Neighbors announces committee chairs

Forkum named chair of budget and finance

Email | Print By Nate Rau

Councilman Jim Forkum

Vice Mayor Diane Neighbors announced Metro Council committee chairs for the next year. District 9 Councilman Jim Forkum was named chairman of the all-important budget and finance committee. The other chairs announced by the vice mayor are:

Codes, Fair and Farmers Market: District 30 Councilman Jim Hodge

Convention, Tourism and Public Entertainment Facilities: at-large Councilman Tim Garrett

Education: at-large Councilwoman Megan Barry

Federal Grants Review: District 19 Councilwoman Erica Gilmore

Health, Hospitals and Social Services: District 18 Councilman Keith Durbin

Parks, Library and Recreation: District 34 Councilman Carter Todd

Personnel, Public Information, Human Relations and Housing: District 17 Councilwoman Sandra Moore

Public Works: District 31 Councilman Parker Toler

Transportation and Aviation: District 5 Councilwoman Pam Murray

Besides Forkum’s budget and finance appointment, other key appointees are Durbin to health and hospitals because of the ongoing budget issues with Metro General Hospital and Toler to public works because of the potential for water and sewer rate increases this year. Garrett will be the chair of the convention, tourism and public entertainment facilities committee with the proposed $600-plus million convention center on the way.

District 12 Councilman Jim Gotto will serve the second of two-year term on the Planning Commission along with District 13 Councilman Carl Burch, who serves on traffic and parking.