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GOOD EVENING. I'M COUNCILMAN KEVIN CRAMER, CHAIR OF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. I DID. ARE[00:40:11]
THEY READY? I'LL TRY THIS AGAIN. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KEVIN CRAMER. I'M CHAIR OF THE BUDGET[00:40:23]
COMMITTEE. I'M JOINED IN BY MY VICE CHAIR, MARCUS WINKLER. THIS IS MAY 21ST. IT IS JUST AFTER[00:40:28]
6:00. THIS IS THE NIGHT THAT WE HAVE SET ASIDE AND RESERVED FOR PUBLIC INPUT INPUT. SO WE'RE[00:40:35]
GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE. AND WE VALUE WE VALUE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SHARE. I WOULD POINT OUT TO[00:40:41]
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE, AND EQUALLY IMPORTANTLY, TO THOSE WHO MAY BE JOINING ONLINE, THIS[00:40:45]
IS CERTAINLY NOT THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU CAN COMMUNICATE WITH US. EACH ONE OF US WOULD BE[00:40:51]
HAPPY TO RECEIVE YOUR EMAILS. YOU CAN EMAIL THE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL DIRECTLY. THERE'S A WUFOO FORM THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY LOG ON TO, AND IF YOU ARE PARTICULARLY ENERGETIC, YOU CAN CALL ANY ONE OF OUR COUNCIL OFFICES AND LEAVE MESSAGES WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANTS AS WELL. SO THIS IS JUST ONE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE THIS EVENING. WE WILL LIMIT EACH SPEAKER TO THREE MINUTES. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THROUGH THE LIST OF SPEAKERS THAT I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME. THERE IS ONE GROUP THAT IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT FOLKS WHO WANT TO SPEAK TO THE SAME ITEM. WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK, PLEASE, IS THAT YOU ALLOW THOSE WHO WHOSE AGENCIES WHO HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK, TO SPEAK BEFORE THE SECOND PERSON. SO THE FIRST PERSON ON THE LIST, HAPPILY, WILL HAVE YOU SPEAK. BUT IF THE OTHER PERSON IS WITH YOU COULD WAIT UNTIL EVERYBODY ELSE HAS HAD A CHANCE. WE WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. THERE ARE SEVERAL NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS JOINING US TONIGHT AND AS WELL AS NEW GUESTS IN THE AUDIENCE, I WOULD POINT OUT TO FOLKS THAT TYPICALLY ON THIS EVENING, YOU WE WILL NOT ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE OF US, AND WE WILL NOT BE ASKING YOU QUESTIONS EITHER. IF THERE'S INFORMATION THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'D LIKE FOR US TO HAVE BEYOND YOUR THREE MINUTES, PLEASE SUBMIT THAT TO THE COUNCIL CLERK AND SHE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE GET ALL OF IT. IF YOU ARE OFFERING INFORMATION TONIGHT AND YOU WOULD LIKE FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER TO RESPOND IF YOU BELIEVE A COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD WANT MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION WITH US SO THAT WE CAN REACH BACK OUT TO YOU. SHOULD WE HAVE QUESTIONS. THAT SAID, I KNOW ONE OF THE BIGGEST QUESTIONS THAT I'VE GOTTEN THIS YEAR IS BUDGET CHAIR IS AROUND THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE ABOUT THE EXTERNAL AGENCY FUNDS LAST YEAR. AT THIS TIME, THE COUNCIL REQUESTED, AND THE MAYOR AGREED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE EXTERNAL AGENCY FUNDING PROCESS. AND I'VE ASKED MY VICE CHAIR, COUNCILMAN WINKLER, IF HE WOULD SPEAK TO THAT JUST A BIT BEFORE WE START. THANK YOU, CHAIR KRAMER. SO, YES, IN RESPONSE TO THE BUDGET LANGUAGE WE HAD LAST YEAR, WE ASKED THE ADMINISTRATION TO GO BACK AND REVIEW THE EAF PROCESS. AND REALLY THERE WERE SORT OF 2 OR 3 PRIMARY OBJECTIVES THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO ADDRESS THAT WE HEARD FROM BOTH NONPROFITS THAT WE FUNDED, AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBERS. ONE OF THEM RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT EAF GRANTS, YOU CAN SORT OF HAVE TWO STRATEGIES FOR HOW YOU FUND AGENCIES. YOU CAN FUND AS MANY AS POSSIBLE, WHICH IS YOU ENTERTAIN AS MANY GRANTS AS POSSIBLE REGARDLESS OF SIZE. OR YOU CAN TRY TO FOCUS YOUR EFFORTS ON IMPACT. AND, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD AS A COUNCIL OVER MULTIPLE YEARS IS, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING GRANTS FOR $3,000, $5,000, $7,000, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE AN IMPACT TO THAT MONEY VERSUS FUNDING THINGS AT LARGER SCALE. AND SO, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THE ADMINISTRATION CAME BACK WITH IN WORKING WITH COUNCIL WAS HAVING MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF THE SIZE OF THE ASK. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS WAS WE DIDN'T TYPICALLY ALLOW OPERATING EXPENSES TO BE PART OF THE ASK. AND SO OFTEN WE'RE ASKING YOU TO CREATE NEW PROGRAMS, EVEN WHEN YOU HAD ASKS FOR OPERATING EXPENSES. SO THIS YEAR, WE DID ALLOW FOR OPERATING EXPENSES AS PART OF THE ASK AND THEN REFINEMENTS AROUND THE SCORING PROCESS. I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES IN THE PAST WHERE EITHER PEOPLE MISSED SCORING, PEOPLE WERE LATE SUBMITTING THINGS, THERE WERE QUESTIONS, AND THEN APPLICATIONS WERE DISQUALIFIED. AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD ADEQUATE NOTICE POLICY PROCEDURES FOR ADDRESSING THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. SO I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE PROCESS STILL ISN'T PERFECT AND IS ONE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, BUT I THINK IT IS ONE THAT HAS ADDRESSED SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION HAVE EXPRESSED IN THE PAST. I KNOW IT'S A PROCESS ULTIMATELY. YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER IS THAT REGARDLESS OF WHERE THE EAF PROCESS ENDS UP[00:45:01]
FUNDING, IT'S NOT A COMMENTARY ON ANY INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM. THE WORK THAT OUR NONPROFITS DO IN OUR COMMUNITY IS VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF LOUISVILLE. AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS, TENS OF MILLIONS OR HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF NEED AND ASK AND, YOU KNOW, QUITE FRANKLY, IN THIS BUDGET, $750,000 TO ADDRESS THAT. ASK.AND SO THERE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE SIMPLY UNABLE TO FUND, AND THAT IS SIMPLY A CONSEQUENCE OF SCARCITY OF THE BUDGET AND NOT AN INDICTMENT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM OR THE VALUE THAT IT PROVIDES TO THE COMMUNITY. SO I HOPE THAT ADDRESSES CHAIR WHAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR. THANK YOU. IT VERY MUCH DOES. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT. A COUPLE OF HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS BEFORE WE GET STARTED. FIRST, THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD VIRTUALLY. I'VE GOT TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS JOINING ONLINE, SO IF THE CLERK COULD PLEASE READ THE VIRTUAL MEETINGS INTO INTO THE RECORD. THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO 61.826 AND COUNCIL RULE FIVE A THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'RE JOINED ONLINE BY COUNCILMAN REED AND COUNCILWOMAN SHANKLIN. I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED THAT I'M JOINED BY MY VICE CHAIR, COUNCILMAN WINKLER. I'M ALSO JOINED IN CHAMBERS BY COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN MCCRAY.
COUNCILMAN LYNCH LINENGER, COUNCILMAN. HERNDON. COUNCILWOMAN. PARISH. RIGHT.
COUNCILMAN. OWN. COUNCILWOMAN. BAST. COUNCILMAN. SAM. COUNCILWOMAN. HAWKINS.
COUNCILWOMAN. WOOLRIDGE. COUNCILMAN. JOSEPH. COUNCILMAN. BACHCHON. COUNCILMAN. BENTON.
COUNCILWOMAN. PURVIS AND COUNCILWOMAN. CHAPEL. AGAIN, WE WILL MOVE THROUGH THE LIST. I WILL INVITE YOU TO COME FORWARD, AND THEN WE WILL WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM YOU FOR THREE MINUTES EACH. FIRST ON THE LIST IS PAUL ROBINSON. YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING. I'M PAUL ROBINSON.
I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HOME OF THE INNOCENCE. AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU HERE THIS EVENING. THERE'S A FLIER THERE AT YOUR SPACE THAT WE HAVE LEFT FOR YOU.
HOME IN THE INNOCENCE IS EXPANDING OUR SKILLED NURSING FACILITY FROM 76 BEDS TO 126 BEDS TO MEET THE INCREASED DEMAND FOR CARE AMONG THE MEDICALLY FRAGILE CHILDREN OF OUR COMMUNITY. THIS EXPANSION INCLUDES 50 NEW VENTILATOR SUPPORTED BEDS, WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE MOST MEDICALLY FRAGILE RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THANKS IN ADVANCE TO CARE AND MEDICINE, OUR RESIDENTS ARE LIVING LONGER. IN FACT, WE'VE SEEN 100% INCREASE IN THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF MEDICAL DIAGNOSES PER RESIDENT OVER THE PAST DECADE. THESE LONGER LIVES BRING GREATER COMPLEXITY AND DEEPER RESPONSIBILITY FOR US TO PROVIDE CONTINUITY OF CARE. FOR DECADES, OUR RESIDENTS WOULD DISCHARGE FROM US WHEN THEY WOULD TURN 21 FROM THOSE DISCHARGED. AT 21, WE TRACK AND MONITOR ROUGHLY 40% OF THEM PASS AWAY WITHIN THE FIRST 18 MONTHS OF THEIR DISCHARGE. THIS IS A HEARTBREAKING STATISTIC THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO CHANGING. WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY PARTNERED WITH THE STATE TO UPDATE THE STATE HEALTH PLAN AND REGULATIONS, ALLOWING US TO CARE FOR RESIDENTS NOW FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THEIR LIVES ONCE THEY COME TO US AS CHILDREN. THE KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS ALREADY COMMITTED $30 MILLION TOWARDS THIS TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPANSION. WE ARE ASKING LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE A ONE TIME CAPITAL INVESTMENT OF $5 MILLION TO HELP MAKE THIS PROJECT A REALITY. THIS CAPSTONE GIFT WILL BRING US TO THE FULL MATCH AND FULFILL THE STATE'S INVESTMENT CHALLENGE. OUR FUNDING MODEL IS COST REIMBURSED. THIS IS A VERY STABLE OPERATIVE MODEL, WHICH ENSURES THAT THE SUSTAINABLE CARE THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR RESIDENTS WILL GO WELL INTO THEIR ADULTHOOD BY SAYING YES TO THIS INVESTMENT, METRO GOVERNMENT IS ABLE TO HELP US COMPLETE THE MATCH, WHICH IS GOING TO UNLEASH $30 MILLION IN FUNDING FROM THE STATE. IT IS GOING TO HELP SUPPORT THE EXPANSION AND THE MODERNIZATION OF THE CARE FOR ONE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN OUR STATE. IT IS GOING TO HELP CREATE 250 SKILLED POSITIONS THAT WILL RESIDE IN THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR. IT IS GOING TO HELP FUEL OVER 550 CONSTRUCTION JOBS FOR THE TWO AND A HALF YEARS THAT THE DURATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION. BUT AS I LEAVE YOU, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT THIS INVESTMENT IS GOING TO HELP CHILDREN LIKE HALEY. HALEY CAME TO US WHEN SHE WAS SIX MONTHS OLD, RELIANT ON A VENTILATOR AND BATTLING HIGH RESPIRATORY NEEDS. SHE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF HOSPICE CARE MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT HER LIFE, AND DESPITE THAT, SHE IS NOW 25 YEARS OF AGE. HER FAMILY WAS TERRIFIED OF THE THOUGHT THAT WHEN SHE REACHED 21, WHERE WOULD SHE GO AND WHO WOULD TAKE CARE OF HER? I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH HER FAMILY THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE HER HOME FOR THE DURATION OF HER LIFE, AND THEY CRIED TEARS OF RELIEF, HOPE AND GRATITUDE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THIS TIME TO LISTEN TO MY
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REQUEST. I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION. WE ARE JOINED ALSO BY COUNCILWOMAN WOOLRIDGE, MULVANEY. MULVANEY. WOOLRIDGE. SORRY. THE NEXT ON OUR LIST JOHN YOUNG.GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JOHN YOUNG. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY. I WAS APPOINTED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ON APRIL 18TH OF THIS YEAR. BUT I'VE WORKED AT LEGAL AID FOR 24 YEARS. I'VE DONE EVERY KIND OF CASE THAT LEGAL AID HANDLES. I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT PROJECT HELP AND ASK THAT THIS BODY RESTORE FUNDING FOR PROJECT HELP. PROJECT HELP IS A PROGRAM WHERE WE HAVE TWO ATTORNEYS THAT VISIT AREA HOMELESS SHELTERS, MAINLY SAINT JOHN'S CENTER FOR HOMELESS MEN AND UP FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN. THEY'LL GO TO OTHER LOCATIONS AS NEEDED, AND THEY PROVIDE CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES TO THE FOLKS THERE.
WE'RE NOT DOING AFFIRMATIVE LITIGATION. THE TYPES OF CASES THAT WE'RE DOING FOR FOLKS ARE SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY CASES. SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE INCOME SO THEY CAN GET BACK INTO HOUSING. WE'RE HELPING PEOPLE WITH SNAP BENEFIT APPLICATIONS SO THEY CAN FEED THEMSELVES. AND SO THEY'RE NOT RELYING UPON SOUP KITCHENS AND COMMUNITY MINISTRIES FOR FOOD. WE HELP PEOPLE WITH VETERANS BENEFITS, A WHOLE HOST OF WHOLE HOST OF SERVICES THAT LEGAL AID PROVIDES. LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT A SUCCESS STORY TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT WE DO. WHEN WE FIRST ENCOUNTERED DANIELLE, NOT HER REAL NAME, RIGHT? BECAUSE OF CONFIDENTIALITY, SHE HAD BEEN CHRONICALLY HOMELESS. SHE IS WAS AN AMPUTEE. SHE LIVED IN CHRONIC PAIN. SHE HER DISABILITY BENEFITS HAD LAPSED BECAUSE SHE HAD TO CONTINUING DISABILITY REVIEW. SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION MAILED HER A LETTER NOTIFYING HER OF THAT HEARING. WELL, SHE DIDN'T GET IT BECAUSE SHE'S HOMELESS. OUR ATTORNEY COMES IN, ENTERS HIS APPEARANCE IN THE CASE, APPEALS.
IT RESTORES HER BENEFITS. SHE GETS A BACK PAY AWARD. SHE GETS BENEFITS GOING FORWARD. SHE GETS BACK INTO HOUSING. THIS PROGRAM IS VERY IMPACTFUL IN 2024 WITH THE FUNDING THAT WAS THERE PREVIOUSLY, WE REPRESENTED 627 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS ON 799 LEGAL CASES, 119 CHILDREN WERE SECONDARY BENEFICIARIES OF OUR SERVICES. WE RECOVERED OVER $1.1 MILLION FOR OUR CLIENTS. OKAY, LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT PUT IN 120. WE RECOVERED OVER 1.1 MILLION. THAT'S CLOSE TO AN 11 TO 1 RETURN. LEGAL AID HAS MANY PROGRAMS, AND LIKE A PARENT, DOESN'T HAVE A FAVORITE CHILD. I DON'T HAVE A FAVORITE PROGRAM. BUT I'LL SAY THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL PROGRAM. IT'S VERY IMPACTFUL AND I HOPE THAT THIS BODY RESTORES THE FUNDING. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS DOCTOR DAWN SHANNON, AND I CAN'T TELL DOCTOR SHANNON, ARE YOU GOING TO BE JOINED AT THE PODIUM BY LYNN SHANNON, LIZ SHANNON, OR WILL SHE BE HOPING TO SPEAK LATER? NO, SHE'LL BE JOINING ME.
SORRY. OKAY. THANK YOU. I'M A SHORTY. DOOWOP. SORRY. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DOCTOR DAWN SHANNON. I AM THE PROGRAM COORDINATOR AT CHILDREN HAVE OPTIONS AND CHOOSING EXPERIENCES BETTER KNOWN TO THIS COMMUNITY AS CHOICE INC. WE ARE A NONPROFIT, COMMUNITY BASED PREVENTION EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOUNDED IN 1987, LICENSED BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY CABINET HEALTH AND FAMILY SERVICES AS AN ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG AND OTHER DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM. 38 YEARS OF SERVING THIS COMMUNITY, LOUISVILLE CHOICE PROVIDES LIFE CHANGING SUPPORT TO YOUTH AGES 8 TO 18 WHO ARE FACING ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES. ARE ALSO KNOWN AS ACES ARE ALSO KNOWN AS CHILDHOOD TRAUMA. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THIS COMMITTEE REVIEW THE SCORING METHODOLOGY USED IN THE IEF APPLICATION PROCESS. THROUGH RECENT PUBLIC RECORD REQUESTS, WE OBTAIN INDIVIDUAL REVIEWER SCORES FOR OUR APPLICATION, WHICH APPEAR INCONSISTENT WITH THE FINAL COMPOSITE SCORE. PROVIDED THE DOCUMENT SCORE. THE DOCUMENT SCORES WERE AS FOLLOWS. REVIEWER 130 OUT OF 3100 OUT OF 100. REVIEWER 229 OUT OF 3093 OUT OF 100. REVIEWER 328 OUT OF 3934 OUT OF 100. GIVEN THESE HIGH SCORES, WE ARE SEEKING CLARITY
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ON HOW THE FINAL COMPOSITE SCORE WAS 70.3 WAS CALCULATED. IF WEIGHTS ARE ADDITIONAL FACTORS WERE APPLIED, WE APPRECIATE THE TRANSPARENCY REGARDING THE FORMULA USED TO ENSURE THE PROCESS. THE PROCESS THAT ALIGNS THE STANDARDS EVALUATION CRITERIA. WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT $75,000 TO SUPPORT A $200,000 EXPANSION PLAN OF OUR DARE TO DREAM SPORTS LEADERSHIP AND MENTORING PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 1994. WE ARE ACTIVE IN FERN CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, IROQUOIS HIGH SCHOOL, WATTERSON ELEMENTARY, YOUNG ELEMENTARY, AND DIXIE ELEMENTARY. WE ARE PLANNING TO SCALE OUR PROGRAM TO INCLUDE A MALE MENTOR MALE MENTEE GROUP AT DIXIE ELEMENTARY, IN ADDITION TO INCLUDING MENTORING GROUPS AT DAYTON HIGH SCHOOL IN CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL. WE TRUST THE COMMUNITY. THE COMMITTEE SHARES OUR COMMITMENT TO FAIRNESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN ALLOCATING ALLOCATION OF PUBLIC FUNDS. A REVIEW OF THIS DISCREPANCY WOULD NOT ONLY ADDRESS OUR CONCERNS, BUT ALSO STRENGTHEN THE CONFIDENCE IN THE PROCESS FOR ALL APPLICATIONS. APPLICANTS CHOICE SERVES THE KIDS WHO ARE NOT OFTEN LEFT, WHO ARE OFTEN LEFT OUT OF CONVERSATIONS. THOSE NAVIGATING TRAUMA, INSTABILITY, AND SYSTEMATIC CHANGES. 1 IN 4 KENTUCKY CHILDREN HAVE EXPERIENCED AT LEAST TWO ACES, WHICH IS WHAT IS CONFIRMED BY OUR PROGRAM AS WELL. ACES INCLUDE ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND HOUSEHOLD DYSFUNCTION AND INCLUDING POVERTY THROUGH MENTORSHIP, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, AND EMOTIONAL SKILL BUILDING. WE HELP THESE CHILDREN, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU GUYS WILL TAKE A TIME TO REVIEW OUR APPLICATION AND THE METHODOLOGY THAT WAS USED WITH OUR APPLICATION, GIVEN THOSE REVIEWER SCORES. THANK YOU. MARIA GORIN I BELIEVE I PRONOUNCED THAT CORRECTLY. LET ME REPHRASE THAT. I HOPE I PRONOUNCED THAT CORRECTLY ENOUGH. MARIA GUERIN YEAH, YOU KNOW THAT WORKS. MY NAME IS MARIA GUERIN AND I SERVE AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF IMAGINATION LIBRARY OF LOUISVILLE. WE ARE THE LOCAL AFFILIATE OF DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY. I'M HERE TODAY TO REQUEST THAT YOU INCLUDE FUNDING IN THE CITY BUDGET TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM. UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE NOT ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR EIF THIS YEAR, SO THIS IS OUR ONLY PATH TO FUNDING IN THE CITY BUDGET. WE ARE ASKING FOR $150,000 SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE SENDING A FREE, HIGH QUALITY, AGE APPROPRIATE MONTHLY BOOK TO OVER 18,000 CHILDREN IN JEFFERSON COUNTY EVERY SINGLE MONTH TO HELP THEM DEVELOP A LOVE OF READING AND PREPARE FOR KINDERGARTEN. AS YOU MAY KNOW, MORE THAN 50% OF JEFFERSON COUNTY CHILDREN ENTER KINDERGARTEN UNPREPARED TO LEARN BASED ON THE KINDERGARTEN READINESS ASSESSMENT. AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE KNOW THAT WHEN CHILDREN START OFF BEHIND, THEY TEND TO STAY BEHIND. IMAGINATION LIBRARY IS TRYING TO CHANGE THIS BY ENRICHING HOME LITERACY ENVIRONMENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERY FAMILY IN JEFFERSON COUNTY HAS A NEW BOOK TO SHARE.EVERY SINGLE MONTH, BOOKS ARRIVE WITH A CHILD'S NAME ON THEM, WHICH CREATES AN ATTACHMENT TO READING AT AN EARLY AGE, AND THEY'RE CHOSEN SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT CHILD'S AGE. THE OVERWHELMING IMPACT OF OUR PROGRAM WAS CAPTURED IN OUR RECENT PROGRAM EVALUATION CONDUCTED BY UOFL'S EARLY CHILDHOOD RESEARCH CENTER. OF THE PARENT SURVEYED, 81% REPORTED THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE READING MORE FREQUENTLY SINCE JOINING THE PROGRAM, 77% SAY THEIR CHILDREN ARE ASKING THEM TO READ OUT LOUD TO THEM. MORE FREQUENTLY, 83% BELIEVE THAT THE IMAGINATION LIBRARY BOOKS ARE SUPPORTING THEIR CHILDREN'S KINDERGARTEN READINESS, AND 88% REPORT THAT THEY SOMETIMES OR OFTEN NOTICE THEIR CHILDREN USING VOCABULARY WORDS FROM THE BOOKS. 96% OF PARENTS SURVEYED HAVE RECOMMENDED OUR PROGRAM TO ANOTHER PARENT. THESE RESULTS ARE INCREDIBLY PROMISING, AND THEY HIGHLIGHT THE NEED FOR CONTINUED INVESTMENT. IN ADDITION TO THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM, IMAGINATION LIBRARY IS INCREDIBLY COST EFFECTIVE. WE ARE LOCALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR COVERING THE COST OF EVERY BOOK THAT WE SEND, WHICH, INCLUDING SHIPPING, IS ONLY $2.60. HALF OF THIS COST IS COVERED BY THE STATE THROUGH A MATCHING PROGRAM THAT WE HOPE WILL CONTINUE IN NEXT YEAR'S STATE BUDGET, WHICH LEAVES OUR COSTS JUST $1.30 PER MONTH PER CHILD. YOU CAN BE CONFIDENT THAT CITY DOLLARS ALLOCATED TO US WILL BE SPENT EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY. ALTHOUGH THE COST PER BOOK IS LOW WHEN SERVING AS MANY KIDS AS WE ARE, IT DOES ADD UP. WE EXPANDED TO SERVE FAMILIES COUNTYWIDE IN 2023, AND CURRENTLY MORE THAN ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY IS RECEIVING A MONTHLY BOOK FROM US. WE'VE BEEN ACTIVELY FUNDRAISING TO MAINTAIN OUR PROGRESS AND CONTINUE TO GROW. METRO COUNCIL SUPPORTED OUR PROGRAM IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT. AS YOU KNOW, THE EARLY CHILDHOOD YEARS ARE CRUCIAL. YOU CAN'T GO BACK AND REDO THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF A CHILD'S LIFE. YOU HAVE TO GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. THIS PROGRAM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO
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IMPROVE KINDERGARTEN READINESS IN OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND AFFECT CHILDREN ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY, BUT WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT. IN YOUR MEETING PACKETS, YOU'LL FIND A CHART OF HOW MANY CHILDREN WERE CURRENTLY SERVING IN YOUR DISTRICT, AND A BIT MORE ABOUT OUR BUDGET REQUEST. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. I'VE WATCHED A LITTLE BIT OF BASEBALL, SO I'M GOING TO TRY THIS. SUSAN BUCCHINO, YOU'RE UP. LAUREN HAYES ON DECK. OZ BUCCINO.SORRY, LAUREN HAYES, YOU'RE ON DECK. AND GARY, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE IN THE HALL. MY NAME IS SUSAN BUCCINO, AND I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CARE OPERATING AT THE ARTHUR STREET HOTEL. METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS. CLARK'S COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP FOR LOUISVILLE. WE ARE IN A MOMENT IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY IN WHICH UNKINDNESS AND DIVISION ARE NOT ONLY ACCEPTABLE, BUT CELEBRATED. ISOLATION IS A NATIONAL EPIDEMIC, AND DESPAIR IS PERVASIVE. THE ANTIDOTE TO THIS IS TO SHOW UP, TO BUILD COMMUNITY, AND EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM IS DOING THAT BY JUST BEING HERE. TODAY. THE ARTHUR STREET HOTEL ADDRESSES LOUISVILLE'S HOMELESSNESS CRISIS BY WELCOMING SOME OF THE CITY'S MOST MARGINALIZED RESIDENTS. OUR HOTEL GUESTS HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY FROM EMERGENCY SHELTERS, REJECTED FROM HOSPITALS, AND CLEARED FROM PUBLIC SPACES DUE TO THEIR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. IN FACT, LOUISVILLE METRO UTILIZES PUBLIC RESOURCES TO CRIMINALIZE THIS POPULATION BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO GO. THE SYSTEM HAS PERPETUATED THEIR ISOLATION AND DESPAIR. EVERY DAY, THE ARTHUR HOTEL TEAM SHOWS UP BECAUSE WE WANT A LOUISVILLE THAT EMBRACES ITS RESIDENTS RATHER THAN TRASHING THEM BY PROVIDING SHELTER, POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS AND SERVICES, WE AIM TO STABILIZE AND HOUSE FOLKS. WE OFFER CRUCIAL SUPPORT FOR HOUSING, NAVIGATION THROUGH PEER SUPPORT AND CASE MANAGEMENT. WE ALSO PAY FOR APPLICATION FEES, DEPOSITS, HOUSEHOLD SUPPLIES AND FURNITURE ALL NECESSARY TO ACCESS AND MAINTAIN AN APARTMENT. WE SEE PEOPLE AT THEIR WORST AND STILL SAY, I LOVE YOU FREQUENTLY BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN THIS COMMUNITY. METRO COUNCIL, THE ADMINISTRATION AND BUSINESS STAKEHOLDERS HAVE STATED THAT ADDRESSING CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS IS A PRIORITY FOR DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY SAFETY. OUR SUCCESS REDUCING CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS IN LOUISVILLE IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION. 70% OF HOTEL EXITS ARE TO PERMANENT HOUSING, WHICH AMOUNTS TO 303 PEOPLE WHO HAVE MOVED FROM THE STREETS OF LOUISVILLE IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. THE HOTEL IS A COST EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE, COMPARED TO THE $161 THAT LOUISVILLE TAXPAYERS SPEND TO HOST SOMEONE AT LMDC FOR ONE DAY. OUR MODEL COSTS LESS PER NIGHT WHILE PREVENTING CRIME TRIPS TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND A DRAIN ON OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES. ALTHOUGH WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE ARTHUR STREET HOTEL IS AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE WIDER LOUISVILLE COMMUNITY, WE RECEIVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM ONLY A VERY SMALL GROUP OF INDIVIDUAL DONORS. OUR EAF APPLICATIONS, TOTALING NEARLY $900,000 FOR BOTH THE HOTEL AND ONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT TO KEEP PEOPLE IN HOUSING, WERE AWARDED POSITIVE FEEDBACK AND $0 WITHOUT AN INVESTMENT FROM THE LARGER COMMUNITY. THIS PROJECT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE. METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE ARTHUR STREET HOTEL AND THE DEDICATION OF CARE EMPLOYEES MAKE A TANGIBLE DIFFERENCE IN THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE. WE SHOW UP. WE PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED RESOURCES TO LOUISVILLE RESIDENTS. WE MOVE PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS. WE COMBAT ISOLATION, TRAUMA, HOPELESSNESS WITH KINDNESS. WE BUILD COMMUNITY. METRO COUNCIL, WE NEED YOU TO VALIDATE AND SUPPORT CARE. AND THE ARTHUR STREET HOTEL WITH FUNDING. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS LAUREN HAYES. ON DECK WOULD BE GARY WATROUS, AND IN THE HOTEL IS STERLING FRANKLIN. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS LAUREN HAYES, AND AS CEO, I REPRESENT DAYSPRING, A LOUISVILLE NONPROFIT WITH 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN PROVIDING HOMES, HOPE, AND A PATH FORWARD FOR ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. DAYSPRING IS A KENTUCKY TREASURE AND HAS NOT ONLY PROVIDED AN ALTERNATIVE TO HOMELESSNESS OR INSTITUTIONAL LIVING FOR PEOPLE WITH IDD, BUT LIFELONG HOMES AND A PURPOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WITH OUR THREE DECADES OF EXPERIENCE, DAYSPRING CREATED LOUISVILLE'S ONE OF A KIND COLLEGE FOR LIVING PROGRAM, THE ONLY RESIDENTIAL LIFE SKILL TRAINING PROGRAM IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. OUR COLLEGE FOR LIVING PROGRAM BRIDGES THE GAP FOR YOUNG ADULTS WITH IDD AFTER HIGH SCHOOL AND AS THEY MATURE, OFFERING HOPEFUL PATHS FOR FAMILIES AND FOR STUDENTS. A LOW RISK TRIAL AT ADULTHOOD IN A DORM LIKE SETTING. THIS IS THE COLLEGE LIKE EXPERIENCE THAT MOST OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL NEVER GET A CHANCE TO TAKE
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ADVANTAGE OF. STUDENTS LIVE ON CAMPUS WITH US 24 OVER SEVEN. THEY RECEIVE DAILY MENTORSHIP, SUPERVISION, LIFE SKILL TRAINING TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE MORE INDEPENDENCE AND CREATE BOLD FUTURES. OUR COLLEGE FOR LIVING IS A 19 UNIT, HUD SUBSIDIZED APARTMENT BUILDING WITH PRIVATE PAY TUITION BASED ON A SLIDING SCALE SO THAT WE CAN SERVE FAMILIES OF ALL SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS. WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, THE COLLEGE FOR LIVING CELEBRATED THREE GRADUATES TWO STUDENTS WITH DOWN SYNDROME, ONE STUDENT WITH AUTISM WHO NOW ALL THREE LIVE INDEPENDENTLY IN AN APARTMENT OR PATIO HOME RIGHT HERE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. OUR STUDENTS ARE DEDICATED EMPLOYEES IN THEIR WORKPLACES. ONE OF THEM HAS TWO JOBS. THERE'S SOMEONE'S NEIGHBOR. THEY'RE A CONSUMER.THEY'RE A ROLE MODEL IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH MAKES LOUISVILLE, FRANKLY, MORE BEAUTIFUL. OUR PROGRAM IS GROWING, AND WE HAVE AN URGENT NEED FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND EXPANSION SO WE CAN HELP MORE YOUNG ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES TAP INTO THEIR POTENTIAL. AND OUR PLAN IS TO EXPAND OUR STUDENT CENTER AND MODERNIZE IT AT A COMPUTER LAB TO INCORPORATE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN OUR CURRICULUM. UPRIGHT GARDENS FOR FARM TO TABLE LEARNING, AND ACCESSIBLE INSTRUCTIONAL KITCHEN. THE ALL IN TOTAL PROJECT COST IS $500,000. I'VE RAISED 50,000, BUT I NEED YOUR HELP. ONLY 300,000 ALLOWS ME TO BREAK GROUND AND BUILD THE EXPANSION THAT I NEED, AND I CAN WORK ON THE FURNISHINGS LATER. BUT I NEED YOUR HELP AND I CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU. SO I REQUEST YOUR CONSIDERATION OF FUNDING IN TOTAL OR PART OF THIS PROJECT. I WILL WORK HARD TO DO WHAT I NEED TO DO TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND I THINK IT'S IN SUPPORT OF THE GOALS THAT YOU ALL HAVE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, FOR IMPROVING EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES, FOR HELPING YOUTH. THIS IS A ONE TIME INVESTMENT, AND I THINK IT MAKES SENSE FOR YOU TO INVEST IN THE COLLEGE FOR A LIVING AND DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE ANYONE BEHIND, EVEN THAT CHILD WITH AUTISM, THAT YOUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, AND NOT TO MENTION INDEPENDENCE, BENEFITS EVERYONE. THANK YOU. NEXT. EXCUSE ME. NEXT UP, GARY WATROUS, FOLLOWED BY STEPHEN FRANKLIN AND THEN DENNIS ENIX. HELLO, MY NAME IS GARY WATROUS.
I LIVE IN COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE. DONNA, THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I'M AN ARCHITECT SPECIALIZING IN ENERGY EFFICIENT DESIGN, AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY ALLIANCE OF LOUISVILLE. WE WANT YOUR WE WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR METRO RESOLUTION 102 THAT WAS PASSED FIVE YEARS AGO.
THAT RESOLUTION HAD VARIOUS GOALS. THE FIRST GOAL IS TO HAVE ALL METRO GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS USE ONLY CLEAN, RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY BY THE YEAR 2030, JUST FIVE YEARS FROM NOW. THE GOAL IS AMBITIOUS, BUT IT CAN BE DONE. LET'S PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR RESOLUTION IS. PLEASE BUDGET MONEY TO MAKE THIS RESOLUTION A REALITY. YOUR ENERGY MANAGER, ZACHARY TAYLOR, IS WORKING ON ENERGY UPGRADES FOR METRO BUILDINGS. BUT AND HE'S DOING A GREAT JOB. BUT ENERGY UPGRADES WILL ONLY GO SO FAR TO GO THE WHOLE WAY TOWARD CLEAN, RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY BY 2030.
FOR METRO BUILDINGS. WE MUST START TO BUDGET MONEY NOW FOR SOLAR ELECTRIC, PROVIDING ALL METRO BUILDINGS WITH SOLAR ELECTRIC PANELS WILL SAVE THE CURRENT ELECTRIC BILL OF $12 MILLION A YEAR FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS. YOU ASK, HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? WELL, THE SOLAR ELECTRIC PANELS PAY FOR THEMSELVES IN THE FIRST TEN YEARS, AFTER WHICH METRO WOULD GET FREE ELECTRICITY FOR THE FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS, WHICH MEANS A PROFIT OF $240 MILLION OR MORE.
IF THE ELECTRIC RATES INCREASED. AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THEY WILL. THAT MONEY SAVED COULD BE USED FOR SO MANY PROJECTS TO BENEFIT YOUR CONSTITUENTS. AS A GOOD FIRST STEP, PLEASE BUDGET AT LEAST 5000 $500,000 FOR SOLAR ELECTRIC ON METRO BUILDINGS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. TIME IS SHORT. PLEASE TAKE ACTION TO UPHOLD YOUR RESOLUTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, STERLING FRANKLIN, THEN DENNIS ENOCH'S FOLLOWED BY KRISTEN WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS STERLING FRANKLIN. I'M WITH BLUEGRASS CENTER FOR AUTISM, AS WELL AS A MEMBER OF
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THE LOUISVILLE NONPROFIT COALITION. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL TODAY. AND TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE COME OUT TO VISIT ONE OF OUR FOUR LOCATIONS ACROSS LOUISVILLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN. SINCE 2010, BCA HAS GROWN INTO ONE OF KENTUCKY'S LEADING AUTISM SERVICE PROVIDERS. WE'RE NATIONALLY ACCREDITED, AND EVERY WEEK WE DELIVER OVER 2600 HOURS OF ONE ON ONE APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS THERAPY TO CHILDREN AND ADULTS FROM 19 DIFFERENT METRO COUNCIL DISTRICTS. EACH PROGRAM IS INDIVIDUALIZED TO OUR CLIENTS TO HELP BUILD REAL SKILLS AND INDEPENDENCE. BUT TODAY, MORE THAN 350 PEOPLE, MOSTLY YOUNG CHILDREN, ARE STILL ON OUR WAITLIST. THESE ARE TODDLERS WHO MAY MISS THEIR WINDOW TO ENTER MAINSTREAM SCHOOL IF THEY DON'T RECEIVE EARLY INTERVENTION.THESE ARE ADOLESCENTS WHO NEED HELP TO COMMUNICATE SAFELY, AND ADULTS WHO'VE AGED OUT OF SCHOOL SYSTEM OUT OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT NEED THE SUPPORT THAT THEIR FAMILIES CANNOT GIVE ALONE.
THESE ARE LOUISVILLE FAMILIES WHO ARE DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT, AND YET STILL THEY'RE WAITING.
THAT'S WHY BCA HAS LAUNCHED A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TO DOUBLE OUR CAPACITY TO SERVE 100 MORE INDIVIDUALS EACH YEAR, AND TO CREATE A FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE MODEL FOR OUR FUTURE. WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY TO RAISING 95% OF THOSE FUNDS THROUGH PRIVATE AND APPROPRIATED SOURCES. BUT WE NEED HELP TO CROSS THAT FINISH LINE FOR THE FIRST TIME. WE ARE ASKING THE CITY FOR A ONE TIME CAPITAL INVESTMENT OF $500,000. WE WILL NOT BE BACK FOR ANNUAL REQUESTS. THIS IS A MOMENT FOR A BOLD PARTNERSHIP WHICH BRINGS US BEFORE YOU. OUR ASK IS DIRECTLY ALIGNED WITH THE CITY'S GOALS OF SAFER NEIGHBORHOODS, STRONGER SCHOOLS AND EXPANDED OPPORTUNITY. ABA THERAPY REDUCES BEHAVIORAL CRISES AND EMERGENCY CALLS, HELPING CREATE SAFER HOMES, SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES.
SECOND, PREPARING OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS LEARNERS FOR INCLUSIVE KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND DOESN'T JUST CLOSE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS, BUT IT HONORS THE PRINCIPLE THAT EVERY CHILD, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITY, DESERVES A STRONG START. IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT INCREASING ACCESS TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, WE CANNOT LEAVE CHILDREN WITH AUTISM AND SPECIAL NEEDS BEHIND. AND FINALLY, WHEN FAMILIES CAN COUNT ON CONSISTENT CARE, THEY THEMSELVES CAN REENTER THE WORKFORCE. THE WORKPLACE WITH A PEACE OF MIND. OUR ADULT DAY TRAINING PROGRAM TRAINING PROGRAM, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN KENTUCKY, BY THE WAY, TEACHES JOB AND LIFE SKILLS TO AUTISTIC ADULTS WHILE ALSO CREATING NEW JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AUTISM NOW AFFECTS ONE IN EVERY 31 CHILDREN. THE NEED IS URGENT. BCA HAS THE PROVEN MODEL AND EXPERTISE AND THE CITY WIDE REACH TO MEET IT. WITH YOUR ONE TIME INVESTMENT, WE CAN BREAK THROUGH THE WAITLIST AND BUILD A MORE INCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY. RICH LOUISVILLE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. HAVE A GREAT EVENING. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, DENNIS PHOENIX, FOLLOWED BY KRISTEN WILLIAMS AND THEN TERRY HATHAWAY. GOOD EVENING. THANKS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. I'M DENNIS PHOENIX, A PROUD LOUISVILLE 31 YEAR EMPLOYEE OF THE YMCA AND A REPRESENTATIVE TONIGHT OF THE LOUISVILLE NONPROFIT COALITION, AKA LOUISVILLE, NC, AN ALLIANCE OF KENTUCKY NONPROFIT NETWORK MEMBERS WHO WORK TO BUILD A STRONGER, MORE UNIFIED AND COLLABORATIVE NONPROFIT SECTOR SERVING OUR SHARED NEIGHBORS IN LOUISVILLE COMMUNITY. I'M NOT ASKING FOR SPECIFIC FUNDING, BUT RATHER SHARING INSIGHT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERING WITH NONPROFITS TO ADVANCE THE GOALS OF METRO GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS A VITAL COMPONENT OF THE BUDGET. LOUISVILLE, NC MEMBERS ARE ALL CHARITABLE NONPROFIT BUSINESSES.
SOME WILL SPEAK TONIGHT ON THEIR BEHALF. A CHARITABLE NONPROFIT BUSINESS, CHARITABLE NONPROFIT BUSINESSES AND LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT HAVE PARTNERED TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE LOUISVILLE COMMUNITY FOR DECADES. THIS CURRENT BUDGET LEANS ON THE YMCA TO SUPPORT IMPORTANT WORK OF EARLY LEARNING READINESS, HOMELESS PREVENTION, AND HOUSING SERVICES. SO WE THANK YOU. NONPROFITS HOLD A UNIQUE AND CRUCIAL ROLE IN OFFERING SERVICES, PROVIDING EXPERTISE, AND FILLING GAPS THAT CAN ADVANCE THE GOALS OF GOVERNMENT IN ADDRESSING COMMUNITY NEEDS. IN LATE 2024, THE LOUISVILLE, NC SURVEYED, SURVEYED, AND HOSTED LISTENING SESSIONS FOR THE LOCAL NONPROFIT COMMUNITY TO SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE AND VISION FOR PARTNERSHIPS WITH METRO. THREE CONSISTENT THEMES COMPILED FROM MORE THAN 100 NONPROFIT LEADERS EMERGED IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH GOVERNMENT GOALS AND PRIORITIES. THEY MUST INTENTIONALLY PROVIDE A SEAT AT THE TABLE FOR ISSUE EXPERTS NONPROFITS TO PARTICIPATE IN SOLUTION BUILDING. THIS IS CRITICAL. METRO GOVERNMENT FUNDING PROCESS MUST MUST BE STREAMLINED FROM NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO AND TO REPORTING, AND METRO MUST LEVERAGE STRATEGIC FUNDING
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INVESTMENTS WITH NONPROFITS TO MOVE OUR COMMUNITY FORWARD. AND WE THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND MAKING SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT YOU HAVE TO THE EAF PROCESS. IN HIS BUDGET RELEASE, MAYOR GREENBERG STATED IN PART, LOUISVILLE IS SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE A ROBUST NONPROFIT COMMUNITY. THERE'S NO NEED FOR LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT TO TRY TO REINVENT THE WHEEL WHEN GREAT WORK ON OUR PRIORITIES IS ALREADY BEING DONE. THESE COMMITMENTS ALIGN WITH THE LOUISVILLE NONPROFIT COALITION'S EFFORTS, AND WE APPRECIATE MAYOR GREENBERG FOR RECOGNIZING THE CRITICAL ROLE OF NONPROFIT BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ASK THE METRO COUNCIL TO BUILD ON THIS, ESPECIALLY IN A MOMENT WHEN CHANGES ARE BEING MADE TO OUR FEDERAL LEVEL FUNDING. WE ASK TODAY THAT YOU ENSURE THAT THE BUDGET REFLECTS THESE PARTNERSHIPS AND TAPS INTO THE EXPERTISE OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. VISIT AND LEARN ABOUT THE CHARITABLE NONPROFITS IN YOUR DISTRICTS SO THAT YOU KNOW WHO TO ASK. WHEN PROBLEMS ARISE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE STRATEGIC, MULTIYEAR PLAN TO INVEST IN THESE NONPROFITS, WE THANK YOU AND WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING. THANKS. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, KRISTEN WILLIAMS, FOLLOWED BY TERRY HATHAWAY AND THEN ROBIN HALL. HELLO, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS KRISTEN WILLIAMS. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR PLAY COUSINS COLLECTIVE. I'M ALSO A MOTHER OF TWO BOYS RAISING THEM IN WEST LOUISVILLE SHAWNEE NEIGHBORHOOD AT PLAY COUSINS COLLECTIVE. WE ARE BUILDING A VILLAGE AROUND OUR CHILDREN. WE DO THIS THROUGH COMMUNITY HEALING, CAREGIVER SUPPORT, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND YOUTH ENRICHMENT. WE SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR $75,000 TO SUPPORT OUR YOUTH ENRICHMENT PROGRAMING, WHICH INCLUDES THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH GROUP, AND TEEN COUNCIL. OUR PROPOSAL SCORED 90.8 JUST UNDER THE 93 POINT THRESHOLD FOR RECOMMENDATION, BUT WE GOT SUCH GREAT FEEDBACK ON THAT. AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE'RE SO CLOSE. I'M HERE TO RESPECTFULLY SHARE WHY THIS WORK STILL DESERVES YOUR SUPPORT, AND WHY THIS MOMENT CALLS FOR A BOLD INVESTMENT IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. LOUISVILLE IS IN CRISIS, AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW, BUT OUR FAMILIES ARE ABUNDANT. DIRECT INVESTMENT IN PEOPLE CLOSEST TO THE ISSUE HAS THE GREATEST IMPACT. AND I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. YOUTH VIOLENCE IS RISING. BLACK BOYS AGED 14 TO 19 ARE THE MOST AFFECTED. THOSE ARE MY SONS, RIGHT? IN 2023, 36% OF LOUISVILLE HOMICIDE VICTIMS WERE UNDER THE AGE OF 25. SCHOOLS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS REPORT SOME OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF ABSENTEEISM AND SUSPENSION IN THE STATE. CHRONIC STRESS, POVERTY, AND SYSTEMIC NEGLECT HAVE MADE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE MORE VULNERABLE EMOTIONALLY, ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY. WE'RE NOT JUST SEEING THE DATA WE'RE HOLDING, THE GRIEF OF FAMILIES, AND THE WEARINESS OF CHILDREN TRYING TO SURVIVE WITHOUT SUPPORT. WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR PROBLEM STATEMENT NEEDED MORE URGENCY AND THAT OUR TEAM QUALIFICATIONS WEREN'T CLEAR ENOUGH. AND SO I WANT TO SHARE THAT WE'RE A FOR US BY US ORGANIZATION. WE'RE BUILT ON A CALL AND RESPONSE MODEL WITHIN WEST LOUISVILLE, RESPONDING DIRECTLY TO THE NEEDS OF OUR FAMILIES. SINCE SUBMITTING OUR PROPOSAL, WE'VE EXPANDED OUR CAPACITY. WE'VE BROUGHT ON A CERTIFIED HIP HOP CARES FACILITATOR, ONE OF ONLY A FEW IN THE STATE. THIS IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, TRAUMA INFORMED CURRICULUM THAT USES HIP HOP AS A BRIDGE TO HEALING, EMOTIONAL LITERACY, AND LEADERSHIP. A SECOND STAFF MEMBER IS CURRENTLY PURSUING CERTIFICATION BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION BEGINS. THIS TRAINING WILL BE UTILIZED FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH GROUP, WHERE KIDS ARE PROCESSING REAL GRIEF, STRESS, AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO THEY ARE IN A CITY THAT OFTEN OVERLOOKS THEM.WE'RE NOT JUST RUNNING PROGRAMS, WE'RE DEVELOPING YOUTH LEADERSHIP, HELPING KIDS PROCESS TRAUMA, REBUILDING TRUST, AND BUILDING SKILLS THAT WILL FOLLOW THEM FOR LIFE. WE'RE PREPARING OUR CHILDREN TO INHERIT THIS VILLAGE THAT WE'RE CREATING. OUR TEAM INCLUDES EXPERIENCED EDUCATORS, CULTURAL WORKERS, MENTORS, AND A FULL TIME ADMINISTRATOR. OUR SYSTEMS ARE STRONG. OUR PARTNERS INCLUDE. OF ALL 502 JEFFERSON MEMORIAL FOREST, AMPED, AND MANY MORE.
OUR MODEL IS CLEAR, CONSISTENT PROGRAMING, WHOLE FAMILY SUPPORT, AND CULTURALLY ROOTED CARE. WE KNOW THE CITY IS FACING HARD CHOICES, BUT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULDN'T PAY THE PRICE.
WE'RE ALREADY DOING THE WORK. WE JUST NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO DO IT BETTER, STRONGER AND LONGER.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS TERRY HATHAWAY, FOLLOWED BY ROBIN HALL AND THEN ANDRE.
GUESS. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS TERRY HATHAWAY. I'M HERE AS A CONCERNED RESIDENT AND TAXPAYER IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT IN SUPPORT OF ETHICS COMMISSION TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS. I HAVE THREE THINGS TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT. FIRST, WE, THE
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PUBLIC, ARE AT A DISADVANTAGE WHEN THE BUDGET NARRATIVES THAT YOU ALL GET FOR EACH DEPARTMENT AS PART OF THIS BUDGET PROCESS ARE NOT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE. IT IS THE NARRATIVE THAT GIVES SHAPE TO THE BUDGET NUMBERS AND OTHERWISE THEY ARE VERY HARD TO INTERPRET. SO NUMBER ONE, MY ASK TO YOU IS PASS AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING THAT DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET NARRATIVES ARE RELEASED AS PART OF THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET STARTING NEXT YEAR. TWO I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE LOUISVILLE ETHICS COMMISSION. ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS ARE CRITICAL TO THE CHECKS AND BALANCES OF DEMOCRACY. THE LOUISVILLE ETHICS COMMISSION, HOWEVER IMPERFECT IT MAY BE TODAY, SERVES AS ONE OF THOSE MECHANISMS FOR THE RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY. OVER THE LAST TWO FISCAL YEARS, MAYOR GREENBERG AND METRO COUNCIL HAVE FAILED TO SUFFICIENTLY FUND THE COMMISSION SO IT CAN FULLY CARRY OUT ITS MANDATE AS AN ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM. LOUISVILLE LOUISVILLE SPENDS FAR LESS THAN SIMILAR CITIES ON ETHICS. METRO'S BUDGET LAST YEAR ADDED A FULL TIME SUPPORT STAFF POSITION, BUT THIS FELL FAR SHORT OF THEIR REQUEST. THEY ALSO REQUESTED A FULL TIME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POSITION THAT WOULD REPORT DIRECTLY TO METRO COUNCIL, AND FOR SOFTWARE REQUIRED TO MANAGE AND ENABLE ONLINE ACCESS TO LOBBYIST REGISTRATIONS, REPORTS AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES OVER THE SAME TIME. TWO YEAR TIME PERIOD. ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES COVERED BY THE COMMISSION'S MANDATE HAVE DRAMATICALLY INCREASED THE TOTAL SUBMITTED COMPLAINTS TO BE REVIEWED AND INVESTIGATED. TOTAL METRO EMPLOYEES REQUIRING TRAINING BY THE ETHICS COMMISSION, FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES TO BE COLLECTED AND REVIEWED, AND REGISTRATIONS AND REPORTS FROM LOBBYISTS REPORTING THEIR LOBBYING ACTIVITIES. HERE'S WHAT THE COMMISSION HAS ALREADY TOLD YOU OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS ON FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES OF METRO OFFICERS, THEY SAID, QUOTE, SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO ENSURE SUBSTANTIVE REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT OF FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS IS A FUNCTION OF THE COMMISSION. IT IS THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION THAT THE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE OVERSIGHT FUNCTION IS NOT BEING FULFILLED ADEQUATELY. IT IS NOT PRACTICAL TO EXPECT THAT A COMMISSION WITH NO STAFF, NO BUDGET AND NO ONLINE PLATFORM FOR REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION RETRIEVAL CAN FULFILL MORE THAN THE VERY BARE MINIMUM FOR THIS FUNCTION. WHETHER METRO OFFICERS COVERED BY THE ETHICS CODE ARE TRUTHFULLY AND TIMELY, FULFILLING THE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ETHICS CODE CANNOT BE ANSWERED BY THE COMMISSION DUE TO LACK OF ADEQUATE OPERATIONAL RESOURCES, THEY ALSO SAID, I'LL SKIP THAT, BUT THEY'VE ADDED THE LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS FOR TWO YEARS, AND THEY NEED THIS ONLINE SOFTWARE TO BE ABLE TO PUT THOSE UP ONLINE. PASS AN ORDINANCE TO CREATE A LOUISVILLE ETHICS COMMISSION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POSITION THAT REPORTS DIRECTLY TO METRO COUNCIL AND FULLY FUND THE ETHICS COMMISSION'S FUNDING REQUEST. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, ROBIN HALL, AND FOLLOWED BY ANDRE GUESS AND THEN CAROLYN WILSON. HI. MY NAME IS ROBIN KAY HALL. I'M A RESIDENT OF LOUISVILLE, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE BUDGET INCLUDES 17 METRO EMPLOYEES WHO ARE BEING LEASED TO THE LOUISVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE, OR LEDA. COMPARED THAT TO WHAT THE COUNCIL WAS TOLD LAST YEAR. THEN DEPUTY MAYOR PAT MALLOY TOLD METRO COUNCIL THAT HE EXPECTED 8 TO 12 METRO EMPLOYEES TO WORK INSIDE OF LEDA. THERE ARE 17 METRO EMPLOYEES ON THEIR ORG CHART THAT THEY ARE PROPOSING. THAT IS ROUGHLY DOUBLE WHAT YOU WERE TOLD. THE MASTER AGREEMENT BETWEEN LEDA AND LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT INCLUDES ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES WITHOUT CLEAR DOLLAR AMOUNTS. AND WHILE TAXPAYERS ARE NOT PAYING FOR THE LEDA ADMINISTRATORS, $350,000 SALARY, WE ARE ON THE HOOK FOR THE COST TO ADMINISTRATE HIS SALARY THROUGH METRO PAYROLL. I AM PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATEMENT IN THE AGREEMENT. IN SOME SITUATIONS, METRO EMPLOYEES WILL BE SUPERVISED BY LEDA EMPLOYEES. IS THAT EVEN LEGAL? BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT IS DEFINITELY NOT THE BEST PRACTICE. THE PHILADELPHIA INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS ONE OF THE BEST PRACTICES AND ENTITIES. THEY LOOK AND MANAGE ITS OWN STAFF, AND THEN THEY INVOICE THE CITY FOR TIME SPENT ON THE CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.THIS IS A MUCH CLEANER AND CLEARER TRACKING METHOD TO THE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS. TAXPAYERS DESERVE TO KNOW HOW MUCH THEY ARE SPENDING TOWARDS LEDA. SO I AM ASKING LIMIT THE NUMBER OF METRO STAFF UNDERWRITTEN BY TAXPAYERS AND DEFINE THE TOTAL BUDGET AMOUNT THE METRO WILL
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COMMIT TO LEDA. SECOND, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THIS MEANS VERY DEAR TO ME. I THINK EVERYONE DESERVES A PLACE TO LIVE. THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY IN THE BUDGET DESIGNATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT MAKES AFFORDABLE HOUSING A HOT AND LUCRATIVE SECTOR RIGHT NOW, AND EVERY CONTRACT NEEDS OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY. JUST THREE MONTHS AGO, METRO OFFICE OF INTERNAL AUDIT RELEASED ITS REPORT ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUNDS PROJECT SELECTION PROCESS AND FOUND THAT THE PROJECT SELECTION PROCESS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT. THERE IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH PROJECT DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES AND AS BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT DISCLOSED ON MULTIPLE PROJECTS FUNDING APPLICATIONS, MULTIPLE INCIDENTS WHERE THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT CONFLICTS OF INTEREST RELATED TO PROJECTS ABSTAINED FROM VOTING ON THOSE PROJECTS. I AM ASKING ENSURE THAT THE INTERNAL AUDITS REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FULLY IMPLEMENTED PRIOR TO HANDING OVER MILLIONS TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, SO OUR PROGRAMS CAN BE SUCCESSFUL. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, ANDRE GUESS, FOLLOWED BY CAROLYN WILSON, CAROLYN MARIE WILSON, AND THEN MICHAEL BLACKWOOD. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANDRE. GUESS I AM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE FUND FOR THE ARTS. BUT I'M NOT HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ON BEHALF OF THE FUND FOR THE ARTS. I'M HERE TO YOU TO HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A PROGRAM THAT'S LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT PROGRAM CALLED HEARTS, WHICH WE FACILITATE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. HEART STANDS FOR HEALING THROUGH THE ARTS AND IS A PROGRAM THAT IS RUN IN COMMUNITY CENTERS ALL OVER THE CITY. FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. LAST YEAR, I STOOD BEFORE YOU AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE THE MAYOR'S BUDGET CUT THAT PROGRAM FROM $1 MILLION TO $200,000, YOU GRACIOUSLY ADDED ANOTHER $200,000 TO THAT TO MAKE IT $400,000, NOT ALLOWING US NOT TO CUT ANY OF THE COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT WE SERVE IN. ALTHOUGH WE DID HAVE TO BRING THE PROGRAMING DOWN, WE WERE STILL ABLE TO BE IN ALL OF THE COMMUNITY CENTERS. IT IS BACK IN ITS BUDGET THIS YEAR FOR ANOTHER 200,000. I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO DO WHAT IT IS THAT YOU DID LAST YEAR AND PUT IT BACK AT 400,000, SO WE CAN STILL BE IN THOSE COMMUNITY CENTERS. WITH THE TIME THAT I HAVE LEFT. I'M GOING TO READ TO YOU ON BEHALF OF THE ARTIST AND THE COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT WE SERVE AND THEIR COMMENTS, NOT MINE. TEACHING ARTIST PORTIA WHITE, GENESIS ART ARTS KENTUCKY AT SHAWNEE COMMUNITY CENTER. IN RECENT ARTICLES, LMPD STATED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A 43% REDUCTION IN HOMICIDES AND 15% REDUCTION OF OVERALL CRIME. THEY WENT ON TO SAY, QUOTE, THIS EVIDENCE BASED AND DATA DRIVEN MODEL TAKES A WHOLE HEALTH APPROACH TO CRIME REDUCTION BY FOSTERING VIBRANT COMMUNITIES, WITH CRIME BEING THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN. IN THE PAST FEW YEARS AND TOO MANY LOUISVILLE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND ALSO ONE OF THE MAIN PLATFORMS, GREENBERG RAN ON, HEARTS WITHOUT A DOUBT SUPPORTS THE, QUOTE, WHOLE HEALTH APPROACH TO CRIME REDUCTION. HEARTS MODELS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN A COMPREHENSIVE WAY. HEARTS IS A IS A PREVENTATIVE PROGRAM, AND THAT IT ADDRESSES LACK OF ACCESS TO THE NUMEROUS QUALITY ARTS PROGRAMS LED BY VETTED ARTISTS AND OFFERED AT NO COST TO YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES. HEARTS IS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATOR WITH LOUISVILLE METRO, PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THROUGH THE ARTS AND TOUCHING A LARGE NUMBER OF YOUTH AGES 12 TO 18. IT'S NOT A REACH AT ALL TO SAY THAT HEARTS HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THE CITY'S CRIME REDUCTION OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS. JULIA YOUNGBLOOD, A TEACHING ARTIST AT KENTUCKY CENTER FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE THE HEARTS PROGRAM IS DIRECTLY TIED TO SAFETY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, ELDERS AND ALL IN THE COMMUNITY. WE ARE ON THE FRONT LINE. ONE PARTICIPANT NOTED THAT THE STUDIO IS SAVING HER LIFE RIGHT NOW. ANASTASIA CARRASQUILLO AT BARRYTOWN COMMUNITY CENTER. THE IMPACT IS VISIBLE EVERY TIME WE ARE THERE. CHILDREN AND ADULTS ASK IF, IF AND WHEN WE ARE COMING BACK LOOKING FOR LILITH AT HIGHVIEW ART CENTER, ONE PARENT TOLD THE TEACHING ARTIST MY DAUGHTER HAS NEVER FELT SO CONFIDENT IN SEEN IN ANY OTHER PROGRAMS. ALMA ADAMS, THE FAMILY PROGRAMS MANAGER AT BACKSIDE LEARNING CENTER BLK COMMUNITY, IS VERY SECLUDED AND THE FAMILIES THERE AND FOR THE FAMILIES THEIR HEARTS IS THEIR ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE SOMETHING NEW.LOSING HEARTS WILL AFFECT GENERATIONS TO COME. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I HOPE THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER WHAT IT IS THAT YOU DID LAST YEAR. DON'T MAKE IT SO THAT WE HAVE TO CUT THIS PROGRAMING. AND THIS IS FRONT LINE VIOLENCE PREVENTION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT UP CAROLINE WILSON, FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL BLACKWOOD AND THEN SHERRY THOMPSON. WELL GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. MY NAME IS CAROLINE MARIE WILSON IS INDEED AN HONOR PRIVILEGE AND A FREEDOM TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND SPEAK. I'M A VETERAN. I'M A HOMELESS VETERAN. I WENT IN TO THE LANDLORD WHEN IT WAS TIME TO PAY THE RENT WITH A CASHIER'S CHECK FOR $5,430, AND I GUESS I PUT
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THAT WORK ORDER IN TOO HARD. SHE DIDN'T WANT ME LIVING THERE ANYMORE. AND THAT'S COOL. BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIVING IN 40206 AND 40211A BIG DIFFERENCE. SO I STAND BEFORE YOU. I'M NUMBER 15 IN LINE. WE'VE HEARD THE WORDS FAIRNESS, ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY AND A LOT OF YOU ON METRO COUNCIL, YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. IT'S BUDGET REVIEW. THERE'S A SYSTEM. SO I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT 25 TO 26. I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE BUDGET FROM 24 TO 25. THAT ENDED OF YEAR. I HEARD WHEN THE LADY TALKED ABOUT THE WORD ETHICS, IT KIND OF GOT TIGHT IN HERE. SO AT THE END OF THE YEAR, LMPD'S GOT THIS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. THEY WANT TO DO SAFE LOUISVILLE. BUT IN YOUR OWN WORDS, FIRST SAMUEL, SECOND SAMUEL, CHAPTER 116 LMPD IS ALLOWED AT 1328 SWORN OFFICERS. I'M JUST USING THIS DEPARTMENT AS AN EXAMPLE. OKAY.THEY HAVE 1050 SWORN IN. SO FOR THE PAST 2 OR 3 YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN RUNNING 278 OFFICERS SHOT.
MY QUESTION IS WHAT ARE THOSE SALARIES? GO. DID YOU SEND THAT BACK UP? WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THAT I BELIEVE. WE HAVE A RIGHT TO THE END, TO THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE END OF THE BUDGET. WHAT? WHAT THOSE ALLOCATIONS, WHO MAKES THOSE DECISIONS? I AM ON THE BARBERSHOP COMMITTEE, LMPD STAFF, COMMAND STAFF. WE USED TO MEET AT THE BARBERSHOP. BO WHITESIDE I ASKED THEM, WHERE DOES THOSE END OF THE SALARIES FUND GO? I'VE WRITTEN TO THE IG. I ASKED FOR AN EXCEPTION OF POLICY, COULDN'T GET IT PAST THE CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD. SO HERE I AM ASKING YOU AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WHERE DOES THE UNSPENT MONEY GO? JUST A QUESTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS MICHAEL BLACKWOOD, FOLLOWED BY SHERRY THOMPSON AND THEN WILLIAM MAYS. HELLO. MY NAME IS MICHAEL BLACKWOOD, AND I'M HERE AGAIN WITH THE GET ON THE BUS CAMPAIGN TO TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT FUNDING. COUNCIL MEMBER PIAGENTINI SAID IN A RECENT NEWSLETTER THAT HE DIDN'T SEE THE NEED TO SUBSIDIZE A TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT HAS FAILED THE PUBLIC. HIS ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION IS DISAPPOINTING AND, FRANKLY, UNTRUE. THE TRUTH IS, TARC HAS BEEN SCRAPING BY WITH A FUNDING SYSTEM 50 YEARS OLD. EVEN AS SERVICE REQUIREMENTS HAVE INCREASED OVER THE YEARS, COUNCIL HAS DONE NOTHING TO CLOSE THE GAP. TARC IS A YEAR INTO THEIR TARC 2025 REDESIGN, A FEDERALLY FUNDED PROJECT TO REDESIGN THE ENTIRE SYSTEM FROM THE BOTTOM UP TO BE THE MOST EFFICIENT SERVICE THEY CAN PROVIDE. THOUSANDS HAVE CONTRIBUTED THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WITH THEM EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
TARC ISN'T LETTING THE PEOPLE OF LOUISVILLE DOWN. METRO COUNCIL IS. IN SHORT, THEY HAVE THREE PLANS ONE IF THEY GET NO NEW FUNDING, WHICH HAS SIGNIFICANT CUTS FOR THOUSANDS OF LOUISVILLIANS AN ENHANCED PLAN THAT REQUIRES AN ADDITIONAL $10 MILLION ANNUALLY MAKE SOME CUTS, BUT DOES THE BEST THEY CAN. AND THEN FINALLY, A GROWTH OPTION, WHICH REQUIRES ROUGHLY 50 MILLION MORE ANNUALLY BUT SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDS THE SERVICE AND FREQUENCY TO THE LEVEL THAT WORKING CLASS PEOPLE DESPERATELY NEED. I'M HERE TO ASK COUNCIL TO DIRECTLY FUND TARC, THE 10 MILLION, TO IMPLEMENT THE ENHANCED OPTION AND KICK OFF A LEVY REFERENDUM IN 2026 TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OPTION AND LET THE PEOPLE OF LOUISVILLE DECIDE. COUNCIL MEMBER WINKLER. WE SPOKE A BIT AFTER OUR COURIER JOURNAL ARTICLE. ONE OF YOUR CONCERNS WAS COUNCIL GOING OUT ON A LIMB TO FIX FUNDING AND THEN NOT HAVING PUBLIC SUPPORT THERE TO MEET YOU? AND I GET IT. SO WHERE IS THAT PUBLIC SUPPORT? MAYBE IT'S IN THE HUNDREDS OF POSTCARDS COUNCIL HAS RECEIVED SO FAR FROM CITIZENS SUPPORTING THE GROWTH OPTION. IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, YOU WILL SOON RECEIVE AN ONGOING PETITION SIGNED BY OVER 1100 RESIDENTS IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC TRANSIT FUNDING. BUT MAYBE THE VOICES OF THE WORKING CLASS ALONE WON'T SWAY YOU. SO THE SAME DEMAND LETTER HAS ALSO BEEN SIGNED BY A COALITION OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. THAT COALITION INCLUDES NINE LABOR UNIONS AND COUNCILS, COLLECTIVELY REPRESENTING OVER 50,000 WORKING CLASS LOUISVILLIANS, INCLUDING ATU, THE TARC UNION, IU, CW, CWA, THE GE APPLIANCES UNION ASKED ME, THE LIBRARY, LIBRARY UNION, THE JEFFERSON COUNTY TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, KENTUCKY AFL-CIO, AND THE GREATER LOUISVILLE CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL. BUT MAYBE ORGANIZED LABOR ISN'T ENOUGH TO SWAY YOU EITHER. DOZENS OF NEIGHBORHOODS, NONPROFITS, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HAVE SIGNED ON TO INCLUDING FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS THE METRO DISABILITY COALITION, THE ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY MINISTRIES, UOFL SUSTAINABILITY COUNCIL, LOCAL KENTUCKY, AND MANY OTHERS. IN TOTAL, 32 ORGANIZATIONS HAVE SIGNED ON TO OUR DEMAND LETTER. THE LIST IS ONLY GROWING, WITH FOUR SIGNING ON THIS WEEK. AND I KNOW BUSINESSES ARE IMPORTANT TO COUNCIL TOO, SO I'D LIKE TO SAY LOOK AROUND AT THE HUNDREDS OF BUSINESSES WITH OUR LETTER GROW POSTERS IN THEIR WINDOWS. THE WINDS ARE CHANGING. WORKING CLASS PEOPLE DEMAND FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT. THE ORGANIZING DOESN'T STOP TONIGHT. IT DOESN'T STOP
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AFTER THE JUNE 26TH VOTE, THE PETITION SIGNATURES WILL CONTINUE TO POUR IN. UNIONS, NEIGHBORHOODS AND ORGANIZATIONS WILL CONTINUE TO RALLY BEHIND PUBLIC TRANSIT. THE PEOPLE OF LOUISVILLE WILL NEVER SEE THIS AS TAAC'S FAILING. THEY WILL KNOW EXACTLY WHO FAILED THEM IF YOU FAIL TO ACT. NEXT UP, SHERRY THOMPSON, FOLLOWED BY WILLIAM MAYS AND THEN PAIGE SIEBER. HI, I'M SHERRY THOMPSON. I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE SINCE 2009. I'M CURRENTLY RETIRED AND HAVE BEEN ATTENDING SOME MEETINGS TALKING ABOUT. WHERE OUR BUDGET SHOULD GO. YOU KNOW WHAT? HOW WE SHOULD BE SPENDING MONEY. SO RENT IS INCREASING AT ALARMING RATES. AS OF MARCH 24TH, RENT HAD INCREASED BY 20.2%. SINCE 2020. I HAVE CONCERNS BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET CUTS THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO A LOT OF THE MONEY THAT COMES THROUGH HUD, ETC. I'VE GOT FRIENDS WHO'VE LOST THEIR JOBS WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, METRO, UNITED WAY, SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING FOR ALL HAS SAID THAT. $3 MILLION FOR A HOMELESS INITIATIVE FUND WOULD BE IMPORTANT, WITH A11 MILLION INVESTED IN SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.THAT OR FOR EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED IN SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, IT SAVES $2.50 OF THE TAXPAYER MONEY BY REDUCING STRAIN ON ERS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND JAIL. WE'RE ASKING FOR 3.1 MILLION IN HOUSING STABILITY SERVICES. YOU ALL ALREADY KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE I'M SURE. AND THEN FULLY FUND THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, INCLUDING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING BY $25 MILLION, WITH THE 15 MILLION FROM 25 THAT WAS GOING TO PRODUCE 673 UNITS, AVERAGING AN INVESTMENT OF $22,000 A PIECE, A FULL INVESTMENT OF 25,000,026 WOULD SUPPORT UP TO 1000 NEW UNITS. EVERY DOLLAR OF PUBLIC INVESTMENT. LA, LA TFC $13 OF PRIVATE INVESTMENT AS A TESTIMONIAL AFTER I TURNED 50, I LOST A JOB THREE TIMES BEFORE I REACHED RETIREMENT AGE AND I WAS VERY LUCKY I HAD SAVINGS BECAUSE I COULD HAVE FOUND MYSELF ON THE STREETS. I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE STREETS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH SAVINGS TO CONTINUE PAYING THEIR RENT, AND THEY GOT EVICTED. WE NEED SAFETY NETS LIKE THIS. WE NEED MORE SAFE PLACES WITH QUALIFIED STAFF TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE IN CRISIS AROUND THE CLOCK. AND WE NEED PUBLIC RESTROOMS EVERYWHERE IN THE CITY BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, UNLESS YOU'RE CLOSE TO A LIBRARY, YOU DON'T HAVE PUBLIC RESTROOMS IN THIS CITY, AND IT'S REALLY A SHAME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, WILLIAM MAYES, FOLLOWED BY PAIGE SEEBER, THEN RUTH ANN SHUMATE READ. HELLO, I'M WILLIAM MAYES, I'M A SENIOR AND RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE AND A LIFELONG LOUISVILLE RESIDENT.
BY THE WAY. I THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR MORE FUNDING FOR TARC IN BOTH THE SHORT AND LONG TERM, TARC IS WORKING TO BECOME MORE EFFICIENT, AS EVIDENCED BY THEIR TARC 2025 REDESIGN PLANS. HOWEVER, IN THE SHORT TERM, WITH THE ANNUAL LOSS OF $18.5 MILLION IN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS AND THE POTENTIAL ANNUAL LOSS OF 10.5 MILLION IN FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS FOR CAPITAL ELIGIBLE EXPENSES, THE AGENCY WON'T BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN ITS CURRENT LEVELS OF SERVICE, WHICH ARE ALREADY WOEFULLY INADEQUATE FOR OUR CITY TO AVOID FURTHER SERVICE CUTS AND ENABLE TARC TO IMPLEMENT ITS ENHANCED PLAN. I WOULD THEREFORE ASK METRO COUNCIL TO PROVIDE AT LEAST $10 MILLION ANNUALLY. LONG TERM, THE CITY NEEDS ADDITIONAL PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE AT A MINIMUM, AS DESCRIBED IN ITS GROWTH PLAN WITH THE JCB'S ADDITION, AND PREFERABLY EXPANDED BEYOND THOSE PLANS. THE BENEFITS WOULD BE GREAT, SERVICE WOULD BE MORE RELIABLE, EXTENSIVE AND CONVENIENT, RESULTING IN INCREASED RIDERSHIP, REDUCED TRAFFIC AND PARKING PROBLEMS, AND CLEANER AIR. THE LOCAL ECONOMY WOULD GROW BECAUSE POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS LOOK AT A CITY'S PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM WHEN CHOOSING WHERE TO LOCATE, AND MORE VISITORS WOULD COME AND TRAVEL ALL OVER LOUISVILLE TO ENJOY THE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES AND AMENITIES WE OFFER. THEREFORE, AS A SENIOR ON A FIXED INCOME AND A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE, I SUPPORT INCREASING TAX REVENUE TO IMPLEMENT THE GROWTH PLAN AND BEYOND. TARC HAS STATED THAT 64% MORE RESOURCES WOULD BE NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT THE GROWTH PLAN, OR APPROXIMATELY $70 MILLION ANNUALLY, BASED ON THEIR FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET. IDEALLY, METRO
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GOVERNMENT WOULD FUND IT DIRECTLY, BUT IF THAT LEVEL OF FUNDING ISN'T AVAILABLE, THEN RAISING THE CITY'S OCCUPATIONAL TAX BY 0.2%, ONLY $2 PER $1,000 OF WAGES WOULD COVER IT. SINCE THE CURRENT RATE TARC RECEIVES PROVIDES APPROXIMATELY $77 MILLION ANNUALLY, JUST BASED ON INFLATION. THAT 0.2% RATE, WHICH HAS BEEN UNCHANGED SINCE 1974, SHOULD BE AT LEAST 1.1%, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE AGAIN, A 0.9% INCREASE. HOWEVER, I'M ASKING FOR JUST AN INCREASE OF ONLY 0.2 TO 0.4% OR 2 TO $4 PER THOUSAND OF WAGES, WHICH WOULD BE MOSTLY PAID BY THOSE WHO COULD MOST AFFORD IT AND BE MUCH LESS THAN, FOR EXAMPLE, RECENT PROPERTY TAX OR SALES TAX INCREASES. TAX BUDGET WOULD MORE OR LESS DOUBLE APPROACHING THE TRANSIT BUDGETS OF OUR PEER CITIES AND MAKING LOUISVILLE MORE COMPETITIVE FOR JOBS, TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I WOULD ALSO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDING, BUT GIVEN THE STATE AND FEDERAL POLICIES OF ONLY FUNDING CAPITAL PROJECTS AND GIVEN THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE, I'M SURE UNSURE IF ANY WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR THESE EXPENSES. I WOULD ALSO SUPPORT EVEN RAISING TARC FARES, SOME BECAUSE COMPARED TO THE COSTS OF OWNING A CAR OR USING A RIDESHARE SERVICE, TARC SERVICE IS A BARGAIN AT ONLY $50 A MONTH, BUT RIDER FARES ARE ONLY ABOUT 6% OF TAX REVENUES, SO EVEN DOUBLING THOSE WOULDN'T COVER THE AMOUNTS NEEDED, AND MORE FUNDING WOULD BE NEEDED FROM EITHER METRO GOVERNMENT OR THE OCCUPATIONAL TAX. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.NEXT UP, PAIGE SIEBER, FOLLOWED BY RUTH AND SHUMATE REED AND THEN JOSE VASQUEZ. HI, MY NAME IS PAIGE. I'VE LIVED HERE MY WHOLE LIFE. I HOPE TO LIVE HERE MY WHOLE LIFE. THIS SPRING, I'VE HELPED ORGANIZE TOWN HALLS THROUGH THE PEOPLE'S BUDGET CAMPAIGN AND TALK TO PEOPLE ALL OVER THE CITY ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN THEIR BUDGET. I'VE HEARD FROM MY NEIGHBORS IN 15 DIFFERENT DISTRICTS THAT I KNOW OF, AND THEY'RE SCARED FOR THE FUTURE. THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT AFFORDING FOOD, AND THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT HOUSING. BUT NOT ONE OF THEM WANTED MORE POLICE SPENDING. IN FACT, SOME OF THEM WROTE IN LESS. SO I'M ENCOURAGED BECAUSE LAST YEAR, METRO COUNCIL APPROVED 9 MILLION LESS THAN WAS REQUESTED FOR THE LMPD BUDGET. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER. I'M A RESIDENT. I HAVE NO POWER OVER YOU BUT A VOTE. BUT CONSIDER THIS YEAR NO INCREASE BECAUSE THAT IS $26 MILLION THAT WE CAN REINVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER IT BECAUSE $1 BILLION COULD NOT EQUIP THE POLICE TO DO JOBS THEY CAN'T DO. THEY CANNOT ERASE THE SOCIETAL DRIVERS OF CRIME, WHICH ARE POVERTY, YOUTH, AND LACK OF OPPORTUNITY. NOW, ACCORDING TO THE CITY'S OWN FIGURES, THE SAFE LOUISVILLE PLAN A FATAL SHOOTING THAT'S ALMOST $1 MILLION IN COST. IT'S IMMEDIATE TO THE TAXPAYER. IT'S FELTON HOUSEHOLDS.
COMPARATIVELY, THE ENTIRE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, WITH AN INCREASE THIS YEAR, IS GETTING $8 MILLION. I WANT US TO STACK THOSE FIGURES AGAINST EACH OTHER. CONSIDER WHAT PREVENTION SAVES US, AND LOOK AT REINVESTING THOSE DOLLARS IN NEIGHBORHOOD ANTI-VIOLENCE COALITIONS AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY BUDGETED FOR $390,000, EVEN THOUGH IT REFLECTS A 50% REDUCTION IN RECIDIVISM. I WANT TO REINVEST IN YOUTH ORIENTED PROGRAMING AND OFFER VITAL SUPPORT IN OUR COMMUNITIES WHILE WE FIGHT THE GREATER WAR AGAINST POVERTY AND LACK OF OPPORTUNITY. THERE IS, IF WE LOOK AROUND, PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY IN THIS ROOM, WE CAN SAVE OVER TIME ON THIS ENDLESS FUND FOR POLICING. WE CAN SAVE TOGETHER IF WE RELY LESS ON THE POLICE AND MORE ON EACH OTHER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. NEXT UP, RUTH ANN. LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET THIS RIGHT. NEXT UP, RUTH ANN SHUMATE REED. THAT'S CORRECT. FOLLOWED BY JOSE VASQUEZ AND THEN TIM FINDLAY JUNIOR. OKAY. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE METRO COUNCIL THIS EVENING. MY NAME IS RUTH ANN SHUMATE REED. I AM A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. I LIVE IN THE SIXTH METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT, AND I'M CURRENTLY REPRESENTED BY COUNCILMAN JP LINENGER. I LIVE IN WHAT COULD BE BEST DESCRIBED AS THE OUTSKIRTS OF OLD LOUISVILLE, FLOYD AND MAGNOLIA, WHICH IS COVERED BY LMPD'S FOURTH DIVISION. MY REASON FOR ADDRESSING THE METRO COUNCIL THIS EVENING IS THE POLICE BUDGET. THE FOURTH DIVISION OFFICERS DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB. HOWEVER, OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, SINCE 2020, THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DIMINISHED. I DO NOT FAULT THE OFFICERS. THIS IS THE RESULT OF MICROMANAGING THAT HAS DESCENDED UPON LMPD FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, SPECIFICALLY THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, WHICH RESULTED IN LMPD BEING ROUGHLY 300 OFFICERS SHORT. PRAISE GOD PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP'S DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS DROPPED THIS INSANE CONSENT DECREE. HOWEVER, MAYOR GREENBERG PLANS TO PUSH FORWARD WITH A 214
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PAGE DOCUMENT CALLED COMMUNITY COMMITMENT LOUISVILLE'S CONSENT DECREE, AND WITH THIS, HIRING AN INDEPENDENT MONITOR TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT. THIS WILL CAUSE LOUISVILLE $750,000, OF WHICH A PORTION OF THIS WILL PAY THE SALARY OF THIS INDEPENDENT MONITOR. PLEASE DO NOT FUND THIS MADNESS. WE ALREADY HAVE A HAVE A LOUISVILLE INSPECTOR GENERAL. PLEASE PUT THIS MONEY BACK INTO THE BUDGET TO FUND LMPD FOR MORE LMPD OFFICERS TO PATROL ON THE STREETS AND FOR TRAINING ON THE CONSTITUTION AND DEALING WITH PEOPLE. MY NEIGHBORHOOD'S GOING TO HELL. SINCE 2020, I LIVE WITH THREE MAJOR DRUG HOUSES. PROSTITUTION, VIOLENCE AND HOMELESSNESS HAS PLAGUED MY NEIGHBORHOOD. BELIEVE ME, MY NEIGHBORS, WHICH IS THIS IS A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY AND OUR COMMUNICATING CONSTANTLY WITH LMPD AND THE FOURTH DIVISION LANDLORDS, CODE ENFORCEMENT, NEW DIRECTIONS, HOUSING. PLEASE LET THE POLICE DO THEIR JOB. BOTTOM LINE STOP FUNDING FOR THIS INDEPENDENT MONITOR AND FUND AND SUPPORT BRAVE THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN OF LMPD. THANK YOU. IF YOU'D LIKE PICTURES, I'VE GOT PICTURES OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, JOSE VASQUEZ, FOLLOWED BY TIM FINDLAY JUNIOR.AND THEN SONIA GRAY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CONSENT DECREE. MY NAME IS JOSE VASQUEZ.
I'M A PUBLIC SAFETY ADVOCATE, AND I'M EXPLORING A RUN FOR OFFICE HERE IN LOUISVILLE. I LIKE TO THINK OF MYSELF AS A PUBLIC SAFETY ADVOCATE BECAUSE CRIME, VIOLENT CRIME IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD OF ALL LOUISVILLE, HAS CHANGED THE TRAJECTORY OF MY LIFE. VIOLENT CRIME, VANDALISM, HIGH PROFILE CRIMES, THEFT. I CAN GO ON AND ON. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS UNDER SIEGE BY VIOLENT CRIME AND IT IS UNACCEPTABLE. WE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS UNADDRESSED VIOLENT CRIME IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AFFECT THE QUALITY OF LIFE. IT AFFECTS OUR MENTAL HEALTH. IT AFFECTS THE STATE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND I URGE METRO COUNCIL NOT TO REMOVE ANY MONEY FROM THE FROM THE BUDGET FOR LOUISVILLE POLICE, SUPPORT ANY CRIME PREVENTION INITIATIVES, REMOVING MONEY FROM THE POLICE IS A HARD NO FOR ME, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD OF ALL LOUISVILLE FEEL THE SAME WAY. SO I URGE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE POLICE. WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH REFORMS, LET THEM DO THEIR JOBS AND SEE WHAT THE OUTCOME IS. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, TIM FINDLAY JUNIOR, FOLLOWED BY SONIA GRAY. AND THEN CHIAO YEN CHOW. ALL RIGHT. I'M GONNA STAY FOCUSED. I COME TO YOU TONIGHT NOT JUST ON BEHALF OF AN ORGANIZATION, BUT ON BEHALF OF LOUISVILLE SENIORS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN WEST LOUISVILLE, WHO ARE DEPENDING ON US NOW MORE THAN EVER. ELDER SERVE IS MORE THAN A PROGRAM. WE ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST COMMUNITY CENTERS IN THIS REGION SOLELY DEDICATED TO SERVING OLDER ADULTS. OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE BUT URGENT TO ENSURE THAT SENIORS, REGARDLESS OF INCOME, BACKGROUND OR NEIGHBORHOOD, HAVE ACCESS TO THE SUPPORT, DIGNITY AND COMMUNITY THEY DESERVE. THIS SUMMER, WE ARE POISED TO LAUNCH OUR ADULT DAY HEALTH CARE PROGRAM, SERVING SENIORS LIVING WITH DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER'S, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING ESSENTIAL RESPITE FOR OVERWHELMED CAREGIVERS. AT THE SAME TIME, OUR SENIOR CENTER, ALREADY SERVING OVER 300 SENIORS EACH MONTH, CONTINUES TO PROVIDE CRITICAL WRAPAROUND SUPPORT, HOT MEALS, SOCIAL SOCIAL INTERACTION, WELLNESS PROGRAMS, AND A PLACE TO BELONG. THESE ARE ELDERS WHO MAY NOT NEED ROUND THE CLOCK CARE, BUT DO NEED CONNECTION AND CONSISTENT SUPPORT. ELDER SERVE PROVIDES THAT AT NO COST TO THEM, BUT THE NEED IS GROWING AND RESOURCES ARE TIGHTENING. TONIGHT I'M ASKING THAT ELDER SERVE BE INCLUDED IN THE CITY BUDGET WITH AN INVESTMENT OF $250,000. THIS IS NOT A HANDOUT. IT'S A PARTNERSHIP. IT ALLOWS US TO MEET URGENT NEEDS NOW WHILE BUILDING TOWARD LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY. WE ARE PREPARED TO PROVIDE REGULAR REPORTING TO SHOW WHERE EVERY DOLLAR GOES AND HOW IT DIRECTLY CHANGES LIVES. I WANT TO BE CLEAR. MY GOAL IS THAT WITHIN THREE YEARS, ELDER SERVE WILL NO LONGER NEED CITY FUNDING. WE ARE BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE PATH FORWARD, BUT THIS INVESTMENT HELPS US GET THE. AND THIS INVESTMENT DOESN'T JUST HELP ELDER SERVE, IT HELPS LOUISVILLE. IT SUPPORTS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BY ENABLING FAMILY CAREGIVERS TO RERN TO WORK. IT REDUCES STRAIN ON HOSPITALS BY PROVIDING PREVENTATIVE CARE. IT STRENGTHENS NEIGHBORHOODS BY HELPING SENIORS AGE IN PLACE WITH DIGNITY. I READ SOMEWHERE YOU DO NOT HAVE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT ASK. TONIGHT. I'M ASKING ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHO BUILT THIS
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CITY WITH THEIR LABOR AND SACRIFICE, THAT YOU INVEST IN THEM ONCE MORE. WITH SHIFTING MEDICAID POLICIES AND RISING DEMAND, WE'RE BEING ASKED TO DO MORE WITH LESS. BUT WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE. PLEASE INCLUDE ELDER SERVE IN THE CITY BUDGET. WHEN YOU DO, YOU'RE STANDING FOR EQUALITY, FOR EQUITY, FOR COMPASSION, AND THE RIGHT FOR EVERY SENIOR TO AGE WITH DIGNITY. YOU'RE INVESTING IN WEST LOUISVILLE. YOU'RE INVESTING IN CARE, STABILITY, AND THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. DIDN'T THINK I'D GET DONE THAT QUICK.SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THANK YOU ALL. APPRECIATE YOU. AND WE NEED THAT INDEPENDENT MONITOR TO DON'T LISTEN TO THAT FOOLISHNESS YOU JUST HEARD. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, SONIA GRAY, FOLLOWED BY SHI XIAO, YAN SHAO AND THEN KATIE DELANEY. GOOD EVENING, METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE. I AM SONIA GRAY, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR ECHO EXPLOITED CHILDREN'S HELP ORGANIZATION, AND WE RESIDE IN BRIDGES OF HOPE NEIGHBORHOOD PLACE. VIOLENCE. VIOLENCE IS STILL IN OUR CHDREN. YOUNG LIVES LIKE IN GALLUP, SERENITY AND SILENCE HAVE TRAGICALLY LOST TO ABUSE. IN 2024, KENTUCKY REPORTED OVER 14,000 VICTIMS OF CHILD MALTREATMENT, TWICE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. JEFFERSON COUNTY ALONE SAW MORE THAN 1500 CASES. CHILD ABUSE IS OFTEN THE FIRST FORM OF VIOLENCE A CHILD EXPERIENCES, AND IT'S ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE. WE CANNOT IGNORE THESE NUMBERS. BEHIND EACH STATISTIC IS A CHILD WHO DESERVES SAFETY, LOVE, AND A FUTURE. NOT SINCE THE DAYS OF STRANGER DANGER HAVE WE CONSISTENTLY EQUIPPED CHILDREN WITH THE SKILLS TO FACE TODAY'S THREATS BULLYING, CYBER BULLYING AND ALL FORMS OF ABUSE. THE NUMBERS ARE ALARMING. 1 IN 10 CHILDREN WILL BE SEXUALLY ABUSED BEFORE THEIR 18TH BIRTHDAY, AND 90% WILL BE HARMED BY SOMEONE THEY KNOW AND TRUST. 1 IN 4 WILL BE BULLIED AND 1 IN 5 WILL FACE CYBER BULLYING. THESE ARE NOT RARE EVENTS. THEY ARE DAILY REALITIES. FOR MANY CHILDREN, RESEARCH PROVES A CLEAR LINK BETWEEN CHILDHOOD ABUSE AND A HIGHER RISK OF VIOLENT BEHAVIOR IN ADOLESCENTS, A PATTERN KNOWN AS A CYCLE OF VIOLENCE. ABUSED CHILDREN OFTEN STRUGGLE WITH ANGER AND STRESS, LEADING TO AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR, THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE FOUND THEY ARE 53% MORE LIKELY TO BE ARRESTED AS JUVENILES, AND 38% MORE LIKELY AS ADULTS OR FOR VIOLENT CRIMES. THESE FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT THE URGENT NEED FOR EARLY PREVENTION. PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE REQUIRES A PROACTIVE APPROACH, AS RESEARCH SHOWS THAT ONLY 31% OF CHILDREN DISCLOSE ABUSE WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR AND JUST 29% OF REPORTED CASES RESULT IN POLICE ARREST. CHILD SEX. CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE CROSSES ALL DEMOGRAPHICS, INCOME, ETHNICITY AND EDUCATION. THEREFORE, IMPLEMENTING CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAMS ARE ESSENTIAL TO EDUCATING BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS AND CREATING A SAFER, HEALTHY COMMUNITY.
FACED WITH THESE ALARMING STATISTICS, WE CAN TAKE ACTION. ECHO SERVES AS A FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE FOR MANY CHILDREN AND YOUTH, AND WE'RE A PROUD MEMBER OF THE LOUISVILLE NONPROFIT COALITION, ALSO KNOWN AS LULU, NC FOR OVE40 YRS. THROUGH OUR TRANSFORMING OUR COMMUNITIES PROGRAM, WE'VE WORKED TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE THROUGH EDUCATION, WITH THE TLS TO RECOGNIZE ANDNTS REPORT ABUSE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHOOLS AND YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS METRO LOUISVILLE, WE DELIVER EVIDENCE BASED PROGRS DIRECTLY IN THE CLASSROOM. THIS YEAR ALONE, WITH A TEAM OF FOUR, WE'VE EQUIPPED OVER 3500 YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO STAY SAFE.
ULTIMATELY, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS ADULTS TO KEEP THEM SAFE. BY WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN BUILD A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERY CHILD IS PROTECTED, FREE FROM ABUSE, SUPPORTED AND EMPOWERED TO THRIVE. WITH THE FUNDING TESHOLD SET AT 93 AND OUR APPLICATION SRE WAS 92.7, I KINDLY ASK YOUREIDER OUR RUEST OF 50,000 F FUNDIN CRITICAL C A PR EDUON ADE XIAO YIN CHOW, I HOPE I HAVEN'T MISPRONOUNCED THAT SO BADLY. YOU DON'T KNOW? I'M CALLING YOU CAITIE DELANEY AND AMINA SHALE. THANK YOU. AND YOU PRONOUNCE IT VERY WELL. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS XIAO YUN JU. I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF KENTUCKY AND SOUTHERN INDIANA. WE ARE THE ORGANIZATION THAT MANAGES AND ADMINISTERS THE SISTER CITIES, PROGRAMS AND RELATIONSHIPS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. OUR CITY HERE. I'M HERE TODAY JUST TO URGE YOU TO CONSIDER REINSTATING THE FUNDING AND MEANINGFULLY FUND THE LOUISVILLE SISTER CITIES PROGRAM IN THE FY 2026 BUDGET. THIS PROGRAM IS OUR CITY'S ONLY FORMAL VEHICLE FOR LOCAL LEVEL INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND DIPLOMACY. IT IS HOW LOUISVILLE PRESENTS ITSELF TO THE WORLD AS A CITY THAT IS OPEN, CONNECTED AND FORWARD LOOKING. SISTER CITIES BUILDS PARTNERSHIPS THAT TRANSLATE INTO ECONOMIC,
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EDUCATIONAL, AND CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES RIGHT HERE AT HOME. WHEN PEOPLE VISIT OUR CITY, WHETHER THEY ARE FROM ECUADOR OR ARGENTINA OR GERMANY AND FRANCE, WHEREVER THE SISTER CITIES ARE, AND WE HAVE EIGHT OF THEM, THEY COME WITH NEW PERSPECTIVES, BUSINESS INTERESTS AND CREATIVE COLLABORATIVE COLLABORATIONS. SO THE REVENUE ALSO THE REVERSE ALSO HAPPENS WHEN WE GET TO TRAVEL TO THOSE CITIES. AND JUST LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR WITH AT MINES, WITH SOME OF YOU AND WHAT WE PLAN TO DO THIS FALL TO GHANA, THE SISTER CITIES PROGRAM IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT FOR EDUCATION. THEY GIVE STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS A RARE CHANCE TO CONNECT BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. WE'VE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM SCHOOLS LIKE HAWTHORNE ELEMENTARY, WHICH RUNS A LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM AND SEES TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL IN DEEPER EXCHANGES WITH OUR SISTER CITIES. TEACHERS ARE ASKING FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING THE WORD WORLD INTO THEIR CLASSROOMS FOR STUDENTS TO GAIN PROFICIENCY IN LANGUAGE IMMERSION THROUGH VIRTUAL, STUDENT AND IN-PERSON TEACHER EXCHANGES. AND THIS HELPS TO FILL THE GAP THAT OUR OWN EDUCATION EDUCATION SYSTEM IS UNABLE TO ADDRESS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TEACHER SHORTAGE AND THE SKILLS SHORTAGE. WE KNOW THAT STUDENTS WHO ENGAGE IN CROSS-CULTURAL LEARNING ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY. THIS IS AN INVESTMENT IN LOUISVILLE'S FUTURE WORKFORCE AND LEADERSHIP.I JUST WANT TO LEAVE WITH TWO IMPORTANT MESSAGES. ONE, WE ARE AT A CRITICAL POINT. WHILE THE FINANCIAL INVESTMENT REQUIRED FOR SISTER CITIES IS MODEST, THE CONSEQUENCES OF CUTTING IT ARE NOT. ONCE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE BUILT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, THE RELATIONSHIPS, TRUST AND COORDINATION WITH OUR CITIES, THAT WHEN THAT IS GONE, IT IS INCREDIBLE. INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO REBUILD CITIES LIKE LEXINGTON, CINCINNATI AND NASHVILLE ARE DOUBLING DOWN ON GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT. IF LOUISVILLE WANTS TO STAY COMPETITIVE AND THAT THIS IS THE TIME TO REINVEST AND NOT TO RETREAT, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A ONE TIME GIFT OR A ONE TIME FUNDING, AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR A STABLE, FORWARD LOOKING COMMITMENT TO THE PROGRAM. SO I HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER PUTTING FUNDING BACK IN AND FOR THIS YEAR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT UP, KATIE DELANEY, FOLLOWED BY AMINA SHALE AND THEN KENYA WADE. HI LOUISVILLE METRO COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. I HAVE BEEN HERE AT MANY OF THESE HEARINGS AND I SEE EXACTLY WHAT IS AT STAKE AND THE DILIGENCE YOU'VE BEEN TAKING AT EVERY MOMENT IN THOSE HEARINGS. I'M HERE TODAY AS A PORTLAND RESIDENT. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PORTLAND MUSEUM. SECONDLY, WE HAVE RECEIVED AN TO CREATE LOUISVILLE'S FIRST CHILDREN'S MUSEUM WEST OF THE NINTH STREET DIVIDE. THIS IS A CRITICAL JUNCTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, NOT JUST FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT FOR THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE. I AM ASKING YOU TO PLEASE LET US HAVE THAT ALLOCATION SO THAT WE CAN BUILD THIS CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. WE HAVE RAISED $2.1 MILLION ON OUR OWN WITHOUT ANY HELP FROM THE CITY, AND THIS IS BY FAR WHAT WE NEED. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS AMINA SHALE, FOLLOWED BY KENYA WADE AND THEN MEGAN COLE. OH GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS AMINA SHALE. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, TODAY I'M STANDING HERE AS A MOTHER, AS A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE AND SOMEONE WHO GREW UP RIGHT HERE IN LOUISVILLE AFTER ARRIVING AS A REFUGEE. I JUST WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT I'M NOT HERE FOR APPLAUSE. I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE AND TO RAISE THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO'VE BEEN TOLD TO SIT DOWN, BE QUIET, AND WAIT THEIR TURN. THIS IS THEIR TURN. AND THIS IS ME REFUSING TO BE QUIET. THIS YEAR WE APPLIED FOR THE EAF GRANT THAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD TO APPLY EVERY YEAR. WE APPLIED FOR $30,000 TO FUND OUR TEN WEEK SUMMER PROGRAM, AND THE AMOUNT WAS $30,000. THROUGH MORE THAN A SMILE, THIS CAMP WASN'T JUST A SUMMER PROGRAM, IT WAS A LIFELINE FOR MANY OF OUR YOUTH.
WE SCORED 90 ON OUR APPLICATION, BUT WE WERE DENIED FUNDING BECAUSE ONE REVIEWER DIDN'T COMPLETE THE SURVEY. THEY LEFT EVERYTHING BLANK ACROSS THE BOARD, AND ONE INCOMPLETE FORM IMPACTED 90 LIVES. AND I COULD HAVE ACCEPTED THAT ANSWER. I COULD HAVE WAITED MY TURN, LIKE SO MANY OTHERS HAVE BEEN TOLD TO DO SO. BUT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A BETRAYAL TO THE KIDS WHO WALK FROM PARK HILL TO WILLIAM HARRISON PARK, TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CHIP IN THEIR LAST
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$5 FOR TRANSPORTATION, TO THE MOTHERS WHO SERVE MEALS WITH SMILES WHILE THEIR LIGHTS ARE OFF AT HOME. WE DON'T DO THIS WORK FOR RECOGNITION. WE DO IT BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DON'T. I WANT TO SHARE A STORY. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THIS NAME IN THE NEWS THE PAST TWO WEEKS OR A WEEK. HIS NAME IS MUHAMMAD HASSAN. HE'S MADE HEADLINES, BUT NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT MUHAMMAD ACTUALLY CAME TO US AND ASKED US, CAN I BE A PART OF YOUR SOCCER PROGRAM? WE ACTUALLY CUT DOWN ON OUR PROGRAMING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE FUNDING, WE DON'T GET FUNDED. EVERYTHING WE DO COMES OUT OF POCKET, COMES FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, COMES FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE BEEN CONCERNED WITH WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH OUR IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE POPULATION. MUHAMMAD CAME TO OUR DOORS WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE DOORS TO OPEN. OUR DOORS WERE CLOSED AT THE TIME. NOW HE'S BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO A MURDER. HE SHOWED UP, BUT HELP WASN'T FUNDED AT THE TIME, SO WE COULDN'T GIVE HIM THAT HELP. AND THE STREETS WELCOMED HIM IN WHEN THE CITY COULDN'T INVITE HIM IN. AS CITY LEADERS TALKED ABOUT A SURPLUS IN OUR BUDGET, WE MORE THAN A SMILE WERE ACTUALLY SCRAPING THE LITTLE THAT WE DID HAVE TO TRY AND CONFIGURE A PROGRAM IN THE SUMMER, BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT OUR KIDS WERE DEPENDING ON US. THIS SUMMER. WE HONESTLY ARE TIRED OF BEING TOLD THAT HEY, APPLY NEXT YEAR. ALL THESE PHOTO OPS, THE RIBBON CUTTINGS AND STRATEGIC PLANS WE'RE TIRED OF. GO TO THIS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, GO TO THIS OFFICE. WHILE OUR KIDS ARE BEING BURIED. MANY MOTHERS HAVE TOLD US I'VE LOST MORE KIDS HERE IN THE CITY THAN I HAVE IN THE REFUGEE CAMP. AND THAT TELLS A STORY THAT MANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE NOT HEARD YET. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT TONIGHT WE'RE ASKING FOR OUR APPLICATION TO BE REVIEWED BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER MUHAMMAD. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, KENYA WADE, FOLLOWED BY MEGAN COLE AND THEN KELLY HEIBERGER. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KENYA WADE AND I'M A DISTRICT ONE TENANT AS WELL. I'M ALSO A MASTER'S LEVEL SOCIAL WORKER SLASH THERAPIST. BUT UNFORTUNATELY I'M ALSO A PARENT OF A GUN VIOLENCE SURVIVOR BECAUSE IT IS I CREATED. BECAUSE OF THIS, I CREATED CYCLE BREAKERS BREAKING CHAINS INCORPORATED BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT OTHER PARENTS TO GO THROUGH THIS. MY ORGANIZATION OFFERS TRAINING TO FOSTER PERSONAL GROWTH, EDUCATION, ACCOUNTABILITY, MENTORING, RESPONSIBILITY AMONG GUN VIOLENCE VICTIMS, PERPETRATORS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEIR COMMUNITY. WE ALSO ARE ALSO OUT FOR WRAPAROUND AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, WITH A STRONG FOCUS WITH WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. WE ASSIST AGES 8 TO 24 YEARS OLD WITH AN EXTENSION TO AGE 26. OUR PROGRAM PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP DECISION MAKING SKILLS, MORE VALUES, ACCOUNTABILITY TO KEEP THEM ALIVE. I HAVE PARTNERED WITH NEIGHBORHOOD PLACE, JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OTHER AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMING. THE FEEDBACK WE HAVE RECEIVED HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUS FROM THE YOUTH TO THEIR PARENTS, THE STAFF IN WHICH WE HAVE COLLABORATED WITH.MY QUESTION FOR THE MY QUESTION IS FOR THE ALLOCATED BOARD IS WHO CAN SPEAK TO OF WHAT I FEEL LIKE IS INCONSISTENCIES OF THRESHOLD FOR THRESHOLD, FOR THRESHOLD FOR FUNDING CONSIDERATION. IN FACT, I MEET THE THRESHOLD. SO I'M WONDERING WHAT THE METRICS AND DECISION MAKING PROCESS IS WITH LITTLE OR NO SUPPORT FROM METRO COUNCIL, I'M ADVOCATING FOR MYSELF, FOR MY PROGRAM, BY MYSELF. WE ARE COMBATING 24 HOUR PROBLEMS WITH NO SUPPORT AND LACK OF SUPPORT.
THE WORK THAT WE HAVE PUT IN COULD REACH AND HAVE GREATER IMPACT WITH SUPPORT AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT. SPECIFICALLY, THE CONTINUOUS DISRESPECT OF MY EDUCATION, MY DEGREE, MY LIVED EXPERIENCE AND BEING A PARENT OF A GUN VIOLENCE SURVIVOR HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO DIVERT ME TO THE WORK THAT I HAVE BEEN CALLED TO DO, SHOW UP FOR THE YOUTH AND TO HELP STRENGTHEN MY COMMUNITY. MY NAME IS KENYA WADE AND I AM A SOCIAL WORKER, FOUNDER OF PSYCHO BURGLARS BREAKING CHAINS INCORPORATED. I ALSO HAVE PACKAGES OF INFORMATION IF YOU LIKE. I WASN'T INFORMED WHEN I STAND UP, STAND UP TO DISTRIBUTE THIS TO HANDOUT. SO IF YOU LIKE PLEASE TAKE A PACKAGE. BUT PLEASE IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PUT IT TO USE, I NEED IT BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME REASON WHY I'M HERE TONIGHT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PUT IT TO GOOD USE.
THANK YOU. MA'AM. THE CLERK WILL TAKE THOSE THE HANDOUTS. OKAY. JUST A SECOND. THANK YOU. NEXT
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UP, MEGAN COLE, FOLLOWED BY KELLY HEIBERGER AND THEN ABIGAIL MUSILI. MY NAME IS MEGAN COLE.I'M THE SAVE A LIFE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR WHITNEY STRONG, A LOUISVILLE BASED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON FINDING COMMON GROUND TO END GUN VIOLENCE THROUGH DATA DRIVEN, RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP SOLUTIONS. IN THE PREVENTION EDUCATION SPACE. WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE PEOPLE OFTEN DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW. I THINK ABOUT THIS CONCEPT PERSONALLY BECAUSE IT'S WHAT BROUGHT ME TO WHITNEY STRONG TEN YEARS AGO. MY AUNT LINDA TOOK HER LIFE WITH A FIREARM. I DIDN'T KNOW THEN THAT LINDA HAD MANY HEALTH AND PERSONAL FACTORS THAT PUT HER AT A HEIGHTENED RISK FOR SUICIDE. BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW THIS, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT SHE WAS DISPLAYING WARNING SIGNS THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN WATCHING OUT FOR, BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW THESE THINGS. I DIDN'T KNOW I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MAKING SURE SHE COULDN'T ACCESS THE FIREARMS IN HER HOMES, OR THAT THERE WERE TOOLS AVAILABLE THAT COULD HAVE PUT TIME AND DISTANCE BETWEEN HER AND THOSE FIREARMS. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW, AND WHILE I CAN'T GO BACK AND TEACH MYSELF THOSE THINGS, I CAN WORK WITH WHITNEY STRONG AND THE SAVE A LIFE TEAM TO TEACH OTHERS SO THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND KNOWLEDGE TO SAVE THEIR LOVED ONES IN A WAY THAT I COULDN'T.
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT, ACCORDING TO THE CDC, A KENTUCKIAN DIES BY FIREARM EVERY TEN HOURS. IN FACT, OUR FIREARM DEATH RATE IS 33% HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. AND IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST FIREARM HOMICIDE RATE IN THE COMMONWEALTH. AND THIS DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTS OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. AS THE FIREARM HOMICIDE RATE FOR BLACK KENTUCKIANS IS TEN TIMES THE RATE OF WHITE KENTUCKIANS, WE KNOW THAT GUN VIOLENCE IN ALL FORMS CAN BE PREVENTED BY EQUIPPING COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH PRACTICAL SKILLS AND INFORMATION NEEDED TO REDUCE FIREARM DEATH AND INJURY. OUR SAVE A LIFE PROGRAM TAKES A UNIVERSAL APPROACH TO COMBATING GUN VIOLENCE BY OFFERING EVIDENCE BASED TRAINING SOLUTIONS, AND THE TEN LOUISVILLE NEIGHBORHOODS MOST IMPACTED AND HARDEST HIT BY GUN VIOLENCE AND SUICIDE. THESE TRAININGS FOCUS ON COMBATING GUN VIOLENCE IN MULTIPLE WAYS THROUGH PROVEN PREVENTION STRATEGIES TARGETING SUICIDE PREVENTION AND FIREARM SAFETY EDUCATION, AND THROUGH STOP THE BLEED TRAININGS TO EQUIP PEOPLE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS TO RESPOND WITH LIFE SAVING CARE AND EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. ALL SAVE A LIFE TRAINING PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE FREE KITS THAT THEY WALK AWAY WITH, TANGIBLE TOOLS TO SUPPORT WHAT THEY LEARN AND HELP MAKE THEIR COMMUNITY SAFER. AND WE KNOW THROUGH PARTICIPANT SURVEYS THAT SAVE A LIFE. PROGRAMS ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE, WITH RESULTS SHOWING INCREASED KNOWLEDGE AND CONFIDENCE LEVELS ACROSS ALL OUTCOMES FOR EACH OF OUR PROGRAMS. TO DATE, OVER 1700 LOUISVILLIANS HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN ONE OR MORE OF WHITNEY STRONG SAVE A LIFE PROGRAMS, AND OVER 6500 FREE GUN LOCKS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE ASKING FOR CONTINUED FUNDING FROM IAAF FOR OUR ASK OF $73,000 FROM THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE, WHICH COVERS ABOUT HALF OF THE BUDGET FOR LOUISVILLE PROGRAM.
THIS WILL ALLOW WHITNEY STRONG TO CONTINUE TEACHING OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW TO HELP SAVE LIVES AND CREATE A SAFER LOUISVILLE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT UP, KELLY HEIBERGER, FOLLOWED BY ABIGAIL MUSILI. AND THEN SOPHIA. LET'S. HELLO, I'M KELLY HEIBERGER. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF CURATORIAL AFFAIRS AT THE FILSON HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT, YOUR TIME REVIEWING AND PREPARING THE BUDGET, AND FOR LISTENING TO ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENTS. WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK. THE FILSON HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S MISSION IS TO COLLECT, PRESERVE, AND TELL THE SIGNIFICANT STORIES OF KENTUCKY AND THE OHIO VALLEY'S HISTORY AND CULTURE. WE HAVE OPERATED HERE IN LOUISVILLE FOR MORE THAN 141 YEARS, AND RIGHT NOW, DOCUMENTING OUR COLLECTIVE HISTORY IS MORE VITAL THAN EVER. AT THE FILSON, WE BELIEVE THAT COMMUNITIES CAN BUILD A STRONGER FUTURE BY BETTER KNOWING OUR PAST. TO THAT END, THE FILSON IS THE STEWARD AND CARETAKER OF OVER 2 MILLION DOCUMENTS, THOUSANDS OF BOOKS, RARE MAPS, AND HISTORIC ARTIFACTS. THESE ITEMS TELL THE DIVERSE, THE CHALLENGING, THE BEAUTIFUL, AND THE RESILIENT STORY OF OUR CITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO CALL LOUISVILLE HOME. WHAT SETS THE FILSON APART AND MAKES OUR ORGANIZATION SO INTEGRAL TO THIS COMMUNITY IS THAT WE ARE OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE. YOU DON'T NEED TO BE AN ACADEMIC OR A SCHOLAR TO ACCESS THE FILSON'S COLLECTIONS. EVERY DAY WE ARE HELPING ORDINARY CITIZENS CONNECT TO THEIR PERSONAL HISTORY AND STORY. AS A PARTNER OF THE LOUISVILLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, OUR TEAM OF HISTORIANS AND ARCHIVISTS HELP CONNECT DOZENS OF REVERT APPLICANTS TO THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION OF THEIR ANCESTORS ANCESTORS RESIDING IN HISTORIC REDLINED DISTRICTS IN LOUISVILLE, AND THIS ENABLED THEM TO ACCESS FUNDS TO SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS TOWARDS HOMEOWNERSHIP. THIS WORK MATTERS. THIS IS HISTORY HAVING A REAL AND TANGIBLE IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY. BEYOND REVERT, OUR PROGRAMS HAVE SERVED OVER 25,000 INDIVIDUALS. LAST YEAR, WE GREETED MORE THAN 1800 RESEARCHERS AND BROUGHT IN 355 NEW ACQUISITIONS TO OUR
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COLLECTION. MANY OF THESE ACQUISITIONS DOCUMENT THE STORIES OF DIVERSE AND MARGINALIZED RESIDENTS IN LOUISVILLE. OUR VAST COLLECTION IS ALSO THE BACKBONE OF NUMEROUS CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS ACROSS LOUISVILLE METRO, FROM ITEMS ON LOAN TO RESEARCHERS PROVIDING PUBLIC LECTURES, THE FILSON HAS FINGERPRINTS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY. SUPPORTING THE FILSON HAS A MULTIPLIER EFFECT MUCH LARGER THAN A SINGLE INVESTMENT. THE FILSON'S GROWTH ALLOWS FOR GREATER SHOWCASING AND INTERPRETATION OF OUR LOCAL HISTORY, PROVIDING IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT AND DISCOURSE ACROSS THE CITY FOR THE BENEFIT AND EDUCATION OF ANYONE WISHING TO ENGAGE. THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE FILSON OPERATIONS ALLOWS MORE ACCESS TO RESEARCH AND COLLECTIONS, AS WELL AS GROWING OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR CONTINUED PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, CIVIC ACTIVATION, AND BUILDING A STRONGER FUTURE GENERATION OF CIVICALLY ENGAGED CITIZENS. THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING US IN THE FIRST ROUND OF BUDGET FUNDING, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH LOUISVILLE METRO. THANK YOU.ABIGAIL MUSILI I HOPE I PRONOUNCED THAT WELL ENOUGH THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THE NAME. SOPHIA, LET'S. AND THEN PRESTON COOTS WILL BE AFTER THAT. THANK YOU. I'M ACTUALLY SUPER IMPRESSED WITH HOW YOU PRONOUNCE MY LAST NAME, I APPRECIATE IT. MY NAME IS ABBY. I'M HERE BECAUSE LOUISVILLE'S TRANS TRANSIT CRISIS IS A CHOICE. IT'S A CHOICE WE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO MAKE. EVERY DAY, LOW INCOME RIDERS, BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, AND DISABLED LOUISVILLIANS BEAR THE BRUNT OF OUR UNDERFUNDED TRANSIT SYSTEM. NEARLY HALF OF TARC RIDERS LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. HEY, I'M ONE OF THEM. I CAN'T AFFORD A CAR WHICH I COULD. WOULD LOVE TO TAKE THE BUS. AND WHEN BUSSES ARE LATE, WHEN ROUTES ARE CUT, WHEN SERVICE IS UNRELIABLE. IT'S NOT JUST AN INCONVENIENCE, IT'S DISCRIMINATION. LET'S BE HONEST, TARC STRUGGLES ARE NOT AN ACCIDENT. THEY'RE THE RESULT OF DECADES OF UNDERINVESTMENT. WHILE OTHER CITIES, NEIGHBORING CITIES HAVE MOVED FORWARD. CINCINNATI AND NASHVILLE VOTED TO EXPAND THEIR TRANSIT.
INDIANAPOLIS INVESTS MORE PER CAPITA THAN WE DO. AND MEANWHILE, LOUISVILLE LEADERS SOME OF Y'ALL ACT SHOCKED WHEN TARC SAYS IT NEEDS FUNDING, EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE BEEN SOUNDING THE ALARM SINCE 2009. I WASN'T EVEN HARDLY ALIVE AT THAT TIME. THE TARC 2025 REDESIGN IS OUR CHANCE TO FIX THIS. THE ENHANCED OPTION, JUST 10 MILLION A YEAR, WOULD MEAN MORE FREQUENT BUSSES, WEEKEND SERVICE, AND REAL CONNECTIONS TO JOBS AND SCHOOLS. THE GROWTH OPTION, WHICH WOULD BE FIVE, SORRY, 50 MILLION WOULD TRANSFORM OUR CITY. AND NONE OF THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT YOU GUYS STEPPING UP FOR US. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT BUSSES, IT'S ABOUT RACIAL JUSTICE. IT'S ABOUT CLIMATE JUSTICE. IT'S ABOUT SUPPORTING TOURISM, OUR BOURBON BASED ECONOMY. I WOULD LOVE TO GO DRINK BOURBON, BUT I DON'T HAVE A RELIABLE WAYS TO GET HOME AFTER. AND IT'S ABOUT WHETHER LOUISVILLE IS A CITY THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE, OR JUST PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD A CAR. METRO COUNCIL, YOU HAVE MADE US PROMISES AND HONESTLY UNSUBSTANTIATED EXCUSES THAT CALL BUS STOPS TOO SMELLY OR CLAIMING THAT OUR EFFORTS WON'T WORK WITHOUT ANTI-HOMELESS BENCHES, OR THE SENTIMENT OF NOT WANTING TO GIVE ACCESS TO YOUR DISTRICT TO CERTAIN PEOPLE. THEY JUST MAKE YOU LOOK BAD. AND IT'S EMBARRASSING. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES FROM PEOPLE WHO POSTURE LIKE THEY'RE ON THE LEFT. THE PEOPLE OF LOUISVILLE HAVE SPOKEN OVER 1100 RESIDENTS IN 30 ORGANIZATIONS, UNIONS, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, ADVOCACY GROUPS HAVE JOINED THE GET ON THE BUS COALITION, AND THE DEMAND IS TO FUND THE $10 MILLION OPTION FOR THE ENHANCED OPTION THAT'S PROPOSED BY TARC 2025, AND THEN COMMIT TO A REFERENDUM FOR THE GROWTH OPTION IN THE FUTURE. AND STOP PRETENDING IT'S A SURPRISE. PLEASE START LEADING. LOUISVILLE DESERVES A TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT WORKS, SO PLEASE FUND TARC. LET IT GROW. LET'S FINALLY BUILD THE CITY THAT WE DESERVE. THANK YOU GUYS. NEXT UP, SOPHIA. LET'S FOLLOWED BY PRESTON COOTS AND THEN DANIELLE. WELL. I'M SORRY.
I'LL TRY AGAIN IN A MOMENT. MY NAME IS SOPHIA AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT 23. I PRESENT MYSELF HERE TODAY BEFORE YOU ALL, TO REPRESENT THOUSANDS OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS ACROSS THE METROPOLITAN AREA THAT DESERVE THEIR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE PRIORITIZED IN THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL. I WORK FOR THE GREATER LOUISVILLE HEAD START PROGRAM AS THE DIRECTOR OF ANALYSIS, WHERE I SEE HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES RELY ON PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO GIVE THEM ACCESSIBLE ROUTES, TO BRING THEIR CHILDREN TO OUR EARLY LEARNING CENTERS AND CONNECT GUARDIANS TO THEIR JOBS. HEAD START AIMS TO CLOSE THE OPPORTUNITY GAP FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, BUT WITHOUT ADEQUATE FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF RELIABLE PUBLIC CONVEYANCE INFRASTRUCTURE, FAMILIES ACROSS THE CITY WITHOUT ACCESS TO CARS WILL BE LEFT UNDERSERVED, WITH DECREASED SHARED MOBILITY AND LESS AVENUES TO REACH COMMUNITY RESOURCES. THE FUTURE OF REDUCED CARBON EMISSIONS, LESS TRAFFIC
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CONGESTION AND ACCIDENTS, INCREASED PUBLIC HEALTH BENEFITS, ACCESSIBILITY, ACCESSIBLY INTEGRATED NEIGHBORHOODS, AND ENHANCED COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS ARE AT OUR FINGERTIPS. IF AREAS OF THE BUDGET ARE PRIORITIZED TO SUPPORT THESE ISSUES. IF THE CONSIDERATION OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS WELL-BEING IS NOT ENOUGH TO CONVINCE YOU TO SUPPORT AREAS OF THE BUDGET LIKE THIS, THEN LOOK TOWARDS FUTURE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FROM A REVENUE STANDPOINT. LOOKING TO OUR PEER CITIES IN COLUMBUS, CINCINNATI AND INDIANAPOLIS.THEY ESTABLISH A NEW STANDARD FOR US TO COMPETE WITH BY PASSING REFERENDUMS IN THEIR LAST ELECTION CYCLE TO ENHANCE AREAS OF THEIR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS INCREASED MOBILITY AND INTERCONNECTION WITHIN THEIR CITIES. IMAGINE THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT WHEN FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT IS PROMOTED, CREATING AN ATTRACTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR NEW BUSINESSES AND TOURISTS TO CHOOSE OUR CITY TO PATRONIZE. TOURISM IS AN UNDENIABLE PILLAR OF THE CITY THAT DIRECTLY STIMULATES OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH. IN CLOSING, I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL, BUT ESPECIALLY MY COUNCILMAN, JEFF HUDSON, TO GENUINELY CONCEIVE HOW LOUISVILLE WILL ATTEMPT TO CONTINUOUSLY CATCH UP AND COMPETE WITH NEIGHBORING CITIES IN THE FUTURE WITHOUT SUPPLYING AMPLE FUNDING TO IMPROVE THE CONNECTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS THE BASELINE FOR A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE WITHIN OUR CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, PRESTON COOTS, FOLLOWED BY DANIELLE MILERA. AND THEN DEMARION FLEMING. PRESTON COOTS. DANIELLE MALERBA. AND AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE IF I'M MISPRONOUNCING YOUR NAME. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DANIELLE. IT'S A RANDOM NAME. I'M THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE TAVARA INITIATIVE. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE INITIATIVE AND OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR EAST AFRICAN REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT GIRLS, CREATED BY GATE OF HOPE MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL. GATE OF HOPE IS A LOCAL, NONPROFIT CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO ENCOURAGE, EDUCATE AND EMPOWER VULNERABLE EAST AFRICANS FOR A BETTER FUTURE.
WHILE HOPE MAY BE NEW TO MANY, WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING IN LOUISVILLE FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS. WE ARE GUIDED BY THE VALUES OF LOVING ALL WHOM WE SERVE UNCONDITIONALLY, CULTIVATING AUTHENTIC AND MUTUALLY TRANSFORMATIVE RELATIONSHIPS, BUILDING STRONG PARTNERSHIPS, STEWARDING OUR RESOURCES RESPONSIBLY AND FAITHFULLY, AS WELL AS BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE EVER EVOLVING NEEDS OF OUR CLIENTS. THIS PAST YEAR, WE WERE THE PROUD RECIPIENTS OF THE LOUISVILLE METRO EAF GRANT OF $10,000. WITH THAT INVESTMENT, WE WERE ABLE TO EDUCATE 90 PLUS EAST AFRICAN GIRLS IN ENGLISH, KINYARWANDA AND SWAHILI ABOUT DIFFERENT ISSUES RELATED TO BUILDING HEALTHY FRIENDSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS FREE FROM ABUSE AND VIOLENCE. ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO NEEDED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT BY CONNECTING THEM TO IN-SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES, AND EQUIPPING THEM WITH THE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO NOT ONLY PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEIR PEERS AGAINST EXPLOITATION, BUT TO ULTIMATELY EMPOWER THEM TO THRIVE AND BUILD HEALTHY LIVES HERE IN LOUISVILLE. AS I MENTIONED, OUR PROGRAM RUNS IN ENGLISH, KINYARWANDA AND SWAHILI OR SWAHILI IN SCHOOLS THROUGH GROUPS OF UP TO 12 STUDENTS WHO MEET EITHER WEEKLY OR BIWEEKLY OVER ABOUT 12 WEEKS TO TALK AND DO EXERCISES THAT COVER A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS ON RELATIONSHIPS, INCLUDING RIGHTS AND CONSENT, ABUSE, SAFETY, PLANNING, AND MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AMONG OTHERS. THIS HOLISTIC APPROACH ENSURES THAT PARTICIPANTS ARE NOT ONLY UNDERSTAND THE RISKS OF EXPLOITATION AND HOW TO PREVENT IT, BUT ALSO DEVELOP THE NECESSARY WISDOM TO NAVIGATE LIFE CHALLENGES EFFECTIVELY. WE TEACH THEM SKILLS CENTERED AROUND SELF-ADVOCACY, CRITICAL THINKING, AND ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATIONS SO THAT THE GIRLS ARE EMPOWERED TO BECOME LEADERS AND ADVOCATES IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. WITH THE 90 PLUS GIRLS 90 PLUS SESSIONS AND 400 PLUS HOURS OVER THE PAST FIVE MONTHS, WE APPLIED FOR THE GRANT FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR, BUT WERE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING BECAUSE OUR SCORE WAS LOWER THAN THE THRESHOLD. I AM HERE TO ASK YOU ALL TO PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS DECISION AND APPROVE THE GRANT IN SUPPORT OF THE EAST AFRICAN GIRLS WHOM WE WORK WITH. OUR PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY IN DISTRICT 21, DISTRICT NINE, TEN, 23, AND 25. WE KNOW WE'RE MAKING A REAL IMPACT IN THESE GIRLS LIVES. WE'VE SERVED OVER 175 GIRLS SINCE WE LAUNCHED IN DECEMBER 2021. WHEN ASKED WHAT THEY LIKED ABOUT THE GROUPS, PARTICIPANTS SAID THEY LEARNED GOOD INFORMATION WITHOUT SHAME OR SHYNESS. THEY SAID, THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME ABOUT SOME THINGS I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING US UNDERSTAND THINGS WE DIDN'T KNOW AND USUALLY WOULDN'T LEARN AT SCHOOL. I REALLY LIKE THIS GROUP BECAUSE YOU TAUGHT US THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LEARN EARLY TO KNOW AS ADULTS. ON BEHALF OF GATE OF HOPE OF THE PROGRAM AND THE GIRLS WHO PARTICIPATE IN THESE GROUPS. THANK YOU. ASANTE
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SANA, MOROCCO'S. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, DR. MARION FLEMING, FOLLOWED BY ALEX DIETZ AND THEN SEAN TRAUB. HOW Y'ALL DOING? MY NAME IS DR. MARION FLEMING. I DID HAVE A SPEECH PLANNED, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO SAY NOTHING THAT YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY HEARD 30 TIMES. SO DEMARION FLEMING, I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF SOWING SEEDS WITH FAITH OUT OF SCHOOL ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM. HERE IN THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE. THERE IS NOT A ZIP CODE THAT WE DO NOT IMPACT. WE HAVE OVER 25 COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH. SOME YOU'VE HEARD TODAY, SOME YOU'VE FUNDED AND SOME YOU DIDN'T. I'M NOT HERE TO TELL YOU HOW TO SPEND YOUR MONEY, OR HOW TO GRADE PEOPLE ON HOW THEY PROVOKE, HOW THEY PROPOSE THEIR PROGRAMS. EVERYBODY HERE FEEL LIKE THEIR PROGRAM IS THE BEST. AND THIS IS DIFFERENT BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. AND SINCE I'VE BEEN SITTING BACK THERE, I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH IS PRETTY DOPE. SO I DON'T THINK SOWING SEEDS WITH FAITH IS DOING ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. HOWEVER, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE DOING MORE FOR MORE PEOPLE. WE DO IMPACT OVER 3000 KIDS IN JCPS. WE DO HAVE SUMMER PROGRAM FOR 175 KIDS, WITH OVER 150 KIDS ON OUR WAITING LIST. WE DO TUTORING ALL OVER THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE FOR OVER 300 KIDS, BOTH IN THE FALL AND SPRING. WE DO HAVE AN HBCU COLLEGE TOUR THAT WE TAKE OVER 100 KIDS BOTH SPRING BREAK AND FALL BREAK. ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES WE HAVE IS THAT WE OFFERED SUMMER EMPLOYMENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. WE HAD OVER 191 KIDS APPLIED. WE ONLY HAD THE FUNDING TO HIRE 30. SO FAITH IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. OF COURSE, NO DIFFERENT THAN ANYBODY ELSE. I FEEL LIKE WE ARE ALSO MORE RELEVANT IN REGARDS TO MOVING FROM IMPORTANT TO IMPACTFUL. I DON'T THINK NO ORGANIZATION IS DOING THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AT THE LEVEL IN WHICH WE'VE DONE IT, WITH THE PEOPLE WE'VE DONE IT FOR, WITH THE PARTNERS WE'VE DONE IT WITH. SO THE FAITH HAS BEEN A CATALYST FOR OVER TEN PLUS YEARS. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK. I'VE BEEN AT THIS PODIUM A FEW TIMES. AND AGAIN, I THINK YOU ALL ARE TREMENDOUS IN WHAT YOU DO. I WOULD NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS. I THINK YOU ALL HAVE HEARD EVERY TESTIMONY YOU CAN POSSIBLY HEAR IN THE BIBLE AND IN EVERY QURAN. SO AGAIN, SONGS OF FAITH IS JUST HERE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL. WE DID NOT GET FUNDED. WE'RE NOT HERE TO COMPLAIN OR COMPLAIN. WE JUST WANT TO COMPLY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THAT YOU ALL KNOW WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING. SO WE JUST ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO COME OUT TO BE A PART OF WHAT WE DO. WE HAVE TURKEY DRIVES, WE DO HBCU COLLEGE TOURS. WE HAVE A EIGHT WEEK SUMMER PROGRAM AT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL. WE JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME POKE YOUR HEAD IN, SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, FIGURE OUT HOW YOU CAN BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION AND NOT PART OF THE PROBLEM. I WAS RAISED BY A SINGLE MOM WHO SAID, THERE'S TWO OPTIONS. YOU CAN COMPLAIN OR YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE. SO SOWING SEEDS OF FAITH IS JUST TRYING TO BE A CONTRIBUTING PARTNER TO ANY AND EVERYBODY THAT WE CAN HELP AND SUPPORT. WE FEEL LIKE WE COULD DO IT FOR YOUR KIDS AND THOSE KIDS IN YOUR DISTRICTS AND THOSE NOT IN YOUR DISTRICTS, THOSE IN YOUR HOMES, THOSE IN YOUR CHURCHES AND THOSE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES. SO THE FAITH IS THE EPITOME OF NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND. WE DON'T TURN AWAY NO KID. WE'VE WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR A WHILE. WE DON'T PLAN ON CHANGING IT. AND WE'VE NEVER ALLOWED MONEY TO PREVENT US FROM DOING WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, AND WE NEVER WILL. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE ROOM AS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE CHANGE AND BE THE CHANGE. SO THANK YOU AGAIN. HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL SOON. NEXT UP ALEX DIETZ FOLLOWED BY NISSAN TRAUB. HI MY NAME IS ALEX AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOW THE BUDGET COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT IMMIGRANTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. RIGHT NOW WE'RE ASKING FOR NO INCREASE IN THE BUDGET. RIGHT NOW. LMPD HAS SAID THEY WILL. THE NONCOMPLIANCE WITH ICE, BUT WE'VE SEEN THAT OLDHAM COUNTY AND BULLITT COUNTY HAVE BEEN PARTNERING WITH ICE AND WITH DONALD TRUMP SAYING THAT HE DESCRIBED IT AS THE LARGEST DEPORTATION PROGRAM IN AMERICAN HISTORY. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THAT'S NOT COMING HERE TO LOUISVILLE RIGHT NOW. I'M SORRY. THE 2017 ORDINANCE METRO GOVERNMENT OFFICERS DO NOT COMPLY WITH ICE EXCEPT FOR A JUDICIALLY AUTHORIZED WARRANT OR ARTICULATED RISK OF VIOLENCE.THAT SOUNDS PRETTY VAGUE TO ME. I THINK BY FUNNELING A LOT OF THESE FUNDS INTO PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO REDUCE VIOLENCE, WE CAN MAKE THEM IMMIGRANTS IN OUR COMMUNITY FEEL SAFER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS NISSAN TRAUB AND I HOPE I'M PRONOUNCING YOUR LAST NAME CORRECTLY I APOLOGIZE. IT'S GREAT TO YOU, BUT IT'S GOOD. SORRY. I'M GLAD I PRONOUNCED IT WELL ENOUGH. YOU CAN RECOGNIZE IT WAS YOUR TURN. YOU ARE FINE. YOU ARE FINE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL, FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. I WANT TO COME TO YOU ALL FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. ONE OF
[02:25:01]
THEM IS WE HAD I AM BEFORE. I AM FROM BASE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WHICH IS A NONPROFIT HEADQUARTERS INSIDE OF SMOKETOWN. AND WE ARE CREATING A WONDERFUL PROGRAM CALLED THE SMOKETOWN ARTS ACADEMY. THE REASON WHY WE PLANNING, THE REASON WHY WE'RE DEVELOPING THIS WHOLE PROGRAM, WAS BASED OFF OF THE NEED IN THE COMMUNITY OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, NOT HAVING ACCESS TO THE THINGS THAT'S NEEDED, AND ALSO TRYING TO BE PREVENTIVE INSIDE OF WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT VIOLENCE, ME BEING A GUN, BEING A MOTHER OF A GUN VIOLENCE VICTIM, I'M ALWAYS LOOKING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CAN WE HAVE, I MEAN, SOME STAPLE PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN HELP SO THE KIDS CAN HAVE A BRIGHTER FUTURE. AND SO ONE OF THOSE IS THAT WE WANT TO START A SMALL TOWN ARTS ACADEMY THIS SUMMER. WE'RE GOING TO DO A TEST RUN THIS SUMMER. AND WE THINK IT'LL BE GREAT BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR KIDS ARE SMART, THEY'RE CREATIVE, AND THEY HAVE THE POWER TO DO ANYTHING THEY WANT TO DO. IF THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT'S NEEDED. A LOT OF THESE NONPROFITS, YOU ALL HAVE HEARD THEM COME IN HERE, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE DEMARION SAID, THEY'RE DOING GREAT WORK, AND WE AGREE THAT THEY ARE. BUT THE ONE THING BEING IN SMOKETOWN, WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS THAT WE ARE FACING WITH BARRIERS IS, YOU KNOW, FOOD INSECURITY AND WE'RE FACING HEALTH CHALLENGES AND HEALTH EQUITY AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON. BUT WE ARE COMING TO SAY, HEY, WE GOT TO START WITH THE YOUTH. THE YOUTH IS OUR GENERATION. THAT'S OUR NEXT GENERATION AND THAT'S OUR FUTURE. AND WE ARE CREATING A STORYTELLING ART HISTORY AS WELL AS MEDIA. WE DO. WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING ARTS AND CULTURE AND CREATIVE. SO WE HAVE RECENTLY APPLIED FOR YOU ALL'S ART AND CREATIVITY AND CREATIVE FUNDING. OF COURSE, WE GOT WAS IN ELIGIBLE, SO WE GOT THE NOTICE THAT'S INELIGIBLE AND IT WAS BASED OFF OF THE KNEE. THE KNEE CODE. IT WAS BASED OFF OUR CODE. AND THE CODE WAS WE ARE LISTED UNDERNEATH COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, WHICH OF COURSE WE 21 YEARS OLD. SO WE DID WHEN WE STARTED THIS 29 YEARS AGO. BUT SINCE THEN LIFE HAS CHANGED. PEOPLE HAVE CHANGED, KIDS HAVE CHANGED. AND THEN THEIR DESIRE TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY HAS CHANGED AS WELL. SO WE MADE A START AS A AS A COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. IT'S ONE OF OUR CODES, BUT WE'RE NOT THE I MEAN, WE ARE THAT PLUS MORE. LET ME SAY THAT WE ARE THAT PLUS MORE RIGHT NOW. SO WE WANTED TO GO OUT AND TO SEE, OKAY, WE NEED WE AS WE REQUIRE REQUESTED $50,000 FOR THIS PARTICULAR FOR A TEN WEEK PROGRAM IN THE SUMMER. ONE THING THAT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND INSIDE OF SMOKETOWN, YOU HAVE TO HAVE PROGRAMING FOR THE YOUTH. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE IF THE PROGRAM IS NOT THERE, THEN I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO CRIME NUMBERS ARE GOING TO GO UP. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE INSTABILITY WITH THE FAMILIES IN YOUR KIDS GROWING UP. SO A LOT OF DIFFERENT CHANGES GOING UP. SO WE COME TO YOU ASKING YOU ALL TO RECONSIDER. THINK ABOUT THAT AND TO THINK ABOUT INCORPORATING IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR OUR SMALL TOWN ARTS ACADEMY. AND WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL LISTENING. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES OUR SPEAKERS.COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN WINKLER. YEAH. COLLEAGUES, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT.
SECURITY NOTIFIED ME EARLIER THAT WE HAD A PIPE BURST. IF YOU'RE USING THE CONGRESS ALLEY EXIT, THAT EXIT IS FLOODED. THE BAY DOORS THAT ARE TO THE RIGHT OF THERE, YOU COULD GO THAT WAY, OR YOU CAN JUST USE THE FRONT DOOR. BUT WHERE THE GUARD SITS AT THE CONGRESS ALLEY EXIT, YOU DON'T WANT TO USE THOSE DOORS. SO THEY JUST ASKED ME TO PASS THAT ALONG. FOLLOW THAT WITH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO EXIT THE PARKING LOT ONTO MARKET INSTEAD OF CONGRESS ALLEY. THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC SPEAKING PORTION FOR THIS EVENING. WE WILL READ. WE WILL ADJOURN ON TUESDAY. WE WILL RECONVENE ON WEDNESDAY. THANK YOU. RECONVENE IS THE CORRECT TERM.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.