[00:00:04] 30S METRO TV. [Call to Order] GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED METRO COUNCIL PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEETING. TODAY, THURSDAY, MARCH 20TH, 2025. IT IS 3:04 P.M. I AM HERE IN [Roll Call] CHAMBERS TODAY WITH MY VICE CHAIR, COUNCILWOMAN BETSY RUE, COUNCILMAN JP LINENGER, COUNCILWOMAN MARILYN PARKER, COUNCILWOMAN CRYSTAL BASS. COUNCILWOMAN JOSIE RAYMOND. TODAY I HAVE TWO PIECES OF LEGISLATION, AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL DISCUSSION FROM THE JEFFERSON COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE AND CONSERVATIVE OR CONSERVATION DISTRICT UPDATE. IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU ALL, DO YOU MIND IF WE RUN THROUGH LEGISLATION FIRST? ALL RIGHT. GREAT. THANK YOU. FIRST UP ON THE AGENDA FOR LEGISLATION IS RESOLUTION R-030-25. IT'S A [3. R-030-25     A RESOLUTION RENAMING WINDSOR PARK TO “NICK RODMAN LEGACY PARK.” Action Required By: September 13, 2025 Sponsors: Khalil Batshon (R-25) ] RESOLUTION RENAMING WINDSOR PARK TO NICK RODMAN. LEGACY PARK. WONDERFUL. WE HAVE ANYBODY TO SPEAK ON IT? NO. DO YOU WANT TO. OKAY. ALRIGHT, I'M GOING TO SPEAK ON IT. I'M THE SPONSOR ON THIS LEGISLATION AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYBODY SUPPORT ON THIS. BUT I JUST WANT TO TAKE A SECOND TO I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE SOMETHING IMPORTANT HERE BY RENAMING WINDSOR PARK TO NICK RODMAN LEGACY PARK. WE'RE NOT JUST HONORING ONE OFFICER. WE'RE MAKING IT CLEAR THAT THE CITY STANDS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WILL NEVER FORGET THEIR SACRIFICE. THIS ISN'T JUST NAMING. JUST THIS ISN'T JUST A NAME OF NAME CHANGE. IT'S HISTORY. NICK RODMAN LEGACY PARK WILL BE ONE OF THE FIRST MUNICIPAL PARKS IN IN KENTUCKY, NAMED AFTER A FALLEN OFFICER AND ONE OF ONLY A HANDFUL IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE RESPECT THIS COMMUNITY HAS FOR MEN AND WOMEN WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE EVERY DAY. WE BACK OUR POLICE. WE REMEMBER THEIR SACRIFICES, AND TODAY WE ENSURE THAT OFFICER RODMAN'S LEGACY WILL LIVE ON FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. ANY DISCUSSION? I GUESS WE WILL OPEN THE NOBODY'S IN THE QUEUE AND I GUESS WE'LL OPEN THE THING FOR VOTING. AND VOICE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY NAYS? LOOKS LIKE IT PASSES. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS RESOLUTION R-03-25. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, ON BEHALF OF LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT, TO ACCEPT A DONATION OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON PROPERTY OWNED BY MARY ANN TAYLOR, LOCATED AT 5801 AND 5900 [4. R-031-25     A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR ON BEHALF OF METRO GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT THE DONATION OF A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON PROPERTY OWNED BY MARY ANN TYLER LOCATED AT 5801 AND 5900 BILLTOWN ROAD IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, KENTUCKY. Action Required By: September 13, 2025 Sponsors: Stuart Benson (R-20) ] BILLTOWN ROAD IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN LEONARD. SO THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY IS ABOUT 2000FT FROM WHERE I SLEPT MY ENTIRE CHILDHOOD. I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, AND I'M EXTREMELY GLAD THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CONSERVATION EASEMENT IN THIS AREA. I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE MORE PRESERVATION THROUGHOUT LOUISVILLE AND A LITTLE MORE CONSCIENTIOUS USE OF LAND. SO AWESOME. WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. OH, SORRY. SORRY. WE GOT A PRESENTATION ON IT. LOOK AT THAT. PERFECT. AND WE HAVE. NO. LET'S GO AHEAD. JUST. YEAH. PLEASE PRESENT YOUR NAME. ALWAYS ENJOY THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT THIS PRESENTATION AND OFFER. MY NAME IS KURT MASON. I SERVE AS CHAIR OF THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST. AND THAT TRUST WAS ACTUALLY ESTABLISHED UNDER AN [00:05:02] ORDINANCE IN 1994. IT'S KIND OF THE ONE OF THE ORIGINATIONS FROM JUDGE ARMSTRONG WHEN HE WAS WAS COUNTY JUDGE. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST. WE ARE GOVERNED BY A WELL, EXCUSE ME FOR JUST A MINUTE. I'D ALSO LIKE TO INTRODUCE ANNE SCHULTZ, WHO IS OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY THAT'S HERE WITH US TO. HELLO. SO, SO ANYWAY, THE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, THE TRUST, THE BOARD, THE OVERSIGHT BOARD HAS A GOVERNING BODY, AND THAT GOVERNING BODY IS COMPRISED OF NINE MEMBERS AND IT IS FIVE CITIZEN MEMBERS. AND IT HAS FOUR MEMBERS FROM METRO GOVERNMENT. AND THOSE FOUR MEMBERS FROM MEMBER FROM METRO GOVERNMENT ARE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS OR THE HEADS OF OFFICES THAT HAVE A BIG FOOTPRINT IN SOME TYPE OF LAND MANAGEMENT OR LAND USE IN IN THE METRO AREA. THAT INCLUDES THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MSD, THE DIRECTOR OF LOUISVILLE PARKS AND RECREATION, THE DIRECTOR OF METRO PLANNING AND DESIGN SERVICES, AND THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND ASSETS, BUT ALSO THOSE FIVE CITIZEN MEMBERS GOING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE, THEY WERE APPOINTED AS FIVE CITIZEN MEMBERS AS AN INTENTION THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE CITIZEN REPRESENTATIVES ON THAT BOARD THAN METRO COUNCIL. FOLKS ARE NOT METRO COUNCIL, BUT METRO AGENCY FOLKS. SO THOSE FIVE CITIZEN MEMBERS, WHEN THEY WERE ESTABLISHED ORIGINALLY CAME FROM THE COMMISSION DISTRICTS, WHICH WAS A, B AND C DISTRICTS AND THEN TWO MEMBERS AT LARGE, ALSO ON THE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST. WE GET STAFF SUPPORT FROM THE JEFFERSON COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, FROM METRO AGENCIES. WE HAVE AN ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD THAT PROVIDE THEIR PRIVATE AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE IN MATTERS OF LAND USE AND LAND MANAGEMENT, AND WE ALSO HAVE A PART TIME PROJECT MANAGER. THOSE THOSE NINE MEMBERS WITH THE CITIZEN OR THE MEMBERS WITH THE CITIZEN EXPERTISE. THEY COME FROM DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE, BUT THEY ALL HAVE SOME TYPE OF ATTACHMENT AND KNOWLEDGE AND BACKGROUND RELATED TO LAND MANAGEMENT, RANGING FROM NATURAL AREAS, WORKING FARMLANDS, WETLANDS, WOODLAND, WILDLIFE HABITAT AND OPEN SPACE. AND SO JUST TO APPLAUD THE LOUISVILLE, JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST, WE ARE THE SECOND LAND TRUST IN KENTUCKY TO ATTAIN ACCREDITATION THROUGH THE LAND TRUST ACCREDITATION COMMISSION AND ONE OF THE FEW QUASI GOVERNMENTAL LAND TRUSTS IN THE NATION TO HOLD THAT DESIGNATION. AND THAT BECOMES IMPORTANT BECAUSE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THAT ARE TAKEN ON AS A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A LANDOWNER AND THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST THROUGH METRO GOVERNMENT IN PERPETUITY, WHICH MEANS THAT'S FOREVER. SO THAT RELATIONSHIP IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AND THE MAKEUP OF THE BOARD AND THE ATTENTION THAT IS GIVEN. CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE THEY'RE VOLUNTARY. THEY'RE LOCAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN A LANDOWNER AND A LAND TRUST OR A GOVERNING BODY THAT PERMANENTLY PROTECTS AND PERMANENTLY LIMITS THE USE OF THE LAND TO PROTECT ITS CONSERVATION VALUES. WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST. AS OF TODAY, WE HOLD 20 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON 1721 ACRES, AND EACH ONE OF THOSE ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. IF YOU GROUP THOSE IN CATEGORIES, WE HAVE FOUR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THAT COMPRISE 160 ACRES THAT ARE PREDOMINANTLY WETLANDS. MOST OF THOSE ARE BOTTOMLAND HARDWOODS. AND TWO OF THOSE ARE WHAT'S CALLED REGULATORY CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, WHERE THE STATE OF KENTUCKY HAD ASKED LOUISVILLE, JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST AND LOUISVILLE GOVERNMENT TO HOLD AN EASEMENT WHERE THERE WAS LOSS OF WETLANDS. WE HAVE SIX CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THAT ARE PREDOMINANTLY WILDLIFE AND HAVE SCENIC VALUE. THOSE THAT'S 205 ACRES. THERE'S EIGHT WORKING FARMS THAT RANGE FROM FARMS THAT HAVE BEEF CATTLE, BISON, SHEEP AND FARM ANIMALS ON IT, AND ALSO CROPS. AND THERE'S TWO [00:10:04] CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THAT ARE STRICTLY, PREDOMINANTLY EQUINE FARMS AND THEY'RE HORSE FARMS. SO THOSE AREAS ARE IMPORTANT TO LOUISVILLE, JEFFERSON COUNTY AND METRO GOVERNMENT. OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A LAND TRUST IS TO MONITOR THOSE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ANNUALLY, WHICH MEANS EACH YEAR OUR WORKING BOARD, USUALLY THOSE FIVE SET OF CITIZENS AND ALSO SOME MEMBERS FROM THE FIVE METRO AGENCIES STEP FOOT ON THOSE PROPERTIES AND ENSURE THAT WHAT'S WRITTEN IN THAT EASEMENT HAS TAKEN PLACE, THAT THEIR CONSERVATION VALUES ARE BEING UPHELD REGARDLESS OF WHO OWNS THOSE PROPERTIES. AND WE ALSO HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY IN PERPETUITY OF PROTECTING THOSE CONSERVATION VALUES. THE CONSERVATION VALUES INCLUDE PRIME FARMLAND, GRAZING LAND, WILDLIFE HABITATS, CRITICAL WETLANDS, WATER QUALITY ATTRIBUTES, WATERSHED HEALTH QUALITY, STORMWATER INFILTRATION, WOODLAND AND TREE CANOPIES, SCENIC OPEN SPACE, AIR QUALITY. A LOT OF THOSE THINGS IN TERMS OF ATTRIBUTES YOU'VE HEARD ALL OVER THE PLACE WITH METRO GOVERNMENT, THE VALUE OF TREES AND CANOPIES THAT THE VALUE OF HAVING INTERNAL STORMWATER CONTROLS THAT ARE NOT BUILT STRUCTURES, BUT SOILS AND TREES AND THE IDEA OF HAVING BEAUTIFUL PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO GO PAST AND LOOK AT AND TO ADMIRE, BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE CERTAIN ASPECTS THAT HAVE SCENIC VALUE TO THEM. WE HAVE THAT WE INHERITED FROM THE OLD CITY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LOOKING AT AND OVERSEEING THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION EASEMENTS ON ABOUT EIGHT DIFFERENT PROPERTIES. MOST OF THOSE HAVE FACADE EASEMENTS ON THEM. SO WHAT WE COME TO YOU TODAY IS ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY ON BILLTOWN ROAD THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OVER 51 ACRES IN SIZE. AND IT IS, WE CALL IT THE TYLER OR THE BILLTOWN ROAD CONSERVATION EASEMENT. FOR SOME OF YOU THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ON THIS COMMITTEE BACK IN DECEMBER, I KNOW THAT THERE'S NEW FACES THAT ARE HERE. THIS ONE HAD COME BEFORE METRO COUNCIL OR BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE BEFORE. AND THE REASON THAT I WANT TO BRING THAT UP IS IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING THIS EASEMENT FORWARD AND HAVING IT RECORDED, ONE OF THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY, MR. TYLER, PASSED AWAY. AND THAT PROPERTY THEN TRANSFERRED BY DEED TO HIS WIDOW, MARY ANN TYLER. SHORTLY AFTER OUR PRESENTATION TO THIS GROUP AND GOING BEFORE METRO COUNCIL, MRS. TYLER FELL ILL AND THE WHOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT EASEMENT FELL ON THEIR ONE DAUGHTER, WHO DECIDED THAT. SHE SAID, WELL, I WOULD LIKE FOR JAY-Z TO PULL BACK FOR A MINUTE ON THIS EASEMENT AND LET ME GET A BETTER GRASP OF IT, AND IT WASN'T RECORDED, SO IT WAS NOT AN EASEMENT. AND SO WE DID THAT. AND SHE SAID THAT SHE WANTS TO UPHOLD THE WISHES OF HER DAD, BUT THERE WAS A ONE CHANGE THAT WAS MADE IN THAT EASEMENT. THAT EASEMENT HAS THREE TRACKS ON IT. ORIGINALLY, MR. TYLER WANTED TO RESERVE ONE HOUSE SITE ON THAT 51 ACRES. THE NEW OWNER, MARY TYLER, WITH CONSULTATION WITH HER DAUGHTER, DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE TRACKS TO HAVE A RESERVED BUILDING SPACE. SO THAT WENT BACK TO OUR GOVERNING BODY, AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ALLOWABLE. EACH ONE OF THOSE BUILDING SPACES IS CALLED A BUILDING ENVELOPE IS NO LONGER THAT NO BIGGER THAN TWO ACRES IN SIZE. ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THAT SIZE IS THAT THIS IS NOT A SEWERED AREA. IT IT DOES NOT HAVE SEWERS, BUT MAYBE AT SOME TIME IT'S GOING TO HAVE SEWERS OUT THERE, BUT IT PROVIDES A BUILDING SPACE ON THREE OF THOSE LOTS. I'M NOT GOING TO READ THROUGH ALL OF THIS, BUT IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF PROPERTY. AND I THINK MR. LEININGER SAID THAT HE GREW UP IN THAT AREA, AND IT IS ONE OF THE KIND OF FEW GREEN, REALLY GREEN AREAS. AS YOU GO DOWN BILLTOWN ROAD, IT'S ON BOTH THE NORTH AND THE AND THE SOUTH PART OF BILLTOWN ROAD, AND IT IS A IT'S A WOODED TRACK AND IT HAS A LOT OF WILDLIFE IN IT. IT HAS A POND. IT ALSO HAS THE OLD HISTORICAL BASE OF THE ORIGINAL [00:15:08] TYLER HOUSE. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS MR. TYLER SAID, I WANT TO PRESERVE THIS PLACE. ITS HISTORY GOES BACK TO THE SAME UNIT OF LAND WHERE BLACKACRE STATE NATURE PRESERVES IS AT. THE TYLER ESTATE WAS MASSIVE AT ONE TIME, AND HE JUST REALLY WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT HIS BACKGROUND AND HIS HISTORY WITH THE TYLER'S. AND SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OVER 54 ACRES IN SIZE. IT'S A WOODLAND. IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO STAY THAT EXCEPT FOR WHERE THE EXISTING HOUSE IS AT. THAT EXISTING HOUSE COULD BE RAZED AND A NEW ONE PUT THERE. AND THEN THE OTHER TWO SURVEY TRACKS, WHICH ARE A LITTLE BIT OVER ONE OF THEM, IS 12 ACRES IN SIZE, THE OTHER ONE IS 14 ACRES IN SIZE, HAS THE ABILITY TO PUT A SINGLE FAMILY HOME THERE, AND SO THAT'S KIND OF OUR PRESENTATION. UNLESS AIDEN HAS SOMETHING THAT SHE'D LIKE TO ADD. I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. ANY QUESTIONS? AND COUNCILWOMAN BASS, SO THIS DOESN'T NECESSARILY PERTAIN TO THIS, BUT SINCE YOU KIND OF TALKED ABOUT IT, I THOUGHT I'D TAKE ADVANTAGE AND ASK A QUESTION. SO THE CONVERSATION, THE CONSERVATION PROPERTIES THAT YOU ALL HAVE, LIKE WHO DOES THE REGULAR UPKEEP OF THOSE AND THINGS BECAUSE MY NEIGHBORHOOD BACKS UP TO ONE OF THE WETLANDS THAT IS FOR ALL THIS, AND IT HAS BASICALLY TURNED INTO A FOUR WHEELER DIRT BIKE HAVEN AND DUMP SITE. SO IS IT A IS IT A CONSERVATION EASEMENT THAT'S HELD BY IT'S KIND OF WHERE MILL CREEK AND BLACK POND CREEK RUN THROUGH OFF JOHNSON TOWN ROAD BEHIND THE VALLEY DOWNS NEIGHBORHOOD. IT HAS LIKE THE BIG WETLAND SIGNS UP AND ALL OF THAT. SO THAT'S NOT A CONSERVATION EASEMENT THAT WE HAVE, BUT IT'S PROBABLY PART OF WHAT WAS CALLED THE SID LENZ. OKAY. THAT MAY BE MSD OR THE COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. SO IT IT'S NOT ONE OF OUR EASEMENTS. BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. SO THESE PROPERTIES THAT ARE UNDER CONSERVATION EASEMENT ARE STILL UNDER THE OWNERSHIP OF WHOEVER OWNS THEM. BUT OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR INSTANCE, IF WE HAD ONE THAT HAD DIRT BIKE TRAILS THAT WERE ERODING, THAT'S A DEVALUATION OF A CONSERVATION VALUE. SO OUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY WOULD BE FIRST TO LET THE LANDOWNER KNOW THAT THAT IS AN INAPPROPRIATE USE FOR A CONSERVATION VALUE AND THEN TALK ABOUT HOW DO YOU RESTORE THAT BACK TO WHAT IT SHOULD BE. YEAH. SO WE HAVE THAT RESPONSIBILITY ON OUR EASEMENTS AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN EASEMENT OUT IN THAT AREA. SO YEAH, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE AN EASEMENT OUT IN THAT AREA. NOW I WAS JUST KIND OF CURIOUS BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S TURNED INTO THAT. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF DEER AND WILDLIFE BACK IN THERE AND, AND. SECOND HAND INFORMATION. WE'VE HAD SOME ILLEGAL HUNTING AND STUFF LIKE THAT GOING BACK THERE. SO YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO JUST AND AGAIN JUST KIND OF TO IT DOESN'T REALLY ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THE BOARD DOES IS THEY TRY TO GET PEOPLE MORE AWARE OF THE LOUISVILLE, JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IN GENERAL. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, OUR BOARD DECIDED TO DO A MASS MAILING IN THE FLOYDS FORK WATERSHED JUST TO BRING ATTENTION TO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND THEIR USE. AND THIS YEAR, OUR BOARD IS DOING SOUTHWEST JEFFERSON COUNTY, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES MILL CREEK, BLACK PINE CREEK, THAT WATERSHED IN THERE, JUST TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THAT'S A TOOL, AS A PRIVATE LANDOWNER, THAT THEY MIGHT THINK ABOUT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF AND UTILIZING TO PROTECT RESOURCES THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO THEM. AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT THERE WILL BE RESPONSES THAT COME OUT OF THERE THAT WE CAN LOOK AT SOME PROPERTIES AND GET CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THERE. THANK YOU. SOUNDS GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AND I THINK WE NEED TO JUST GO DO A VOICE VOTE ON THIS. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL OPPOSED AND IT MOVES ON. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND I THINK NEXT WE HAVE UP IS THE [1. ID 25-0156     JEFFERSON COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE – Catherine Shake, Extension Board] JEFFERSON COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE. CATHERINE SHAKE. QUICK. [00:20:06] GOOD EVENING I'M CATHERINE SHAKE. I'M THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY EXTENSION DISTRICT BOARD, WHICH IS A NICE WAY TO SAY I'M AN UNPAID VOLUNTEER. I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE FOR OUR ACTIVITIES FOR THE LAST QUARTER, THERE WERE OVER 2391 PATRONS SERVED BY THE JEFFERSON COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION. THERE WERE OVER 900 FOUR-H PARTICIPANTS IN 20 METRO DISTRICTS, 441 PARTICIPANTS IN FAMILY CONSUMER SCIENCES, AND 83% PARTICIPANTS IN AG AND NATURAL RESOURCES PROGRAMING. THERE WERE 178 SOIL TESTS, 83 PLANTS IDENTIFIED, WHICH MEANS SOMEBODY SHOWED UP WITH A WEED OR SOMETHING AND SAID, WHAT IS THIS? IT'S TAKING OVER MY GARDEN. 27 INSECTS IDENTIFIED. THERE WERE 967 PARTICIPANTS IN NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMING, AND THAT IS WHERE THEY REACH OUT TO SENIORS AND LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND TEACH THEM HOW TO PREPARE NUTRITIOUS MEALS WITH THEIR FOOD STAMP DOLLARS. AND THAT PROGRAM ALSO GIVES THEM A LOT OF KITCHEN BASICS. THAT PROGRAM HAS A LOT OF FEDERAL FUNDING, AND THEY HAVE THINGS LIKE MEASURING CUPS AND MEASURING SPOONS, RECIPE CARDS, LOTS OF THINGS THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE TO THOSE PEOPLE IN THAT PROGRAM. AS YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR OUR BUDGET WAS GREATLY REDUCED, AND I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EFFECT OF THOSE BUDGET CUTS. WE DID GIVE UP THE MANAGEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY GARDENS. METROPARKS TOOK BACK THE ONES THAT WERE IN THE PARKS, AND WE WORKED WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND FOUND SOMEONE TO MANAGE THOSE COMMUNITY GARDENS. EXTENSION WILL CONTINUE TO DO OUR ROLE, WHICH IS EDUCATION, RESEARCH, SOIL TESTING WITH COMMUNITY GARDENERS. BUT WE DID GIVE UP THE DAY TO DAY MANAGEMENT OF THEM. OUR AG AND NATURAL RESOURCES AGENT RESIGNED AND TOOK A POSITION SOMEWHERE ELSE. OUR HORT TECH RESIGNED AND WE LAID OFF OUR COMMUNITY GARDEN MANAGER. SINCE WE WERE NO LONGER MANAGING THE COMMUNITY GARDENS AND WE HAVE LAID OFF ONE STAFF ASSISTANT, HER LAST DAY WILL BE IN MAY. VERY BECAUSE OF THE METRO COUNCIL'S GENEROSITY. WE DID RECEIVE SOME FUNDS IN DECEMBER. WE WERE DEBATING WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO LAY OFF ONE OF OUR TWO FOUR-H AGENTS. WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP THAT AGENT. I HAVE SUBMITTED MY BUDGET REQUEST TO THE PARKS DIVISION. WE ASKED FOR $715,000. NOW, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND ON THAT, BULLITT COUNTY GOT 1.8 MILLION LAST YEAR. SHELBY COUNTY GOT 1.5 MILLION. FAYETTE COUNTY GOT 1.5 MILLION, AND SPENCER COUNTY GOT 750,000. JEFFERSON COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION GOT $182,000 IN THE BUDGET THAT I ASKED FOR THIS YEAR. I ASKED FOR FUNDS TO HIRE A THIRD FOUR-H AGENT. AT ONE POINT, LOUISVILLE HAD AS MANY AS TEN FOUR-H AGENTS. WE ARE DOWN TO TWO. WE MET WITH THE PARKS DIVISION TODAY. THEY ARE ASKING US TO DO MORE FOR EACH PROGRAM PROGRAMING IN THE COMMUNITY GARDEN. I MEAN, THE COMMUNITY CENTERS, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY'RE ASKING US TO DO MORE AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO IT. THE OTHER THING I ALWAYS ASK FOR IS PROGRAMING DOLLARS. PROGRAMING DOLLARS ARE THE FUNDS THAT THE AGENTS USE. IF THEY DO A SEWING PROGRAM, THEY HAVE TO HAVE MATERIAL, THREAD, NEEDLES, ALL THOSE TYPES OF CONSUMABLES. IF THEY DO A COOKING PROGRAM, THEY HAVE TO HAVE GROCERIES. IF THEY DO A CANNING PROGRAM, THEY HAVE TO HAVE JARS, LIDS, FOOD, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANY PROGRAMING DOLLARS AT ALL. THE PROGRAMING DOLLARS ARE ALSO WHAT GETS THE KIDS TO FOUR-H CAMP. AND I KNOW I SHARED THIS WITH YOU IN DECEMBER, BUT WE GOT SOME NEW PEOPLE LAST YEAR FOR A CAMP IN BULLITT COUNTY COST $165. IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, IT WAS $375. AND THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT BULLITT COUNTY HAS THEIR DISTRICT BOARD, HAS THE FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO COVER THE COST OF GOING TO CAMP. SO FOR THE EXACT SAME CAMP THE EXACT SAME WEEK, JEFFERSON COUNTY KIDS ARE PAYING 375. IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO GO UP TO 400 THIS YEAR. AND BULLITT COUNTY KIDS ARE PAYING $165. SO WE HAVE KIDS THAT HAVE FOUR CHILDREN IN FOUR-H, AND THEY LITERALLY HAVE TO PICK WHICH CHILD GETS TO GO TO CAMP. OR WE HAVE SOME KIDS, THEIR FAMILIES [00:25:02] WHO HAVE FIGURED THIS OUT, AND THEY ACTUALLY TAKE THEIR KIDS TO BULLITT COUNTY AND REGISTER THEM TO CAMP FOR CAMP JUST BECAUSE IT'S CHEAPER. I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO COVER ENOUGH OF THOSE COSTS TO GET OUR COSTS TO GO TO CAMP DOWN IN THAT RANGE. OUR PHONE SYSTEM IS DYING. WE HAVE TWO PHONES THAT WE KNOW THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF A CALL WILL JUST CUT OFF. SO WE TRY NOT TO USE THOSE. OUR COPIER IS OLD AND OUTDATED, SO WE HAVE ASKED FOR FUNDS TO COVER SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION IS HOUSE BILL 356 JUST PASSED 98 TO 0, AND IT IS ACTUALLY NAMED THE KENTUCKY URBAN YOUTH AGRICULTURAL INITIATIVE. AND WHAT THIS INITIATIVE DOES IS IT SAYS IF YOUR COUNTY HAS MORE THAN 75,000 PEOPLE IN IT, YOUR EXTENSION OFFICE SHOULD BE TEACHING AGRICULTURE. THERE'S 167 SCHOOLS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. THERE IS. IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO DO THIS WITH TWO FOUR-H AGENTS. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS ON YOUR MINDS. THAT REALLY WAS THE LAST OF MY SLIDES, BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO COME UP HERE AND JUST THROW OUT ALL THIS INFORMATION, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF WHERE EXTENSION IS, WHERE WE ARE, AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER, ANYTHING I CAN DO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE? MR. LEININGER? YEAH. COULD YOU DESCRIBE SOME OF THE PROGRAMING THAT'S BEEN REQUESTED BY THE COMMUNITY CENTERS AND THE PARK DEPARTMENT? WELL, APPARENTLY THEY HAVE SOME SEWING MACHINES. THEY'D LIKE US TO DO SOME SEWING CLASSES THERE. THEY WANT US TO DO SOME EMBRYOLOGY. I THINK THEY I WAS TALKING THEY WANT SOME POTTERY CLASSES, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT. THEY HAVE ALL KIND OF ACTIVITIES THAT THEY DO IN THE SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW. AND WAS THERE A VISION FOR HOW MANY YOUTH WOULD BE SERVED OR IS THIS OPEN? IS THIS NOT JUST YOUTH? THIS WOULD BE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE IT WOULD BE. IT WOULD BE IN THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN LOUISVILLE HAS COMMUNITY CENTERS KIND OF DOTTED AROUND, AND THEY WANT TO TRY TO DO FOUR-H PROGRAMING IN THOSE COMMUNITY CENTERS. NOW, WE CURRENTLY DO A LOT OF PROGRAMING IN THE SCHOOLS. WE DO SOME PROGRAMING AT OUR OFFICE, BUT THEY WANT US TO MOVE MORE INTO THE COMMUNITY CENTERS. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. COUNCILWOMAN BASS, I JUST WANT TO SAY I GREW UP GOING TO FOUR-H CAMP EVERY YEAR. WE I'D GO TO CUMBERLAND LAKE. IT WAS A HUGE PART OF ME GROWING UP, AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. SO I'D LOVE TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE THIS WORK FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND I HAVE SOME VALLEY COMMUNITY CENTER IN MY DISTRICT, AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU GUYS OUT. SO MAYBE WE CAN TALK AND FIGURE SOMETHING OUT. OKAY, I, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU IT JUST KILLS MY SOUL. THE VERY MOST VULNERABLE KIDS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. WE'RE PRICING OUT OF THE ABILITY TO GO TO FORAGE CAMP. I DON'T WANT OUR CAMP TO BECOME SOMETHING THAT'S ONLY AVAILABLE TO KIDS WHOSE PARENTS CAN AFFORD TO PAY. AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING. YEAH, WELL, I GREW UP, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE ASPECT. I STARTED YOUNG AND THEN MADE MY WAY INTO A TEAM LEADER WHERE I WOULD GO EVERY YEAR AND DO THAT. SO IT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MISS SHAY? CAN YOU MAYBE. OH, I DON'T HAVE IT. THINGS NOT WORKING? COME ON. YOU MIND IF I ASK A QUESTION REAL QUICK? SO CAN YOU KIND OF TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING THAT ARE POSITIVE, POSSIBLY IN, IN YOUR PROGRAM AND THEN HOW WE CAN. SORRY. WHAT IS IT? OH, I'M ON THE WRONG ONE, THAT'S WHY. SORRY I'M ON THE WRONG COMMITTEE. HOW WE CAN HELP IN THAT REALM. AND THEN WITH HOUSE BILL 356 PASSING, HOW WILL THAT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR THE NEXT YEAR IF THAT PASSES OUT OF THE SENATE? I REALLY DON'T KNOW YET. THERE'S A IT SAYS THAT BY AUGUST OF 2025, THEY WANT US TO HAVE A PROGRAM IN PLACE. I'M REALLY NOT SURE HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT WITH 24H AGENTS. NOW WE ARE LOOKING TO HIRE AN AG AND NATURAL RESOURCES AGENT. IF WE CAN AFFORD IT, WE'RE GOING TO HIRE A HAUT TECH, WHICH IS A HUGE THING FOR OUR OFFICE. WE ARE DOING. WE HAD A THEY HAD A SEWING CAMP AT THE FOUR H4H SEWING CAMP RECENTLY. THEY THEY ARE CONSTANTLY DOING PROGRAMS IN THE SCHOOLS. YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE I SAID, WE HAD LET ME GO BACK TO [00:30:07] MY FIRST SLIDE, 900 PARTICIPANTS IN FOUR H PROGRAMING IN THE LAST QUARTER. THE PROGRAM IS GOING STRONG. THEY HATCH OVER 2500 EGGS A YEAR IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. I DID GET A SPONSOR FOR T SHIRTS FOR FOUR H CAMP THIS YEAR. SO WE IN THAT BILL WERE THEY ARE THEY LOOKING TO ALLOCATE DOLLARS FOR THIS PROGRAM THROUGH THE STATE. THEY ARE NOT LOOKING TO ALLOCATE DOLLARS. IT IT IT SAYS I'LL READ IT TO YOU. URBAN AGRICULTURAL YOUTH PROMOTION EDUCATION YOUTH URBAN AGRICULTURE. IT SAYS CHILDREN AND MINORS COUNTIES URBAN COUNTIES OF 75,000 OR MORE. GOTCHA. ALL RIGHT I'M GOING TO AND IT'S THERE'S I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING ABOUT ANY MONEY ATTACHED TO THIS SO. RIGHT. AND THERE'S I THINK THERE'S IT'S US AND FAYETTE COUNTY THAT ARE GOING TO BE THE MOST IMPACTED BY IT. IT SEEMS KIND OF STRANGE TO PASS A BILL LIKE THAT TO REQUIRE SOMETHING AND THEN NOT HAVE FUNDING, NOT HAVE FUNDING ATTACHED WITH IT. SO YEAH, I CAN I CAN UNDERSTAND, COUNCILWOMAN RUBY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO FIRST OF ALL, I CAN SPEAK FOR MY ORCHARD HAS HAD A SOIL TEST. WE'VE TAKEN PLANTS IN THERE AND HAD DISEASES IDENTIFIED. I DID FOUR-H, I DID SUMMER CAMP. SO UPON REFLECTION, I'VE USED YOUR SERVICES A LOT OVER MY LIFETIME. SO MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, IN A CLOSER TO PERFECT WORLD, HOW MANY AGENTS, BASED ON THE DEMAND THAT YOU KNOW YOU HAVE, HOW MANY AGENTS DO YOU THINK YOU NEED? I'D LOVE TO SEE 6 OR 7 BACK. THAT WOULD GIVE US ENOUGH AGENTS THAT WE COULD GET TO THOSE COMMUNITY CENTERS, GET TO THE SCHOOLS. BEFORE COVID, THEY HAD, FOUR-H CLUBS IN 85% OF THE SCHOOLS. THERE'S BEEN A BIG DECLINE IN THAT SINCE COVID. I'D LOVE TO GET THAT NUMBER BUILT BACK UP. I IT SO MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE A FAMILY FARM. SO WE'RE IN THE AGRICULTURAL WORLD AND EVERY OTHER COUNTY YOU GO TO, THE EXTENSION OFFICE HAS A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING AND THEY HAVE THESE REALLY NICE FACILITIES, AND THEY CAN TEACH CANNING CLASSES AND TEACH CLASSES AND DO ALL OF THESE THINGS. AND WE DON'T HAVE HAVE THE FACILITY TO DO THAT. YOU KNOW, I'D JUST LOVE FOR US TO HAVE THE FACILITIES. I WANT THE I WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THESE PEOPLE THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOBS. I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET A PAYCHECK. I MEAN, WE'VE LIVED THIS LAST YEAR HOPING WE COULD KEEP EVERYBODY ALL YEAR LONG. SO I, I'D REALLY LOVE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THE FUNDS. YOU KNOW, THEY WORRY ABOUT, CAN I DRIVE OUT HERE I DON'T. DO I HAVE ANY PARKING MONEY OR MILEAGE MONEY LEFT IN MY ACCOUNT? THEY SCROUNGE FOR MATERIALS. OTHER AGENTS, WHEN THEY COME TO VISIT THE JEFFERSON COUNTY OFFICE, THEY SHOW UP WITH A BOX OF OLD T SHIRTS, AND THEY. SOMETIMES THEY BRING US COPY PAPERS. SOMEBODY BROUGHT US LIGHT BULBS AND TOILET PAPER. I MEAN, IT'S CRAZINESS. THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING TO SURVIVE FEELS LIKE A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION. IT IS IT IS. OKAY, SO I AM ON THE BOARD FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY FARM BUREAU. WE RENT OUR SPACE TO THEM. WE HAVE NEVER RAISED THEIR RENT. WE RAISE EVERY OTHER TENANT IN THE BUILDING 5% A YEAR, BUT WE HAVE NEVER RAISED EXTENSION'S RATE BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY. WE ALLOW THEM TO USE OUR CONFERENCE ROOM WITH OUR AUDIOVISUAL EQUIPMENT. WE DO, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO HELP THEM, BUT IT'S TOUGH. YEAH. I HEAR THE PAIN IN YOUR VOICE. SO THESE AGENTS, WOULD THEY BE FULL TIME OR PART TIME? THEY WOULD BE FULL TIME. OKAY. AND DO YOU HAVE A BALLPARK ON HOW MUCH OF THAT PART ALONE WOULD COST? AN AGENT'S ABOUT 85,000. A STAFF ASSISTANT. THEY USUALLY GET A STAFF ASSISTANT THAT HELPS THEM. IS ABOUT 50. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. COUNCILWOMAN RAYMOND IQ IS WORKING NOW. THANK YOU. CHAIR, YOU WERE SURPRISED ABOUT WHAT FRANKFORT HAS DONE. I AM NOT. THE UNFUNDED MANDATE IS A PARTICULAR FAVORITE OF THEIRS. I WAS ABLE TO VISIT THE EXTENSION OFFICE ON MONDAY. YES, IT'S IN DISTRICT TEN, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THEIR SERVICES ARE ACROSS THE CITY. AND I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH THE TEAM AND THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE PASSION. A YOUNG STAFF MEMBER PLAYED A BEAUTIFUL SONG ON THE DULCIMER THAT SHE HAD LEARNED TO PLAY THE DULCIMER [00:35:04] FROM HER GRANNY IN APPALACHIA. AND THEN I CAME BACK TO THE OFFICE AND I WAS SO EXCITED AND I SAID, I JUST SAW SOMEONE PLAY THE DULCIMER, AND AN ADULT WHO WORKS HERE AT CITY HALL SAID, WHAT'S A DULCIMER? IT'S THE STATE INSTRUMENT OF KENTUCKY. YOU ALL WE NEED DULCIMER EDUCATION. CLEARLY. AND THEN I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THE EGGS PIECE. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF EGGS RIGHT NOW IN ACROSS JEFFERSON COUNTY, AND I THINK IT'S THIRD GRADERS WHO GET THIS EXPERIENCE. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THEY DO THEM IN THE LIBRARY AND THE LIBRARIAN WILL ROTATE. THE ENTIRE SCHOOL CAN WATCH THEM HATCH. SO WE CAN POTENTIALLY HAVE 500 CHILDREN WATCH THE SAME. YES, ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. AND MOST OF THE PROGRAMING IS NOT ONE OFF EITHER. IT'S CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT. SO YOU'LL HAVE AGENTS WHO ARE IN CLASSROOMS EVERY SINGLE WEEK OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. AND THESE LADIES BEGIN TO FEEL LIKE GRANNIES OR AUNTIES TO THE STUDENTS. AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY GREAT. IT FEELS TO ME LIKE WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK TO RESTORE THE TRADES TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND NOT ANYTHING TO RESTORE THIS SORT OF HOME EC PIECE. I'M AS FEMINIST AS THEY COME, AND I STILL THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE TEACHING OUR GIRLS AND OUR BOYS HOW TO COOK AND HOW TO SEW. I ALSO LEARNED THAT 115 OF 120 COUNTIES, YES, HAVE A TAX TO SUPPORT THEIR EXTENSION OFFICE. THEY DO. THEY ESTABLISH A SPECIAL TAXING DISTRICT AND THEY SET A RATE. AND THEN THE EXTENSION OFFICE IS FUNDED, WHICH IS HOW BULLITT COUNTY GOT THEIR 1.8 MILLION. THAT'S WHY OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES HAVE $1 MILLION, 100,000 SOMETHING. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO THROW THE NUMBER OUT THERE? THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD IN JEFFERSON COUNTY IS $269,000 FOR LESS THAN $5, A HOUSEHOLD EXTENSION WOULD GET 1.5 MILLION. IT'S A REALLY SMALL IF WE AUTHORIZE THE TAXING DISTRICT, IF WE AUTHORIZE THE TAXING DISTRICT, AN EXTENSION TAX, THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD IN JEFFERSON COUNTY WOULD PAY LESS THAN $5 PER YEAR. YES, MA'AM. AND THE EXTENSION OFFICE'S BUDGET WOULD GROW TENFOLD. YES. MY OFFICE, JUST SO MY COLLEAGUES KNOW, MY OFFICE IS EXPLORING NOW THROUGH THE MDF PROCESS, SPONSORING CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS FROM DISTRICT TEN. THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT OTHERS COULD PURSUE. AND THEN, CATHERINE, YOU MENTIONED YOUR FARM. YOU HAVE A PRODUCE FARM. I THINK ALL OF US WOULD LIKE TO COME AND VISIT. I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO COME. WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT SCHEDULE THAT I THINK JUNE OR JULY, WHEN I'M STILL PUTTING THINGS IN THE GROUND. IT'S NOT REAL EXCITING RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU OUT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SOUNDS LIKE A FIELD TRIP JUST GOT SCHEDULED. WE'LL GET FOOD. WE'LL FEED YOU, CATHERINE. SO HOW MUCH WORK ARE YOU ALL PUTTING IN WITH JCPS? YES. I CAN'T QUANTIFY THE NUMBER OF HOURS I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I CAN'T. I KNOW THEY'RE THERE ALL THE TIME, AND I AND I CAN FIND OUT EXACTLY HOW MANY SCHOOLS THEY'RE IN AND HOW MANY HOURS THEY'RE SPENDING THERE. BECAUSE COUNCILWOMAN RAYMOND BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT. YOU KNOW, WE DO A LOT TO RESTORE THE TRADES. AND I THINK THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY NEEDED. BUT I ALSO AGREE THAT THIS SHOULD BE RESTORED IN JCPS. AND I THINK JCPS IS PROBABLY THE BEST AVENUE TO GO LOOK AND SAY, HEY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING SOMETHING FOR OUR TIME AND OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE MOVING THIS EFFORT FORWARD. I MEAN, IF THAT'S SOME EXPLORATION THAT YOU PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK AT AS WELL, BUT I THINK THAT I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PRESENTATION. I THINK WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO THE FIELD TRIP. AND IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, NO. THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK YOU. YES. WE. ON TO OUR NEXT DISCUSSION IS. 25-0158 CONSERVATION [2. ID 25-0158     CONSERVATION DISTRICT UPDATE – Sarah Beth Sammons, Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District] DISTRICT UPDATE. MISS SARAH BETH. THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US. MY NAME IS SARAH BETH SAMMONS. I'M THE CHAIR OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT. THE HISTORY OF THE. I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF THING, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME NEW FACES AND NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS ARE. THEY WERE SET UP AFTER THE DUST BOWL. THERE WAS A HUGE NATURAL DISASTER THAT WE OF OUR OWN MAKING, NATURAL RESOURCES. OUR SOIL WAS LITERALLY UP IN THE AIR BECAUSE OF POOR FARMING PRACTICES. SO THEREFORE THEY CREATED SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS TO BE THE LOCAL BOOTS ON THE GROUND TO TALK FARMERS INTO CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES. A LOT OF TIMES, ESPECIALLY BACK IN THE 30S, PEOPLE DIDN'T TRUST THE GOVERNMENT, PROBABLY STILL DON'T TODAY. AND SO THE LOCAL WE'RE ALL LOCALLY ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT PROMOTE CONSERVATION OF [00:40:07] NATURAL RESOURCES. TODAY, OUR MISSION IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, ESPECIALLY HERE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY AND OTHER URBAN COUNTIES. WE'RE TRYING TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAMING TO NOT ONLY IMPACT NATURAL RESOURCE AND NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION ON AGRICULTURAL LAND, BUT ALSO RESIDENTIAL PARKS, WHAT HAVE YOU. SO WE'RE LIKE I SAID, WE'RE SEVEN ELECTED SUPER SUPERVISORS. WE ALL HAVE FOUR YEAR TERMS, AND WE ALSO HAVE TWO DISTRICT STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY WHO'S PART TIME AND A SOIL TECHNICIAN WHO WE SHARE WITH THE NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SERVICE. 8020 IN OUR CS PAYS 80% OF THEIR SALARY. WE PAY 20%. OUR ACHIEVEMENTS THIS YEAR. I DIDN'T PUT ALL OF THEM ON THERE. I'M JUST KIND OF HAVE A BRIEF LIST AND I'LL GO THROUGH. SO IF YOU CAN'T READ ALL THIS, I'M KIND OF GOING THROUGH EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY A LITTLE BIT. OUR FIRST ONE WAS WE HAD A SOIL TECHNICIAN LAST YEAR. HE MOVED ON TO THE KENTUCKY DIVISION OF FORESTRY, SO WE HAD TO REHIRE THAT POSITION AND WE GOT A GREAT ONE. DAVE NICHTER. HE'S A SOIL SCIENTIST, A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE ON SOIL. HE'S ALREADY GIVEN SEVERAL CLASSES ON SOIL HEALTH AND IMPROVING SOILS. SUPERVISOR ELECTION WAS ALSO LAST FALL. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE KIND OF SPREAD ALL OVER THE COUNTY. I'M IN SIX. WE HAVE SOMEONE IN 11 2421. WE'RE ALL OVER THE COUNTY, SO IT'S A GOOD SPREAD. WE DO OUR CAPE, WHICH IS THE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM. THAT'S MONEY. THAT'S FROM THE TOBACCO SETTLEMENT MONEY. KENTUCKY GETS SO MANY MILLIONS, THEY DIVIDE IT INTO WOMEN'S SERVICES AND ALSO AGRICULTURAL INVESTMENT. AND THAT'S TO DIVERSIFY OUR AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS SO THAT WE'RE NOT SO DEPENDENT ON TOBACCO. JEFFERSON COUNTY WAS AWARDED THE FULL AMOUNT, WHICH IS $35,000 FROM THE STATE, AND WE HAVE 12 APPROVED APPLICANTS IN DISTRICT NINE, 11, 15, 16, 20 AND 22 SO AWARDED TO DATE. WE'VE AWARDED $11,000 FOR NEW APIARY EQUIPMENT, WHICH IS BEEKEEPING, A NEW APIARY SETUP, PASTURE FENCING, CULTIVATION EQUIPMENT AND A TRELLIS STRUCTURE. IN THE PAST, WE'VE ALSO AWARDED APPLICANTS THAT HAVE DONE A LOT MORE URBAN AGRICULTURE. THEY'VE GOTTEN HIGH TUNNELS, WORM OPERATIONS AND NATIVE FLOWERS. WE ALSO PARTICIPATE ON A LOT OF PANELS, BOARDS AND WORK GROUPS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY. WE'RE A SITTING MEMBER OF THE MSD MIDDLE BEARGRASS CREEK STEERING COMMITTEE, THE TREE ADVISORY BOARD WORKSHOP. WE ALSO MEET WITH PARKS AND RECREATION ON A MONTHLY BASIS, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS. WE'VE ALSO MET WITH PARKS ALLIANCE ON A PARTNERSHIP. WE ARE PARTNERING WITH MSD AND CUA ON THE ON A COUPLE PROJECTS, AND THEN WE ALSO SIT ON THE MSD PUBLIC INFORMATION PLAN COMMITTEE. ONE OF OUR WELL ATTENDED EVENTS WAS THE SHELBY PARK BEER GARDEN AND PUMPKIN PATCH IN DISTRICT SIX, AND THIS ONE I TABLED MYSELF, AND I HAD SOMEONE COME UP TO ME AND SAY THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN A SOIL TEST. WE PROVIDE FREE SOIL TEST VOUCHERS FOR EVERYONE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY UP TO TWO. SO IF THEY GO GET THEIR SOIL AND THEY TAKE IT TO EXTENSION, THEY HAVE TO PAY A CERTAIN FEE. BUT IF THEY TAKE OUR VOUCHER, THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY. AND BECAUSE OF EXTENSION'S BUDGET ISSUES FROM LAST YEAR, WE'VE ADDED MORE MONEY TO OUR SOIL TESTING PROGRAM TO PAY FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE PART OF THE SOIL TESTING. SO AT THIS EVENT, SOMEONE CAME UP TO ME. SHE LIVED AROUND THE BLOCK FROM ME. I LIVE ON CAMP STREET, WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT TO SHELBY PARK, AND SAID THAT THEY UTILIZED OUR SOIL TEST VOUCHER, AND SHE SAID THAT IT WAS A HANDWRITTEN NOTE ON HER SOIL TEST THAT SAID, I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU'RE NOT USING THIS TO GROW FOOD. SHE SAID THAT THE LEAD WAS OFF THE CHARTS, IN WHICH A LOT OF OLD LOUISVILLE HAS A LOT OF LEAD IN IT BECAUSE OF THE YEARS AND YEARS OF LEAD PAINT THAT WE'VE USED. SO IT'S A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT INTO THAT OLDER NEIGHBORHOOD AND LET PEOPLE KNOW BUILDING OUR BLOCKS, WHICH IS A EFFORT AND INITIATIVE BY JENNIFER CHAPPELL OF DISTRICT 15. WE'VE DONE THIS FOR THE LAST THREE BUILD OUR BLOCKS. WE OFFER FREE RAIN BARRELS. THE DISTRICT BUYS RAIN BARRELS TO DISTRIBUTE TO RESIDENTS. ALSO, WE PROVIDE SOIL TESTING KITS AND WE ALSO DISTRIBUTED EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL, NATIVE FLOWER SEEDS. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE NATIVE PLANT ORDINANCE SIGNAGE. THIS [00:45:05] YEAR, WE'VE DONE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WE HAVE BEFORE. THE OLDHAM COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT WAS AWARDED A 319 GRANT LAST YEAR FOR A WATERWAY IN THEIR COMMUNITY, SO WE THOUGHT WE WOULD TRY TO DO IT FOR THE MIDDLE GRASS, MIDDLE CREEK. I'M SORRY, MIDDLE FORK OF THE BEARGRASS CREEK, THEY HAVE A IT'S THE FIRST URBAN WATERSHED PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED IN KENTUCKY. AND SO WE REQUESTED $90,000 FROM THE EPA CLEAN WATER ACT FUND TO DO SOME OF THE WATERSHED BASED PLAN BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. WE'VE DEVELOPED PARTNERSHIPS THROUGH THIS GRANT APPLICATION WITH LOUISVILLE MSD, THE JEFFERSON COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS ASSOCIATION, METRO PARKS AND RECREATION, OLMSTED PARKS CONSERVANCY, MIDDLE FORK BEARGRASS CREEK STEERING COMMITTEE, WATER, I'M SORRY, KENTUCKY WATERWAYS ALLIANCE, AND THE FARMINGTON HISTORIC HOME. AND JUST TO KIND OF POINT OUT THIS, ALL THESE PICTURES ARE THE MIDDLE GRASS, BEARGRASS CREEK, MIDDLE FORK, BEARGRASS CREEK. AND THIS IS THE SAME ONE THAT RUNS THROUGH CHEROKEE PARK THAT PEOPLE SWIM IN. AND IT ALSO HAS A VERY HIGH. E.COLI COLIFORM HAS, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON WHEN IT RAINS, IT CAN BE A PRETTY NASTY LITTLE CREEK. THROUGH TALKING ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS ON THE 319 GRANT, WE FOUND THAT THE KWA AND MSD HAS A DEFUNCT PROGRAM THAT THEY STARTED IN THE LATE 20 TENS. EVERY DROP PROGRAM, WHICH HELPS LOUISVILLE'S HOMEOWNERS ALONG THE BEARGRASS CREEK. WATERWAY JUST KIND OF HELP WITH THEIR STORMWATER ISSUES. SO RAIN GARDENS, RAIN BARRELS, PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING THAT WE ALREADY HAVE WITHIN OUR PROGRAMING. SO WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT DOING IS PARTNERING TO TAKE THIS PROGRAM OVER AND UTILIZING THE WEBSITE AND DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT THE PROGRAMING AND EXPANDING, EXPANDING OUR PROGRAMING. PROBABLY NOT TO THE POINT OF WHERE THIS PROGRAM HAD PEOPLE THAT WOULD GO OUT AND DO THE WORK FOR THE HOMEOWNER. WE'RE MORE OF WE'LL BE MORE OF A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND MAYBE SOME GRANTS WHEN APPLICABLE. WE'VE ALSO BEEN ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COOPERATIVE WEED MANAGEMENT AREA WITH THE KENTUCKY DIVISION OF FORESTRY. ALL THESE PLANTS ON HERE, I'M SURE EVERYBODY DRIVING AROUND NOW SEE ALL THE JAPANESE HONEYSUCKLE. THAT'S THE FIRST TO GREEN OUT. THE SMALLER TREE IS THE TREE OF HEAVEN. I'VE GOT ONE OF THOSE IN MY BACKYARD AND POSSIBLE TO GET RID OF. AND THEN IF YOU'VE DRIVEN THROUGH CHEROKEE PARK LATELY, YOU'VE SEEN ALL THE BUTTERCUP ON THE BOTTOM THERE. WE HAVE A TON OF INVASIVE SPECIES IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE HOPE TO DEVELOP SOME PARTNERSHIPS WITH METRO PARKS AND URBAN FORESTRY TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY TO GET RID OF SOME OF THESE NEW NUISANCES. WE ALSO TABLED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY FAIR, GAVE OUT SOME SOME TOTE BAGS, FLOWER SEED TO THE STUDENTS, AND DISCUSSED CAREERS AND CONSERVATION. WE ALSO HAVE ALWAYS GIVEN OUT THESE TINY LITTLE SEEDLING TREES, THESE LITTLE TINY WHITE PINES TO SCHOOL CHILDREN. WHEN I FIRST BECAME A SUPERVISOR WITH THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT, I THINK WE GAVE OUT 2000 TREES AND I SAID, HOW MANY OF THESE REALLY SURVIVE? RIGHT? HOW MANY OF THESE LITTLE TREES END UP IN THIS KID'S BACKPACK AND THEY NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY AGAIN UNTIL THEIR MOM CLEANS IT OUT? SO INSTEAD OF TAKING THAT $2,500 AND INVESTING IT IN TREES, THAT, NUMBER ONE, ARE PROBABLY TOO BIG FOR THE PERSON'S BACKYARD. NUMBER TWO PROBABLY WON'T BE SUCCESSFULLY PLANTED. WE ACTUALLY SPONSORED A TREE TREES LOUISVILLE GIVEAWAY, WHICH WAS PRETTY SUCCESSFUL. ONE GALLON CONTAINER TREES, 600 TREES. THERE WAS ALREADY A LINE WHEN WE GOT THERE TO SET UP OUR TABLE. THERE WAS ALREADY A LINE TO GET THE TREES, SO THEY'RE ALWAYS A GREAT EVENT AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THE SAME THING THIS YEAR. WE ALSO TABLED AT THE ORGANIC ASSOCIATION OF KENTUCKY CONFERENCE. WE MET A LOT OF FARMERS AND PRODUCERS FROM JEFFERSON COUNTY THAT MAYBE HADN'T KNOWN US BEFORE. SO THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY. WE ALSO WERE AWARDED THE KENTUCKY DIVISION OF CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL GRANT. WE'VE RECEIVED THIS GRANT FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS OR FIVE YEARS, EXCEPT FOR 2024, WHEN THEY WERE MORE FOCUSED ON NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS USUALLY MANURE AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DON'T HAVE A TON OF, NO PUN INTENDED. WE ALSO HAD THE FIRST NEW AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT IN 20 YEARS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. THAT WAS ADDED, AND AG DISTRICTS JUST PROTECT THE LAND FROM [00:50:04] DEVELOPMENT, ANNEXATION AND THE LAND IS ALSO TAXED AT AN AGRICULTURAL RATE. NOW THIS IS A TOTALLY VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AND THEY CAN ALSO WITHDRAW AT ANY TIME. SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT FORBIDS THE LAND EVER BE DEVELOPED, BUT IT DOES PROTECT IT IN THE SHORT TERM. WE ALSO ATTENDED AND SPONSORED THE KENTUCKY BLACK FARMERS CONFERENCE AS A BRONZE LEVEL EVENT SPONSOR. THE SOIL OUR SOIL TECH WENT TO THIS AND HE SAID IT WAS THE BEST FARMERS CONFERENCE HE'S EVER BEEN TO. A LOT OF LOVE, A LOT OF GREAT OPPORTUNITIES, A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST BEING REALLY EXCITED ABOUT URBAN AGRICULTURE AND PRODUCING IN GENERAL. AND WE ALSO ARE EXTENDING OUR REDOING A LITTLE BIT OF OUR PROGRAMING. LIKE I SAID, WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO BETTER HELP OUR CONSTITUENTS. WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THE URBAN HIGH TUNNEL INITIATIVE AND NOW WE'RE ADDED THE LOW TUNNEL INITIATIVE. THIS YEAR, WE ONLY HAD $4,500 IN THE PROGRAM. THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE'VE ALLOCATED $11,000 TO BOTH HIGH TUNNELS AND LOW TUNNELS. LOW TUNNELS BEING THE TOP PICTURE, THEY CAN EXTEND SEASONS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A LOT OF LAND TO DO THE LOW TUNNELS REALLY GOOD. IF YOU'RE GROWING LIKE COAL CROPS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER GROWN CABBAGE AND HAD WHITE MOTHS, BUT THEY'RE AWFUL AND THIS CAN REALLY HELP A LOT OF FARMERS AND BACKYARD PRODUCERS. COMMUNITY SOIL TESTING. LIKE I SAID, WE PAY FOR VOUCHERS TO PAY FOR TWO FREE SOIL TESTS FOR EVERY JEFFERSON COUNTY RESIDENT. THE GREEN NUMBERS ARE THE NUTRIENT TESTING AND THE RED NUMBER IS THE LEAD TESTS. WE HAD 276 NUTRIENT TESTS AND 70 OR 69 HEAVY METALS OR LEAD TESTING. I KIND OF BROKE IT DOWN BY THE DISTRICT, BUT THAT'S $3,726 THAT SPENT ON SOIL TESTING JUST FOR THE LAST TWO QUARTERS. ALSO, THE JEFFERSON COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS ASSOCIATION. PRESENTED AT THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH VELVET WELCH, SHE STARTED SACRED EARTH COMMUNITY GARDEN IN THE WEST END, WHERE SHE TAKES COMMUNITY YOUTH, TEACHES THEM HOW TO GARDEN, PRETTY MUCH SPENDS FROM THE TIME THEY GET OUT OF SCHOOL, ALSO THROUGH SUMMER, TEACHING THEM, KEEPING THEM OUT OF TROUBLE, TEACHING THEM REALLY GOOD LIFE SKILLS, LEADERSHIP SKILLS. SO THAT WAS A GREAT THING TO BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH. WE ALSO WENT TO THE REALLY, REALLY FREE MARKET IN BON AIR LIBRARY, GAVE OUT FREE SOIL TESTING, FLOWER SEED TOTE BAGS. WE ALSO EVERY YEAR HAVE A CONSERVATION AWARD AT THE LOUISVILLE REGIONAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR. SO THERE'S AN EXTRA E IN THE ENGINEERING, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE ONE ON THE TOP WENT TO SWIM EXPLORING DOWNSTREAM CSO QUALITY. THIS KID, LIKE I SAID, THOSE PICTURES OF EARLY OF BEARGRASS CREEK PEOPLE SWIM IN THAT WATER. AND SHE WAS TAKING SAMPLES RIGHT AT BIG ROCK AT CHEROKEE PARK. AND I SAID, DOES THIS MAKE YOU EVER, LIKE, WANT TO SWIM THERE? AND SHE SAID, I'VE NEVER I WILL NEVER GET IN THE WATER. SO IT WAS PRETTY INTERESTING TO SEE THESE KIDS THINKING ABOUT THEIR LIVES AND HOW SCIENCE CAN MAKE OUR LIVES BETTER. SO WE ALWAYS HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THAT. NOW, GETTING INTO THE BRASS TACKS CONSERVATION DISTRICT FUNDING THIS YEAR OUR REVENUE WAS 62,000. LOUISVILLE METRO WAS 56,000. OF THAT OUR EXPENSES WAS 32. AND THAT'S JUST FOR THIS QUARTER. AND THEN FUNDING FOR NEXT YEAR. I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF IMPACTS COMING DOWN FROM THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION. THERE'S A LOT OF GRANTS BEING FROZEN AND FUNDING BEING FROZEN. THANKFULLY, WE THE KENTUCKY TOBACCO MONEY BEING ONE OF OUR BIGGEST GRANT OR FUNDING SOURCES FOR PRODUCERS. THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE IMPACTED. BUT WE DO HAVE OTHER GRANTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED. THE NRCS OFFICE IN LEXINGTON WAS CLOSED, AS WELL AS THE FARM SECURITY AGENCY. THE STATE OFFICE WAS CLOSED, AND THEN THE MAZZOLI FEDERAL BUILDING. I DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR INTO IT, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ALL ARE KIND OF GETTING GLASS EYED, BUT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MOVE IN WITH NRCS. WE'VE ALWAYS HISTORICALLY BEEN IN THE SAME BUILDING WITH NRCS BECAUSE OF OUR PARTNERSHIP AND OUR CLOSE WORKING CONDITION OR WORKING PARTNERSHIP, THEY HAD TO MOVE INTO A FEDERAL BUILDING AND OUT OF THE OFFICE BUILDING THAT WE CURRENTLY SHARED. SO THEY MOVED INTO MAZZOLI. AND THEN LAST TWO WEEKS AGO, WE WERE LET KNOWN THAT THE MAZZOLI BUILDING IS NOW ON THE DISPOSAL LIST. SO THE [00:55:04] FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO GET RID OF THE FEDERAL BUILDING, WHICH MEANS THAT THE NRCS DOESN'T HAVE AN OFFICE, SO THAT WE HAVE TO KIND OF KEEP THAT IN OUR MIND AS FAR AS MOVING FORWARD ON OUR EXPENSES. SO WHAT WE'VE ASKED FOR FROM METRO IS WHAT WE'VE ASKED FOR IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, 1000 $113,000. AND THAT'S JUST 28% OF OUR BUDGET WITH OTHER GRANTS AND THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET. WE'RE TRYING TO PAD OUT OUR PROGRAMING AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND NOT ASK TOO MUCH, BUT THAT IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. HAPPY TO ANSWER. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YOU'RE NOT IN THE QUEUE AND IT WORKS THIS TIME. IT'S NOT. IT'S. LET'S SEE. GO AHEAD. SEE IT'S YOUR FAULT. THIS IS MY LETS ME MOVE THEIR SANDPAPER. FIRST OF ALL, AS YOUR COUNCILMAN, I WANTED TO WELCOME YOU TO METRO HALL. AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I'VE. BEFORE I WAS SEATED, I SPOKE THE LAST TWO BUDGET CYCLES ABOUT THE NEED TO FUND SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT AT THE FULL ASK, BECAUSE I AM PERSONALLY AWARE OF THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT IS DOING. FOR EXAMPLE, I'M ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAS IN THE PAST REQUESTED THE SOIL TESTING AND DISCOVERED THAT IT WOULD BE A DISASTER IF I FED MY FAMILY THE VEGETABLES THAT WE GREW ON OUR PROPERTY, WE WOULD NEED TO AND DID CREATE RAISED BEDS AND MOVE SOIL IN. SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, AND I HOPE YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR FULL FUNDING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND JUST TO TOUCH ON THAT, THE EXTENSION AGENCY AND THE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT ARE BOTH THE SAME WAY. WE CAN EITHER BE FUNDED BY THE FISCAL COURT OR BY TAX, AND WE'RE ONE OF 12 COUNTIES IN KENTUCKY THAT IS NOT FUNDED BY TAX. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SARAH. IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE, WE APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION. [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.] THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. AND WITH NO OTHER BUSINESS ON THE AGENDA, OUR MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU ALL * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.