Nashville City Council Approves $90,000 Tornado Siren Upgrade System

During Monday’s Nashville City Council meeting, Nashville Fire Chief Justin Thornton told aldermen the city currently has six tornado sirens, but one of them — located at West Clark and Third streets — is no longer operational and must be replaced.

Thornton said the siren is approximately 75 years old and replacement parts are no longer available. He also reported that two other sirens, located at Tyson and Toland Heights, failed to function properly during the April storm. Those sirens are currently undergoing repairs.

To improve the city’s emergency warning system, Thornton recommended replacing the West Clark and Third Street siren with a new unit at a cost of $36,500. He also proposed purchasing a $35,000 report-back system that would immediately notify city officials if a siren failed to operate correctly during severe weather.

In addition, Thornton said the upgraded system would include monitoring equipment connected to the National Weather Service office in Shreveport. The sirens would automatically activate when a tornado warning is issued for the area. The total cost for the three-part system is estimated at $90,000.

A motion to purchase the complete system was made by Alderman Freddie Horne and seconded by Brent Thompson. The measure passed unanimously.

City Finance Director Kimberly Green reported that city sales tax revenue declined by three-tenths of a percent compared to April 2025, a decrease of $385. However, county sales tax revenue increased by nearly 84 percent, resulting in the city receiving more than $70,603 above the amount collected in April 2025.

City Clerk Lauren Clements also read Resolution 2026-04, which amends Resolution 2025-12 concerning the City of Nashville’s operating budget.