In the shakeup at Nashville’s City Hall, the succession includes the naming of Sheri Weiner as the new vice mayor. As a Bellevue councilwoman since 2011, she’s considered one of the few conservatives on the council, and hasn’t been afraid to ask tough questions of Metro departments.

On Tuesday, Weiner said she couldn’t relish the shocking circumstances that led to her swearing in — “neither desired nor predicted” — and noted that her sadness about Megan Barry’s resignation would linger.

However, she said, “We have the tools to proceed immediately to the business of government and to see to it that everyday needs of our citizens are met without interruption or delay.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1QC4vXv1U0

After that message to the council, she presided over her first meeting in the new role. She now taps the gavel, keeps order, and ticks through the agenda. She’ll have authority to appoint members to committees.

As a council member,
her track record tends to be fiscally conservative, and she has completed her own financial assessments several times. She scrutinized the Metro General Hospital budget and the finances of the Election Commission.

“I have an operations and administration business head — yeah, that’s what I do,” Weiner told WPLN. “I’m medical because I saw patients for 40 years, but now I also teach people to run their businesses.”

The vice mayor role isn’t usually politicized, but Weiner has taken stands.
She circulated the letter that called for Judge Casey Moreland to step down before he was indicted, and ultimately agreed that a Special Council Committee should investigate Barry.

Weiner describes herself as socially moderate — she has presided over gay marriages — and fiscally conservative, “probably leaning Republican.”

“I’m basically middle of the road,” she said. “I guess I’m able to appeal to people on both sides.”

Weiner rose to prominence with several Bellevue civic groups and campaigned in 2011 on a platform of economic development, flood recovery and more citizen access to government officials.

She is an audiologist with two daughters, and is one of the Jewish members of the council.