MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It will soon be out with the old and in with a new Memphis City Council.
But one issue current and new Council members will likely face in the upcoming year is what to do with crime- and drug-filled apartment complexes that are declared public nuisances.
“We have to put more regulations to close those properties and, if possible, demolish those properties,” Councilman Berlin Boyd said.
“If we are going to move Memphis forward and bring business to Memphis, then all they see is blight and bad neighborhoods, they’re not going to want to come to Memphis,” Councilman Frank Colvett said.
Earlier this month, the Council also approved a controversial $240 million, five-year contract between MLGW and Elster Solutions to outfit most of the city with smart meters.
Councilwoman Janis Fullilove had argued the meters are unsafe and won’t mean lower bills for consumers, but Boyd said Memphians will have a say in whether they want the smart meters.
“One thing you’ll see in the MLGW committee, which I chair, I have a piece of legislation that will give citizens more peace of mind, giving them an opt-out option,” Boyd said.
As for future City Council priorities, Boyd and Colvett said they’ll likely include the budget, job creation and poverty.
“I want to address poverty, job creation and the stabilization of our property taxes,” Boyd said.
“I’m going to get very involved with the budgets and seeing what they need, but also understand that like a family business … there’s only so much money, so we have to work very hard to use our dollars in the best way possible,” Colvett said.
