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GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY
[Call to Order]
COMMITTEE. I AM COUNCILWOMAN CINDY FOWLER, THE CHAIR, AND I'M JOINED ONLINE BY MY VICE CHAIR,[Roll Call]
MARILYN PARKER, IN CHAMBERS. COUNCILMAN ZACKARY ARTHUR AND COUNCILWOMAN BETSY RUBY, WE HAVE JUST ONE ITEM. THIS IS A DISCUSSION ITEM TODAY. SO, I'M SURE THAT WE'VE GOT OTHER MEMBERS THAT WILL BE JOINING, THE FIRST ITEM AND THE ONLY ITEM IS ID 240532. THE REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES FROM THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT. AND WE HAVE SARAH BETH SAMMONS WITH US TODAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. IF YOU COULD IDENTIFY YOURSELF[1. ID 24-0532 REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES – Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District, Geri Johnson]
FOR THE PUBLIC. YES. THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING US PRESENT TODAY. SARAH BETH SAMMONS, JEFFERSON COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT CHAIR. I LIVE AT 632 CAMP STREET. 40203.JUST WANTED TO GIVE A QUARTERLY REPORT, PER REQUESTED FROM THE LOUISVILLE METRO FOR OUR LAST FUNDING. THE 2024, 2025 FISCAL YEAR, THIS WILL BE QUARTER ONE, JUST TO GIVE A BRIEF HISTORY.
THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT IS A SPECIAL PURPOSE GOVERNMENT ENTITY, AND IT WAS CREATED IN THE 1930S BY THE STANDARD SOIL CONSERVATION ACT, IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN KENTUCKY BY KRS CHAPTER 262. IN 1940 AND ORGANIZED IN JEFFERSON COUNTY IN 1944. CONSERVATION DISTRICTS WERE FORMED TO ALLOW CITIZENS OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP GUIDE AND DEVELOP CONSERVATION PROGRAMS IN EACH COUNTY. BY WORKING AT THE GRASS ROOTS LEVEL. OUR MISSION IS TO CONSERVE AND ASSIST IN DEVELOPMENT OF ALL RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES WITHIN THE DISTRICT. WE WORK WITH THE RESIDENTS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY TO CONSERVE THE SOIL, WATER, AIR, PLANTS, AND WILDLIFE THROUGH PROGRAMS TO INTEGRATE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, OUTREACH, EDUCATION, COST SHARE, AND PARTNERSHIPS. OUR ACTIVITIES ALSO INCLUDE A SPECIAL FOCUS ON URBAN AND SUBURBAN ACTIVITIES RELEVANT TO THE JEFFERSON COUNTY METROPOLITAN AREA AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY EVOLVING THOSE TO REACH MORE AND MORE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS. OUR OUR CONSERVATION DISTRICT ALLOWS JEFFERSON COUNTY TO LEVERAGE STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS, WHICH IS NOT ACCESSIBLE WITHOUT ITS EXISTENCE OR ITS PARTNERSHIPS. WE ARE A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, SEVEN ELECTED SUPERVISORS, FOUR OF US WILL BE ELECTED THIS NOVEMBER AND THREE MORE IN TWO YEARS. WE SERVE A FOUR YEAR TERM. SUPERVISORS ATTEND A MONTHLY BOARD MEETING, WORK ON VARIOUS COMMITTEES, SUPERVISE EMPLOYEES, OVERSEE TAX DOLLARS, AND DEVELOP PROGRAMING TO PROMOTE CONSERVATION PRACTICES WITHIN JEFFERSON COUNTY. WE HAVE A DISTRICT STAFF CURRENTLY OF ADMINISTRATIVE PART TIME SECRETARY. SHE OVERSEES THE DAILY OPERATIONS OF THE OFFICE.
ALL THE FILING OF OUR REPORTING, BOOKKEEPING, AND ACTS AS THE SECRETARY AS ALL OF OUR MEETINGS, SHE ALSO ADMINISTERS THE CAPE AND OTHER LOCAL COST SHARE PROGRAMS. ADVISORS. WE HAVE THE KENTUCKY DIVISION OF CONSERVATION, KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, KENTUCKY OFFICE OF AGRICULTURAL POLICY, NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SERVICE, AND PAST SUPERVISORS AND STAFF. ACHIEVEMENTS THIS YEAR, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THEM INDIVIDUALLY, BUT I WON'T GO THROUGH THIS LIST, BECAUSE WE'LL GO THROUGH THEM INDIVIDUALLY.
FIRST IS THE KENTUCKY STATE FAIR. THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT WAS INVITED TO ATTEND THE FAIR BY THE NEW STATE APIARIST, WHICH IS THE STATE BEEKEEPER, AND WE JOINED THEM IN THE BEE AND HONEY ROOM. WHERE WE EXHIBITED THE OUR NATIVE PLANT COST SHARE PROGRAM AND OUR CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM, AS WELL AS SOIL TESTING FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY RESIDENTS.
WE HAD SEVERAL GIVEAWAYS, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACTIVITY BOOKS THAT WE OBTAINED FREE FROM FEDERAL SOURCES. AND THEN WE ALSO GAVE TO JEFFERSON COUNTY RESIDENTS. PACKABLE REUSABLE TOTE BAGS TO REDUCE PLASTIC, THIS YEAR WE ALSO WERE AWARDED. THIS WILL BE THE SECOND YEAR WE'VE BEEN AWARDED OR THE THIRD YEAR I APOLOGIZE, THE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM, THIS PROGRAM WAS PREVIOUSLY ADMINISTERED BY, FORMER FARM BUREAU, AND ALL THE OTHER COUNTIES. THEY'RE SHIFTING MORE TO THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT. SO WE'VE STARTED APPLYING TO ADMINISTER THIS PROGRAM. LAST YEAR, WE GAVE OUT $22,000. THIS YEAR WE ASKED FOR THE FULL AMOUNT OF $35,000 AND WERE AWARDED THAT. EACH ACCEPTED APPLICANT WILL RECEIVE UP TO $5,000 ON CONSERVATION PROJECTS ON THEIR PROPERTY, AS LONG AS THEY HAVE A FARM NUMBER LIKE I
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HAVE A FARM NUMBER, MY SHELBY PARK HOUSE, WHICH IS 0.02 ACRES. SO I HAVE A FARM NUMBER. SO EVERYONE IS, AS LONG AS THEY'RE A PROPERTY OWNER, ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM, THEY CAN RECEIVE UP TO $5,000 THIS YEAR. THE CAPE ADMINISTRATIVE COST IS 5% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNTS. SO $1,700 WILL COME OUT OF THAT $3,500 OR 35,000. WE ALSO HAD A FIRST CAPE INFORMATIONAL SESSION, ALL COUNTIES ARE ALLOWED TO GIVE AN INFORMATIONAL SESSION, AND WE TRIED TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN. WE'RE TRYING TO SPREAD THIS OUT INTO MORE OF A NETWORKS THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN ABLE TO GET INTO, SO WE MET AT LOUISVILLE GROVES AND HAD A LITTLE, QUESTION AND ANSWER, GAVE SOME BACKGROUND ON THE CAPE PROGRAM AND ALSO ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS. ALSO, A FEW CHANGES TO THE 2024 PROGRAM. WE ALSO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WITH THE AG WATER QUALITY PLAN, WHICH IS REQUIRED FOR ALL PROPERTIES THAT THAT APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM. AND WE, LIKE I SAID, WE PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THAT. WE'RE WORKING ON A PARTNERSHIP WITH LOUISVILLE PARKS AND RECREATION'S NEW AG URBAN AG PROGRAM, THEY THEY MET WITH US. WE'VE MET WITH THEM A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND THEY HAD THIS PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN A KIND OF A COMMUNITY EYESORE FOR A WHILE, THERE FOR A WHILE, IT WAS THE SHAWNEE PEOPLE'S GARDEN, IT WAS GREAT. I USED TO LIVE OVER ON 34TH STREET, AND I WOULD GO OVER AND GET SEEDS AND STARTS FROM THEIR GREENHOUSE, BECAUSE OF SOME BAD ACTORS IN THE, ADJACENT NEIGHBORS, THIS PLACE HAS KIND OF GONE DOWNHILL. AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING TO RE, REDO THIS AREA AND GET MORE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN IT, THEY'RE HAVING A WAITING LIST FOR AG PLOTS ON THE OPEN GROUND, WHICH YOU'LL SEE ON THE BOTTOM PICTURE. THE TWO TUNNELS ON THE TOP WERE PUT IN WITH NRCS AND CONSERVATION DISTRICT MONEY. THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN ILL REPAIR. SO WE GENERALLY HAVE A URBAN HIGH TUNNEL INITIATIVE PROGRAM, AND WE ALTERNATE IT WITH ONE YEAR, WE'LL DO NEW CONSTRUCTION, THE NEXT YEAR WE'LL DO MAINTENANCE. THAT'S JUST THIS IS KIND OF SEEMS TO BE WHAT THE COUNTY NEEDS. WE HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF MAINTENANCE REQUESTS. SO WE DETERMINED, THROUGH THE BOARD MEETING THIS YEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE MAINTENANCE FUNDS THAT WE USE AND USE THOSE FUNDS TO REPAIR BOTH TUNNELS AND ALSO FACILITATE A REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE WORKSHOP WITH GROW APPALACHIA, WHICH IS OUT OF BEREA. WE'VE UTILIZED THEM OFTEN TO COME UP AND DO WORKSHOPS FOR CONSTRUCTION FOR MAINTENANCE. THEY'RE A GREAT COMMUNITY PARTNER. THEY'VE INSTALLED A LOT OF URBAN HIGH TUNNELS HERE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, AND WE LOOK TO CONTINUE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM. OUR FUTURE PLANS. CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT THAT? IS THIS THE SAME PLACE THAT THE FOOD LITERACY? YES. IS THAT WHERE THEY WERE AT? IT'S THE SAME PROPERTY. YEP. YEAH. IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO, ACTUALLY, THE PICTURE ON THE BOTTOM. IF YOU GO ACROSS THE STREET, THAT'S SHAWNEE GOLF COURSE. THE CLUBHOUSE. AND THEN ON THE TOP PICTURE, THAT'S 44TH STREET, THE FUTURE PLANS WITH THIS, WITH THIS AREA IS FOR LOUISVILLE PARKS AND REC. THEY KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY HAS REACHED OUT TO THEM FOR INTEREST IN PARTNERSHIP AND MAKING THIS AN INCUBATOR SPACE FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO DO AND WANT TO GET INTO URBAN AGRICULTURE, SO WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS, WE WOULD PROVIDE WORKSHOPS, SOME TRAINING AND ACCESS TO STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT. WE'VE ALSO PARTNERED WITH TREES LOUISVILLE, FOLLOWING SUIT WITH, THE FAYETTE COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT. THEY'VE MOVED AWAY FROM GIVING AWAY SEEDLINGS ALL THE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS IN KENTUCKY HAVE A SEEDLING GIVEAWAY PROGRAM, BUT YOU'RE JUST LIKE LITTLE TINY WHIPS OF TREES THAT WE GIVE AWAY TO SCHOOLS. WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS CENTRAL, NOT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, SENECA HIGH SCHOOL. THE FFA PROGRAM WILL WRAP UP THE TREES AND THEN WE'LL GIVE IT TO THEM TO WE'LL DISTRIBUTE IT TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. THEIR FFA PROGRAM, THE TWO TEACHERS THAT WE'VE ALWAYS WORKED WITH HAVE RETIRED. SO WE'RE LOOKING INTO, A LITTLE BIT EASIER. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF STAFF, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME FUNDS. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT CONTINUING THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH TREES LOUISVILLE AND THE SPONSORSHIP OF A TREE GIVEAWAY DURING THEIR TREE WEEK STARTING ON OCTOBER 12TH, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE AWAY 601 GALLON CONTAINER TREES FROM 50 FOOT AND OVER TREES DOWN TO LITTLE ORNAMENTAL TREES, WE'LL ALSO BE TABLING DURING THAT EVENT, DISTRIBUTING SOIL TESTING KITS, NATIVE PLANT SEED FOR LANDSCAPING AND INFORMATION ON OUR PROGRAMS. AND IS THAT GOING TO BE LOCATED AT CHURCHILL DOWNS? CHURCHILL DOWNS, THANK YOU. THAT'S COUNCIL COUNCIL DISTRICT 15. SOIL TESTING.[00:10:08]
WE'VE, SO FAR THIS QUARTER, WE'VE PROVIDED 152 SOIL NUTRIENT TESTS AND 38 SOIL CONTAMINANT TESTS. THE CONTAMINANT TESTS ARE GENERALLY HEAVY METALS SUCH AS LEAD FOR A VALUE OF $2,052.WE'VE ASSISTED JEFFERSON COUNTY EXTENSION DUE TO THEIR BUDGET CUTS FOR PAYING FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS TO SEND SOIL SAMPLES TO THE STATE LAB, AND WE BECAUSE OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY EXTENSION BUDGET, CUT AN, FINANCIAL ISSUES, WE'VE BUDGETED $6,800 FOR 450, 444 45 TESTS OF SOIL NUTRIENTS AND 162 SOIL HEAVY METAL TESTING FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. ALSO, ATTENDED THE PEOPLE'S SUMMIT ON FOOD SYSTEMS AND URBAN AGRICULTURE ON SEPTEMBER 13TH, WE WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A PANEL DISCUSSION OF GROWING FOOD AND THE POLICIES WE NEED. THE OTHER PANELISTS INCLUDED TIA BOWMAN WITH THE METRO REAL ESTATE PROGRAM, CATHERINE SHEIKH WITH THE JEFFERSON COUNTY EXTENSION BOARD, JODY DAHMER AND MARIE CORSO FROM BEARGRASS THUNDER, AND NICO PHILLIPS FROM THE PARKS AND REC URBAN AG PROGRAM DIRECTOR. WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH EVERY YEAR WE, PARTICIPATE IN THE CONSERVATION WRITING AND JIM CLAYPOOL ART CONTEST, AND WE GET TABLOIDS, THAT ARE EDUCATIONAL. THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE A LITTLE ACTIVITY BOOK. THE TEACHER PASSES THEM OUT AND THEY BUILD THEIR CURRICULUM FOR THAT DAY OR THE WEEK AROUND THESE TABLOIDS, THIS YEAR'S THEME IS PROTECTING THE FOREST TOGETHER. THAT INCLUDES RIPARIAN FOREST BUFFERS, FOREST REFUND FACTS SUCH AS THE KENTUCKY STATE TREES, THE KENTUCKY COFFEE TREE, THE LARGEST SASSAFRAS TREE IN THE WORLD IS IN OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY. AT 21FT CIRCUMFERENCE. ALSO HAS INFORMATION ON URBAN FOREST CLASS ACTIVITIES, TREE ANATOMY, FOREST INVASIVE PESTS, AND HOW TO MAKE OUR HOW TREES MAKE OUR WORLD HEALTHIER. AND THE END OF THIS, TABLOID. THEY'LL HAVE THE ART AND WRITING CONTEST, JEFFERSON COUNTY PARTICIPATES EVERY YEAR AND WE GIVE OUT, AWARDS. WE GIVE OUT LITTLE MEDALS AND ALSO CASH PRIZES. LAST YEAR WE HAD THE STATEWIDE FIRST PLACE WINNER IN ART, AND WE PUT HER ART, HER WINNING ART, ON A MUG AND GAVE IT TO HER. AND THE TEACHER. ALSO, FUN FACT KENTUCKY IS OVER 50% FORESTED, THIS YEAR OR THIS QUARTER, WE ALSO, COORDINATED DONATION OF TEN 1000 GALLON CAPACITY IBC TOTES THAT WERE DONATED FROM HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY AND DELIVERED TO TWO COMMUNITY GARDENS. ONE IS THE JEFFERSON COUNTY EXTENSION, MILLER LANE INCUBATOR FARM, WHICH IS ALSO THROUGH CATHOLIC CHARITIES. AND THAT'S IN COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE. AND THEN ALSO THE JEFFERSON COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS NEW COMMUNITY GARDEN AT THE CRESCENT HILL EPISCOPAL BEHIND THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE. AND JUST TO GO BACK ON THIS, THEY, THE JEFFERSON COUNTY EXTENSION ALSO DUE TO THEIR BUDGET ISSUES, HAVE REQUESTED TEN ADDITIONAL ONES. THEY CAN GET FREE WATER AND A TRUCK. AND SO THEIR PLAN IS TO, PUT ON ADDITIONAL IBC TOTES AT THIS PROPERTY AND FILL THEM UP WITH THE TRUCK, GO FILL UP THE TRUCK AND THEN BRING THE WATER TO THESE. FOR THE MAINLY IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY TO USE THESE FOR COMMUNITY GARDENING. WE'RE ALSO HIRING STAFF, WE'RE LOOKING TO WE HAD A SOIL CONSERVATIONIST TECHNICIAN. HE'S MOVED ON TO KENTUCKY FORESTRY. SO WE'RE HIRING. WE'RE HIRING FOR HIS POSITION, WHICH IS AN ENTRY LEVEL POSITION SHARED BETWEEN THE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT AND THE LOUISVILLE WORK UNIT OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE. THIS IS A GREAT DEAL BECAUSE NS NRCS PAYS 80% OF THE SALARY OUT OF FEDERAL FUNDS, AND WE PAY 20% OF THE SALARY, THE WORK IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT THE SAME, BUT IT GENERALLY ENDS UP BEING ABOUT 50 OVER 50. SO WE GET A LOT OF BANG FOR OUR BUCK OUT OF THIS PROGRAM. WE ALSO, ATTENDED THE KENTUCKY ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION OF CONSERVATION DISTRICTS THIS YEAR IN JULY 14TH THROUGH 16. IT WAS HERE IN LOUISVILLE, IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATION AND NETWORKING WITH NATIONAL AND STATE LEVEL AGENCIES. KENTUCKY JUST GOT A STATE CONSERVATIONIST, HE JUST MOVED HERE FROM WISCONSIN, SO HE WAS KIND OF LEARNING EVERYBODY. ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE. AND IT WAS GREAT TO SEE, ALL THE DIFFERENT COUNTIES FROM KENTUCKY AND HEAR WHAT THEY'RE DOING, ESPECIALLY THE MORE URBAN COUNTIES. WE KIND OF GOT TOGETHER AND TALKED ABOUT MAYBE EVEN HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A SUMMIT, SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW TO EVOLVE OUR PROGRAMS TO BETTER
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COVER CONSTITUENTS THAT MAYBE DON'T OWN LAND OR THAT HAVE MORE OF A SUBURBAN OR URBAN PROPERTY.TRAINING INCLUDED IN THE GRANT WORKSHOPS, COST SHARE PROGRAMS, CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, CONSERVATION EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES, ALONG WITH THE OTHER THINGS, NEXT YEAR, THE KENTUCKY ASSOCIATION OF CONSERVATION DISTRICTS ANNUAL MEETING IS ALSO AGAIN IN LOUISVILLE, AND IT'S GOING TO BE COMBINED WITH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CONSERVATION DISTRICTS SOUTHEAST REGIONAL MEETING, SO WE'LL BE HOSTING EIGHT DIFFERENT STATES. SO THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING. AND I'M HOPING THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER WITH KCD AND TRY TO GET A LOT OF LOUISVILLE PROGRAMING INTO IT. AND HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO HAVE GREAT SUCCESS STORIES AT LOUISVILLE. AND JEFFERSON COUNTY IS DOING, WE ALSO HAD ATTENDED THE KSD, WHICH IS THE KENTUCKY ASSOCIATION OF CONSERVATION DISTRICT EMPLOYEES ANNUAL CONFERENCE. THIS SEPTEMBER. AND THEY WHICH THEY DID A TOUR OF AN ORCHARD, WHICH THEY INSTALLED A NUMBER OF NUMEROUS BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, KIND OF EXTEND DIFFERENT. YOU HEAR IT.
I'M A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, SO I HEAR THIS A LOT IN CONSTRUCTION. SO ANY KIND OF SOIL EROSION PREVENTION IS BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE. SO THAT COULD BE A VEGETATIVE BUFFER. THAT COULD BE A RIPARIAN BUFFER THAT COULD JUST BE A SEDIMENT TRAP TO STOP THE EROSION OF SOIL, OUR OFFICE ADMINISTRATION WENT AND SHE LEARNED ABOUT FURTHER OFFICE ADMINISTRATION COST SHARE, GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, CONSERVATION EDUCATION AND LOTS OF NETWORKIN. SHE IN THIS PICTURE, SHE WAS BUILDING A WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM IN THE WORKSHOP, THE WATER IN THE INSET IS THE ORIGINAL WATER. AND IT CAME OUT FAIRLY CLEAR. I PROBABLY WOULDN'T DRINK IT, BUT IT'S PRETTY INTERESTING TO SEE, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO PURSUING SOME MORE GRANTS. BECAUSE OF BUDGET WOES. AND THEN ALSO JUST TRYING TO GROW US TO BETTER SERVE JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMUNITY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CONSERVATION DISTRICTS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT, WHICH WE WERE AWARDED IN 21 AND 22, THERE'S $18 MILLION AVAILABLE. IT'S ONLY AVAILABLE TO CONSERVATION DISTRICTS, GRANTS ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR FUNDING STAFF SALARIES. SO WE WOULD UTILIZE THAT MONEY TO PAY FOR STAFF. AND THEN KIND OF REALLOCATE THE MONEY THAT WE USE FOR STAFF SALARIES FOR PROGRAMING, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT SECTION 319 GRANT PROGRAM FUNDING. THERE'S $2.8 MILLION AVAILABLE IN KENTUCKY. IT'S FEDERAL FUNDING FROM THE CLEAN WATER ACT TO PRODUCE NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION AND SPECIFICALLY IN AREAS OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, WORKING WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST CHELSEA DURBIN, WHO WAS PREVIOUSLY WITH THE KENTUCKY DIVISION OF WATER IN THE 319 GRANT PROGRAM, SHE'S NOW WITH THE KENTUCKY DIVISION OF CONSERVATION AND SHE'S ASSISTING US IN PUTTING TOGETHER A LETTER OF INTENT THAT'S DUE IN NOVEMBER. AND THEN SHE'S ALSO COMMITTED TO HELP US WITH THE APPLICATION, THE GRANT APPLICATION THAT'S DUE IN FEBRUARY. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. AND IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER. THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE BEEN JOINED, ONLINE BY COUNCILMAN MULVIHILL, COUNCILMAN BUCKHORN, COUNCILMAN CHAPPELL, AND THEN IN CHAMBERS, COUNCILMAN BAKER. AND I HAVE COUNCILMAN ZACKARY ARTHUR IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU, CHAIRWOMAN, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THESE UPDATES, NOT JUST SO THAT THE COUNCIL CAN SUPPORT YOUR WORK, BUT ALSO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND EVERYTHING WE'RE TRYING TO DO COLLECTIVELY. SO I'M CURIOUS ABOUT A REQUEST THAT METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS RECEIVED LAST NOVEMBER FOR A CLIMATE EMERGENCY RESOLUTION. WE WENT BACK AND FORTH VIA EMAIL A FEW TIMES, AND IT SEEMED LIKE THE INTENT OF THAT RESOLUTION AND OTHER CITIES WAS TO COME OUT WITH A PLAN TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY. AND I SHARED SOME OF WHAT METRO GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN WORKING ON, AND WE WENT BACK AND FORTH A BIT, BUT I WASN'T CLEAR ON WHAT THAT RESOLUTION WOULD DO COMPARED TO WHAT METRO GOVERNMENT HAS DONE. AND THEN WHAT KIND OF WORK HAS BEEN HAPPENING BETWEEN YOUR DISTRICT AND THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY. SO DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THAT RESOLUTION? AND THEN ALSO, HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH THEM THIS YEAR AT ALL? IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. WE DID SIGN A LETTER ABOUT THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY. WE REACHED OUT TO OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO GET WITH THEM, THROUGH THE BUDGET CRISIS THAT WE HAD, WE WERE JUST KIND OF GETTING BACK ON OUR FEET AND GETTING IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE.
DEFINITELY. PARKS WAS ONE THAT REACHED OUT TO US IMMEDIATELY. SO, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO GET
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BACK TO THEM AND SET UP SOMETHING TO DISCUSS HOW WE CAN BETTER WORK TOGETHER FOR THE CONSTITUENTS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, I'M SURE THERE'S TONS OF WAYS THAT WE CAN ASSIST. ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS AS FAR AS THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY IS FOOD SECURITY, WE'RE ALREADY SEEING ISSUES WITH THE FOOD SYSTEM. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A THERE'S ISSUES WITH FOOD SYSTEMS OVERALL, BUT WE'RE ALSO SEEING A LOT OF FOOD DESERTS WITHIN JEFFERSON, LOUISVILLE. AND WE WANT IN URBAN AGRICULTURE IS REALLY THE WAY THAT WE CAN TAKE SOME OF THAT, STRESS OFF OUR FOOD SYSTEM AND GET FRESH FOODS IN AREAS THAT ARE UNDER HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED. OVERALL AND AS WELL AS MAKE PEOPLE A BIT MORE SUSTAINABLE. LIKE, I WAS SAYING, I WENT TO THAT PEOPLE'S SUMMIT AND JUST SEEING THE PEOPLE THERE THAT WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT URBAN AGRICULTURE AND THE WAYS THAT WE CAN GROW IT AND JUST HEARING THEIR IDEAS ABOUT IT, AND WORKING ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND FOOD JUSTICE, I THINK IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING. AND HOW I SEE THE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT PLAYING A PART IN THAT IS WE'RE PRETTY MUCH JUST A ENTITY TO BRING MONEY AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE INTO JEFFERSON COUNTY. WE'RE LOOKING AT, REACHING OUT TO USDA, THEIR URBAN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM. THEY HAVE SERVICE AREAS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. I PERSONALLY WOULD LOVE TO SEE LOUISVILLE BECOME ONE OF THE GET ONE OF THOSE SERVICE AREAS.CURRENTLY, THEY'VE STOPPED ADDING ON TO THE SERVICE OFFICE, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE LOUISVILLE KIND OF BECOME A REGIONAL LEADER IN URBAN AGRICULTURE, THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT POTENTIAL OUT THERE. AND A LOT OF FEDERAL FUNDS THAT WE COULD UTILIZE TO IN GRANTS TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY GET, MORE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE, SO, YEAH, I DEFINITELY WOULD LOVE TO REACH BACK OUT TO SUSTAINABILITY AND OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND, AND TALK TO THEM. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT LIKE, YOU'LL SEE THEM HAVE LIKE AN EVENT OR WHATEVER.
AND YOU SEE EVERYBODY THAT'S ON THE LIST TO BE THERE. AND WE'RE WE'RE OFTEN LEFT OFF THAT LIST.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT REALLY KNOW ABOUT US. THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN FOR TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE. WE'VE EVOLVED OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS TO BE MORE SUBURBAN AND URBAN, AND IT'S JUST GOING TO TAKE US A WHILE TO GET THAT NAME RECOGNITION AND FOR PEOPLE TO BE LIKE, OH, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO INVITE THEM. SO WE'RE DEFINITELY WORKING ON THAT NETWORKING AND GETTING MORE PARTNERSHIPS BUILT. AND LET US KNOW IF WE CAN HELP WITH THAT. YEAH, I WOULD LOVE THAT. WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE A METRO AGENCY IS WORKING WITH YOU, ALL IS IMPORTANT. ONE MORE QUESTION, THEN I'LL JUMP BACK IN THE QUEUE. I SAW SEVERAL AGENCIES LISTED AS ADVISORS.
COULD YOU CLARIFY? DO THEY ADVISE YOU OR DO YOU ADVISE THEM BOTH? HOW DOES THAT WORK, GENERALLY THEY ADVISE US, THEY GIVE US TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IF WE HAVE SOME, IF WE HAVE ANY ISSUES, WE'LL, WE'LL WE'LL REACH OUT TO THEM AND TALK TO THEM, I KNOW DURING THE BUDGET ISSUE THAT WE HAD WHEN WE WERE PARTIALLY DEFUNDED, WE REACHED OUT TO THEM TO WRITE LETTERS OF SUPPORT AND, ALSO JUST HOW IMPORTANT HAVING A CONSERVATION DISTRICT IS FOR THE COUNTY. FOR THE COUNTY, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP, BUT DEFINITELY THEY PROVIDE US MORE COUNSEL THAN WE PROVIDE THEM. AND THE REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE I'M JUST CURIOUS WHEN SOMETHING'S HAPPENING WITH THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR EXAMPLE, I SAW A LOT OF STATE AGENCIES LISTED. ARE YOU ALL COMFORTABLE LETTING THEM KNOW HOW IT WOULD IMPACT LOUISVILLE? YES. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS KIND OF A TWO WAY STREET. YES, IT DEFINITELY IS. AND, THE KENTUCKY ASSOCIATION OF CONSERVATION DISTRICTS HAS AN ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE, GET TOGETHER RECEPTION. IT'S NOT ALWAYS WELL ATTENDED. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S GENERALLY IN FEBRUARY, WHICH IS THE WORST MONTH TO GET OUT, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST A RING OF TABLES OF DIFFERENT CONSERVATION DISTRICTS. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT BE MORE ENGAGING TO LEGISLATORS, AND GET A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, MORE OF A HAVE THEIR EAR A LITTLE BIT MORE. YES, DEFINITELY. THANK YOU. YEAH THANK YOU, ALSO, COUNCILMAN HUDSON HAS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE. COUNCILWOMAN CHAPEL. THANK YOU.
CHAIR. ACTUALLY, I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT MISS SARAH SAMMONS DID NOT TALK ABOUT THE RIVETING, SPEECH THAT A COUNCIL PERSON GAVE AT THEIR ANNUAL MEETING RECENTLY, BUT, IT'S OKA, BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, I JUST WANTED TO SEE. IN JULY, THE MAYOR HAD ANNOUNCED THE URBAN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM THROUGH THE LOUISVILLE METRO, THROUGH LOUISVILLE METRO PARKS AND
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RECREATION. I KNOW THAT THAT PROGRAM IS STILL IN ITS INFANCY, BUT I WAS WONDERING KIND OF SIMILARLY TO THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, HAVE YOU HAD ANY COLLABORATION WITH THE URBAN AGRICULTURE, THE NEW AGRICULTURE ARM OF PARKS AND REC? YES ACTUALLY, WE HAD RIGHT BEFORE THEY MADE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT, WE RECEIVED AN INVITATION TO BE AT THAT PRESS CONFERENCE. AND I HAD RESPONDED WITH MY CONCERNS THAT SOME OF THEIR PROGRAMING HAD SOUNDED LIKE THINGS THAT THE JEFFERSON COUNTY EXTENSION AGENCY WAS TASKED TO DO FOR THEIR MISSION. THEIR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATION WITH RESEARCH BASED, RESEARCH BASED, SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY. AND MY RETORT TO THEM WAS, LET'S ALL DO WHAT WE DO BEST. PARKS HAS GREAT LANDS. THEY HAVE MARKETING, GREAT MARKETING, THEY ALSO GET FREE WATER FROM LOUISVILLE WATER COMPANY, EXTENSION DOES GREAT WITH THEIR WORKSHOPS AND THEIR EDUCATION. USE THEM FOR THAT AND USE US FOR FUNDING, I WOULD LOVE TO BE IN A MEETING WITH ALL THREE OF US, BUT CURRENTLY IT'S BEEN US AND PARKS TWICE, AND I'VE HEARD THAT EXTENSION IS MET WITH PARKS AS WELL, SO YES, WE HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER ON THE PEOPLE'S GARDEN AT SHAWNEE TO MAKE THAT SPACE AN INCUBATOR SPACE. I PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN PUSHING, OR I GUESS MAYBE MENTIONING TO PARKS THAT THERE'S A TON OF, CITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES THAT THEIR COMMUNITY GARDENS ARE ALL IN THE PARKS, IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE PARKS ARE PUBLIC LANDS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE NUMBER, THE, THE TWO BIGGEST EXPENSES TO EXTENSION AGENCY IN JEFFERSON COUNTY WITH THE COMMUNITY GARDENS IS MOWING AND WATER, AND THAT PARKS GETS FREE WATER JUST AS LIKE A NO BRAINER IN MY MIND. THAT AND IT BEING PUBLIC LAND AND JUST HAVING THE ACCESS. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS COULD TRANSLATE. I KNOW THAT, EXTENSION IS FACING SOME MAJOR BUDGET ISSUES AND THAT THEY'VE CUT OFF WATER TO SEVERAL OF THE COMMUNITY GARDENS ALREADY BECAUSE OF LACK OF FUNDS, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE FURTHER PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN US AND EXTENSION AND THIS NEW PROGRAM TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE COMMUNITY GARDEN WOES THAT WE'RE FACING AND EXPAND THAT PROGRAM. IN 1978, THE NEW YORK CITY PARKS DEPARTMENT STARTED THEIR COMMUNITY GARDENS, I THINK IT'S CALLED THE GREEN THUMB PROGRAM, WHERE THEY PUT COMMUNITY GARDENS IN THEIR PARKS. THEY ALSO HAVE ON THE JOB TRAINING FOR HORTICULTURE AND AGRICULTURAL JOBS. THEY DO WORKSHOPS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE COMMUNITY AND COMMUNAL GARDENS, AND I THINK THAT'S I MEAN, THAT'S ALMOST AS OLD AS ME AND IT'S STILL SO SUCCESSFUL. AND I THINK THOSE THERE'S A LOT OF PROGRAMS LIKE THAT IN THE UNITED STATES THAT WE COULD LOOK AT AND NOT REINVENT THE WHEEL AND JUST KIND OF USE THOSE, THOSE SAME PRINCIPLES AND THOSE SAME, IDEAS TO GROW OUR URBAN, AGRICULTURE PROGRAM AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY GARDENS. YEAH. AND YOU BRING UP A GREAT POINT. I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY WONDERFUL TO, ORGANIZE. I DON'T KNOW WHO THIS WOULD BE ON BEHALF OF, BUT THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, THE OFFICE OF URBAN AGRICULTURE, THE SUSTAINABILITY COUNCIL, LOUISVILLE GROWS TREES, LOUISVILLE GREEN HEART EXTENSION, THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT, ALL OF THESE REALLY GREEN MINDED GROUPS COMING TOGETHER AT A TABLE AND SAYING, HEY, THIS IS OUR WORK PLAN FOR THE NEXT YEAR. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? AND HOW CAN WE INTERSECT? I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE HUGELY BENEFICIAL, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THAT'S DIFFICULT, GETTING THAT SORT OF MEETING ON THE CALENDAR. BUT, LAST QUESTION FROM ME. AND YOU HAD KIND OF STARTED TO TOUCH ON IT. WHEN WE WERE HAVING THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT AND THE EXTENSION OFFICE WERE KIND OF BEING LUMPED INTO THE SAME, BOAT. AND I WAS JUST HOPING THAT YOU COULD KIND OF SPEAK TO YOUR RELATIONSHIP, HOW YOU PARTNER AND WHAT STRENGTHS DO EACH ORGANIZATION INDEPENDENTLY, UPHOLD. SURE, LIKE I SAID, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE'RE KIND OF JUST A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FUNDING. AND HONESTLY, OUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE COMES FROM OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SERVICE. THE SUPERVISORS AREN'T NECESSARILY TRAINED. I'M A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, AND I'M A BIG. AND I GREW UP IN AGRICULTURE, SO I HAVE SOME BASIS THAT I CAN PASS ON. AND I DO A LOT OF WORKSHOPS, BUT[00:30:01]
EXTENSION DOES ALL THE EDUCATION. LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE THEY'RE FROM THE RESEARCH BASED, UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY. SO THEY PROVIDE WAY MORE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. IS IN EDUCATION, SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE ADMINISTER, LIKE THE CAPE PROGRAM, HAS AN EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT, AND A LOT OF THOSE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS CAN BE MET THROUGH EXTENSION WORKSHOPS.JUST OFF THE OFF HAND, I CAN THINK OF, FORAGE. I MEAN, THAT GETS KIDS INVOLVED NOT ONLY IN, YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK OF FORAGE, I THINK OF FARM ANIMALS AND STUFF. BUT IT'S ALSO IS HOME EC. IT'S ALSO CANNING. IT'S ALSO GROWING, YOU KNOW, GROWING YOUR OWN FOOD, THAT'S ALL THROUGH EXTENSION, EXTENSION IS, ALL THE COMMUNITY GARDENS. SOMEHOW THEY, THEY GOT KIND OF STUCK WITH ALL THE COMMUNITY GARDENS. THEY WHEN WE DO WORKSHOPS OR WHEN WE DO EDUCATIONAL THINGS AT COMMUNITY GARDENS WHERE WE HAVE A MAJORITY OF REFUGEE COMMUNITIES, WE UTILIZE EXTENSION TO TRANSLATE ALL OF OUR PAPERS THAT WE WANT TO HAND OUT INTO DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, SO WE CAN REACH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, WE GAVE A WORKSHOP LAST YEAR AT THE, INCUBATOR GARDEN ON MILLER LANE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE THAT OUT IN SIX DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. SO, THAT EXTENSION IS AN INVALUABLE SOURCE, TO JEFFERSON COUNTY, IT'S NOT AS WELL KNOWN AS MORE LIKE RURAL COUNTIES.
THEY KNOW THE THEY KNOW THE VALUE OF EXTENSION. THEY KNOW THE VALUE OF THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT IN A MORE URBAN COUNTY. I THINK WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING SELF-SUSTAINING, OF BEING EDUCATED IN WAYS THAT DON'T COME FROM SCHOOLS, SO THAT'S HOW I WOULD SEE THAT. AND AS FAR AS, THE URBAN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM, IT, IT WHAT I KNOW ABOUT IT IS IT'S A GREAT START. IT'S A GREAT START. AND I'VE, I'VE HEARD A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY SAY THAT, THEY THINK IT WAS JUST KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF A GREEN WASH, HONESTLY, THIS PROGRAM, BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY FUNDED FOR THE DIRECTOR'S SALARY AND NOT ANYTHING ABOVE THAT. SO HOW DO YOU REALLY PUT HOW DO YOU REALLY START ANYTHING WITH JUST, YOU KNOW, PAYING THAT PERSON TO IT? BUT IN MY MIND, IT'S AN AVENUE TO UTILIZE LOUISVILLE METRO IN WAYS THAT WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY LOOKED INTO DOING. AND ONE OF MY BIGGEST THINGS IS LET'S PUSH FOR THE COMMUNITY GARDENS TO BE A PARKS AND REC. ISSUE, LET'S THEY HAVE THEY HAVE FREE WATER. LIKE I SAID, THAT'S A BIG DEAL, THE ONE OF THE COMMUNITY GARDENS THAT EXTENSION JUST CLOSED DOWN. THEY HAD A $3,000 A MONTH WATER BILL. THEY COULDN'T PAY IT. THEY HAD TO ASK LOUISVILLE WATER. FOR AN EXTENSION ON IT. AND IT'S JUST INSANE TO ME THAT WE'RE WE'RE GETTING DOWN TO YOU KNOW, HAVING TO CUT OFF WATER TO THESE, THESE PEOPLE'S GARDENS, AND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE, THAT'S WHEN, WHEN THEY MOVED HERE FROM AFRICA OR WHEREVER THEY CAME FROM, THEIR LIFE WAS FARMING. AND THEN THEY MOVED TO A PLACE WHERE BARELY ANYONE FARMS, SO WE'RE SEEING THEM GROW VEGETABLES AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DON'T GENERALLY SEE IN THIS AREA. WE'RE SEEING THEM GROW IN DIFFERENT WAYS, WE'RE LEARNING AS MUCH FROM THEM AS THEY ARE FROM US. SO I THINK IT'S AN INVALUABLE COMMUNITY RESOURCE, SO I HOPE THAT IT GROWS AND I HOPE THAT I KNOW THAT THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH MONEY IN THE BUDGET, BUT I DO HOPE IN THE FUTURE THAT URBAN AG PROGRAM GETS SOME. BUT THEY DON'T TAKE IT FROM EXTENSION OR CONSERVATION DISTRICT. AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, I KNOW THAT I HAD SAID I HAD ASKED MY LAST QUESTION, BUT JUST AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, THE OFFICE OF EXTENSION IS RUN THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY. AND SO I WAS WONDERING, DO THEY ADMINISTER COMMUNITY OR MANAGE THE OVERSIGHT OF COMMUNITY GARDENS OUTSIDE OF JEFFERSON COUNTY? SO FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE FAYETTE COUNTY, ARE THEY, DO THEY HAVE A HAND IN COMMUNITY GARDENS THERE OR WARREN COUNTY, ONE OF OUR LARGER URBAN COUNTIES, OR IS THAT JUST UNIQUE TO JEFFERSON COUNTY THAT THEY TOOK ON THAT CHARGE? IT'S JUST UNIQUE TO JEFFERSON COUNTY. JEFFERSON COUNTY EXTENSION ONLY DOES THINGS WITHIN JEFFERSON COUNTY.
THEY DO NOT, ALLOCATE FUNDS TO OTHER COUNTIES. AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, BUT THERE'S AN EXTENSION OFFICE IN EVERY COUNTY. THERE'S AN EXTENSION OFFICE IN EVERY COUNTY, AND WE'RE ALL FUNDED EITHER THROUGH A AD VALOREM TAX OR THROUGH THE FISCAL COURT. JEFFERSON COUNTY IS ONLY THROUGH FISCAL COURT. WHICH IS THE METRO COUNCIL. THEN THAT MONEY GOES TO UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, AND THEN IT'S GIVEN BACK TO THE COUNTY. BUT JUST THAT MONEY IS GIVEN BACK TO THE COUNTY. IT DOESN'T
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GO TO ALL THE OTHER COUNTIES. IT'S JUST THE WAY THAT IT'S SET UP, HOW THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LAYER OF BUREAUCRACY. I'M NOT 100% SURE OF, BUT I AND I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL, EXTENSION AGENCY EMPLOYEES AND PEOPLE ON THE BOARD, AND THAT MONEY IS ONLY UTILIZED IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. AND I THINK THAT WAS THE CONFUSION DURING BUDGET SEASON THIS PAST SPRING, BECAUSE I'D NEVER KNOWN THAT TO BE THE CASE. I HAD HEARD, AND THIS IS JUST HEARSAY, SO MAYBE I SHOULDN'T EVEN SAY IT, BUT THEY THEY HAD BROUGHT UP, FOUR H FUNDS GOING TO A DIFFERENT COUNTY. AND IN MY MIND, IF YOU'RE SENDING A JEFFERSON COUNTY STUDENT TO A4H CAMP AND, I CAN'T REMEMBER HARDIN COUNTY, I THINK IS THE NEAREST CAMP, THAT MONEY IS STILL BEING UTILIZED FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY RESIDENT. THAT'S RIGHT. NOT GOING TO HARDIN COUNTY. I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY CLARIFY THOSE THINGS, COUNCILWOMAN, IN THE FUTURE. AND I AND JUST LOOKING AT THE POINT OF, COMMUNITY GARDENS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN NEW YORK CITY, ARE ADMINISTERED BY THE BY PUBLIC PARKS, I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING INTERESTING TO LOOK AT BECAUSE LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, FAYETTE COUNTY AND I'M JUST USING THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE OUR NEXT LARGEST URBAN COUNTY. YOU KNOW, WHO OVERSEES THEIR PARKS AND IF YOU KNOW, US HAVING OURS OVERSEEN BY THE EXTENSION OFFICE IS AN ANOMALY, THEN I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY DESERVES TO BE LOOKED INTO. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I DO KNOW THAT THE ONE THAT THEY HAD TO CLOSE DOWN WAS THE, THE COMMUNITY GARDEN WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT DID NOT GET FREE WATER. YEAH. WELL, THERE IS THERE'S TWO THAT THEY HAD TO CLOSE DOWN RECENTLY. THEY TURN OFF THE WATER ANYWAY. OKAY.BECAUSE OF I THOUGHT IT WORKED OUT SOMETHING WITH THE WATER COMPANY ON ONE OF THEM. BUT OH, THAT'D BE GOOD. YEAH, I HAD HOPED ANYWAY. YEAH. ARE THERE ANY COUNCILWOMAN OR COUNCILMAN, ZACHARY ARTHUR, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING OR. YEAH. JUST ONE FOLLOW UP. OKAY. THAT'S OKAY. SO I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THE CLIMATE RESOLUTION IN THAT DISCUSSION. WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT SOME SORT OF CLIMATE COMMISSION AND SINCE THEN, I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION HAS CONCERNS ABOUT THAT BECAUSE OF THE CAPACITY OF THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY. OF COURSE, I SEE THE VALUE IN COLLABORATION WITH ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT AGENCIES. IN SOME CASES OVERLAPPING IN THEIR WORK. BUT I'M CURIOUS, YOU MENTIONED FEELING LEFT OUT. HAS ANY AGENCY FROM METRO GOVERNMENT BESIDES PARKS ENGAGED? YOU ALL TO COLLABORATE? NOT THAT I CAN THINK OF. AND I GENERALLY GET ALL THE CORRESPONDENCE, AS BEING CHAIR. I GENERALLY THE OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF SENDS IT TO ME FIRST, AND THEN I SEND IT OUT TO ALL THE OTHER SUPERVISORS, I, WE JUST RECENTLY HAD TO LOOK AT MY EMAIL. WE JUSRECELY WE REHED T TO WE'RE ACTUALLY MORE COMMUNITY GROUPREACH OUT TO UANRO, ICKER NOWADAYS, AND WE HAVE SO MUCH GOING ON IN OUR WORLD. I THINK IT'S HARD TO KEEP EVERYTHING, IN OUR MIND. AND I THINK CONSERVATION DISTRICT IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE I'M IN IT. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO THINGS, THE NATURAL RESOURCES THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PASSION OF MINE. AND MAYBE THAT'S WHAT BRINGS IT TO MIND FIRST. AND MAYBE WE'RE JUST NOT IN THAT FOREFRONT OF PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US. SO YEAH. THANK YOU. YEAH. YOU. AND WE DEFINITELY WOULD. WE'RE OPEN TO COLLABORATE WITH ANYBODY LIKE I SAID IN THE PEOPLE'S SUMMIT, IT'S NOT ABOUT WHO MOVES THE BALL FORWARD. IT'S JUST IT'S JUST THAT THE BALL IS MOVING FORWARD. IT'S THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS IMPROVING FOR EVERYBODY, IT'S NOT WHO DOES IT. I DON'T CARE WHO WE PARTNER WITH. I WOULD PARTNER WITH EVERYBODY. I DON'T WANT TO OVERLAP SERVICES. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE STRENGTH OF PARTNERSHIP IS. THAT'S WHAT I TOLD THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WHEN WE MET WITH THEM FIRST. AND IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, DON'T DO WHAT EXTENSIONS DO AND USE EXTENSION TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST, USE THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST. YOU ALL HAVE GREAT VENUES.
YOU ALL HAVE LAND. YOU ALL HAVE THE COMMUNITY CENTERS. YOU ALL HAVE FREE WATER. LET'S YOU KNOW, UTILIZE WHAT WE ALL DO BEST. SO YEAH, I'M ALL ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS. YEAH. THAT'S GOOD.
I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY AND GIVING US SOME INFORMATION. AND I DID GET YOUR ANNUAL REPORT AS I'M SURE EVERYONE ELSE DID. SO THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. BUT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER TODAY. AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE BEING HERE. THANK YOU ALL. AND THERE WAS ALSO A QUESTION ABOUT THE FINANCIAL REPORT. IF YOU ALL WANT IT IN A DIFFERENT TEMPLATE OR A DIFFERENT MANNER, PLEASE LET US KNOW. WE'LL HAPPILY.
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OKAY. SUBMIT WHATEVER YOU ALL NEED. OKAY. TH* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.