Announcement of Metro Council Pre-Budget Public Comment Period

In 2022, the Metropolitan Council began conducting a Pre-Budget Public Comment Period for Nashvillians to provide input for the annual budget process in advance of the Metropolitan Charter-required Budget Public Hearing. Following the success of previous special public comment periods, the Council will conduct a Pre-Budget Public Comment Period this year at the February 6, 2024 Council meeting. The process will follow the regular public comment period format as provided in Council Rule 28 with some exceptions.

Please note the following guidelines specific to the 2024 Pre-Budget Comment Period:

• The special comment period will be up to two hours.
• Each individual will be allowed up to two minutes to speak.
• All individuals seeking to speak must sign up in-person on February 6 to speak that evening.
• A designated sign-up form will be located at the Metro Clerk’s counter, adjacent to the Council Chamber on the second floor of the Historic Courthouse and City Hall at One Public Square.
• The sign-up will open at 5:15 p.m. and close at 6:15 p.m., in advance of the 6:30 p.m. Council Meeting start.
• Time slots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. If all time slots are filled, a waitlist will be created, and those individuals on the waitlist will have priority to speak.

This Pre-Budget Public Comment Period does not replace the Budget Public Hearing which is held each year pursuant to Section 6.05 of the Metropolitan Charter, which requires a public hearing on the Metropolitan Government’s Operating Budget after the first reading of the Budget Ordinance. That hearing is scheduled to be held at the second of three total readings of the Budget Ordinance on the evening of June 4, 2024. Pursuant to the Charter, The Metropolitan Council’s proposed Substitute or Amended Operating Budget for the Metropolitan Government must be adopted by the Council by June 30 or the Mayor’s proposed Budget automatically becomes law.

For more information about the Pre-Budget Public Comment period please contact the Metro Council Office at 615-862-6780.