Nashville councilmember wants increased transparency from NES

Driving the news: The resolution, sponsored Johnston and other council members, requires NES to provide its existing and future contracts and agreements to the Metro Clerk's office, which would in turn post them in an existing database that lists other city contracts.

Between the lines: After the ice storm, stakeholders wanted details about how NES had ratcheted up its political influence by hiring lobbying and public relations consultants.

• The contracts weren't posted online. Media outlets, including Axios, had to request details about the agreements — so did council members.

Zoom out: NES also hired six technical and operations-focused consultants to assist with its storm response.

• The contracts have a capped value of $500,000 apiece, according to NES.

What she's saying: "Transparency is one of the best ways to provide clarity and increase public trust," Johnston tells Axios. "After Winter Storm Fern, there's understandably a lot of public interest in how this public utility operates."

What's next: The legislation will be considered at next week's council meeting.