Vice Mayor Appoints Investigative Committee, Sets First Meeting

NASHVILLE, TN -- The special Metro Council committee charged with investigating spending and any other potential malfeasance connected to Mayor Megan Barry's admitted affair with her now-retired chief of security will meet for the first time Thursday.

Vice Mayor David Briley appointed seven councilmembers -- Burkley Allen, Erica Gilmore, Brenda Haywood, Mina Johnson, Bob Mendes, Robert Swope and Russ Pulley -- to the investigatory panel and the committee's first meeting is set for Thursday at 4 p.m. It is open to the public.

The council measure creating the committee passed 30-7 last week. Briley included two of the dissenting septet - Allen and Pulley - on the panel, along with Mendes, who was among the sponsors of the resolution. Briley said he intended to create a balance on the committee, while also tapping councilmembers he believed could be open-minded and neutral and those whose non-political experience could benefit the investigation.

In his letter to the appointees, Briley urged the committee to consider hiring an outside counsel to help them avoid duplicating investigations underway by other groups, such as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Metro auditor.

Photo via Metro Council Office