The Memphis City Council has approved Mayor Jim Strickland’s choice for a new MLGW leader. Doug McGowen will take the reigns of the utility after JD Young announced his departure earlier this year. Some council members had originally opposed the election of McGowen, saying they wanted, instead, to perform a national search for a new CEO. But Strickland held firm, saying he wanted McGowen, who served as chief operations officer for the past seven years.