the Memphis Shelby County Building Home Program up for first reading. Ordinance number 5984 is sponsored by the administration the and there is request to add this one on as well. In our engineering division, we have a resolution approving public improvements for seven band civil plans phase one and releasing the bond. The contract number is 5384 and there is a request for same night minutes. Item number seven is a resolution accepting public improvements for Conwood Snuff redevelopment board of adjustment case 20-03 and releasing bond. There is a request for same night minutes. The contract number is 5439. Item number eight is a resolution accepting public improvements for Conwood 2 development and releasing the bond. There is a request for same night minutes. That contract number is 5453. Item number nine is a resolution

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----: accepting public improvements for Peach Tree Development and releasing the bond. The contract number is 5464 and there also is a request for same night minutes. That concludes our consent agenda items. Madam Chair,
----: Vice Chair Carl Laau, you are recognized at this time.
----: Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll move these items to the floor for their approval.
----: That item has been moved by Vice Chair Carile, second by Councilman Spinosa. There are no council in the queue to speak. Madame controller, if you will please prepare the screen for the vote. Canali yes. Carile yes. Green yes. Please show council member Ford as voting yes on this item. Smiley yes. Spinosa yes. Walker yes. Warren. Yes. White. Yes. Chairwoman swearing in Washington. Yes.
----: That item passes. Madame controller, if you will please call the fiscal consent agenda.
----: Thank you. We have one item number 10, a resolution to accept a donation of $3,93647 from the 100 Club of Memphis as awarded to the city of Memphis Police Department to support the tact unit. All council districts, this resolution is sponsored by the administration. There is a request for same night minutes.
----: Thank you, Madam Controller. Vice Chair Carlile, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, this item has been moved to the floor.
----: It has been moved by Vice Chair Carile,

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----: second by Councilman Spinosa. Madame Comproller, if you will please prepare the screen for the vote. Canali, yes. Carile, yes. Ford, yes. Marine, yes. Smiley, yes. Spinosa, yes. Warren, yes. White, yes. Chairwoman swearing Washington, yes. Please show. Council member Walker is voting yes on this item.
----: Thank you. That item passes. Madame Controller, if you will please call the MLGW fiscal consent agenda items 11 and 12.
----: Thank you very much. Item number 11 is a resolution to amend 2001 water pilot agreement with the city of Memphis termed to end 2048. And number 12 is a resolution approving the increase and extension to contract number 11462 electronic board agenda solution with Granicus, formerly Asella Incorporated, to increase the contract value and extend the current contract in the funded amount of $47,69948. Madam Chair, that concludes our MLGW fiscal consent items.
----: Thank you, Madam Controller. Councilwoman Walker, you're recognized.
----: Thank you, Madam Chair. The committee met with a favorable recommendation and I so move.
----: It has been moved by Councilwoman Walker, second by Councilwoman Green. Madame Controller, if you will please prepare the screens a vote.

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----: Canal, yes. Carlile, yes. Ford, yes. Green, yes. Spinosa, yes. Walker, yes. Warren, yes. White, yes. Chairwoman swearing Washington. Yes. That item passes. Madame controller, if you will please call on our add-on agenda and same night minute items.
----: Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Item number 16, appointments and a reappointment to the Memphis Area Transit Authority. The appointments are Sharon Harris, Tate Wilson, Willie Gregory, Dr. Gwen Sutton, William Mallerie IVth, Allison Donnell, Antoine Clark. Our reappoint to the Memphis Area Transit Authority is Brandon Arendelle and there is a request for same night minutes for these appointments and reappoint. Councilwoman White, you're recognized.
----: Thank you, Madam Chairman. The committee met and recommended approval and I so move.
----: It has been moved by Councilwoman White, second by Councilman Spinosa. Madame Controller, if you will, please prepare the screen for the vote. Canali, yes. Carile, yes. Ford, yes. Green, yes. Bossa, yes. Walker, yes. Warren, yes. White, yes. May I please have the motion and second reenter for item number 16? And that was the appointments and the reappointment.
----: All right.
----: Thank you.
----: Moved by Councilwoman
----: Walker and second by

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----: I know it's not.
----: All right. Moved by Walker, second by Spinosa.
----: Okay. Council members, please cast your vote for item number 16. Canali, yes. Carile, yes. Ford, yes. Green, yes. Spinosa, yes. Walker, yes. Warren, yes. White, yes. Chairwoman, Washington, yes. That item passes. Madame controller, if you will please call item number 17. Item number 17, it should display momentarily, is a resolution to approve the allocation and appropriation of funds of $4 million for FY2027 CIP Otaban Golf Clubhouse. Project number PK24107, project contract construction, District 5, Super District 9. This resolution is sponsored by the administration. There is a request for same night minutes. Councilman Warren, you are recognized.
----: Thank you, Madam Chair. The committee met recommended approval and I so move.
----: It's been moved by Councilman Warren, second by Councilwoman Green. There are no council in the queue to speak. Madame Controller, if you will please prepare the screen for the vote. Canali, yes. Carile, yes. Ford, yes. Green, yes. Spinosa, yes. Walker, yes. Warren, yes. White, yes. Chairwoman swearing, Washington, yes.
----: That item passes. Madame Comproller, if you will please call item number 18.

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----: Item number 18, it should display momentarily, is a resolution to approve the allocation and appropriation of funds of $500,000 for FY 2027 CIP Memphis Parks Security Camera Project number to be announced, fixtures, furniture, and equipment. All council districts, this resolution is sponsored by the administration. There is a request for same night minutes for this item number 18. Councilman Warren, you're recognized.
----: Thank you, Madam Chair. Committee did meet and recommend approval. I so move.
----: It has been moved by Councilman Warren, second by Councilman Spinosa. There are no council members in the queue to speak. Madame Controller, if you will please prepare the screen for item number 18. Canali. Yes. Carile. Yes. Ford. Yes. Green. Yes. Spinosa. Yes. Walker. Yes. Warren. Yes. White. Yes. Chairwoman swaring Washington. Yes.
----: That item passes. Madame controller. If you will please call item number 19. Item number 19 is a resolution to approve the allocation and appropriation of funds of $200,000 for FY2027 CIP Glenn View Park aquatic facility project number to be announced contract construction district 4 super district 8. This resolution is sponsored by the administration. There is a request for same night minutes for this item. Councilman Warren, you are recognized.
----: Thank you, C. Madam Chair, the committee met recommend approval and I so move.
----: It has been moved by Councilman Warren,

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----: second by Councilman Ford Canal. Madame Controller, if you will please prepare the screen for the vote for item number 19. Canali, yes. Carile, yes. Green, yes. Spinosa, yes. Walker, yes. Warren, yes. White, yes. Chairwoman swearing in Washington, yes. Please show council member Ford as voting yes on this item.
----: That item passes. Madame controller, if you will please call item number 20.
----: Number 20. A resolution to approve the allocation and appropriation of $3,389,000 for FY2027 CIP GUCH Park Improvements. The project number will be announced later. It will be for contract construction district 7, Super District 8. This resolution is sponsored by the administration. There is a request for same night minutes for this item number 20. Then I council man you're recognized.
----: Thank you madam chair and thank you colleagues. We're getting a lot of good park done here. Quickly the committee met recommend approval and I so move.
----: It has been moved by Councilman Warren second by Councilman Spinosa. Madame Controller if you will please prepare the screen for the vote for item number 20. Here was the vote for item number 20. Canali, yes. Carlile, yes. Ford, yes. Green, yes. Spinosa, yes. Walker, yes. Warren, yes. White, yes. Chairwoman swearing, Washington, yes.
----: That item passes. Madame controller, if you will please call item number 21. 21 is a resolution to allocate and

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----: appropriate $2,388,000 in city council community grant funds to nonprofit agencies for fiscal year 2027. All council districts, this resolution is sponsored by the Memphis City Council. There is a request for same night minutes for this item number 21.
----: Councilwoman White, you are recognized. The committee met in recommended approval and I so moved.
----: It has been moved by Councilwoman White, second by Councilman Spinosa. Madame Controller, if you will please prepare the screen. Did you have did you were you in the queue for Canali? Port Canal is in the in the queue to speak before we vote.
----: Thank you, Madam Chair. Mine was really just a statement
----: [clears throat]
----: um to all of our nonprofits. I know we have some wonderful nonprofit partners out there, but just to put it in perspective and for everyone to know like if anyone is considering this uh their bread and butter, uh don't because this year we had a total ask of $13 million, $128,184 and there's $2.6 million available. So, um for whatever information is out there that go ask the city, they've got plenty of money. that's just simply not the case. So, we're happy to support who we can when we can, but as you can see, an ask of $13 million or $2.6 million available, uh, it really doesn't go very far. Thank you, Madam Chair.
----: Thank you, Councilman Bordoni. Councilman Warren, you're in the queue.
----: Thank you, Madam Chair. This is for our colleagues here. Uh, you may have seen the email, but room in the end was removed from the group that we could not donate to. Those are people that take homeless families and take them to churches from downtown. And initially they told us they didn't qualify. They looked at it again and they made a mistake. So as you're thinking about

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----: where you want to go, that helps with our homeless families, particularly homeless kids. Thank you.
----: Thank you, Councilman Warren. Madame Controller,
----: it was properly moved by Councilwoman White, second by Councilman Spinosa. We are now voting on item number 21. We vote for 21. Canali, yes. Ford, yes. Green, yes. Spinosa, yes. Warren, yes. White, yes. Chairwoman swaring Washington, yes.
----: Please show Council Member Walker as voting yes on item number 21. That item passes. Madame controller, if you will please call item number 22. Item number 22 is a resolution to amend the fiscal year 2027 debt service fund operating budget to appropriate an amount not to exceed $2,600,000 for arbitrage rebate payments to the internal revenue service. All council districts, this resolution is sponsored by the administration. There is a request for same night minutes for this item number 22.
----: Vice Chair Carlile, you are recognized.
----: Thank you, Madam Chairman. Matt recommends approval and I move.
----: Item number 22 has been moved by Vice Chair Carlile. Can I get a second? It's been second by Councilman Ford Canali. Councilwoman White, you're recognized.
----: Thank you. I believe and I'm not I can't recall specifically, but I believe after Chief Davis presented because we did it with the request for same night minutes. I think it's not 2.6 million. I think it's the 2.5 um I think it's I'm saying it off the

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----: top of my hearing now 2 58.
----: So the may so the resolution as I read it is just a not to exceed. So, if it's underneath that 2.6 million, then they're authorized to change. Come back.
----: Okay. I just wanted to make sure we didn't change it in in committee. Okay. Thank you.
----: Madam Controller, if you will please prepare the screen for the vote.
----: Can Yes. Carile? Yes. Ford? Yes. Green? Yes. Spinosa? Yes. Walker? Yes. Warren? Yes. Yes. Chairwoman Washington. Yes.
----: That item passes. Madame Controller, if you will please call item number 24.
----: Item number 24 is a resolution to appropriate $300,000 in FY27 CIP funding for the Memphis Animal Shelter to provide muchneeded renovations, modifications, and repairs to the shelter. District One, Super District 9. This resolution is sponsored by the administration. There is a request for same night minutes.
----: Vice Chair Carile, you're recognized.
----: Thank you, Madam Chair. The committee m recommends approval and I move.
----: It has been properly moved by Vice Chair Carile, second by Council Warren. Madame Controller, if you would please prepare the screen for item number 24. Canali. Yes. Ford. Yes. Green. Yes. Spinosa. Yes. Walker. Yes. Warren. Yes. White. Yes. Chairwoman swaring Washington. Yes.
----: That item passes. Madame controller. We will move to the regular agenda item

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----: starting with item number two. Item number two is a zoning ordinance amending ordinance number 5367. Seven of the Code of Ordinances, City of Memphis, Tennessee, adopted on August 10th, 2010, as amended, known as the Memphis and Shelby County Unified Development Code to authorize a zoning use District reclassification for land located on 2021 Berry Hill Road by taking the land out of the Conservation Agriculture Use District and including it in the residential single family use district. Up for third and final reading. This ordinance is sponsored by the Division of Planning and Development. The case number is Z26-05. Our ordinance number is 5981.
----: Councilman Spinosa, you're recognized.
----: Thank you, Madam Chair. Committee met recommends approval and DPD is here as well if anybody wants to um have them speak to this. But uh I just moved it. It has been moved by Councilman Spinosa, second by Councilman Warren. We would love to hear presentation on this item.
----: While she's setting up, Madame Controller, if you would please note that item number 13 is being held. So after this, we will move to item number 14. Madam Control, this Madam Chair, is it

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----: going to be held to a certain date? Your number 13.
----: Attorney Wade
----: until the 15th.
----: Thank you.
----: Wait. Oh, you ready? We're ready.
----: Okay. Sorry about that. Good afternoon. I'm Chloe Christian with DPD. I'll be presenting um this case. It's a resoning request uh known as case number Z 2026005. The applicant is Josh Bernett and he's here with us today. Um and this property is located at 2021 Berry Hill Road in District 1 in Super District 9. and the request is to reszone 3.36 acres from the CA district to the residential single family 6 district. Here's a location map of the property. Um it's located in the Cordova area on Berry Hill Road. We did mail out 220 notices on June 15th and we did not receive any comments in opposition nor support for this request. The applicant did host a neighborhood meeting as required by the unified development code and this is just a snip of the sign-in sheet from said meeting. The property is currently zoned conservation agriculture and it's surrounded by predominantly single family zoning districts. There are some planned developments directly to the south of this property, but the underlying or the base zoning for those planned developments is also R six, which is residential. The property is currently vacant. Here are some photos of the property. This is just a survey of the property. It's approximately 3.36 acres in size.

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----: Uh, analysis was prepared by Memphis 3.0 0 comprehensive planning and they found the proposal to be consistent with the goals of the Memphis 3.0 comprehensive plan. So in conclusion, as I mentioned before, the applicant is seeking a resoning request to convert 3.36 acres of vacant land from conservation agricultural to residential single family. Um the land abuing the property is complimentary to this zoning district and given the nature of the adjacent land uses and residential quality of this area we do recommend approval of this request and the land use control board also recommended approval of this request and that concludes my presentation but I'm happy to answer any questions. Thank you. Any council in the queue? All right. Council, councilmen Ford Canal, you're recognized.
----: Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, Mr. Bernett.
----: Yes, sir.
----: Could you tell us more about your plans for this property?
----: Yes, sir. So, the property is approximately 100 ft wide, a little under 100 ft wide. It's very long. Just to the south, we have lots that are sized about 6,000 square feet, and we're asking for that same size. Just to the southwest, lots are sized at 8,000 square feet. And to the southeast, we're an RU2 district. Just to the north, uh, there's going to be a cell tower, which should buffer the remaining CA units. So, this will be single family residential. I'm thinking we're only going to be able to get about six lots. Did
----: you say there is already a cell tower or there's going to be one?
----: There's a cell tower on the property north of this one. Yes, sir.
----: Got it. All right. Thank you very much. Thank you, Madam Chair. All right, madam controller, if you will please prepare the screen for the vote.

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----: Canal, yes. Carile, yes. Ford, yes. Green, yes. Walker, yes. Warren, yes. White, yes. Chairwoman SW Washington, yes.
----: That item passes. Madam,
----: thank you.
----: Yes, sir.
----: No, sir. No, sir.
----: I don't do cell towers. There's one just north of this property that's already there.
----: Yes, sir.
----: Madam Controller, if you will please call item number 14. Item number 14 is a resolution to appropriate FY27 allocations in the amount of $150,000 in CIP project number GA028 Mud Island Amphitheater District 7 Super District 8. This resolution is sponsored by the administration. All right, Councilman Smiley, you're recognized for the Mud Island Amphitheater.
----: You know, I'm eager. Council may recommend.
----: It has been moved by Councilman Smiley, second by Councilman Ford Canali. Madame Controller, if you will please prepare the screen for the vote. Canali, yes. Carile, yes. Ford, yes. Marine, yes. Smiley, yes. Walker, yes. Warren, yes. White, yes. Chairwoman swearing Washington. Yes.
----: That item passes. Madame controller, if you will please call item number 15.

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----: I see it. Thank you. Item number 15 is a resolution transferring FY27 capital improvement program budget allocations from CIP project number IT01 06 continuous improvement cover line of $300,000 to CIP project number IT01007 operational infrastructure fix all council districts. This resolution is sponsored by the administration. Vice Chair Carile, you're recognized.
----: Thank you, Madam Chair. The comm recommends approval and that's a move.
----: It has been moved by Vice Chair Carile, second by Councilman Warren. Madame Controller, if you will please prepare the screen for item number 15. Thank you. Canali. Yes. Carile. Yes. Ford. Yes. Green. Yes. Smiley. Yes. Walker. Yes. Warren. Yes. White. Yes. Chairwoman swearington Washington. Yes.
----: That item passes. That brings us to our same night minute items. Vice Chair Carlau, would you please read the same nightm minute items into record?
----: Thank you, Madam Chair. The same nightm minute items are items one, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 24. Now move to the floor.
----: Thank you. It's been moved by Vice Chair Carile, second by Councilman Ford Canali. Madame controller, if you will please prepare the screens to vote for the same night minute items.

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----: Canali, yes. Carile, yes. Ford, yes. Green, yes. Smiley, yes. Spinosa, yes. Walker, yes. Warren, yes. White, yes. Chairwoman SW Washington. Yes,
----: that item passes. That now brings us to our general comments. Do we have any general comments? Oh, we don't have any.
----: I'm teasing. [laughter]
----: I'm teasing.
----: Code zero. All right.
----: All right. We will begin with Alexander Perkins and then Reverend Gordon Meyers followed by Alexa Pouncy. Alexander Perkins. Alex Alexander Perkins. Chat GBT was launched less than four years ago. In terms of being widely accessible to the public, generative AI is still relatively new like electronic calculators were in the 1960s. In 1961, Bell Punch Company released Sumlock Anita Mark 7 and 8. Each one was about the size of a cash register and required at least 70 watts to power it. It took six years for companies such as Sharp and Toshiba to release calculators efficient enough to even cut it their electricity usage by half. But by the early 1980s, solar powered handheld calculators became widely available from companies such as Sharp as well as Texas Instruments. Whether city council votes in favor of a data center moratoria or at least creates a framework, it should, if it can, take into consideration the potential for rapid changes in technological development. Per the Southern Environmental Law Center, the

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----: turbines at XAI Colossus 2 alone are projected to cause more than $30 million per year in environmental damages. If additional data centers are built that do not run on clean renewable energy, then any additional pollution of water, air, and or noise that they create will likely outweigh any supposed economic benefits in the relative short term. Because before long the time may come when running these data centers does become more efficient using fewer resources not out of concern for the environment but just out of convenience for the companies that own and operate them. Thank you so much for your comments. We will now have Reverend Meyers. [clears throat] Thank you. In the When I've approached this podium, it's usually to be in a critical prophetical role. Uh but today I find myself rising to a different purpose, a more pastoral role. I need to say thank you. I need to recognize your efforts to propose and craft that moratorum on data center development. You are declaring that in Memphis, people matter more than profits. That the rights and needs of many should not be sacrificed for the benefit of the few and that the water, air and fruits of creation upon which all our lives depend should not should be rightfully sustained and protected and accessible to all. This moratorum is an important step in the right direction. Your leadership is deeply appreciated. Your example to other communities is making a difference and it's been a ray of hope, sanity, and justice in a world where those things have been in very short supply. In the words of scripture, well done,

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----: good and faithful servants. Thank you.
----: Thank you, Miss Pouncy. And then Sharon Smith after Sharon Smith, Bat Batel Booker. [clears throat]
----: Hi. I'll keep this short since there's quite a few of us in here that want to speak. Um, I came tonight to talk to you guys. One about the people that you guys represent. [clears throat] Excuse me. Excuse me. Can I just want to have everyone's attention because every time I come up here, no one wants to pay attention. So, thank you for all of your time. Our people in this city are asking you to do the right thing. We are asking you to pass the moratorum. We don't care about the bottom dollar of the big businesses here in Memphis. We care about the people and we need you guys to start caring about us. That's all I got to say today.
----: Thank you,
----: First Lady Sharon Smith.
----: Yes, ma'am. Greetings everyone. Hi, my name is Sharon Smith. I'm the executive director for New Dawn Social Services. We house men and women transitioning from incarceration or rehabilitation centers. We submitted a proposal for funding and for support. We service 3109, 38112, 38104, and 38105. However, our residents extend across Shelby County. I would love to have your support.
----: What's that organization again?
----: New Dawn Social Services. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you for the wonderful work that you are doing for our community. Booker, then an Adam Sailor.

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----: My name is Batel Booker.
----: Yes. Okay.
----: I live in the Boxtown community. Uh we've been on the front line a long time waiting on help as far as it comes to pollution and it's always the can kick down the road. We are the community on the front line for this city. Not only that, we are the canary in the cave. We're alerting everyone about what's going on, but we are constantly being dumped on. There's been no civil disobedience, but we feel like our life is constantly being threatened. And we're trying to use our platform and talk to the people that have been put in the position to care for us, to love for us, to have our best interest. And so we come here uh as orderly and peaceful as we can to express ourself to y'all. And this is an issue that is very very very important because our lives are on on the line. So if you love us like you say you love us,
----: if this is one Memphis like you say is one Memphis then number should speak.
----: Thank you.
----: Thank you.
----: Thumbs up, thumbs down. Thank you, Adam Sa. And then Zo Dallinger.

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----: Donding.
----: Dondelinger. Thank you.
----: There we go.
----: It's Adam Sal. Sal means righteous in Arabic. Thank you. Uh I'm a Memphis resident. I was born and raised in Memphis. Um, I'm Palestinian. My parents came to this country. My father an immigrant and he is a civil engineer of over 30 plus years in this city serving and building so many so much infrastructure like Shelby Farms and other places in Memphis. I'm sorry. Oh, I'm good. Okay. Um, so basically I'm here to mention that Space XAI has signed over hundreds of millions of dollars worth of contracts with the US military. The US military just merged their technological resources with the Israeli government. So, it's not very hard to see that Space Xai and that [clears throat] technology that's polluting our city and killing our citizens is also contributing to the killing of my citizens, of my people in Palestine. I can't go into detail about where I'm from because it puts me at risk, but three of my cousins were killed in Palestine a month ago. It's been seven years since I've been. And there's literally a military base upon the mountain which my ancestors have owned for centuries. So I want you to really think about this about where we have seen a hundred over a hundred immigrants being pulled from their from their homes just this past Sunday that that has been happening in Palestine as well. And it all connects. Our struggles are connected. And I want you all to look deep inside yourselves and just think about your grandparents and what they had to go through and understand that it truly is all connected. Thank you,

53:22

----: Zoe Dandelinger. And then Sarah Gladney. After Sarah Gladney, Easter may not. Uh, hello. My name is Zoe Dondelinger. Um, I put on my card to speak on ordinance number five. So, that's what my thing is for. I'm speaking on this ordinance to emphasize the importance of placing a a moratorum on data centers in Memphis. Some are weary that this would discourage businesses from choosing Memphis. I am here to plead with the council that this moratorum isn't enough. We need this or ordinance to cover all AI data centers in Memphis, including the XAI data centers. These XAI data centers are a moral stain upon our city. It is creating child sexual abuse materials based on real life child sexual abuse materials in their servers. from this abuse and molestations of real children. Is this what we want to be known for? Housing the child porn machine? How about being the home of the genocide machine? XAI has been confirmed to have been used to target bombing bombings in Iran. A war that the United States is losing. A war that nobody asked for and is costing all of America the basic necessities we need to live. Data centers are bad for communities. They are bad for children. And then when we are getting pennies on the dollar for XAI's, excuse me, and then we are getting pennies on XAI's dollar in taxes for having this moral stain in our community. [snorts] This entire project is an insult to the people of Memphis. It is cruel and designed to be the downfall of Memphis, a majority black city, by draining all of our resources under the guise of progress. If you have a backbone, you will do everything in your power to stop the operations of the AI data centers in Memphis. Please change the language to reflect the to

55:22

----: reflect a mortori moratorum on all AI data centers in Memphis permanently for the safety of children and the future of Memphis. Thank you. Thank you for your thumbs up or thumbs down. Sarah Gladney and then Easter Mox. Hello council. My name is Sarah Gladney and first of all I would like to ask each one of you a question. How many of you have been to XAI SpaceX on Paul Larry road? How many of you by a show of your hands? Okay. Pearl Larry. Okay. So I suggest to you all to take a trip to Paul Larry Road to the SAI data center and just spend a little time over there because if you haven't been there, you can't understand what we've been through. I've had sarcidosis which is a lung condition and it's in remission and I fear for my safety every day. I fear I like to walk in my community. I like to garden and I like to I just love life and I got to keep on begging just to breathe clean air. So I'm asking you all today to place a moratorum on any more data centers. Thank you.
----: Thank you Jasmine Houston and then Brandy Price and I agree with Sarah Gladner. I'm from Boxtown. My name is Eastern Knox and I have relatives that go to the little elementary school in that area and sometime I go busy and then my husband had asthma but it led to with that when that the data center came he uh you know

57:24

----: conduct I mean got lung cancer he passed from it and now I have COPD he has COPD you don't understand unless you have those medical problem and I'm 77 years old and I want to live a long life. But how can I live a long life out there in box town with all the scent and smell and you know it's it's it's rough. But I like to open up my window so I can smell the fresh air. But we don't get any fresh air anymore. We get that scent and you can just imagine if you stayed out there in Boxtown what it would feel like. So we are begging our city councilman to please, you know, think and and help us out. We need your help, you know, and I'm not just wearing this mask to be wearing it. I'm wearing it for a purpose. So, we're begging you all, please, you know, help. We need your help. Thank you.
----: Thank you. Jasmine Houston [clears throat] and Brandon Price.
----: Hey everybody, my name is Jasmine Houston. I live in 38127. Honestly, this is my first time up here, and truthfully, I really don't even want to be here. I want to go spend time with my daughter, but if I don't come up here and voice my opinion, I'm not sure if it'll be her or if my daughter will actually be able to see the potential that Memphis has. Um, I'm almost convinced that the person who represents us might have like some safety concerns or something because he doesn't even speak out against this. So, I guess this is our last result to ask if y'all would actually represent us. Um, I saw somewhere where we brought in a hundred billion dollars in GDP, but I'm trying to see like [clears throat] how did that benefit me because I'm working two, three jobs, still struggling. I'm at the schools. We still don't have teachers. So, I feel like we need to just take a pause, period, and see what are we becoming as a society because it's very sad. And I feel like we've let

59:25

----: capitalism take over us. Um, capitalism is the privatization of natural resources or production. And anytime someone has the ability to take something that was given to people to survive and to sustain life and say everybody got to come through me to get it, that something is wrong. Anytime something affects everybody, whether they want it to affect them or not, that's wrong. And on top of that, we already been experiencing this for years. I used to sub at Douglas and I'm wondering why is this being let out every day and kids coming to school every day like why is this allowed? Why is this stuff planted in my back neighborhoods where we drive around the back roads but when I used to live in Germantown all these other places they're not there. So please like I don't know what the hold up is. I know it's things to consider, but can we consider a pause to see what's really going on? Because profit should mean like uh I looked it up, so I'm just getting up here talking. It means like progress increase to improve um and a session of good and labor. And it's like
----: after my labor, what comes of what's in it for us?
----: Thank you,
----: Brandon Price. After Brandy Price, Sarah Houston, and Noah Hutcherson.
----: Hello, my name is Brandy Price at 38109. I am here to say please vote yes on the third reading of the moratorum. I also came to say to state that this body uh uh this body is not a parental body. It is a representative body. That's for one thing. Uh this body is merely a made of representatives for the citizens of

1:01:26

----: Memphis. If the citizens of Memphis are out came out to say that we don't we want a moratorum. We want this moratorum. It's not for the body from on high and from on high to uh just draft up a moratorum in the cover of night and say here just be satisfied. You know what I'm saying? Uh this is if this body really cared about its constituents then it would work with us on the shaping of this moratorum. No one here is saying they're against progress. No one here is saying they're against green energy. We are well-informed constituents when it comes to green energy, more so than some of y'all here. We we the public are here today because we are concerned and are we are informed about these AI data centers affecting our health physically and spiritually. These this issue is an issue that has united both the right and the left. People from all over the country has come to tell me the horrors of these AI data centers, still born calves, uh uh kidnapped children from ICE working with ICE, uh cattle sleeping on bob wire just to get away from this uh this these data machines. Uh child pornography uh uh you know, children having strokes and uh directing people to commit suicide. This is a false hope machine. Look it up for yourself. Do the research. Do the research. And this this when I list all these things out, does this sound like uh economic development or does this sound like the purview of the antichrist uh that people are so afraid of? Uh y'all so Christian. I just want to say condemn the antichrist and say yes.
----: Thank you so much Sarah Houston and then Noel Hutcherson. Good evening, council. Um, thank you for

1:03:27

----: your consent vote today. U, we got the moratorium round two done. Um, my name is Sarah Houston. I serve as executive director of protect our aquifer and as y'all know, we've been in on this data center conversation from day one. Um, when it comes to SpaceX AI and we fully support this moratorum for this pause. You know, MLGW said today that, you know, there's not a lot in the hopper when it comes to this. So, really is the 12-month pause going to like derail the chamber's entire game plan? Like, I don't think so. Um, but really, it's because that time, that pause is so critical to get our ordinance right, get these guard rails right. I know there's a bunch of different ordinances flying around. There's a lot of stuff in there, a lot of good stuff in there. But we need to think about obviously the water impact closed loop systems, but that can also contain water that can contain propylene glycol that can control different antifreeze, PAS, what's going to be the wastewater discharge. What are all these different components of just that? What about pilots? No pilots for data centers. Can we put that in an ordinance? What about NDAs? No city officials can sign NDAs. Why don't we put that in an ordinance? What happens if MLGW says we can't deliver power to you, we can't serve you. So therefore, they're going to try for behind the meter power and that's going to be turbines and health department regulates turbines. They regulate air pollution. When it comes to groundwater wells, if MLGW serve them water, they can drill wells. That's through the health department and the groundwater board as well. So this should be a joint ordinance. This should be with the city and the county. I know that Councilman Carile loves the idea of the metro government. Here's an opportunity to play a little game like that. Let's make this work for the county and the city. Think about data center regulation holistically. That's going to take time. Faget County, our next door neighbors, just passed a 12-month data center moratorum. They have formed a committee. They've invited protect our awkward to serve on that committee. Over these next few months, I've got time. My staff can figure out our game plan. We don't have to stress out and rush and freak out. We

1:05:28

----: can do it right. And that's what we need this body to do. And that's what we need Memphis to do.
----: All right. Thank you. No Hutcherson, then Amber [clears throat] Sherman. After Amber Sherman, Jasmine Bernard.
----: Good afternoon, Memphis City Council.
----: Good afternoon. Many of you found out about the initial data centers like us on the news. But words came to me today that it seems like some of you want to kick the can down the street to avoid dealing with the much needed moratorum. Now you weren't respected enough to be told about these data centers in advance and without any guard rails any data center will be free to treat us any way they want. Now, we understand that business has its place, but if there are no workers left due to pollution, it won't matter. Memphis already has multiple super fun sites as one of the most polluted cities in the South. To be truthful to y'all, this is a Fanny Lu Hmer moment. The citizens ARE SICK AND TIRED of being sick and tired. So, I urge you to vote for a moratorum. And if you feel like you can't, stop calling the people who voted for you your constituents. They're just your convenience.
----: Amber Sherman, then Jasmine Bernard, and Andy O'Neal.
----: Jasmine had to go to soccer practice.
----: Ma'am, Jasmine had to go to soccer practice, so she wanted me to
----: Oh, okay. Okay. Okay.
----: Okay. Cool. My name is Amber Sherman. That committee meeting today was a mess and a great example of how the people of Memphis will ask for something and our city council will hear that and say,

1:07:30

----: "No, I'm going to propose something completely different that doesn't give you what you're asking for, but it does fit what my donors want." Phyllis Ponosza introduced a framework for data centers that we didn't ask for as a response to our ask for a very clear data center moratorum. And my question is, why do members of this body often disregard what the community is actions asking for, especially the white ones? While in committee today, I also watched Councilman Jeff Warren hand his phone over to Bobby White from the Chamber of Commerce to show him an ordinance he wrote about data center zoning and asked him, "Is this good?" So, once again, we're seeking the approval of businesses, not community. Mind you, the community here in this room and online haven't even seen the ordinance. Councilman Warren did offer to send it to me this afternoon, but also I'm not the entire community and there continues to be a lack of transparency from this city council. And you know, Dr. King wrote a letter that talks about folks like Dr. Warren. He warned us of the white moderates who is the biggest detriment to the success of the black community. The white moderate who is more loyal to businesses and capitalism than the health and safety of black people. And my hope is that this body will reject that undying allegiance to the Chamber of Commerce and listen to the people, especially those in South Memphis, and pass the moratorum,
----: Andy O'Neal, and then Carrie Ayak. Okay, good afternoon or good evening and whatever. But uh my name is Andy O'Neal. I just want to give you my two cents in less than two minutes. I heard a lot of comments uh a lot of interesting comments at the committee meeting today. I agreed with some of them. I disagreed with others. Uh but what I did not hear is what I want to talk to you about. I didn't hear anything wrong with the mh with the moratorum. Some people said it wouldn't be needed because of what MLGW was doing, but to

1:09:32

----: that I say, so what? It still doesn't hurt anything. The other thing I didn't hear was anything about the dishonesty from the XAI management when they told us that by now we would have a water recycling facility and now they're saying, "No, trust us. We'll do it next year." I'm reminded of that dishonest contractor that keeps telling you he's going to get the job done in two weeks, two weeks, two weeks, and it never gets done. This moratorum would be a statement to the companies that while we want to work with them, they must work for with us in good faith. That's all I need to say.
----: Carrie Comedy.
----: Good evening, council. My name is Carrie Yakamini. I am a constituent of your district, Councilwoman, as well as a super district 9. I am a former candidate for Congress for District 5. I want to let you know that on the campaign trail since May, a major concern around the state and not just the city was data centers. And it was both a blessing and a burden to be from Memphis and talk to constituents in South Memphis, in Westtown, in Westwood and Boxtown and hear their health concerns while going to the rural communities that were very scared of their land, their water, their resources because these companies are also looking at them. And when we think about big business, when big business comes here, they're not investing in our communities. They are poisoning our communities and taking advantage because our city council doesn't seem like it is standing up for our people until it's convenient for an election year. I am asking the city council to think on behalf of the constituents that you claim to represent because big business is not giving us jobs. They are not investing in the young people. And if

1:11:32

----: the business wants to come here, billionaires are not creating business unless they're paying you directly. The businesses that we need to support are the small mom and pop shops that are struggling in this economy. Entrepreneurs from young people that want to make a difference in their community. And the council needs to focus on that and not protecting business because the greater Memphis Chamber of Congress thinks that they know business. when more than a majority of our community is struggling and paying with their bills. And to find out that my councilman this afternoon, who I live down the street from, asked the Greater Chamber of Commerce CEO or whatever he is, who is not a representative of us, if his ordinance was good. AI is coming for our jobs, not just ours, but also yours when it comes next year. So, please do the right thing because we all breathe the same air and drink the same water.
----: Thank you, Jessica Miller. And then Luchi Chainless. After Luchi, then it'll be Emily Bishop. Hi, city council. My friend, Representative and future Congressman Justin J. Pearson has this question he asks at his events. He asks, "Who's fired up?" And the answer is, "We're fired up. We're fired up because you have the chance next meeting to give us what we've been asking for and roll back some of the wrongs y'all made along the way of letting Elon Musk come in here and pollute our air, damage the beautiful land and our precious aquifier just so he can add a couple more zeros to his trillions on kitty porn." Today, the Supreme Court Justice of Memphis, Attorney Wade, says that there will be there will be 5,000 data centers in the next 10 years. If it's up to my skin twins up there, 400 4,999

1:13:36

----: of them are going to be in black Memphis communities. We fired up because we have sat in this occupied city for 337 days, 17 hours, and 16 minutes waiting on the Democrat leaders we elected to find their spine and stand up to this fascist administration that came in and took our city like Debo did Craig on Friday. We fired up because we watched the National Guard murder Tyron Johnson by shooting him in the back along with three other m murders by this task force. We watched black community members have their Fourth Amendment rights trampled on in a club. Then this last weekend, we watched ice burst into a club that our brown neighbors frequent and haul them away like cattle in buses to concentration camps, including this little girl's mother who was trying to pay bills as a bartender. One of them be We're fired up because next year is city election year and most of y'all sitting up there paying us no mind right now are going to be soliciting votes from us. We're fired up because one of the only great things that has come of these dark days since January 20, 2025 is that people power is on the rise and we will answer the Thank you.
----: Susan Luchi.
----: Hey y'all.
----: I mean Luchi famous. I'm sorry. Susan Luchi is an actor.
----: Luchi Sers.
----: Uh excuse me. Thank you.
----: Good evening. Uh, Luchi today, Chamblas 38104. Uh, I'm going to take a little break from the data centers. I wish I could

1:15:37

----: take a physical break from the data center. You might hear it in my voice. I'm a little cracky today due to all the pollution in the air. Um, I've been coming up here the last four months asking y'all to do something about this task force. Just really just asking y'all for some answers. Uh, y'all sat with Chief Davis a couple weeks ago and all she could tell you is she don't know nothing about what's going on with this task force. And then Mayor Harris said the National Guard isn't part of the task force anymore. And everybody else said that's not true. And then Paul Young [clears throat] Paul Paul said MPD isn't helping ICE with these with these raids. They're just doing crowd control. But if we leave here and some of my friends decide to rob a bank and I serve as the lookout, I'm going to jail too, right? That's the law. That makes me complicit. So, how are they not helping the task force with these ice raids if they're helping the task force with the ICE raids? That doesn't make sense to me at all. Does that make sense to y'all? I mean, for real, because maybe I'm just dumb. Maybe I just don't know. Does that make sense to anyone?
----: I didn't think so. I didn't think so. So, we have an opportunity right now. We've got a a new county mayor. We've got a new sheriff. We've got a chief of police who doesn't know what the hell's going on. We got a a mayor who pretends he doesn't know what's going on, but personally, I think he's just a liar. Um, so what I'm asking y'all to do is ho host a town hall so that we can figure out what's going on, so that Chief Davis can figure out what the hell's going on, so that Paul Young can be held accountable, and so that we can get some answers because we now have five dead neighbors because of this task force. And we know for a fact that at least four of them were not justified. And if y'all have questions about that, I know that Chief Davis couldn't answer any questions about it. I know what's going on. I've seen the videos. I've talked to the attorneys. I know what happened in each of those cases. And I'm happy to share that information with y'all if y'all care.

1:17:42

----: Thank you so much, Miss Bishop. and then Representative Justin Pearson.
----: Hi, thanks uh city council reps for um allowing me to speak today. There's been a lot of emotions in the room for sure. Um I'm here to speak on a different topic. Um Midtown Memphis supports uh the continued improvements of neighborhoods in Midtown and the rest of Memphis. We are engaged with neighborhoods that are in the process of getting on their feet. We have joined neighborhood organizations in planting trees. Thanks to a neighborhood grant from you, we will soon paint artistic crosswalks at Madison and Avalon. We are currently working with Rosel Ansdale neighborhood to establish their own arboritum around Rosel Elementary School. Our goals are the same as those of the Memphis 3.0 planning efforts. We believe that compromise with the division of planning and development is possible and will result in the best solution for Midtown and the rest of the city. Reaching compromise will take some time and willingness by both sides to work together so that Memphis 3.0 will revitalize neighborhoods and major road corridors that need help. I'm here today with two requests. One, uh, we respectfully request to add a new RN district for traditional single family neighborhoods with lots less than 10,000 square feet. Without this district, property owners in Midtown and throughout the city uh will not have uh who don't meet the requirements of 10,000 square feet will not have a meaningful option for appealing the zoning of their property proposed by DPD. So, we're asking for the addition of an RN district when it comes time to adopt

1:19:44

----: the new UDC. Uh, I know it was held today, but the uh ZTA um uh for the um that clarifies the uh mailing notice. Uh we uh were that's all. Thank you so much. Can you email that to us, please?
----: I'm sorry.
----: Can you email that to us, please?
----: Thank you.
----: Did you get all this? All right. Representative Justin Pearson and then Dr. Kimberly Owens Pearson.
----: Good evening.
----: Good evening.
----: Hey everybody. I'm Representative Justin J. Pearson representing District 86 in the Tennessee House of Representatives. And thank you all so much for passing the second reading of the data center moratorum. and hopefully in two weeks unanimously we will pass the third reading. I represent the district and the county um that has 80% of the polluters in Shelby County. The cancer risk for people who live in Westwood, Boxtown, Walker Homes is 4.1 times the national average. And if you live in Mallalerie Heights, your life expectancy is 10 years shorter than if you live in Germantown or Kaville. That is the status quo that we are currently dealing with. And that's the status quo that happened when Elon Musk built XAI in our communities and illegally polluted it for over a year and nothing was done. This is only worsened because currently there are 69 gas turbines that are operating in North Mississippi, also illegally operating in violation of the Clean Air Act and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. The Shelby County Health Department allowed for this to happen and be perpetuated against us. This is reality. These are the facts and we need a moratorum to give us a responsible amount of time to come up with the regulations that protect our community.

1:21:44

----: It is not banning them. It is giving doing a responsible timeout as one person said so that we create regulations in community with other elected officials as well as with the people who are being deeply impacted by these projects particularly in White Haven in Westwood in Boxtown. Knox County Republicanled, Fyet County, Republican le, McMinnville Republicanled, Coffee County Republicanled, and every last one has a moratorium against data centers. And McMinville's is 18 months. Nashville passed a moratorum and regulations to protect zoo animals.
----: Zoo animals. And we here are begging for you to protect our lives.
----: Dr. Kimberly Owens Pearson, and then Richard Massie.
----: Oh, he left. Okay. Dr. Owens Pearson.
----: Oh, good evening. Um, okay. So y'all know I'm upset already, but I appreciate your approval of the moratorum and I'm looking forward to it being unanimously approved for a minimum of 12 months, preferably longer. Um 38109 is not, as my daughter-in-law Ocean or Gileiam Pearson would say, a digital dumping ground. You guys are [clears throat]

1:23:47

----: turning Westwood and and and in and Boxtown and Mitchell to Memphis Cancer Alley. Yes, we were already surrounded by a lot of pollution. We know this because we were redlined years and years ago. was not by choice. So this is strategic. Now in 2026, here we go again with the same playbook. Okay. I need you to know that we're not against technology and that hospitals and stuff are exempt. So everybody can bow down. That's fine. We good right there. What we're saying no to is formaldahhide. What we're saying no to is methane gas. What we're saying no to is 247 inhaling this over and over again. And this is unfair when y'all won't go in other neighborhoods. Why can't they move into other neighborhoods? You have deemed us disposable. Well, they already have these. They got 17. What's What's a four more? We need y'all to show up for us. Show up. Thank you, Lana Benia. And then Rihanna Watson.
----: Lyanna Watson. My name is Lyanna Vanetsia. I'm a public health educator and a Micah leader. I

1:25:49

----: live in district five and I just want to make sure I have the attention of my council person. Funnily enough, I've never heard of anyone proposing to build an AI data center near my house. I've also never heard of anyone proposing to build an AI data center in Germantown or Kierville or Arlington or Lakeland. No, the AI data centers have only popped up in South Memphis despite strong opposition from the people who live there. And I really wonder why that could be. I'm concerned that there's some hesitation to approve this moratorum. Two weeks ago, it looked like the moratorium had strong support. So, I'm just curious what happened. Memphis was not prepared when this industry came to our streets. We let Elon Musk make promises that he never intended to keep. The jobs and tax money have not materialized. We let XAI set the agenda and our neighbors are worse off for it. Our brothers and sisters in South Memphis cannot breathe. This moratorum would give us the chance to prepare to do studies to do testing to host town halls and take input from the community to pass strong legislation to ensure that our children's health is protected and that Memphians retain autonomy over our city. The future of Memphis cannot be determined by outofstate billionaires, nor a handful of city elites, nor a morally corrupt chamber of commerce. No. If Memphis is to truly thrive, our future must be determined by the people. Your people are calling for a moratorum now. And I encourage this body to listen to the people who elected them, the people they work for. Moratorum now. Ice out now. Thank you.

1:27:58

----: Miss Watson.
----: Hello everybody. Um first things first, I would love to ask the folks in attendance. Um if you support this moratorum and you're physically able, would you please stand? Y'all see? Okay. My name is Riann Watson and I serve as the advocacy coordinator for Protect Our Aquafer. And I am not going to say anything that you all have not heard already. I'm just going to echo what everybody has been saying at this point for over a year. Um we are just asking the council to prioritize the people and not the bottom line. When we talk about the environmental and health impacts of these facilities, it's not hypothetical. These folks, the folks in South Memphis have been suffering from the noise, from the odors, from the air pollution. This is a historical black, excuse me, historical black community with seemingly measurless legacy of environmental harm. Boxtown, in particular, is an area with a legacy of groundwater contamination where there's a known breach in the clay layer just above the aquafer that helps to filter our drinking water. Our water and our air are precious. They are human rights. Yet, even when discussing a temporary 12-month moratorum, too much of the conversation has centered on the fear of scaring away businesses. We appreciate that this ordinance distinguishes large-scale data centers from everyday computing needs of hospitals, small businesses, and other institutions, but we'd also like to see meaningful community oversight during this moratorum. Our [clears throat] organization or as Sarah Houston our the executive director of protect our agrapher mentioned um our organization has expertise and can provide meaningful insight to this moratorum. Our uh science director Scott Schaefer is on the committee for the Fyet County moratorum. There are numerous organizations including ours that could contribute and

1:30:01

----: would be glad to support during this process. This is such an incredible opportunity to involve the community and to decide what responsible development looks like before we move any further. Thank you.
----: All right. Thank you for all your comments. Thank you for coming out, being involved, being engaged. I will now entertain a motion
----: to second. Madam Chair,
----: moved by Councilman Smiley, second by Vice Chair Carlile. Thank you everyone. Have a safe evening evening. The meeting is adjourned. just walk out.
----: Yeah.

Gov901

Memphis City Council: September 1, 2026

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