The Metro Charter Commission, enacted by a joint City Council/County Commission vote to create a new charter for a combined government, presented 14 recommendations to those two bodies yesterday at the U of M.
The recommendations included separate school systems; adopting the annexation reserve areas of the suburban cities; mayors and legislators limited to two four-year terms; non-partisan elections; an appointed chief of police to head up public safety and an elected sheriff to be over the jails; an annual five-year strategic plan from the mayor’s office; a countywide network of parks; an office of general counsel that would streamline and stem legal controversy; a three-year property-tax freeze under the new government; three taxing districts (urban, general, and special); and, among others, one IT system for all of the various branches of government, including judicial and the constitutional offices such as the sheriff.
Still pending is how the legislative districts would be drawn under the new government.
“This is not personal; this is structural,” said charter commission chair Julie Ellis. “Our two-government structure impedes collaboration and cooperation. … We have found there is a tremendous opportunity to operate more efficiently.”
As evidence, Ellis also cited Shelby County’s loss of population and income ($1.9 billion, to be exact) over the past decade. About 2,500 local households moved to Nashville alone.
