MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) — A new City Council is about to be sworn-in with the new year. Of the 13 seats on the Council, six will be replaced by new members who were elected in last October’s municipal election.
The six soon to be “former” Memphis City Council members will be replaced by new faces, but each will have left their mark.
Under Berlin Boyd’s Council Chairmanship came the removal of Confederate statues from two Memphis city parks as well as the return of the controversial admission fee to Beale Street.
During Kemp Conrad’s two terms, he strove to get the city’s financial house in order with a strong fiscal strategic plan that included a ballot referendum establishing a six-year operating and capital budget.
As the most recent chairman, he promised to keep the council on task vowing to leave no business undone by year’s end. This month he pushed the council to approve rate hikes for utilities and trash pick-up.
Over Reid Hedgepeth’s 12-year council tenure, the former Memphis Tiger football player played a huge part in the development of Tiger Lane and renovations to both the Liberty Bowl and the Mid-South Coliseum.
Gerre Currie was appointed to her council seat just this year and vacated in the fall to make an unsuccessful bid for a super district seat. Despite her limited time on the council, she was heavily involved in the fight to limit expansion of a waste management facility bordering Whitehaven.
Another Council short-timer is Sherman Greer. He also was appointed this year, but failed in his October bid to be elected for a full term.
No one leaving the council has served longer than outspoken Councilman Joe Brown. He was first appointed in 1997 before there were term limits. With his usual flair, Brown went out speaking his and often times other’s minds when it came to issues he felt strongly about.
When the new council is sworn-in, it will include and unprecedented five women.