Council members seek smaller community and cultural investments — museum study, Wave Country, library shuttle and pet services

At the June 1 work session several council members presented one‑time or small recurring requests for community programs and cultural projects.

Council Member Suarez requested $60,000 to restart a museum feasibility study for an African American history and civil‑rights museum, noting an earlier study and the need to identify a viable site. Council Member Gamble also supported re‑funding the study and proposed the contingency account as a possible source.

Smaller local proposals included $25,000 to cover vendor fees for student entrepreneurs at the fairgrounds, $100,000 to convert an outdoor volleyball court into a covered pavilion at Wave Country, and $135,000 for a library‑staff shuttle to bring employees safely from offsite parking when branches are open late.

Multiple members requested modest one‑time or recurring support for nonprofit programs that address housing stability and family services (Ella’s House, Casa, Oasis Center), and several asked for expanded split funding or matching arrangements for the Nashville Office of Entertainment and Pet Community Center slots.

Chair and staff emphasized these remain wishlist items pending prioritization; finance staff said many proposals require identifying valid funding sources and cataloguing restricted accounts before they can be added to a substitute.