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TESTING, TESTING. TESTING. TESTING TESTING. TESTING.GOOD AFTERNOON VICE CHAIR OF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, I AM JOINED IN CHAMBERS TODAY BY COUNCILWOMAN COUNCILMAN PIAGENTINI. COUNCILMAN OWEN AND COUNCILMAN ARTHUR. I'M JOINED ONLINE BY COUNCILWOMAN, MARILYN PARKER, PAULA MCCRANEY. CINDY FOWLER AND SHAMIKA PARISH. RIGHT. JOINED ALSO VIRTUALLY BY COUNCILMAN BLACKWELL, AND WE HAVE REALLY ONLY ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA TODAY. AND SO, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT UP. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU'LL PLEASE READ INTO THE RECORD, THE COMMENT ABOUT BEING ONLINE, THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO KRS 61.826 AND COUNCIL RULE FIVE, A READ IN FULL. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY. THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT, START TIMES AND FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO BE HERE TO TESTIFY.
SO, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT? THIS WHAT TODAY'S ORDINANCE DOES. AND THEN, WHEN WE WHEN OUR GUESTS ARRIVE, WE WILL INCLUDE THEM IN OUR CONVERSATION. SO THE ONLY ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ORDINANCE ONE 5124. IT IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 80, SERIES 2023 RELATING TO FISCAL YEAR 2023 2024. CAPITAL BUDGET REALLOCATING $50,000 FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC ART AT FESTIVAL PLAZA. MOTION. OKAY MOTION BY COUNCILMAN PIAGENTINI.
SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN OWEN. SO IT'S PROPERLY BEFORE US, COLLEAGUES, I WILL REMIND YOU THAT WE HAD THIS IN COMMITTEE ONCE BEFORE, PASSED IT OUT. THERE WAS SOME QUESTION WHILE IT WAS IN COMMITTEE, ABOUT WHAT? WHAT THIS ACTUALLY DID AND WHY MONEY WAS BEING MOVED FROM ONE PROJECT. AND, SO WE ASKED THAT IT BE BROUGHT BACK TO GIVE US A CHANCE TO, GET A BETTER HANDLE ON WHAT THIS REALLY DOES. SO I WILL OFFER A BRIEF EXPLANATION AND ANSWER QUESTIONS IF WE HAVE THEM. AND THEN AGAIN, WE'LL BE JOINED BY DEBORAH BIELICKI WITH THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WHO CAN ANSWER MORE OF YOUR QUESTIONS IF YOU SHOULD HAVE THEM. BUT, THIS IS A
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PROJECT THAT WAS STARTED BY A PRIVATE CITIZEN WHO WAS WHO RECOGNIZED, THAT THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A PIECE OF ARTWORK DOWN NEAR THE ALI CENTER, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK DONE TO A LOT OF ENERGY AND EXCITEMENT AROUND THAT, A LOT OF WORK DONE TO BEGIN TO RAISE MONEY AND PULL ALL THAT TOGETHER, AS WE MOVED THROUGH THE PROCESS, THINGS IN SOME AGENCIES CHANGED. AND AS IT HAPPENS, THE ARTWORK THAT WAS ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED AND THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS ORIGINALLY THOUGHT TO BE BEST, THEY IT DIDN'T ALIGN. AND SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME ARTWORK, THAT THAT ISN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO WHERE THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS. AND WE HAD AS A COUNCIL, COMMITTED $50,000 TO HELPING MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD. THE ORDINANCE THAT'S BEFORE US TODAY TOOK THAT SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY, THAT $50,000 THAT WE HAD COMMITTED AND IT PUT IT TOWARDS AN UNNAMED PROJECT. IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION. AND EVEN THAT WAS WE WERE CURIOUS WHAT EXACTLY THAT MEANT. SO SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE AND THE END RESULT OF THAT IS THE WATERFRONT HAS SEVERAL BUILDINGS. TWO BUILDINGS, THAT THEY WERE PLANNING ON DOING ARTWORK ON AND AROUND THOSE TWO BUILDINGS, THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT. THEY DON'T HAVE THE ARTWORK TO DO THAT. IT'S IN THEIR LONG TERM PLAN.THE INDIVIDUAL WHO'S LOOKING AT AN OPPORTUNITY OR, YOU KNOW, SEEKING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC ART RECOGNIZES THAT THAT THAT THOSE SPACES IN WATERFRONT PARK WOULD BE IDEAL. SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS SIMPLY GET THOSE TWO BUILDINGS THAT WATERFRONT PARK WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ART ON READY FOR ART INTO THE FUTURE. SO, WHAT WE WOULD DO IS JUST MOVE THE MONEY TO WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT PARK AND THEN ALLOW THEM TO USE THAT MONEY TO PREPARE THESE TWO BUILDINGS FOR ART INTO THE FUTURE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? AND WE'RE JOINED BY DEBORAH BIELICKI, BY THE WAY. MISS HAWKINS, IF YOU WOULD. HOLLY AND I HAD A CHANCE. HOLLY HAWKINS WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. I'LL LET HER INTRODUCE HERSELF AND WE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE MEETING. AND SO, I'LL LET HER BETTER EXPLAIN WHAT THE LANGUAGE WOULD BE. OH HOLLY. YOU'RE ON. OKAY. HOLLY HOPKINS, JEFFERSON COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. AND I WAS TALKING WITH DEBORAH BIELICKI, WHILE COUNCILMAN KRAMER WAS SPEAKING.
SO I APOLOGIZE IF I'M GOING TO REPEAT SOMETHING HE SAID OR, AN, BUT HIS EXPLANATION IS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT. FIRST OF ALL, LET'S START WITH THE MONIES ALREADY WITH THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IN THE LEGISLATION IS FILED. SO OR THE AMENDED LEGISLATION THAT'S BEFORE YOU. SO NO CHANGES NEEDED FOR THAT. COUNCILMAN KRAMER TALKED ABOUT THE SPECIFIC DESIRE FOR THE USE OF THESE $50,000. IS TO PREPARE BUILDINGS THERE FOR, TO RECEIVE PUBLIC ART, TO BE READY TO PREPARE THE CANVAS, IF YOU WILL, FOR THE PUBLIC ART THAT'S GOING TO COME. THE IN MY CONVERSATION WITH DEBORAH BIELICKI, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO HER TO DESCRIBE FURTHER. SHE SAID THE $50,000. IT MAY NOT COST THAT MUCH TO PREPARE THE BUILDINGS. SO THE DESIGNATION OF PUBLIC ART AT FESTIVAL PLAZA AND FESTIVAL PLAZA IS THE CORRECT NAME FOR THIS AREA. AS SHE CONFIRMED, WOULD ENSURE THAT THE MONEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR PREPARING THE BUILDINGS. BUT WOULD NOT BE CONFINED SOLELY TO THAT IF IN FACT IT DID NOT COST $50,000 TO GET THE BUILDINGS READY. SO BASED ON THAT CONVERSATION, SHE AND I FEEL LIKE YOU ACHIEVE YOUR OBJECTIVE WITH THE LEGISLATION AS WRITTEN, AND I'M GOING TO LET DEBORAH ADD AND AMEND ANYTHING I SAID.
CERTAINLY, YOU COULD SPECIFY THAT, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE RISK. AND SPECIFYING IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TIED UP FUNDS THAT MAY NOT NEED TO BE TIED UP. DEBORAH, IF YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF. GOOD AFTERNOON, DEBORAH BIELICKI. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WATERFRONT PARK, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR MY SNAFU AND MY SCHEDULE ON MY CALENDAR. I HAD THIS DOWN FOR 5:00, AND I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE BEEN THERE IN PERSON. SO, THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN ARTHUR, FOR ALERTING ME THAT I WAS MIA, YES. SO I MISSED A BIT OF WHAT WHAT YOU SAID COUNCILMAN KRAMER,
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BUT THERE ARE FOUR RESTROOM BUILDINGS IN THE FESTIVAL PLAZA THAT ARE THESE OLD CINDERBLOCK BUILDINGS THAT DON'T LOOK LIKE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE IN WATERFRONT PARK. AND REALLY, THEY'VE BEEN DECOMMISSIONED. THEY DON'T LOOK AMAZING. AND WE HAVE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FIGURING OUT HOW TO IMPROVE AND ENHANCE THE ESTHETICS OF THAT SPACE. NOT JUST THAT, NOT NOT JUST THE RESTROOM BUILDINGS, BUT CAME UP WITH THIS ART PUBLIC. YOU KNOW, MURAL ART MURAL PROJECT THAT WE HAVE WANTED TO DO BUT JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDING, THEN ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER. THIS FUNDING BECAME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THE OTHER PROJECT THAT IT WAS DESIGNATED FOR WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN. AND SO WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO ACCEPT THE FUNDS AND PUT THEM TO AMAZINGLY GOOD USE. IF THE COUNCIL SEES FIT, THE QUESTION AND I, I TRIED TO HAVE A VERY QUICK CONVERSATION WITH HOLLY RIGHT BEFORE I JOINED IN. AND, WE DO NOT HAVE THE FULL BREAKDOWN COST ESTIMATE OF WHAT INSTALLING THE PANELS OR THE MURAL SPACES ON THESE BUILDINGS.WE DON'T HAVE THAT COST ESTIMATE YET. AND SO WHEN HOLLY HOLLY ASKED ME, WOULD 50,000 COVER THE COST OF THE PANELS OR THE STRUCTURES THAT WE'LL BE INSTALLING ON THE BUILDING? I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW. IT COULD BE MORE, IT COULD BE LESS. AND SO TO SAY, YOU KNOW, FOR SURE THIS $50,000 WOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO THAT COMPONENT, WHICH IS A NECESSARY AND IMPORTANT COMPONENT. I WOULD JUST YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT. IT JUST MEANS THAT IF WE HYPOTHETICALLY SPEND $40,000 ON THAT COMPONENT, THEN I NEED TO COME BACK AND HAVE THE 10,000 REMAINDER ALLOCATED SO THAT WAS THAT WAS THE ONLY REASON I MENTIONED THAT ADDING THAT LANGUAGE MIGHT CREATE AN ISSUE, BUT BUT IF THAT'S THE WAY THAT THE COUNCIL IS COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD, IT'S VERY POSSIBLE THAT THEY COULD COST WAY MORE THAN $50,000. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A NEW CONVERSATION AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE HAS ABOUT THAT OR THE PROJECT AS A WHOLE. COUNCILMAN OWEN. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN KRAMER. I AM REALLY HAPPY THAT WE HAVE FOUND A HOME FOR THIS. THIS IS A PROJECT THAT I HAVE BEEN TANGENTIALLY INVOLVED IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME, AND THERE WAS A THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK DONE, LIKE, LIKE YOU SAID. AND IT JUST AT THE LAST MINUTE FELL APART. SO THE FACT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO RECREATE IN A LOT OF WAYS, A LOT OF THE SAME COMPONENTS, NOT EXACTLY THE WAY IT WAS, YOU KNOW, THOUGHT OUT, THOUGHT ABOUT BEFORE, BUT IN A LOT OF WAYS, WE'RE RECREATING SOME OF THE SAME COMPONENTS, JUST IN A DIFFERENT PLACE. AND IT'S ACHIEVING SOMETHING. THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WAS TRYING TO ACHIEVE ANYWAY. I THINK IT'S A GREAT NEW HOME FOR IT. AND I I'M CERTAINLY GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF IT. AND I HOPE EVERYONE ELSE CAN CAN BE AS WELL. THANKS. I'M LOOKING TO THE SCREEN. ANYONE ELSE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, COUNCILWOMAN, COUNCILWOMAN WRIGHT. THANK YOU, I THANK YOU.
I, I DEFINITELY AM SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AS IT IS. AND COUNCILMAN ARTHUR'S DISTRICT, AND HE'S BEEN SUPPORTIVE. I THINK A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS WERE AROUND WHAT IT IS GOING TO BE. AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH AROUND THAT. I'M ALWAYS FOR, PUBLIC ART, AND I KNOW THAT THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAS DONE A LOT OF THINGS. I WAS JUST WONDERING, LIKE, IS IT JUST THE TRANSFER OF THE MONEY? WHAT'S THE WHAT'S BEEN THE MAJOR HOLDUP? THIS ONE SEEMED TO STICK OUT MORE THAN ANY OTHER THING THAT I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST. AND GRANTED, I'M NEW ON COUNCIL, SO I FOR ME, WHAT I'VE LEARNED SINCE I'VE LEARNED ABOUT IT IS THAT IT WAS JUST ONE THE DISCUSSION OF LIKE MAKING SURE THAT THE LEGISLATION READS THE WAY IT'S GOING TO BE DONE, AND TWO, WHAT ACTUALLY WILL COME THERE. SO JUST BECAUSE OF WHAT SOME PUBLIC ART HAS GONE THROUGH, BECAUSE OF ITS, YOU KNOW, RACIST TIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I THINK WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ACCEPTABLE FOR WHERE WE ARE NOW. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE COUNCILMAN OWEN HAS BEEN A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION FOR QUITE SOME TIME. SO I WANT TO TRUST
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THE PROCESS. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, LIKE, WHAT WAS THE MAJOR FLAGS AROUND THIS? AND IS THAT THE ART THAT'S COMING? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE A COMMUNITY WIDE ACCEPTED THING, OR IS THERE ANY CONCERNS AROUND WHAT WILL BE THERE? COUNCILMAN ARTHUR, THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO THE ISSUE WASN'T NECESSARILY ABOUT THE ART, IT WAS ABOUT WHERE THE ART WAS GOING TO GO.IT ORIGINALLY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE MUHAMMAD ALI CENTER NEAR THE CENTER ON THE FLOW WALL, THE MUHAMMAD ALI CENTER, FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THAT TYPE OF PROJECT. SO THIS IS SIMPLY MOVING THAT MONEY ELSEWHERE, MOVING THE PROJECT ELSEWHERE. SO THE CONCERN WAS ABOUT THE LOCATION, NOT THE ART ITSELF. COUNCILMAN OWEN AND WHILE I THINK, I CAN'T SPEAK TO EXACTLY WHAT THE ART WILL BE, WHAT I KNOW THE PLAN HAS BEEN ALL ALONG IS THAT IT WILL BE, THERE WILL BE A CALL FOR ART FOR LOCAL ARTISTS. SO I WHICH I REALLY LOVE THAT WE WILL BE, BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT LOCAL ARTISTS IN THIS, IN THIS SITUATION. I'VE ALSO HEARD SOME DISCUSSION AND MAYBE DEBORAH CAN CAN ADD MORE COLOR TO THIS, THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY LOUISVILLE CENTRIC, ART INSTALLATION. NOW, WHAT THAT MEANS EXACTLY. I DON'T KNOW, BUT LOCAL ARTISTS AND A LOUISVILLE CENTRIC THEME, ARE KIND OF THE TWO TWO THINGS I CAN ADD. ADD TO THAT. AND AGAIN, I'LL, I'LL ADD A LITTLE AND THEN IF I GET IT, IF I'M OFF AT, AT ALL, CERTAINLY TURN IT OVER TO DEBORAH, PART OF THIS CONVERSATION COMES BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL CONVERSATION TO COUNCILMAN OWEN'S POINT WAS ABOUT LOCATION, AND IT WAS ALSO A SPECIFIC A CONVERSATION ABOUT A SPECIFIC KIND OF ART, THE ALI CENTER HAS PUBLICLY MADE CLEAR, THAT ANY ALI RELATED ART, THEY WOULD PREFER TO BE THE ONES TAKING CARE OF THAT. AND SO GIVEN THAT THAT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITH ART THAT WAS OUTSIDE THEIR BUILDING OR OFF OF THEIR PROPERTY, IN RESPECT TO THE TO THE ALI CENTER, THE DECISION WAS TO SHIFT AWAY FROM THAT ORIGINAL ART CONCEPT AND MOVE. AS COUNCILMAN OWEN JUST POINTED OUT, TO MORE OF A LOUISVILLE CENTRIC PROJECT THAT WOULD THAT WOULD INVOLVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT PUBLIC ART IN THE FUTURE, WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THIS ART IS GOING IN THE WATERFRONT PARK, WHICH IS THE PLAN, THAT WATERFRONT PARK IS DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSION. AND ULTIMATELY THE FINAL DECISION.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE JUST TRYING TO SAY, HEY, WE KNOW YOU HAVE THESE FOUR BUILDINGS.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO COST MONEY TO PREPARE THEM, AND RATHER THAN US GET IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONVERSATION ABOUT ART, WE'RE SIMPLY GOING TO SAY, WE KNOW THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE HOPING FOR. WE KNOW THAT GOING FORWARD, WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT GOOD THINGS ARE GOING TO COME OUT OF THIS, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO TIE THIS UP IN AN ONGOING DISCUSSION AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL ABOUT WHAT THAT ART IS GOING TO BE OR WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. DOES THAT ANSWER I'M SEEING? YES DEBORAH. YOU DON'T I'M NOT PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO IF I IF I GOT THAT RIGHT, I GOT IT RIGHT. BUT IF I MISSPOKE, IF YOU COULD CORRECT ME, YOU YOU GOT IT RIGHT. THE ART HAS NOT BEEN SELECTED. IT WILL BE AN OPEN PROCESS, AN OPEN CALL FOR ART. IF THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT SURFACES. SO THE IDEA IS THAT WE WILL HAVE MANY DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT MANY DIFFERENT ARTISTS CAN PARTICIPATE IN. SO MORE TO COME ON THAT THE PROJECT IS BIGGER THAN THIS $50,000. SO IT WON'T BE SOMETHING YOU SEE QUICKLY, AND IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE IMPLEMENT ON A BUILDING BY BUILDING OR PANEL BY PANEL BASI. REGARDLESS OF HOW ALL THAT UNFOLDS, THE REALITY IS WE NEED TO PREPARE THOSE BUILDINGS FOR THOSE PANELS. SO NO MATTER WHAT COMES NEXT, THAT HAS TO GET DONE AND THAT'S WHAT THIS MONEY WOULD DO. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, THIS IS, SO I DON'T NEED TO AMEND IT IS WHAT I'M HEARING. OKAY, SO THIS IS AN ORDINANCE CALLING FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE, AND IT'S AN ORDINANCE AS AMENDED, BECAUSE WE DID AMEND IT AT THE LAST COMMITTEE MEETING. SO, IF WE COULD JUST GET A ROLL CALL, VOTE, PLEASE, MADAM CLERK, IF YOU'D OPEN THE VOTING. COUNCILWOMAN PARKER. OKAY, YOU GOT ME? NOPE OKAY. IT'S I'M A
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YES. OKAY COUNCILWOMAN PIERCE. RIGHT YES. COUNCILWOMAN MCCRANI. YES COUNCILWOMAN FOWLER. YES OKAY, OKAY. YEAH. I HIT SAVE, I DON'T WANT TO GET MY. OKAY. VICE CHAIR. KRAMER, YOU HAVE NINE.YES VOTES, SO IT'S UNANIMOUS HERE. SO THIS IS A QUESTION FOR THE CLERK, WHEN WE SENT IT TO THE COUNCIL, ORIGINALLY, IT WAS AS AMENDED. AND SO IT HAD TO GO TO OLD BUSINESS. DOES IT HAVE TO GO BACK TO OLD BUSINESS? BECAUSE OKAY, SO IT'S THE SAME ORDINANCE. WE JUST SENT IT BACK UP. OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES. UNLESS SOMEONE ELSE HAS ANYTHING ELSE, THIS IS THE ONLY ITEM ON THE AGENDA. AND SO WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.