[00:19:27]
          MM. 
          [00:24:56]
MHM. 
          [00:25:25]
MADAM CLERK IS METRO TV ALREADY ON. METRO TV 30 SECONDS, PLEASE. 
          [Call to Order]
          [00:25:55]
GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS A MEETING OF THE LABOR AND ECONOMIC DEVELOP COMMITTEE. IT 
          [00:25:59]
IS SEPTEMBER 19TH 2023. I'M THE CHAIR OF THE HILL. I'M JOINED BY ADVICE CHERRY ANTHONY PH IN 
          [Roll Call]
          [00:26:06]
TEENY. I'M JOINED BY COUNCILMAN ANGLE. I WAS JOINED BY COUNCILMAN BAKER ACKERSON. AND COUNCIL WOMAN, HAWKINS. AND UNDERSTAND. BUT COUNCILMAN FROM DISTRICT 25 KHALIL BODY BATCH AND NEEDS A EXCUSED ABSENCE, MADAM CLOBBER. WITH THAT IF YOU COULD READ ITEM ONE OR READ THE PROTOCOL FOR THIS MEETING AND THEN READ ITEM ONE. THANK YOU. THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO CARE. A 61.826 AND COUNCIL RULES A RED AND FULL. ITEM NUMBER ONE IS I D 23-0 TO 1 TO A PUBLIC HEARING PURSUANT TO LOUISVILLE METRO CODE OF ORDINANCES. 160.02 G FOR THE LOUISVILLE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT RED IN FALL. THANK YOU. AND BECAUSE THIS IS A PUBLIC 
          [Public Hearing]
HEARING. UM DO WE HAVE ANYBODY FROM THE AUDIENCE? WHO WISHES TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM, AND NOT ANYBODY FROM THE AGENCY ITSELF. I'M LOOKING FOR ANYBODY WHO MIGHT BE A MEMBER OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS. I DON'T SEE ANY VOLUNTEERS AT THIS POINT. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN CONDUCTED AND IS NOW CLOSED. MADAM CLERK IF 
          [Pending Legislation]
YOU'D READ ITEMS TO AND TO THE RECORD NUMBER TWO IS OUR DASH 090-23 OF RESOLUTION APPROVING THE BUDGET AND ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT PLANS FOR THE LOUISVILLE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 1ST 2024 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST 2024 AND FULL THANK YOU. CAN I GET A MOTION? PROBABLY MOVED IN SECOND. THIS ITEM IS BEFORE US. WE HAVE SOME GUESTS HERE TODAY TO SPEAK TO THIS AND WITH THAT, AND IF YOU WILL INTRODUCE YOURSELVES FOR THE RECORD AND THEN PLEASE START YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR HEARING US TODAY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. MY NAME IS STAN MORE. I'M ON MY FOURTH TERM AS THE CHAIR FOR A LITTLE BIT OF TIME MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AND WE'RE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT OUR ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN AS WELL AS OUR 2024 BUDGET. I THINK WHAT YOU'LL FIND IS THAT IN ADDITION, PROVIDING A VERY VALUABLE SERVICE FOR DOWNTOWN WERE ALSO GREAT SHEPHERDS FOR THE TAXPAYERS MONEY THAT I LIKE TO INTRODUCE REBECCA FLASH, A CAR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR HAVING US, UH, WE ARE GOING TO BE PRESENTING OUR ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR 2024 AS WELL AS OUR BUDGET. BUT I WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND OF WHO WE ARE. WE WERE CREATED IN 1991 AS A BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT THAT PROMOTES ECONOMIC , RESIDENTIAL CULTURAL VITALITY FOR DOWNTOWN AND WE DO THAT THROUGH MAKING SURE DOWNTOWN'S QUALITY OF LIFE IS CREATING SAFE, CLEAN AND ENJOY ENJOYABLE ENVIRONMENT. AND WE DO THAT, THROUGH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY. UM IN THIS SLIDE, IF YOU CAN SEE AT THE BLUE SHADED AREA IS THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. IT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HAVE HISTORICALLY CONSIDERED THE CORE OF OUR DOWNTOWN AREA, WHICH IS THE BLUE LINE OUTLINE, AND THIS IS BECAUSE OF BACK IN 1991 1 THAT WAS CREATED. THERE WAS NO GLOBAL SLUGGER FIELD YET, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF NON ACCESSIBLE PROPERTY SO GOVERNMENT OWNED NONPROFIT OWNED BUILDINGS THAT ARE NOT PART OF THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE AND WOULD NOT BE PART OF PUTTING MONEY TOWARDS WHAT WE DO THROUGH THE BIDS WORK. GETTING STRAIGHT INTO OUR BUDGET . WE DO BALANCE IT EVERY YEAR. IT IS A $2.8 MILLION BUDGET. THIS IS ABOUT APPROXIMATELY A MILLION MORE THAN LAST YEAR WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN LAST YEAR, UH, WHICH I'LL GET INTO BUT OUR ASSESSMENTS REALLY ARE THE BULK OF WHAT WE USED TO PAY FOR OUR SERVICES. UM THE ASSESSMENT IS 1.6 MILLION THAT WE ARE. ASSUMING WE WILL RAISE NEXT YEAR. IT IS DIFFERENT EVERY YEAR BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY PAYS IF THEY ARE FIGHTING WHAT THEY THINK PBS SAYS THEY SHOULD PAY. 
          [00:30:02]
UM OR NOT, BUT WE DO COLLECT PRETTY CLOSE TO WHAT WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO COLLECT EVERY YEAR. CONTRACTS FOR SERVICES THIS YEAR ARE REALLY HIGH BECAUSE WE GOT SPECIAL DONATIONS THROUGH GLOBAL TOURISM AND HUMANA FOR ADDITIONAL HOSPITALITY AMBASSADORS AND LOCAL METRO THANK YOU TO METRO COUNCIL FOR APPROVING 800,000, WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CREATION OF A NEW SAFETY AMBASSADOR TEAM. AND THEN OTHER INCOME SOURCES IS REALLY, UM, INTEREST ON OTHER COUNTS. GETTING INTO EXPENDITURES. I'M JUST GONNA FLIP TO THE PIE CHART. SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT GOES INTO WHAT WE PUT OUT EVERY YEAR. THE BIGGEST PART BY FAR IS ENVIRONMENTAL AND APPEARANCES, AND THAT IS MOSTLY ARE AMBASSADORS THAT YOU SEE ON THE STREET AND ORANGE SHIRTS AND I KNOW COUNCILMAN BAKER ASKED FOR SOME MORE DETAILED INFORMATION, WHICH I'LL SHARE WITH YOU. AH THE COST OF AMBASSADORS IS ABOUT $1.9 MILLION, AND THAT'S THAT'S PEOPLE. THAT IS REALLY JUST AND WE DO PAY FULL WAGES PLUS BENEFITS. AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE FULL PROGRAM, WHICH IS ANOTHER 100,000, WHICH IS EQUIPMENT, FUEL SUPPLIES, MULCHING, ETCETERA. THAT MAKES OUT THE REST OF THAT 77% AND THEN WE'VE GOT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THAT IS ALSO STAFF TIME AND WE CREATE MAPS. TWICE A YEAR WE UPDATE AND PRINT THE HOTEL CONCIERGE TO GIVE TO GUESTS AND WE GO THROUGH THEM ALWAYS EVERY EVERY PRINTING. MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT 100 74,000 . THAT'S 6% AT SOME ADVERTISING AND EVENTS AND ALSO PORTION OF STAFF AND THAT ADMINISTRATIVE IS OFFICE LEASE AND OFFICE EXPENSES . AND THAT'S ABOUT 9% THAT'S $260,000 AGAIN BALANCED BUDGET 2.8 MILLION TOTAL. SO GETTING INTO IN THE BOOK THAT YOU HAVE. 
          SORRY. I DIDN'T SAY THIS BEFORE IS A DRAFT ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT'S REALLY SPELLS OUT WHAT I'M GOING TO GIVE. GO THROUGH RIGHT NOW FOR WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN 2024 IN MARCH. WE USUALLY PUT OUT OUR REPORT THAT SAYS WHAT WE DID THE PREVIOUS YEAR, SO YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN ONE IN MARCH FOR LAST YEAR. YOU'LL GET ONE NEXT MARCH FOR THIS YEAR. HOPEFULLY, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE WE ARE PERFORMING WHAT WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO PERFORM IN THE ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN. SO OUR BID SERVICES, WHICH IS THE BULK OF AGAIN WHAT WE WHAT WE DO IS THROUGH OUR CLEAN, SAFE AND BEAUTIFICATION PROGRAMS. THIS IS SUPPLEMENTAL CLEANING. YOU CAN SEE ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DO THROUGH, UM, PICKING UP TRASH WEED ABATEMENT TWICE A YEAR. 
          SNOW REMOVAL, UM, ONLY AT CROSSWALKS, UM, BIOHAZARD, CLEAN UPS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS WHERE WE START WITH POWER WASHING SIDEWALKS AND, UM, SPECIAL CLAMPS LIKE WE HELPED CLEAN UP AFTER THE FIRE LAST WEEK, AND, UM SPECIAL SPECIAL QUOTES, EVENTS LIKE THAT. HOSPITALITY AND SAFETY AMBASSADORS MAKE UP A LOT OF MEN AND WOMEN ON THE STREET THAT ARE MAKING SURE YOU SEE A UNIFORMED PRESENCE THAT THEY ARE MAKING YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT BEING IN DOWNTOWN AND THEN DROPPING IN ON BUSINESSES AND SAYING HELLO AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE DOING OKAY. I MENTIONED BEFORE THAT OUR BUDGET HAS GROWN BY ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THIS YEAR. THAT IS BECAUSE OF DONATIONS, SO WE ARE DOUBLING THE NUMBER OF AMBASSADORS ON THE STREET. UM OUR CORE CONTRACT IS ABOUT 15 AMBASSADORS. UM THROUGH SOME OTHER SPECIAL AGREEMENTS. WE HAVE ABOUT THREE MORE, AND THAT MAKES 18 BUT BECAUSE OF THE LOUISVILLE TOURISM, MONEY, HUMANA MONEY AND METRO MONEY. 
          WE'RE GETTING ALL THE WAY TO 36 AMBASSADORS, SO WE HOPE TO BE FULLY STAFFED SOMEWHERE IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, UM, AND WE ARE MOVING ARE HOURS FROM SEVEN TO MIDNIGHT SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, WHICH WE'VE NEVER HAD BEFORE. IT'S USUALLY BEEN 7 TO 7 OR 70 10. THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SO TILL MIDNIGHT IS A IS A GREAT I THINK A GREAT CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT AND HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU'LL SEE ON THE STREET THAT WILL HOPEFULLY HELP MAKE PEOPLE FEEL GOOD AND SAFE ABOUT BEING IN DOWNTOWN. PLACE MAKING, WHICH IS A NICE LITTLE TERM FOR JUST MEANS MAKING SOMETHING LOOK REALLY NICE AND THAT IT'S A PURPOSEFUL SPACE. WE WILL BE EXPANDING OUR BEAUTIFICATION EFFORTS AROUND SEVERAL THINGS ALL LISTED HERE TOMORROW. WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING A PRESS CONFERENCE. IF YOU'VE NOTICED WHAT'S HAPPENED ON THE EAST SIDE OF METRO HALL WITH PAINTING THE SIDE WALK IN THE CROSSWALK AND NEW TABLES AND UMBRELLAS. AH I DON'T WANT TO GIVE TOO MUCH AWAY. BUT IT WAS A BIG AND FELLAS PROJECT THAT WE ARE ADOPTING. SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE TAKING ON WORKING ON SOME LIGHTING PROJECTS THAT YOU WILL SEE COME TO LIFE AGAIN, THANKS TO METRO COUNCIL FOR FUNDING AND WORKING ON A NEW POCKET PARK. IT IS RIGHT NOW. JUST A DEAD URBAN SPACE METRO OWNED THAT WE'RE GOING TO BEAUTIFY AND TURN INTO SOMETHING THAT WHERE DOGS ARE WELCOME, BUT REALLY KIND OF OWN OASIS THAT YOU CAN DROP DROP IN, SIT DOWN AND GET A CUP OF COFFEE HANGOUT. IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT HANGING OUT PUBLIC PIANO PROGRAM MORE TO BE TOLD THAT WE HAVE TWO PIANOS IN STORAGE THAT WE WILL BE PUTTING OUT ON THE STREET FOR PEOPLE TO SHOW OFF. HOW TO PLAY THE IVORY. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS ANOTHER THING THAT WE WORK ON THE CONSTANTLY REALLY EVERYTHING 
          [00:35:02]
I SAY IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE ARE WORKING ON A DOWNTOWN STRATEGY RIGHT NOW. NEXT YEAR WILL BE IMPLEMENTING MANY OF THE PROJECTS FROM THAT, OR AT LEAST TRYING TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND HOW WE CAN GET FIRST STEPS MOVING TOWARDS SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS. WE ARE. WE HIRED A NEW SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM MANAGER AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, AND SHE IS REACHING OUT CONSTANTLY TO EXISTING BUSINESSES AND TRYING TO WORK ON RECRUITING NEW BUSINESSES WORKS ON OUR POP UP EVENTS WHERE WE HAVE VENDORS WHO CAN PUT UP BOOTHS FOR NIGHT MARKET OR OTHER EVENTS THAT WE WORK ON. WE CONDUCT QUARTERLY ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS WITH VARIOUS SECTORS COMMERCIAL BROKERS, PROPERTY MANAGERS IS ONE MAJOR EMPLOYERS IS ONE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IS WINE AND RESIDENTS IS ANOTHER. ALWAYS TRYING TO HEAR FROM EVERY TYPE OF GROUP AND GIVE THEM A PLACE TO BRING CONCERNS AND A PLACE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE US TO TURN TO, IF THEY EVER HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. AND THEN WE'RE ALWAYS ADVOCATING. UM SOME OF YOU DIRECTLY KNOW THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR TOOLS AND HOW CAN WE HELP PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND MAKE DOWNTOWN REALLY THE BEST IT CAN BE FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY? MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS. WE REALLY PICKED UP WHAT WE'RE DOING IN MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS. WE HIRED AN EVENTS MANAGER IN JUNE. WE HAVE A COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER WHO STARTED WITH US LAST YEAR. BUT WE ARE DEVELOPING NEW EVENTS. WE HAVE SOME EXISTING EVENTS. HOPEFULLY YOU'VE BEEN TO FOOD TRUCK WEDNESDAY. IT'S JUST A BLOCK AWAY. EVERY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. WE HAVE SPORTS LEAGUES OVER AT BARRETT URBAN SPORTS PARK, WHICH IS THE REPURPOSED SPACE ON 6 15 WEST MAIN STREET. UM AND WE ARE TRYING TO FIND ALL THE WAYS TO REACH PEOPLE THROUGH WRITTEN SOCIAL MEDIA WAYS OF ENGAGING, SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HOST MORE PROGRAMMING MORE ACTIVATIONS AT SPACES THAT ARE CITY OWNED AS WELL AS UM, LICENSED TO US TO HELP DO THAT AND THEN WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS TO CONTINUE UM, MARKETING AND TALKING ABOUT DOWNTOWN AS AS A GREAT PLACE TO DO BUSINESS TO LIVE AND TO VISIT AND THAT AND THIS IS MY OUR BOARD RIGHT NOW. NEXT YEAR, WE WILL HAVE SOME DIFFERENT MEMBERS . BUT THIS IS OUR EXISTING BOARD . AND THAT IS OUR PRESENTATION. 
          HAPPENING. SO ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION . I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. I HAVE ONE. WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE AGENCIES. WE KIND OF HAVE A LOT OF, I GUESS OVERLAP, I GUESS TO SOME DEGREE WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WE'VE HAD OUR OWN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT COME IN AND TALK, AND I THINK THAT'S THAT DEVELOPED LAWFUL NOW OR WHATEVER NAME THEY'RE GOING BY CURRENTLY DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THEY'VE CHANGED NAMES AGAIN. SO UH, WE'VE HAD G L R COME IN. WE'VE EVEN HAD THE STATE COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THEIR INCENTIVES, AND NOW WE HAVE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP. SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU WORK OR COLLABORATE WITH THOSE AGENCIES? I KNOW YOU HAVE SORT OF A DIFFERENT NICHE, BUT YOU'RE CERTAINLY A SUBSET OF SOME OF THOSE MAYBE A BIGGER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS PROJECTS. UM TALK ABOUT HOW YOU WORK WITH THOSE OTHER AGENCIES, PLEASE. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. WE ARE VERY GEOGRAPHICALLY BOUND. SO WE ONLY LOOK AT DOWNTOWN AND WE DO DO A LOT OF, UM GRASSROOTS LEVEL WORK , SO WE ARE DOING WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND WITH THE CITY DEPARTMENTS, PUBLIC WORKS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THINGS LOOK AND FEEL GOOD THINGS WERE PICKED UP. THINGS ARE PUT TOGETHER. UM INFRASTRUCTURE IS IN PLACE. WE'RE KIND OF THE ADVOCATE FOR IT. WE DON'T DO IT. WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH PUBLIC AGENCIES TO DO THAT. UM THAT WORK IS WHAT HELPS THIS CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY AND I GUESS AS WELL AS G L I ATTRACT PEOPLE HERE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BUSINESS RETENTION IS A GOOD THING. SO THE CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT I'M PUTTING MY OLD HAT ON FOR A MINUTE TO TELL YOU THAT THEY WORK WITH JULY BECAUSE THEY WANT TO MARKET OUT TO THE WORLD TO HELP MARKET LOUISVILLE GLS LOOKING AT 15 COUNTIES WERE JUST ONE OF THEM. UM BUT BUT THE CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO MAKE SURE THAT DOWNTOWN AMONG ALL OTHER JOB CENTERS IN LOUISVILLE, JEFFERSON COUNTY LOOK GOOD IN OUR ATTRACTIVE TO COMPANIES. UM WE'RE LOOKING AT IT PARTLY FOR COMMERCE FOR COMPANIES, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT IT FOR RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS. THE OTHER TWO LEGS OF THE THREE LEGGED STOOL IF YOU WILL, UM, WE DON'T WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE STATE BECAUSE THE STATE IS IMPORTANT, UM THEY ARE IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF INCENTIVES THAT REALLY ONLY CAN GO THROUGH THE LOCAL LEGISLATURE. SORRY THE LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SO WE WOULD WORK IF I WERE TO BE, UM INTRODUCED TO SOMEBODY WHO'S INTERESTED IN LOUISVILLE. I COULD TALK TO THEM ABOUT DOWNTOWN. IF SOMEONE CAME TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WANT TO TALK ABOUT DOWNTOWN, THEY WOULD BRING ME IN. BUT AS SOON AS THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT INCENTIVES FOR LOCATING A COMPANY HERE, EXPANDING A COMPANY HERE, I WOULD HAVE TO BRING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE ONLY THEY 
          [00:40:03]
CAN GO TO THE STATE TO ASK FOR THOSE INCENTIVES AND GET THAT APPROVAL. AND THEN G. L I JUST ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS JUST SO MUCH MORE GLOBAL, UH, ENTITY THAT HAS REALLY TRYING TO BE THE TOP OF THE FUNNEL TO BRING IN BUSINESSES AND LEADS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND WORLD. 
          THANK YOU. AND THEN WE'VE CREATED A NEW, UH, ENTITY THAT I GUESS YOU'LL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LARGE PRESENCE, WHICH IS THE LOUISVILLE HOTEL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. AND SO I WOULD ASSUME MAYBE YOU ALL WILL HAVE A PRESENCE ON THEIR BOARD OR IF NOT CERTAINLY COLLABORATE, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU MENTIONED, UM TOURISM, OF COURSE, THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU THEN SORT OF STICKS OUT, TOO. SO THAT'S THE OTHER PRONGS. SO DO YOU HAVE, OR ARE YOU HOPING TO HAVE SOME? YOU KNOW, REGULAR DIALOGUE, I GUESS, CERTAINLY THAT THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, BUT EVEN THAT NEW ENTITY AH, YES, FOR SURE. SO I MADE ON A MONTHLY BASIS WITH CLEO BATTLE THAT IS A REGULAR MEETING AND WE HAVE A LOT OF WHAT HE WANTS TO SEE IN DOWNTOWN HELPS HIS HIS HOTEL GUESTS AND TOURISM IN GENERAL, BUT HE'S ALSO LOOKING AT TOURISM ACROSS ALL OF GLOBAL JEFFERSON COUNTY. UH WE ARE NOT ON THAT BOARD. UM BUT WE WILL HOPEFULLY BE TALKING TO THAT BOARD IS WAYS THAT WE COULD HELP TO. UM OR ASK, ASK FOR FUNDS THAT MIGHT HELP TO BE SPENT IN DOWNTOWN. THAT COULD HELP. UM I THINK WHAT YOU ALL CULTURE IS, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. I THINK FOR WHAT I HAVE BEEN SAYING SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS JOB IS THAT WE NEED THE BASICS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. AND LOOKING GOOD, AND THEN THE EXTRA THAT CAN BE ADDED ON TOP. BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE, UH STREET LIGHTS THAT WORK OR IF YOU DON'T HAVE SIDEWALKS THAT ARE IN GOOD SHAPE. YOU KNOW, YOU GET LOOKED AT IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY, AND WE DON'T WANT TOURISTS TO GET TURNED OFF BY THAT. WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN A VERY SPECIAL PLACE THAT'S WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND MAINTAINED. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PH ANTENNAE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. UM YEAH, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET VERY TIGHT WITH THE HOTEL MANAGEMENT BOARD BECAUSE I MEAN , THEY AND I THINK IT ALREADY ACTUALLY YIELDED SOME FRUIT. THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT THE IRON MAN IS COMING BACK PART OF THE ARGUMENT FOR THAT HOTEL DISTRICT WAS TO PAY FOR THINGS LIKE SECURITY AND OTHER THINGS THAT THE CITY COULDN'T WOULDN'T PAY FOR. TO BRING IN THESE BIG TOURIST EVENTS AND THAT BENEFITS DOWNTOWN. SO I WOULD SAY ONE. SO I WOULD SAY WE NEED A LOT OF COORDINATION THERE BECAUSE LOOK , EVEN THOUGH IT'S ALL OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, UH, AND THERE'S A FEW HOTELS OUT IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT IS GOING TO END UP DOWNTOWN. I MEAN, LET'S LET'S BE CLEAR. UM I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE THINGS WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP WITH THE CITY AND TALK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GETTING BETTER OR WORSE. SO FOR EXAMPLE, GRAFFITI ABATEMENT YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'RE SPENDING TIME AND RESOURCES ON THIS. IS THAT WE FUND DIRECTED TWO YEARS AGO, WE DOUBLED THE SIZE OF OUR GRAFFITI ABATEMENT TEAM. IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GETTING BETTER RECENTLY. I DON'T KNOW MY PERSONAL ANECDOTAL OPINION IS IT'S GOTTEN WORSE. I'VE SEEN NEW GRAFFITI IN CERTAIN AREAS. WHAT IS THE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT OPINION? IS IT GETTING BETTER OR WORSE? CURRENTLY? IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, IT'S GOTTEN WORSE. AND THAT'S UM, I'M NOT GOING CRAZY. I'VE SEEN A LOT GOING CRAZY, BUT THERE WAS A I FORGET WHAT IT WAS CALLED. BUT IT WAS A MURAL. UH WORKSHOP WEEKEND. WHAT WAS IT CALLED? SHELBY PARK MURAL FEST, WHICH BRINGS IN PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, SOME OF WHOM OF WHOM ARE ARTISTS, AND THEY FOUND OTHER PLACES IN WHICH TO PUT THEIR ARTS CRIMINALS. SO YEAH, WHEN THEY WHEN THEY GO AND DO THAT, IN PLACES THAT AREN'T THEIRS, THEY BECOME CRIMINAL. THE OTHER FOLKS A BAD NAME, BECAUSE I THAT IS NOT THEIR INTENT. BUT WE NEED TO SEE IT EVERY YEAR AGREED. AND SO I WOULD JUST ASK AS YOU GUYS WORKED TOWARDS THAT WE STRENGTHEN SOME OF THE PENALTIES AROUND GRAFFITI A COUPLE YEARS AGO. ANY COORDINATION THAT YOU CAN HAVE WITH THAT TEAM ON ANY LEADS BECAUSE IN SOME CASES, IT WAS JUST ONE OR TWO PEOPLE THAT WERE GOING ALL OVER THE PLACE AND CAUSING A LOT OF HAVOC. SO MUCH COORDINATION AND WE DO WORK WITH ROBERT AND HIS TEAM ON THAT CLEANUP. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT. WE'RE ONLY WORKING ON PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY. AND THAT REALLY IS TO HELP ROBERTS TEAM WERE SECONDARY. I GOT THE CLARITY ON SNOW REMOVAL ON GOOD THERE, BUT, UM, HOMELESSNESS. 
          AND THEN I'VE GOT ONE MORE TOPIC THAT I WANT TO TOUCH ON. ARE WE GETTING BETTER OR WORSE, WITH HOMELESSNESS, PARTICULARLY GETTING FOCUSING ON THE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT? UM I THINK THERE ARE MORE AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING ARE NOT JUST HOMELESS. I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A LOT WORSE. MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG ADDICTION ISSUES . UH PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTH HALF OF DOWNTOWN, OKAY? YEAH. AND I WOULD LOVE TO WORK MORE CLOSELY WITH YOU ALL ON ON HELPING FIX THAT. BECAUSE I MEAN, LOOK, YOU GUYS ARE DOING GOOD WORK HERE, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, BUT WHAT, WHAT I'M AFRAID OF, AND I HAVE ONE MORE TOPIC THAT ARE STRUCTURAL 
          [00:45:03]
ISSUES. I'M AFRAID OF THE STRUCTURAL ISSUES THAT YOU GUYS COULD DO ALL THE GOOD WORK OF THE WORLD AND FRANKLY, MAYBE WASTING YOUR MONEY BECAUSE IF WE CAN'T DO SOMETHING MORE STRATEGICALLY ABOUT HOMELESSNESS SOLVED THAT PROBLEM. GRAFFITI CRIME, RIGHT WHICH YOU KNOW, IS ABSENT FLOWS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. UM THEN YOU KNOW ALL THE AMBASSADORS OF THE PLANET EARTH AREN'T GONNA SOLVE THAT. DON. I KNOW IT? THE LAST THING YOU MENTIONED SMALL BUSINESS, MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHALLENGES SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IS THE LACK OF DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES THAT HAVE COME BACK AND HAVE HAD THEIR PEOPLE COME BACK NOW I WORK DOWNTOWN. I WORK, YOU KNOW, VERY, VERY CLOSE TO HEARING WITHIN THE DISTRICT. UM THE IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT TREND IS GOING TO CHANGE OVERNIGHT. I KNOW THERE'S A MOVEMENT TOWARD CONVERSION CONVERSION TO RESIDENTIAL, DENSE RESIDENTIAL, WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT IDEA. UM WHAT ELSE NEEDS TO BE DONE? BECAUSE AGAIN, I WOULD LOVE TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN. BUT IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE THERE ARE THE CUSTOMER BASE IN THE FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY AGAIN, I WOULD SAY WE'RE PROBABLY THROWING THEIR MONEY AWAY. SO WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED TO DO, OR IS THAT IT? IS THAT THE STRATEGY WE NEED TO MOVE TOWARD RESIDENTIAL MODEL DOWNTOWN TO GET SMALL BUSINESSES TO BE SUSTAINABLE. WHAT WE DO NEED TO MOVE TOWARDS MORE RESIDENTS DOWNTOWN. WE WERE BEHIND EVEN BEFORE COVID, AND WE NEED TO IMPROVE THAT NUMBER. AH! MAY I BE SO BOLD AS TO ASK THAT WE START TO LEAN ON COMPANIES TO BRING EMPLOYEES BACK MORE THAN TWO DAYS A WEEK. I THINK THAT WOULD COULDN'T AGREE MORE. YES THE PROBLEM IS IT'S YOU KNOW. IT'S. WE CAN INFLUENCE WE CAN LEAN ALL ABOUT IT RIGHT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE WHATEVER THE BEST DECISION IS FOR THEIR BUSINESS. AND THEN WE HAVE TO REACT TO THAT. BECAUSE I'M NOT GONNA MANDATE IT RIGHT. A CHICKEN OR EGG SITUATION, RIGHT. WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO ARE SAYING SAFETY ISSUES PARKING. IT'S JUST NOT AS EASY. YOU DON'T GET TO SLEEP AN EXTRA HALF AN HOUR. YOU GOTTA PUT ON PANTS AND PROBABLY PUT ON SOME MAKEUP AND FIX YOUR HAIR. IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN USED TO BEING ABLE TO DO THAT. UM BUT I DO THINK THAT IF WE IF WE CAN COLLECTIVELY COME TOGETHER AND MORE PEOPLE COME DOWNTOWN. SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS GO AWAY BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT MORE FEET ON THE STREET, AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE A HEALTHY DOWNTOWN. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE. THANK YOU. MARIE HAVING QUESTIONS, OKAY? THIS IS A RESOLUTION. WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL COMING TODAY. THIS IS A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A VOICE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, AYE. THOSE POEMS. THE ODDS, HAVE IT. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WILL SEND THIS TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. AND WITH THIS BEING OUR LAST ITEM, WE ARE HEREBY 
          [Adjournment
Note: Agendas are followed at the discretion of the Chair. While an item may be listed, it does
not mean all items will be heard and/or acted upon by the Committee.]
ADJOURN. THANK YOU. KIND OF.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.