One is an emergency award for $2,790,687.45 in rooftop air conditioning. One ratifies a 2025 software invoice paid after the fact. The whole package passed the Council in one vote with no member in the queue to speak.

MEMPHIS, August 18, 2026 - The Memphis City Council approved six Memphis Light, Gas and Water contracts totaling $5,184,545.78 in a single vote taken with no member in the queue to speak.

The utility's own slide, filed in the committee packet, puts the year in context. The Council had approved $177,939,546.32 in MLGW fiscal consent items through August 4, 2026. These six bring the year-to-date total to $183,124,092.10.

Three of the six ratify spending already made

The word "ratify" appears in four of the six captions. The pattern matters because ratification means the Council is voting after the fact on money the utility has already committed or paid.

MLGW Netters HVAC Replacement, $2,790,687.45. Contract No. 12707 with Trane U.S., Inc., described in the packet as an Emergency Award Ratification. The figure is a $2,536,988.59 proposal plus $253,698.86 in contingency funds. The work replaces seven HVAC units on the roof of the Netters building. The president told the committee Netters is the utility's business operations center on Whitten Road, built in 2000 and acquired by MLGW in 2002, housing the data center, the call center, the IT department, the emergency operations center and the security video headquarters. He said the roof is being replaced first so the units do not require cutting into a new roof later, and that the building was purchased in part because it is hardened for earthquakes. Same night minutes were not requested on this item.

NERC Compliance Management Solution Software, $256,045.33. Contract No. 11821 with AssurX, Incorporated. The packet describes the award duration as "Ratification of the 2025 invoice payment after the fact, Increased license count, and Renewal," running September 18, 2025 through September 17, 2030. The software tracks regulatory compliance across electric, gas and water and is expanding into environmental and water test lab functions.

Security Automation Installation and Service Agreement, $187,000. Contract No. 12516, formerly C2610, with Access Control Integration, Inc. A ratification, increase and third of four annual renewals, July 10, 2026 through July 9, 2027. The packet identifies the bid type as Sole Source. It covers badge access at MLGW facilities including substations and the control center, with 24-hour on-call replacement of faulty access control.

The other three

Distribution UAV Inspection, $1,104,000. Contract No. 12525 with UAV-Recon, LLC, an RFP award, first of two annual renewals running August 19, 2026 through August 18, 2027. This was the only item on which same night minutes were requested. The packet states the change expands the scope to turnkey inspection of 45,000 additional poles and communications audit services for 210,000 poles not included in the original contract. The president told the committee drones survey poles and connections to identify maintenance actions that would otherwise require climbing, that the work has been done in Orange Mound and Castalia Heights and is underway in Whitehaven, and that it is generating thousands of maintenance actions.

500 KCM Wire, $504,813. A sealed bid twelve-month purchase order to Brighter Days and Nites, Inc. for approximately 26,800 feet of underground distribution cable, with an option to extend for two further twelve-month periods.

MLGW Safety Boot Program, $342,000. Contract No. 12584 with Tyndale Enterprises, Inc., an RFP award, increase and first of three annual renewals running November 3, 2026 through November 2, 2027. Councilman Dr. Jeff Warren asked how many boots the money buys. The president said enough to replace footwear for all frontline employees, about 1,900 people, at roughly $180 per pair. That arithmetic checks: $342,000 divided by 1,900 is exactly $180.

Chairwoman Pearl Eva Walker asked whether Tyndale Enterprises is a domestic company, saying the Council wants to keep everything local if possible. The president said he had not checked and would find out.

What happens next

The utility committed to reporting back on whether the boot vendor is domestic. Same night minutes applied to the UAV inspection contract only. No other return dates were set.

Your city. Your money. Your receipts.