[00:00:02] I AM THE LOUISVILLE ZOO PUBLIC AND MEDIA RELATIONS MANAGER. OUR DEPARTMENT IS KIND OF LIKE A MINIATURE ADVERTISING AGENCY. WE HAVE A LOT OF CLIENTS WITHIN OUR AGENCY. WE HAVE THE ANIMALS PRIMARILY. GETTING THEIR STORIES OUT IS PART OF OUR JOB., SO THEY'RE ONE OF OUR BIG CLIENTS. WE HAVE EVENTS THE EVENT STAFF, GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT ABOUT THE EVENTS. WE HAVE THE ANIMAL STAFF, OF COURSE, AND THEN LIKE OUR MEMBERS, ARE A BIG CONSTITUENT GROUP OF OURS AS WELL. SO GETTING ALL OF THOSE CLIENTS AND MEETING THEIR NEEDS IS IMPORTANT. SO, WE WENT JUST TO TAKE PICTURES. I WENT WITH THE DIGITAL IMAGING CLASS AND THE AERIAL CLASS WE HAD, LIKE, A SCAVENGER HUNT TO DO AND SO WE KIND OF JUST WALKED DOWN THE ZOO ALL DAY AND GOT PHOTOS. I THINK IT'S MORE FUN BECAUSE, LIKE, YOU GET TO REALLY SEE KIND OF, LIKE, THE HANDS ON STUFF. LIKE, I WENT TO WLKY, AND WE GOT TO SEE HOW EVERYTHING WAS DONE. I THINK THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU MORE OF AN IDEA OF WHAT THERE IS TO DO, LIKE, WITH THE MEDIA ARTS FIELD SO IT KIND OF, LIKE, GIVES YOU INSIGHT ON WHAT YOU CAN DO. ATHERTON HIGH SCHOOL HOSTS AN ANNUAL ROCKET LAUNCH ON THEIR FOOTBALL FIELD. CHECK OUT THE ACTION. ROCKET LAUNCH IS JUST THIS EVENT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR A FEW YEARS NOW IT'S A LOT OF FUN WHERE WE HAVE STUDENTS DESIGN AND BUILD ROCKETS FOR COMPETITION WE INVITE SEVERAL OTHER SCHOOLS IT'S BEEN GROWING OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND IT'S JUST BECOMING A TRADITION SO WE DO IT EVERY SPRING NOW AND IT'S A FUN EXPERIENCE TO COME OUT HERE AND SHOOT THE ROCKETS, BUT IT'S ALSO A VERY GOOD EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE TO LEARN ABOUT ROCKETRY, HISTORY OF THE ROCKETS, THE AERODYNAMICS, SAFETY. IT'S KIND OF WEIRD BECAUSE IT'S MOST STRESSFUL, BUT IT'S ALSO THE MOST FUN THIS RIGHT NOW. AND SOME OF THE MOST DANGEROUS THINGS KIND OF END UP BEING THE MOST FUN AND EXCITING, TOO, SO IT'S KIND OF WEIRD. SO WITH THESE ROCKETS, AT THE BEGINNING OF OF THE PROJECT, WE GET ASSIGNED A ROCKET KIT. BUT WE ARE TOLD THAT WE MUST MODIFY THE NOSE CONE AND THE TAIL FINS ON THE ROCKET. EVERYBODY IN THE COMPETITION, WE USE THE SAME ENGINES, EXCEPT MY TEAM BECAUSE WE HAVE AN EXHIBIT FOR EXHIBITION, AND WE'RE NOT IN THE COMPETITION. WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO THINGS THAT AREN'T ALLOWED IN THE COMPETITION. SO WE HAVE SOME DIFFERENT ENGINES THAT ARE MORE POWERFUL. WE'VE GOT MORE OF OUR FAVORITE JCPS STORIES COMING UP. STAY TUNED. WELCOME BACK TO OUR KIDS. I'M ATHERTON HIGH SCHOOL CORRESPONDENT ORIEN COMER, PLEASURE RIDGE PARK HIGH SCHOOL'S SADD CHAPTER HOSTED AN EVENT TO REMIND STUDENTS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF DRINKING AND DISTRACTED DRIVING A VEHICLE IS GOING 50 MILES AN HOUR. YOU'RE NOT WEARING YOUR SEATBELT. YOUR BODY IS GOING 50 MILES AN HOUR AS WELL, OKAY? TODAY, WE'RE IN THE JUNIOR PARKING LOT OF PRP, AND WE'RE DOING THE DISTRACTED DRIVING IN PROM. TODAY WE'RE HERE TO TO DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM DRIVING IMPAIRED, FROM DRIVING DISTRACTED, YOU KNOW, WITH PROM SEASON COMING UP, WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE OUR JUNIORS AND OUR SENIORS TO MAKE SMART DECISIONS BEHIND THE WHEEL. I'M GONNA GIVE YOU ONE MORE PHYSICS LESSON.. SO WE ALWAYS TRY TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE PROM SEASON, JUST TO REITERATE TO THESE KIDDOS THAT THE CHOICES THAT THEY MAKE BEHIND THE WHEEL WILL AFFECT THEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. THEY'VE BEEN VERY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT WE WE HAVE TO OFFER OUT HERE. I THINK THE ROLLOVER SIMULATOR, WHERE THEY SEE THE EFFECTS OF WHAT HAPPENS WITHOUT YOUR SEATBELT, THAT'S BEEN VERY IMPACTFUL FOR THEM. [00:05:04] ARRIVE ALIVE TOWARD, THE SIMULATOR ACTUALLY GETTING INTO IN THERE AND DRIVE IN FIRSTHAND. THEY'VE REALLY BEEN EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THE GOGGLES HAVE BEEN A BIG HIT 'CAUSE THEY CAN KIND OF SEE, LIKE, WHAT IT'S LIKE. IT'S KIND OF HARD. YOU SHOULD PUT THEM ON. SO, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM OUR STUDENTS SINCE WE GOT TO COME OUT HERE TODAY, SO THEY'VE REALLY BEEN ENJOYING THEMSELVES AND GETTING TO BE A PART OF THIS. I THINK THIS IS KIND OF COOL. IT SHOWS A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT IMPAIRED DRIVING CAN ACTUALLY HARM YOU FOR EXAMPLE, THIS BOOK BOOTH OVER HERE. WE HAVE GOGGLES THAT SHOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN WHEN YOU'RE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF MARIJUANA AND WHEN YOU'RE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL, AND IT SHOWS YOU HOW HARD IT IS TO CONTROL YOUR BODY WHEN WHEN YOU'RE IMPAIRED. OH, I FEEL LIKE IT'S GOOD BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE, THEY HEAR ABOUT DISTRACTED DRIVING, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY AWARE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, IT'S HARDER TO STAY AWAY FROM IT. IF THEY CAN TAKE AWAY ANYTHING, I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT, HOPEFULLY THEY WILL MAKE BETTER DECISIONS BEHIND THE WHEEL AND STAY SAFE THIS PROM SEASON. WITH ALL THESE BOOTHS OUT HERE SHOWING HOW EASY IT IS TO MESS UP WHEN YOU'RE IMPAIRED, IT'S A GOOD THING FOR US TO REMEMBER WHEN WE'RE OUT THERE BEHIND THE WHEELS. I JUST HOPE THAT THEY CONSIDER NOT ONLY THEIR OWN LIFE, BUT OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES. LIKE, YOU'RE AFFECTING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WITH YOUR DESTRUCTIVE DECISIONS, NOT JUST YOURSELF. AND YOU DON'T THINK THAT IT WOULD, LIKE, AFFECT YOU THAT MUCH SOMETIMES UNTIL, LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU PUT ON THE GOGGLES, YOU TRY TO DO THE CARTS OVER THERE, OR YOU LOOK AT THAT CAR OVER THERE, AND YOU'RE LIKE, "WOW, LIKE, BIG IMPACT. BYCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL'S PODCASTING CLUB IS TEACHING KIDS TO INCORPORATE NUMEROUS TALENTS AND YOU CAN INTRODUCE WELCOME BACK. I AM BRANDON GRAVES. I AM A FIFTH GRADE TEACHER HERE AT BYCK ELEMENTARY, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH GLOBAL GAME CHANGERS. I RUN THE AFTER SCHOOL PODCASTING CLASS.. WELCOME TO BYCK ELEMENTARY MY GOOD PODCAST, A PODCAST WHERE WE DISCOVER SUPERPOWERS BY EXPLORING OUR HEARTS, TALENT, AND HOW WE IGNITE GOOD IN THE WORLD. I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO A PODCASTING SOMETHING WITH KIDS THAT INCORPORATES THE READING, WRITING, BUT ALSO THEM USING THEIR TALENT OF TALKING. WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES SOMEONE A GREAT CHEF? IT'S GREAT TO INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO SOME OF THE CURRENT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, AND RIGHT NOW, IT SEEMS THAT EVERYBODY HAS A PODCAST. IF YOU COULD PLAY ANY CHARACTER, WHO WOULD BE IT BE AND WHAT? SO FIRST, THIS TEACHER ASKED US IF WE WANTED TO BE IN PODCASTING, IF WE KNEW WHAT IT WAS. I WANTED TO JOIN, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN I'M AT HOME, I USUALLY JUST BE ASKING MY SIBLINGS QUESTIONS AND LIKE, LIKE I'M DOING THE INTERVIEW. MY FAVORITE PART IS SEEING THEM LEAN INTO THEIR TALENTS, ESPECIALLY AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR. SO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WHILE I WAS HAVING TO WALK THEM THROUGH THINGS, SEEING THAT CONFIDENCE THAT THEY HAVE, AND THAT THEY'VE GAINED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, I THINK IT'S JUST UNMATCHED. WHEN I FIRST STARTED I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO EDIT FROM THEN TILL NOW, LIKE, ALL MY PROGRESS HAS BUILT UP. ASKING THE PEOPLE QUESTIONS, SO I COULD GET TO KNOW THEM AND STUFF, LIKE, SO I COULD KNOW WHAT IN FACT DID YOU SEE ON THE KIDS' FACES? I THINK THAT STUDENTS EXPLORING THEIR TALENTS AT THIS AGE IS VERY IMPORTANT. IT'S BEEN AMAZING SEEING KIDS IN THIS SCHOOL AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CLUB MERGE THESE DIFFERENT THINGS TO CREATE AN AMAZING OUTCOME. WELL, THANKS FOR HAVING ME. WE'LL BE BACK SOON! THE GIRLS WHO RUN TEAM PROVIDE STUDENTS AT COCHRAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL A CHANCE TO RUN AND MAKE NEW FRIENDS. READY? LET'S GO. I AM ANGELINA HARPER. I'M ONE OF THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AT COCHRAN ELEMENTARY, ALSO ONE OF THE GIRLS ON THE RUN. COACHES HERE AT COCHRAN ELEMENTARY. GIRLS ON THE RUN ACTUALLY STARTED SOME YEARS AGO HERE AT COCHRAN BY A FORMER COLLEAGUE, AND I VOLUNTEERED, AND HELPED HER, AND THEN ONCE SHE LEFT, I SAID, HEY, THIS HAS GOT TO CONTINUE.. AND WE GOT MORE COACHES, AND HERE WE ARE TODAY. GIRLS ON THE RUN GIVES GIRLS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ONE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER GIRLS HERE AT THE SCHOOL, BUT THEN ALSO, IT'S REALLY TO FILL THEIR TOOLBOX IS WHAT WE CALL IT, WITH STRATEGIES ON HOW TO DEAL WITH REAL WORLD SITUATIONS AND JUST MOTIVATE THEMSELVES TO BE THEIR BEST SELF, REALLY. I LIKE RUNNING A LOT, AND GIRLS ON THE RUN, LIKE, SUITS ME. IT WAS REALLY FUN, AND I JUST WANTED TO MEET NEW PEOPLE. MY FAVORITE PART IS MEETING NEW PEOPLE AND GETTING TO, LIKE, RUN OUTSIDE AND STUFF. I JUST, LIKE, GET EXERCISE AND AFTER I FEEL REALLY GOOD. SEEING THE GIRLS IN ANOTHER LIGHT. AND JUST REALLY FINDING THOSE STRENGTHS THAT THEY HAVE WHEN THEY'RE SHARING, AND THEY BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND THEY SAY, "HEY, SHE'S DEALT WITH THAT, TOO, AND THEY CAN MAKE THOSE RELATIONS AND HOW TO DEAL WITH IT, AND THEN THEY GROW. SO I THINK THAT'S MY FAVORITE PART OF BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND SEEING THE GIRLS GROW. ATHERTON STUDENTS GET A HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN THEIR FILM STUDY CLASS. [00:10:01] THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, STUDENTS IN MR. COOKSEY'S FILM STUDIES CLASS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON MAKING THEIR OWN SHORT FILMS. THESE FILMS ARE MEANT TO EMPLOY A VARIETY OF THE TECHNIQUES THEY HAVE LEARNED OVER THEIR TIME AND CLASS WHILE ALLOWING THEM TO BE CREATIVE AND HAVE FUN. MR. COOKSEY LOVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH HIS STUDENTS' FILMS AND SEE HOW THEY'VE GROWN OVER THE SCHOOL YEAR. FILM STUDIES, IT'S JUST A CLASS DEDICATED TO HELPING PEOPLE GET MORE JOY AND MEANING OUT OF THE MOVIES THEY WATCH. AND SO WHEN WE HAVE THE STUDENTS MAKE A FILM, THAT'S LIKE THE ONE BIG PROJECT THEY HAVE FOR THE CLASS ONE, MAKING A MOVIE CAN BE JUST MEMORABLE AND FUN IN AND OF ITSELF. BUT ALSO, IF YOU TRY TO MAKE A FILM, YOU'LL SEE IT'S HARD AND THEN YOU'LL COME TO APPRECIATE HOW GREAT THE GREAT MOVIES ARE THAT WE WATCH IN CLASS. EMMA YOUNG RECENTLY DIRECTED HER OWN SHORT FILM, SHOWING HER SKILLS IN THE CLASS. I STARTED BY JUST WRITING OUT A SCRIPT. I WANTED TO KEEP IN MIND, LIKE, LIM LIMITATIONS, LIKE BUDGET AND STUFF, BUT I KIND OF JUST WENT WILD. LIKE, I WANT TO DO THIS, I WANT TO DO THIS." AND THEN AFTER THAT, I DID APPLY, LIKE, REALITY TO THAT. LIKE, IF YOU REALLY TRY TO DO IT YOURSELF, IT'S AND YOU REALIZE ALL THE DECISIONS THAT YOU'RE HAVING TO MAKE AS A DIRECTOR, YOU JUST REALIZE HOW GOOD THOSE GREAT FILMS ARE MEET OUR LATEST GREAT JCPS GRAD, LAURA DOUGLAS, WHO NOW LEADS THE WEST END OPPORTUNITY PARTNERSHIP MY NAME IS LAURA DOUGLAS. I GRADUATED FROM SHAWNEE HIGH SCHOOL IN 1967. I'M CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE WEST END OPPORTUNITY PARTNERSHIP. I'M HEADING A COMPANY CREATED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO BRING ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN WEST LOUISVILLE FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS THE ORGANIZATION THAT I HEAD WILL BE THE RECIPIENT OF TIF FUNDS GENERATED IN WEST LOUISVILLE, A PERCENTAGE OF THOSE, AND THOSE FUNDS WILL BE REINVESTED INTO THE COMMUNITY TO HELP SPUR BUSINESS ACTIVITY. SO IT'S AN EXCITING OBJECTIVE. DOUGLAS WAS A NATURAL CHOICE TO HEAD THE INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP. SHE'S HAD A LONG DISTANCEINGUISHED CAREER SERVING SOME OF KENTUCKY'S LARGEST COMPANIES AND PUBLIC AGENCIES AS AN ATTORNEY, COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, AND COMMUNICATIONS LEADER, AND EVEN AS A CABINET SECRETARY DURING THE FIRST TERM OF KENTUCKY GOVERNOR PAUL PATTON. WELL, THERE'S ALWAYS A STRING THAT RUNS THROUGH MY FAVORITE JOBS, AND THAT STRING HAS TO DO WITH WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE COMMUNITY TO BE RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY NEEDS. I GREW UP IN THE RUSSELL NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I WENT TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT JAMES BOND ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS NOW DAN C. BYCK. THEN I WENT TO WESTERN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, AND FROM THERE, I WENT TO SHAWNEE HIGH SCHOOL. THOSE SCHOOLS WERE IN THE OLD LOUISVILLE CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM BEFORE MERGING WITH JEFFERSON COUNTY SCHOOLS IN 1975. AND ACCORDING TO DOUGLAS, SHE HAD INSPIRING TEACHERS ALL ALONG HER EDUCATION JOURNEY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY LIKED ABOUT MY PUBLIC EDUCATION WAS THE WHOLE IDEA OF BEING AN ADVENTURESS. THE TEACHERS REALLY INSPIRED US TO BE CURIOUS ABOUT THINGS AND TO TAKE OUR LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOMS. I WANTED TO BE A TEACHER, AND THEN WHEN I GOT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE AS AN UNDERGRADUATE, I WANTED TO BE A COLLEGE PROFESSOR AND I WAS PREPARING MYSELF TO DO THAT. BUT I WAS AN UNDERGRADUATE DURING THE '60S, AND THAT WAS A TIME OF STUDENT ACTIVISM. AND I SAW SOME OF MY CLASSMATES AT THE UNIVERSITY GET EXPELLED BECAUSE OF THEIR PARTICIPATION IN DEMONSTRATIONS. THEY TOOK OVER THE ARTS AND SCIENCES DEAN'S OFFICE. AND I HAD A CHANCE TO GO WITH THEM TO THEIR COURT APPEARANCEANCES, AND I SAW A MARVELOUS JOB THAT THEIR LAWYERS DID, AND I THOUGHT, "THIS IS A CRITICAL SKILL, AND I'M GOING TO LEARN HOW TO DO THIS." WHEN I GRADUATED FROM THE LAW SCHOOL IN 1974, I WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO GRADUATE FROM THE BRANDEIS SCHOOL OF LAW. DOUGLAS SAYS THAT LAW DEGREE AND THE EXPECTATIONS LAID BY HER FAMILY AND ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS MADE HER THE LEADER SHE IS TODAY. HAD THIS CONFIDENCE, I THINK, AS A RESULT OF MY EARLY EDUCATION AND THE WHOLE FOCUS ON BEING RESPONSIBLE AND BEING CAPABLE AND BEING TOLD THAT WE WERE ALL EXPECTED TO LEAD. IT WAS GOING TO FALL ON US ONE DAY TO BE THE LEADERS, AND I TOOK THAT SERIOUSLY. I DID. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR LATEST EXCEL AWARD WINNING TEACHERS. LONG BEFORE STUDENT DISCOURSE BECAME THE CURRENT BUZZWORD OF BEST PRACTICE, MR. GRIGGS WAS WRITING THE BOOK ON IT. QUESTIONS ARE ENCOURAGED, STUDENT'S POINT OF VIEW IS HONORED, AND NO ONE'S OPINION IS DISREGARDED. EVERY STUDENT FEELS HEARD AND A PART OF THE CLASSROOM COMMUNITY THANK YOU, KIDS, FOR ALLOWING ME TO WORK WITH YOU AND [00:15:04] TO BE A PART OF YOUR LIVES, ALLOWING ME TO FEEL LIKE MAYBE I CAN TOUCH THE FUTURE A LITTLE BIT THROUGH YOU. YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO COME TO A POINT WHERE YOU HAVE TO TO DO SOMETHING, AND IT'S JUST REMEMBER, START WHERE YOU ARE. USE WHAT YOU HAVE, AND DO WHAT YOU CAN. TODAY, AGAIN, IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO RECOGNIZE AN OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR, MR. BEASLEY AS AN EXCEL AWARD WINNER. MR. BEASLEY IS MORE THAN A MATH TEACHER. HE'S A LEADER, BOTH IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM. IN HIS CLASSROOM, STUDENTS EXPERIENCE HIS EXPERIENCES GO BEYOND THE NUMBERS. THEY LEARN ABOUT CONFIDENCE, PERSEVERANCE, AND THE VALUE OF CURIOSITY SO TO BE HERE NOW, RECOGNIZED FOR SIMPLY DOING WHAT I BELIEVE IN, IT REMINDS ME WHY I SHOW UP. NOT FOR APPLAUSE, BUT TO BE THE KIND OF EXAMPLE I NEEDED WHEN I WAS THEIR AGE. YOUR ALL'S AGE. AND IF EVEN ONE STUDENT SEES IN ME, WHAT'S POSSIBLE FOR THEM, THEN EVERY OUNCE OF MY EFFORTS HAS BEEN WORTH IT. I AM THE PROUD PRINCIPAL OF OKOLONA ELEMENTARY, AND IT IS MY ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU TO THIS YEAR'S EXCEL AWARD CEREMONY. CHANTELLE IS A LEADER, A LISTENER, A MENTOR, AND A MOTIVATOR. SHE BRINGS ENERGY, EMPATHY, AND EXCELLENCE INTO EVERY LESSON EVERY HALLWAY CONVERSATION, AND EVERY DECISION SHE MAKES.. I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON WINNING THE WHAS 11 EXCEL AWARD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO TEACHING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR OKOLONA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO MY FORMER STUDENTS AND MY CURRENT STUDENTS. THANK YOU FOR GOING ON THIS JOURNEY WITH ME. REMEMBER TO LET YOUR IMAGINATION UNLOCK YOUR POTENTIAL. I BELIEVE IN YOU TODAY, TOMORROW, AND ALWAYS. THANK YOU. IN OUR KIDS' NEWS, JEFFERSONTOWN HIGH SCHOOL BUSINESS ACADEMY STUDENTS DEVELOPED A MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR CLASS ACT FEDERAL CREDIT UNION TO RECRUIT STUDENT EMPLOYEES PROFESSIONALS FROM RED7E AND AMERICAN ADVERTISING FEDERATION OF LOUISVILLE PROVIDED GUIDANCE ON WRITING, DESIGNING, AND SOCIAL MEDIA UP, UP, STEP, BALL, CHANGE UP, UP, RIGHT UP. JVS MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TOOK CENTER STAGE AT THE STUDENT THEATER CONFERENCE AT VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL. THE STUDENTS HAD A CHANCE TO LEARN SKILLS LIKE SCREENWRITING, STAGE COMBAT AND MUSICAL CHOREOGRAPHY FROM LOCAL PROFESSIONALS. THANKS FOR WATCHING OUR SHOW. YOU CAN FIND ENTIRE EPISODES ON OUR JCPS YOUTUBE CHANNEL. UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP SUPPORTING OUR KIDS. [MUSIC] [00:30:29] IT. ALL RIGHT. AND THAT'S WHY. IT'S GOING TO GO THIS WAY. BUT I THINK. THAT. IS PART OF THE [00:31:09] PROBLEM. I LOVE. THE FIRST. ANDY WAS TYPICALLY OKAY, UNLESS UNLESS [00:31:29] YOU ALL FEEL LIKE YOU WANT TO TELL ME. OKAY. THAT WAS. OKAY. I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T THINK. JUST. ONE UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE THERE. WAS. ALREADY REALLY GOOD. ALREADY HAVE IT. YES I DO. THANK YOU. YOU ALL NEED COPIES OF THE MATERIAL. THERE'S NO CONSPIRACY. THERE'S NO WAY. I APPRECIATE YOUR ESTIMATION. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT. WE'RE NOT GETTING MUCH MORE COMPLICATED AND NOT BORING. SNOOZEFEST. RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL. I THINK IT'S TIME TO. CONTINUE. NEXT YEAR. YES, IT IS BETTER, BUT. THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S ALL I KNOW. HOW DOES THA. BECAUSE THEY WERE. LET'S SEE. THANK YOU. YEAH. I HAVE TO KEEP RESPONDING TO, YOU KNOW, ANY GIVEN DAY. AGAIN. YES. IT'S NOT A. YEAH. WELL, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO INFLUENCE THE OVERALL CULTURE. OH, NO, THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT ONE. I THINK THERE'S ONE WAY CLOSER. THAN I THINK IT'S TOWARDS THE FRONT. I ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. SO I THINK IF YOU'RE SITTING DOWN AND YOU PULLED OUT NUMBER TWO ENDS. [00:36:06] METRO TV WILL START IN 30S. I KNOW THAT, I THINK. IT'S RIGHT. NO, THANKS. FOR THAT. [Call to Order] YES. GOOD EVENING, COUNCILMAN KEVIN CRAMER. THIS IS JUNE 10TH. IT'S ABOUT 4:18 P.M. I'M GOING TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE PUBLIC WELLNESS, PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS BUDGET HEARING THIS [Roll Call] AFTERNOON. MY VICE CHAIR, COUNCILMAN WINKLER, IS IN TRANSIT. HE'S HOPING TO BE HERE VERY SOON. I HAVE AN EXCUSED ABSENCE FOR. OH, HE'S ON HE'S JOINING US ON. OKAY, GOOD. HE'S JOINING US ONLINE. I HAVE AN EXCUSED ABSENCE FOR COUNCILMAN AND COUNCILMAN PARKER. JOINING ME IN CHAMBERS ARE COUNCILWOMAN WOOLRIDGE, COUNCILMAN OWEN, COUNCILMAN WEBER, COUNCILWOMAN PARVIS, COUNCILMAN PIAGENTINI. AND I THINK THAT COVERS EVERYBODY. IF THE CLERK COULD PLEASE GET INTO THE RECORD, THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO 61.826, AND COUNCIL WILL BE READ IN FULL. GREAT. THANK YOU. DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN ASKED NOT TO MAKE OPENING COMMENTS. THEREFORE, WE WILL BEGIN THIS BUDGET HEARING IMMEDIATELY WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. QUESTIONS [ ID 25-0348     Public Health & Wellness] CONCERNING THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROPOSED $42.95 MILLION OPERATING BUDGET, AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE. SO WELCOME THE CHIEF HEALTH STRATEGIST, CONNIE MENDEL. GLAD THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO BE WITH US THIS AFTERNOON. I'LL START THE QUESTIONS BY ASKING, WHY IS THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS FY 26 PERSONNEL SERVICES BUDGET LINE INCREASING BY 1.53 MILLION FROM 12.37 IN FY 25 TO 13.9 IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET THIS YEAR. HI, I AM STACY INGRAM. CONNIE IS ON FMLA. I AM DIRECTOR OF HEALTH SERVICES AT LOUISVILLE METRO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS. OUR BUDGET INCREASE IN PERSONNEL, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS FOR THE ANTICIPATED CHANGES TO THE UNION CONTRACT AND THE WAGE INCREASE THAT WE WILL SEE THERE. OKAY, GREAT. COUNCILMAN PURVIS. THANK [00:40:07] YOU, MR. CHAIR. I HAVE TWO CONCERNS. THE FIRST ONE IS WHENEVER I'VE HAD TO MAKE A REQUEST TO HAVE AREAS IN DISTRICT FIVE SPRAYED FOR MOSQUITOES, OFTENTIMES I GET PUSHBACK. AND I'VE HAD CONSTITUENTS THAT PASSED AWAY FROM WEST NILE VIRUS. AND SO I'M ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT. MOSQUITO INFESTATION. WE HAVE POTHOLES WHERE THEY'RE FILLED WITH WATER, WHERE THOSE OFTENTIMES THERE OFTENTIMES BREEDING GROUNDS FOR MOSQUITOES. WE HAVE UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF OUR AREAS HAVE TRASH, EMPTY CANS, BUCKETS WITH WATER, WHICH IS ANOTHER SOURCE OF MOSQUITO INFESTATION. AND SO UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS DISTRICT WIDE. AND WHENEVER I'VE HAD TO MAKE A REQUEST TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT ABOUT SPRAYING MY AREAS FOR MOSQUITOES, I ALWAYS GET PUSHED BACK AND GET A LIST OF WHY THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT. IT WAS A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT HIS NAME WHEN I MADE A REQUEST TO HAVE THE AREA SPRAYED FOR MOSQUITOES, THIS GENTLEMAN RESPONDED IN A VERY CURT MANNER, WAS NOT PROVOKED. SOMEHOW SOMEONE SENT HIS RESPONSE TO THE INTERIM DIRECTOR AND ONCE HE READ IT, HE WAS QUITE UPSET WITH HOW THIS GUY RESPONDED. AND I APPRECIATE HIM TAKING CHARGE OF THIS. BUT EVEN LAST YEAR WHEN I MADE A REQUEST, I RECEIVED PUSHBACK AGAIN. AND I'LL BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU, I WOULDN'T ASK FOR ANYONE TO COME OUT AND SPRAY FOR MOSQUITOES IF IT WASN'T NECESSARY. I CAN'T, I JUST COULDN'T DIGEST THE IDEA OF ANOTHER PERSON BEING BITTEN BY A MOSQUITO AND DIE, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO DO WHAT'S RESPONSIBLE TO PREVENT THIS. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH AND A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. SO I WILL BE MAKING THAT REQUEST AGAIN THIS YEAR. I HOPE I DON'T RECEIVE PUSHBACK AGAIN, BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S WELL-BEING. NUMBER TWO, IS THERE A QUESTION IN THERE? I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT COMMENT. I HAVE ONE OTHER COMMENT. THE NEEDLE EXCHANGE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL ARE PARTICIPATING WITH IT OR GIVING THE NEEDLES TO SOME OF THE MEDICAL ENTITIES IN THE AREA, BUT THE NEEDLE EXCHANGE IS NOT GOING LIKE I THOUGHT IT WOULD. I HAVE CONSTITUENTS COMPLAINING THEY'RE FINDING NEEDLES HERE AND THERE, AND I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT IN ORDER TO GET CLEAN NEEDLES, YOU HAD TO GIVE BACK THE DIRTY ONES. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE NEEDLES ARE JUST BEEN PASSED OUT RANDOMLY WITHOUT COLLECTING THE DIRTY ONES, BUT THE DIRTY ONES ARE FOUND ON THE GROUND OR IN THE PLAYGROUNDS WHERE KIDS ARE GOING TO SWING AND PLAY. AND THAT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL. SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION FOR YOUR NEEDLE EXCHANGE. IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IS YOU INITIALLY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO COLLECT THE DIRTY NEEDLES AND GIVE THE CLEAN NEEDLES. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT AND MOVING FORWARD. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU IS IT OKAY IF I ANSWER? WE DO COLLECT USED SYRINGES. WE HAVE A ABOUT A 85% RETURN RATE. WE ALSO HAVE THE LARGE DISPOSAL BOXES PLACED AROUND THE CITY FOR HOURS THAT WERE NOT IN OPERATION. IF FOLKS NEED TO DISPOSE. AND WE'VE ALSO STARTED BY WHICH YOU CAN MAKE A REQUEST. IF YOU SEE SYRINGE LITTER IN THE COMMUNITY, WE CAN HAVE A TEAM COME OUT AND, YOU KNOW, PICK UP THOSE NEEDLES, CLEAN THE DO EDUCATION WITH THE BUSINESSES AROUND, PASS OUT NARCAN, WHATEVER RESOURCES WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL. IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN BE A LITTLE PROACTIVE? AND MAYBE IF YOU CAN HAVE SOME DEDICATED STAFF TO VISIT SOME OF THESE PLACES WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A HISTORY OF NEEDLES BEING AROUND, LIKE SOME OF THE IF YOU COULD PROVIDE ME THOSE ADDRESSES, I'D BE HAPPY TO GO OUT AND LOOK, I CAN DO THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PIAGENTINI, I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT LINE OF QUESTIONING REAL QUICK. ARE YOU [00:45:04] SAYING WHEN YOU SAY YOU'RE 85% RETURN RATE, ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU GIVE OUT MORE NEEDLES THAN YOU COLLECT? THAT IS CORRECT. WHY? WELL, IT'S EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE THAT A ONE FOR ONE EXCHANGE CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY BY WHICH PEOPLE WILL SHARE OR REUSE SUPPLIES. WE ARE ONLY OPEN DURING BUSINESS HOURS, AND IF SOMEONE HAS THE OCCASION TO DISPOSE OF THEIR SYRINGES OUTSIDE OF THOSE HOURS, WE HAVE THE LARGE RED DISPOSAL BINS. WE HAVE SIX IN THE COMMUNITY NOW, FIVE FIVE PLACE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO WE'RE OKAY WITH THE REAL POSSIBILITY THAT 15% OF THE SYRINGES THAT TAXPAYERS ARE HANDING OUT, THAT MY CITIZENS ARE PAYING FOR, THAT ARE BEING USED FOR ILLEGAL DRUG USE, ARE THEN BEING PLACED ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY AND NOT RETURNED. AND WE'RE GOOD WITH THAT. WE'RE JUST WE'RE JUST GOOD WITH 15% OF THOSE NEEDLES BEING IN THE COMMUNITY. YEAH, WE'VE WE'VE SAVED THE LIVES OF A FEW MORE ILLEGAL DRUG USERS, BUT WE'VE SIMULTANEOUSLY PUT AT RISK CHILDREN WHO ARE IN PLAYGROUNDS WITH DIRTY NEEDLES ON THE GROUND. YEAH. DO YOU WANT TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION? BEN GOLDMAN, DIRECTOR OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH I THINK ONE OF THE IMPORTANT PIECES OF CONTEXT TO UNDERSTAND WHEN TALKING ABOUT THAT 85% RETURN RATE IS THE LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ACCESS SERVICES IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, BUT WHO DO NOT RESIDE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. SO WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING ACROSS THE BRIDGE FROM INDIANA. IT IS A FELONY TO CARRY A ONE SYRINGE IN INDIANA. NOW, WE KNOW THAT HEPATITIS C AND HIV ARE DISEASES THAT DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE ARTIFICIAL LINE BETWEEN THOSE TWO STATES. SO IT IS IN OUR BEST PUBLIC HEALTH INTEREST THAT OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH OF US ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO STERILE SYRINGES TO PREVENT THEM FROM TRANSMITTING DISEASE TO THEMSELVES AND OUR RESIDENTS AS THEY ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WHEN THEY ARE IN INDIANA. THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS WHO DO NOT COME BACK TO RETURN THOSE SYRINGES TO US. SO OUR GUIDANCE TO THEM IS TO DISPOSE OF THEM APPROPRIATELY IN INDIANA. WE HOPE THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING. BUT THOSE ARE FOLKS WHERE WE'RE NOT GOING TO RECOUP THOSE SYRINGES. THEY'RE NOT COMING BACK ACROSS THE BRIDGE TO BRING THOSE BACK. SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR WITH WHAT YOU SAID. WE ARE PROVIDING NEEDLE EXCHANGE TO FORGET OUT OF COUNTY, OUT OF STATE RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT RESIDE HERE. AND NOT REQUIRING THEM TO RETURN ANY NEEDLES. WE'RE JUST PRAYING TO GOD THAT THEY DO SO. OUR TAXPAYERS, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAXPAYERS, ARE PROVIDING NEEDLES TO ILLEGAL DRUG USERS IN A SEPARATE STATE TO PEOPLE WHO MAY WORK HERE, COME TO SCHOOL HERE, PRAY HERE. YES. SO. BUT WE DON'T KNOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE A WE DON'T ASK LIKE, HEY, DO YOU GO TO U OF L BUT LIVE ACROSS THE BEAM? THAT MAKES SENSE. LIKE THEY GO TO SCHOOL HERE AND THEY COME ACROSS, BUT WE DON'T EVEN CHECK THAT. BEST PRACTICE IS NOT TO ASK THOSE KINDS OF QUESTIONS IN PROVIDING THIS SERVICE. WHOSE BEST PRACTICE PUBLIC HEALTH, BEST PRACTICE, CDC BEST PRACTICE, WHOSE PUBLIC HEALTH? LIKE WHO IS THE PUBLIC HEALTH GROUP THAT CREATED THAT BEST PRACTICE? I WOULD SAY IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT ANY NATIONAL OR WORLD AUTHORITY ON HOW TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS, ON HOW TO REDUCE THE TRANSMISSION OF HIV, HOW TO REDUCE THE TRANSMISSION OF HEPATITIS C, AND HOW TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS DYING OF OVERDOSE. ALL OF THOSE GUIDANCES WOULD RECOMMEND TO PROVIDE SERVICES ANONYMOUSLY AND CONFIDENTIALLY. SO. SO LOUISVILLE SHOULD TAXPAYERS SHOULD PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES WITH THE LIMITED BUDGET DOLLARS WE HAVE TO PEOPLE THAT TRAVEL HERE FROM TENNESSEE TAKE SOME FREE NEEDLES, GO BACK TO TENNESSEE, HAVE NO CONNECTION TO THE STATE WHATSOEVER. I THINK GIVEN THAT WE HOST TOURISM HERE, WE HOST LARGE SCALE ECONOMIC DRIVERS OF OUR ECONOMY, LIKE THE DERBY. WHEN PEOPLE ARE HERE, IF THEY ARE INJECTING DRUGS, I WOULD MUCH RATHER THEY'RE USING CLEAN SYRINGES, STERILE AND NOT BRINGING HEPATITIS C AND HIV TO OUR RESIDENTS. I THINK THAT'S MONEY WELL SPENT. CALL ME CRAZY. I THINK OUR TAXPAYERS SHOULD PRIMARILY HELP OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS FIRST. BUT CLEARLY I'M I'M NOT BEING JOINED BY THE DEPARTMENT IN THAT CONCEPT. I DO WANT TO ASK. I DO WANT TO COME BACK TO SOME BUDGET QUESTIONS, SPECIFICALLY WHEN I LOOK AT THE [00:50:04] PROPOSED BUDGET FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, 32 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND DOLLARS THIS YEAR, THAT IS. THAT IS A MASSIVE INCREASE, A 60% INCREASE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS TO WHAT IS THAT? BUT BUT STAFF HASN'T SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED. AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, MARGINALLY DOWN. IF I LOOK AT A PIC ON JUST A COUPLE BUDGET YEARS, IF I LOOK AT FISCAL YEAR 21 ACTUAL, YOU JUST SHORT OF $20 MILLION, FISCAL YEAR 26 PROPOSED. THAT'S THIS YEAR $32 MILLION GENERAL FUND BUDGET. A HIGHER RATE THAN WE WOULD IF WE COULD HIRE THEM ON AS EMPLOYEES. SO WHAT YEAR? WHEN YOU SAY THE CORRECTIONS CONTRACT, BECAUSE IT WASN'T A YEAR THAT IT WENT UP BY 15 MILLION. IT DID. IT WENT UP BY 10 MILLION, AS I UNDERSTAND IT. IS THAT CORRECT? THERE'S NOT ONE YEAR THAT WENT UP BY THAT MUCH. WHEN THE VENDOR CHANGED. NO, NO, IT WAS ALWAYS 15 MILLION. NO, NO, IT WENT UP TO THE LIMIT, BUT NOT 15 MILLION BECAUSE AND AGAIN, I'LL JUST READ THE NUMBERS JUST TO RUN THE SAME PAGE. 21 ACTUAL 20,000,022. 21 MILLION 23. 24,000,024. 24,000,025. 29,000,020. AND THEN 2632 MILLION. I MEAN, THE BIGGEST JUMP WAS $3 MILLION FOR ONE YEAR. SO THAT'S JUST BEEN EVERY YEAR IT'S LIKE THREE, FOUR, 5 MILLION. EVERY YEAR YOU'RE PUSHING 15, 10%, 20% GROWTH. BUT THERE'S NOT LIKE ONE YEAR WHERE THERE WAS THIS $10 MILLION PUSH. THAT'S WHY I'M JUST TRYING TO GET GET MY HAND AROUND. WHAT'S DRIVING ALL THIS GROWTH? DIRECTOR COLLINS, IF YOU COULD INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR POSITION, PLEASE. CHIEF JERRY COLLINS. MITCHELL. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION. OUR INCREASE IN OUR BUDGET OR OUR HEALTHCARE THAT IS HOUSED IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS INCREASED THE LAST YEAR, PRIMARILY DUE TO TAKING OVER MEDICALLY ASSISTED TREATMENT AND THE INITIAL STARTUP OF THAT AND COMPETENCY RESTORATION. SO IT HAS INCREASED ABOUT 1.5 MILLION. IN THAT ENCOMPASS. THE RESTORATION IS FOR FOLKS THAT ARE IN JAIL THAT ARE WAITING TO GET RESTORATION SO THEY CAN STAND TRIAL. WE HAVE TEN FOLKS IN THAT RIGHT NOW. SO IN THE PAST, THEY WOULD HAVE TO WAIT LONGER THAN ANY SENTENCE. THEY WOULD HAVE GOT MOST OF THEM TO GO TO KCPC. SO WE'RE DOING THAT. AND THEN THE MEDICALLY ASSISTED TREATMENT START UP COST, IF YOU WANT ME TO GO ITEMIZED ON THAT WAS ABOUT 1.3 MILLION. SORRY, SORRY, DIRECTOR. I'LL CUT YOU OFF THERE BECAUSE YOU'RE ACCOUNTING FOR $1.5 MILLION INCREASE. BUT AGAIN, I'M TALKING ABOUT A 13, 14 MULTI-YEAR, YOU KNOW, SORT OF LARGE INCREASE HERE. HOW MUCH IS YOUR SERVICES IN TOTAL? IT'S INCREASED BY 1.4. WHAT'S THE TOTAL. SO THE TOTAL COST FOR 26 IS GOING TO BE IF YOU GIVE ME JUST A SECOND, IT'S GOING TO BE 16,196,000. YEAH. AND AGAIN THERE'S 15,685,000. YES. SO THERE'S NO YEAR HERE WHERE IT WENT UP BY 16 MILLION. CORRECT. I'M JUST ADDRESSING THE COST FOR THE MEDICAL CONTRACT. YEAH. SO I'M JUST SAYING I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS GROWTH, OR THERE'S NO PROOF THAT IT IS BECAUSE THERE'S NOT LIKE A YEAR THAT THAT WAS ADDED IN IN THE LAST 5 OR 6 YEARS. HI. ANGELA DUNN CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER I DON'T HAVE AN ANALYSIS IN FRONT OF ME THAT MIGHT HELP SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE YEAR OVER YEAR GROWTH OF THAT BUDGET, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE THAT TO YOU. IF IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WANT TO GO, MAYBE GO BACK FIVE YEARS, COUPLE YEARS. OKAY. IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE TEN YEARS. OKAY. AND THEN LAST THING STAFFING. YOU HAVE 268 PEOPLE. HOW MANY OF THEM ARE INSPECTORS THAT WOULD BE IN THE FIELD INSPECTING LIKE BARS, RESTAURANTS ROUGHLY GIVE OR TAKE A FEW PEOPLE. RIGHT. DOES IT BE PERFECT? 3737 OKAY. HOW MANY HOW OFTEN WOULD A STANDARD BAR EXPECT TO HAVE A VISIT FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTOR? ONCE A WEEK, ONCE A MONTH, ONCE A YEAR, TWICE A YEAR, TWICE A YEAR? OKAY, SO IF I HAVE BARS THAT I KNOW OF THAT HAVE BEEN VISITED BY PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTOR ONCE A WEEK FOR MONTHS AND HAD NO VIOLATIONS EVER ASSESSED ON THEM, WOULD THAT BE A WASTE OF RESOURCES? CAN YOU THINK OF AN EXAMPLE THAT [00:55:08] WOULD BE APPROPRIATE? IT WAS HELLO, I'M KELLY MONAHAN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION, AND I OVERSEE THE FOOD SAFETY PROGRAM. SO YES. SO WE INSPECT BASED ON THE STATE SCHEDULE FOR INSPECTIONS, AND A BAR WOULD RECEIVE TWO INSPECTIONS A YEAR. SO WE ALSO GO OUT AND INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS. SO AND WE INVESTIGATE EVERY COMPLAINT THAT WE RECEIVE IN OUR OFFICE. AND THERE WOULD NOT BE A REASON UNLESS THERE'S A COMPLAINT OR A CONCERN THAT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT WE SHOULD BE AT THE FACILITY, OTHER THAN ROUTINE INSPECTIONS OR FOLLOW UPS DUE TO FAILURES. OKAY, SO IF THERE'S MORE THAN TWO A YEAR, THERE SHOULD BE DOCUMENTATION. AS FAR AS THOSE COMPLAINTS THAT I COULD LOOK UP. OKAY. AND THEN LAST QUESTION ON ON THE STAFFING THING AND THEN I'LL GET BACK IN THE QUEUE IF I NEED TO. MASSAGE PARLORS. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE INSPECTING MASSAGE PARLORS OR HAVE IN PRIOR YEARS? SO WE HAVE STOOD UP A NEW TASK FORCE TO ADDRESS MASSAGE PARLORS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. WE AND WE ARE WORKING WITH ALCOHOL AND BEVERAGE CONTROL, WHO IS THE AGENCY THAT WILL BE LICENSING THOSE FACILITIES? WE HAVE BEGUN DOING INSPECTIONS OF THOSE FACILITIES. WE'VE DID APPROXIMATELY 30 INSPECTIONS THUS FAR TO ENSURE THAT THE THERAPISTS THAT ARE WORKING IN THOSE FACILITIES ARE LICENSED THROUGH THE STATE, AS ARE AS REQUIRED BY LAW. AND SO I KNOW THAT A NUMBER OF ORDERS HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO THOSE FACILITIES, AND SEVERAL HAVE BEEN CLOSED BY ABC. THEY'RE REQUIRED TO BE LICENSED BY US. YES. SO YOU'RE NOT CHECKING STATE LICENSURE, CHECKING OUR LICENSURE. CORRECT. RIGHT NOW WE'RE CHECKING STATE LICENSURE OKAY. SO I'LL JUST WRAP THIS UP BECAUSE I WANT TO BE FAIR TO MY COLLEAGUES. SO I KNOW OF BARS THAT ARE IN THE HIGHLANDS THAT HAVE BEEN INSPECTED ONCE A WEEK FOR MONTHS, EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF COMPLAINTS. AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHEN IT WAS, AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS WENT BY, THEY FINALLY SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO STOP COMING BY BECAUSE WE BOTHERED YOU ENOUGH. SO WE'RE WASTING RESOURCES ON. AND SOMEBODY NEEDS TO EXPLAIN TO ME, WHAT'S THE MASSIVE PUBLIC HEALTH RISK IN A BAR LIKE I GET ACTUALLY RESTAURANTS LIKE IF YOU UNDERCOOK OR OVERCOOK, IF YOU UNDERCOOK FOOD LIKE YOU CAN, YOU CAN HAVE A MASSIVE OUTBREAK OF ILLNESS. YOU KNOW, SHORT OF SOMEBODY BEING OVERSERVED DRINKS. THERE'S NOT LIKE A THIS DRINK IS TOO WARM OR COLD AND SOMEBODY'S GOING TO GET SICK PROBLEM. AND MEANWHILE WE HAVE A MASSIVE HUMAN TRAFFICKING PROBLEM IN THESE MASSAGE PARLORS. AND I'M FINDING THAT WE'RE JUST STARTING TO INSPECT THESE. IT SEEMS LIKE OUR WHOLE PERSPECTIVE ON PUBLIC HEALTH IS OUT OF WHACK. WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS. AND THIS GOES BACK A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN OUR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SPENDING ALL THIS MONEY ON ALL THIS, YOU KNOW, HARM REDUCTION PROGRAM. AND IT WASN'T UNTIL I BASICALLY YELLED AT AT ONE POINT, THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR AT THE TIME TO GET ANY MENTION OF ADDICTION SERVICES MOVED UP ON THE WEBSITE. SO IT WAS EVEN VISIBLE. RIGHT? LIKE I GET HARM REDUCTION IS IMPORTANT, BUT SO WAS ADDICTION SERVICES. I GET INSPECTING BARS IS A THING, BUT I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THAT THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING, PARTICULARLY OF WOMEN AS SEX SLAVES, IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHETHER OR NOT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE RIGHT BAR SINK AT A BAR IN THE HIGHLANDS, AND I JUST THINK WE HAVE A COMPLETE MISALLOCATION OF RESOURCES AND PRIORITIES. AND, YOU KNOW, IN THIS BUDGET AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT HOW WE'RE DOING THAT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WE'RE JOINED ONLINE BY COUNCIL MEMBERS PARRISH WRIGHT AND CHAPEL AND COUNCILMAN WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. SO BY DEFINITION, THE PUBLIC HEALTH FRAMEWORK IS NOT TIED TO SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS IN THE SENSE OF I'M TRYING TO START THIS ONE PATIENT, BUT RATHER SORT OF POPULATION HEALTH PIECES. DO YOU GUYS HAVE A SENSE OR HAVE YOU DONE ANALYSIS ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE DIFFERENT INTERVENTIONS THAT YOU DO IN TERMS OF WHAT ARE THE DOWNSTREAM COSTS THAT ARE AVOIDED? YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT DOES IT COST US TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS HEP C POSITIVE? AND IF WE ARE ABLE TO AVOID THAT INFECTION, INFECTION, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FROM A CITY BUDGET PERSPECTIVE OR JUST FROM AN OVERALL COST PERSPECTIVE? ABSOLUTELY. DOCTOR KARIMI ACTUALLY DID A VERY IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS REVIEWING ALL OF OUR DATA SINCE THE SYRINGE EXCHANGE OPENED. IT'S PROBABLY 2 OR 3 YEARS OLD AT THIS POINT, BUT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION. AND WE DO LOOK AT THE CURRENT COST OF HEPATITIS C TREATMENT, [01:00:02] WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO FOR THE MEDICATIONS FOR HIV. SO WE CAN PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION AS WELL. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT THE OKAY FOR JUST THINKING ABOUT A RETURN ON TAXPAYER DOLLARS. WHEN WE INVEST IN THAT PIECE OF PUBLIC HEALTH, WHAT IS THE RETURN THAT WE CAN GET? IT HAS BEEN SAID TO ME MORE THAN ONCE, AND I'M JUST WANT TO VALIDATE THAT THIS IS TRUE, THAT THE LOUISVILLE JAIL IS THE LARGEST DRUG TREATMENT CENTER IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY. IS THAT TRUE IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED? I WOULD HAVE TO ASK DIRECTOR COLLINS. CAN YOU CAN YOU GIVE ME A SENSE OF THE SCOPE OF HOW MANY PEOPLE IN JAIL SYSTEM ARE CURRENTLY IN TREATMENT? MARIA LADERMAN, CHIEF PSYCHOLOGIST AT LMDC. SO WE BOTH HAVE AN MIT PROGRAM AS WELL AS A DETOX PROGRAM. SO IN THE LAST YEAR, WE HAD OVER 7000 PEOPLE THAT WERE DETOXED. AND THEN ON AVERAGE WE HAVE BETWEEN LIKE 100 TO 130 PEOPLE IN THE MAT PROGRAM. CAN YOU, FOR ALL OF OUR ADORING FANS AT HOME, DEFINE MAT? SURE. IT IS OUR MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT PROGRAM, SO IT'S INDIVIDUALS IN THE JAIL THAT RECEIVE EITHER SUBOXONE OR METHADONE. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY ARE RELEASED? JUST YEAH. SO THE GOAL IS WHEN FOLKS ARE RELEASED THAT WE CONNECT THEM WITH SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY. SO IF THEY ARE RECEIVING MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT TO GET THEM LINKED BACK TO THE TREATMENT PROVIDER THAT THEY HAD ALREADY IN THE COMMUNITY, OR SET THEM UP WITH RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAMING, SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS DO GO ON TO DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, SO THEY GO TO PRISON FACILITY. SO THEY CONTINUE TREATMENT THERE. BUT WE HAVE SPECIALIZED REENTRY AND DISCHARGE PLANNING. THAT'S PART OF THE PROGRAM. SO ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE COORDINATED CARE BACK IN THE COMMUNITY. DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF THE EFFICACY OF THAT TRANSITION, OR WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY GET BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE? SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE WORKING ON TRACKING SOME OF THAT. SO AS, YES, CARE HAS TRANSITIONED TO BEING THE MEDICAL PROVIDER, WE JUST HAD A MEETING ABOUT LOOKING AT RECIDIVISM. HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE COMING BACK INTO JAIL. AND NOW WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT TRANSITIONING MORE INTO COMMUNITY WORK, THAT IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE ARE HOPING TO DO OF HAVING THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT TAKE OVER SOME OF THAT MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT BACK IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN LAST QUESTION, DO WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP FROM A PROFESSIONAL STANDPOINT OR FROM A DATA PERSPECTIVE WITH THE MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATIONS? I IMAGINE THAT MOST OF THE POPULATION IS COVERED BY. MEDICAID. IT DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF OKAY, GREAT. WHEN YOU BECAUSE I KNOW I BELIEVE THAT YOU LOSE MEDICAID COVERAGE WHEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY INCARCERATED. BUT THEN WE ARE WORKING TO GET PEOPLE BACK ONTO TO THAT COVERAGE. DO WE KNOW OR HAVE A WAY TO ENGAGE AFTER RELEASE WITH THOSE MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATIONS? YES. SO YOU ARE CORRECT. ONCE THEY ARE IN CUSTODY, THEY DO LOSE MEDICAL COVERAGE. BUT WE HAVE DESIGNATED STAFF AT THE JAIL THAT IS ABLE TO REINSTATE MEDICAL INSURANCE FOR PEOPLE PRIOR TO RELEASE. AND THEN THAT IS ALSO PART OF THE WORK OF THE DISCHARGE AND REENTRY TEAM THAT WHEREVER THEY'RE SENDING THEM, IT HAS TO BE A FACILITY THAT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THEM BASED ON INSURANCE. SO ALL OF THAT IS CONSIDERED IN THE REENTRY PLANNING. GOTCHA. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS, COUNCILWOMAN. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I, I WANT TO PREFACE MY COMMENTS WITH SAYING THAT PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS IS JUST AS IMPORTANT. YOU NOTHING WORKS IF PEOPLE ARE DEAD. AND SO IF EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING IS STOPPING THE SPREAD OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AND, AND ALL OF THE THINGS WE'VE DEALT WITH WITH COVID AND POST RELEASE, I FULLY SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I KNOW THIS WORK ISN'T EASY. AND AS SOMEONE WHO LIVED AT HEMLOCK AND SOUTHERN AND HAD TO CLEAN UP NEEDLES AND SYRINGES, I UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. THERE'S NO WAY THAT SOMEONE CAN BE EVERYWHERE AT EVERY TIME. WE ACTUALLY NEED MORE OF THOSE BOXES EVERYWHERE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN DISPOSE OF THEIR THEIR NEEDLES SAFELY. AS SOMEBODY THAT HAS A HEART CONDITION THAT TAKES A SHOT EVERY WEEK, I ALSO USE NEEDLES. SO NOT ALL PEOPLE WHO ARE USING NEEDLE EXCHANGES ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN SUBSTANCES. WE HAVE BIG CITY PROBLEMS BECAUSE WE ARE A GROWING CITY, AND THE THINGS THAT YOU ARE DOING AND PUT IN PLACE ARE SO IMPORTANT. MY QUESTION IS AROUND THE ABATEMENT FUNDING. I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE FUNDING WAS USED TO SUPPLANT SOME OF THE POSITIONS THERE THAT WE HAD TRADITIONALLY COVERED, AND I DEFINITELY [01:05:02] UNDERSTAND THE COST AND HOW EVERYTHING HAS WENT UP. I JUST WANT TO SAY I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT, IS THERE A FUTURE WHERE THIS THERE'S MORE OF THIS TO OFFSET SOME OF THE COSTS YOU HAVE? AND IS THERE MORE? BECAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU'RE ASKING FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED. I THINK THAT YOU NEED MORE. AND AS FAR AS MOBILE TRANSPORT, GETTING SERVICES TO PEOPLE NOT JUST IN THE EAST END BUT IN THE WEST END, THE SOUTH END, THERE IS WE NEED MORE SERVICES. SO IS THERE ANY PLANNING AROUND THAT, INCLUDING IN THIS BUDGET? AND THEN WHERE ARE YOU AT WITH THE WITH THE ABATEMENT FUNDING? DO YOU PLAN TO TRY TO USE MORE OF THAT TO GET THOSE SERVICES AND CARE WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED MOST? I'M GOING TO HAVE BEN SPEAK TO THE ABATEMENT FUNDING, AND THEN I CAN TAG ON THE END A LITTLE ABOUT PLANS IF ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES PRESENT. AGAIN, BEN, JUST FOR THE CAMERAS. SURE. FIRST AND LAST NAME. AND THEN BEN GOLDMAN, DIRECTOR OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. SO DEFINITEL, YOU'RE RIGHT THAT MANY OF THE CORE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES THAT OUR DEPARTMENT OFFERS RELATED TO SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER ARE ALLOWABLE UNDER THE OPIOID ABATEMENT FUNDS. SO THERE IS WORK THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE FUNDED USING THOSE FUNDS. THERE'S ALSO ANY EXPANSION OF THAT WORK WOULD BE ALLOWABLE UNDER THE ABATEMENT. SO I THINK RIGHT NOW, IN TERMS OF WHAT COUNCIL HAS ALLOCATED, WE'VE RECEIVED AS A CITY ABOUT $20 MILLION OF THE CURRENTLY PROJECTED 57 MILLION THAT THE CITY WILL RECEIVE. AND OF THOSE, 15 MILLION HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR SPENDING BY METRO GOVERNMENT OR BY METRO COUNCIL. THANK YOU. AND MY LAST QUESTION, MR. CHAIR, FOR MY THIRD QUESTION. AND JUST I'M SITTING INSIDE OF A RECOVERY CAFE HERE IN LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY. AND SO I SEE THE DEPTHS OF HOW FAR THIS WORK GOES. AND IF WE'RE NOT ABOUT SAVING AND IMPROVING AND PROTECTING LIVES, THEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING? I WANTED TO SEE HOW YOUR HOW YOU'RE GOING TO USE SOME OF THE FUNDING TO EXPAND IN THE SOUTH AND THE WEST ENDS OF OUR COMMUNITY, THAT PEOPLE INGEST SUBSTANCES. NOBODY ASKS PERMISSION BEFORE THEY USE SUBSTANCES, JUST LIKE THEY DON'T BEFORE THEY DRINK BOURBON. BUT WE KNOW THAT OVERDOSES HAVE WENT DOWN AND A LOT OF PLACES. THANKFUL FOR YOUR WORK AND SO MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. BUT WHAT WHERE WHERE ARE THE PLANS TO. I KNOW THAT THERE WAS LIKE, I CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, ABOUT $500,000 ALLOTTED TO PUT MORE SERVICES IN THE WEST END, OR HAVE A PLACE OR WEST OR SOUTH. WHERE ARE YOU AT WITH THAT? AND IS THAT INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET? BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE MY NOTES IN FRONT OF ME. JUST WANT TO SEE WHERE THAT IS. YES. DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER? SURE. SO FORTUNATELY, THOSE FUNDS WERE ALREADY APPROVED. WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. WE'RE TRYING TO LOCATE A LOCATION. SO CERTAINLY WE WELCOME, IF YOU KNOW OF ANY MEDICAL CLINIC LIKE SPACES OF ABOUT 8000FT■!S, PLEAE LET US KNOW. BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT SPACES, LOOKING AT TRYING TO EXPAND THAT FIXED SITE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN YOU MENTIONED THE DECREASE IN FATAL OVERDOSES. THE LAST TIME OUR DEPARTMENT PRESENTED RELATED TO OPIOID ABATEMENT, GAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A TEASER AND SAID THAT THE NEXT TIME THAT WE'RE BEFORE COUNCIL, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE THOSE NUMBERS. THOSE NUMBERS HAVE OFFICIALLY BEEN RELEASED BY THE STATE. WE SAW A 161 DEATH DECREASE BETWEEN 2023 AND 2024. THAT REPRESENTS AN UNPRECEDENTED 32% DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF JEFFERSON COUNTY RESIDENTS WHO DIED OF OVERDOSES IN THE PAST YEAR. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN, I JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS AND THEN I'LL THROW IT TO COLLEAGUES. THE LEAD REGISTRY ORDINANCE WAS CHANGED. DID THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON YOUR INSPECTORS? AND IF SO, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE? AGAIN, FIRST AND LAST NAME AND YOUR TITLE? KELLY MONAHAN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION SO YES, WE ARE WORKING WITH IT DID HAVE AN IMPACT IN THAT WE WANTED TO HAVE A LEAD RENTAL REGISTRY FOR THAT. WE COULD TRACK CASES, BUT IT HAS NOT STOPPED OUR WORK. WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK. THAT'S WHY IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE PERSONNEL TO DO THAT WORK. IT MAY TAKE US A LITTLE MORE TIME TO IDENTIFY THE CASES, BUT WE ARE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH CODES AND REGULATIONS IN THE INSPECTION PROCESS PROCESS THAT WAS ADDED [01:10:01] TO THE LMC ORDINANCE TO ALLOW FOR THOSE INSPECTIONS WITH LEAD, TO DETECT LEAD IN HOUSES, SO THAT WE CAN BE PROACTIVE IN IDENTIFYING LEAD HAZARDS AND ADDRESSING THOSE HOPING TO PREVENT AND DECREASE THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN THAT ARE AFFECTED WITH LEAD POISONING. AND SO WE ARE DOING WE DO RECEIVE ADDRESSES FROM CODES AND REGS, AND THAT ALLOWS US TO ADDRESS THAT WITH WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. SO WE'RE STILL EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROCESS AND WE ARE WORKING HARD TO ADDRESS LEAD. AND. THANK YOU. TWO MORE I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THERE'S $350,000 FOR A STUDY OF METRO BUILDINGS ON ON PUBLIC WORKS ON PUBLIC HEALTH PART. WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THAT PLAN? THE $350,000 FOR ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS? IT WAS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF SALES AND MAINTENANCE, BUT IT'S FOR A STUDY OF METRO BUILDING NEEDS AND PLANNING FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS HEADQUARTERS. I THINK WE'D HAVE TO GET AN UPDATE FROM FACILITIES ON THAT. OKAY, WE CAN DO THAT. OKAY. WHAT'S SO THE HEADQUARTERS WERE. OH, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE STREET RIGHT NOW, BUT ARE WE STILL IN THE SAME HEADQUARTERS BUILDING? I THOUGHT THERE WAS 400 EAST GRAY STREET. THAT'S IT. OKAY. AND SO WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THAT TO COME BACK. AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION, I'M LOOKING AT NUMBERS ON PAGE 149 IN THE DETAIL BOOK AND 187 IN THE EXECUTIVE BOOK. IT'S THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS, THE FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS, INC. THERE'S A $786,500. I THINK THAT'S FOR A CONTRACT. MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT CONTRACT INCLUDED IN THE EXTERNAL AGENCY CONTRACT, WHICH IS 794,000, OR ARE THOSE DIFFERENT? ARE THOSE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS? GRANTED 794 IS MORE THAN 785, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING IF THAT 785 IS INCLUDED IN THAT. 794 I THINK IT IS, BUT I WANTED TO BE SURE I BELIEVE SO, BUT WE'LL GET CONFIRMATION IF I'M MISTAKEN ON THAT, WE JUST LET ME KNOW. SURE. OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PIAGENTINI. THANK YOU. AGAIN. I'LL COME BACK TO THE NEWS ABOUT THE OVERDOSE. DEATHS ARE GREAT. AGAIN. WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES. I JUST WANT TO FOCUS THEM ON JEFFERSON COUNTY RESIDENTS. SO THE MORE WE CAN DO THAT, I THINK THE MORE WE CAN SAVE JEFFERSON COUNTY LIVES. AND THIS COMES DOWN TO FOCUS AND PRIORITIES. I JUST SEE AGAIN, I BROUGHT UP THE MASSAGE PARLORS BECAUSE IT'S THE PLACE WHERE HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS PROLIFERATED, PROLIFERATING IN OUR CITY. AND IT SOUNDS TO ME UNTIL, LIKE A FEW MOMENTS AGO, WE WEREN'T DOING MUCH ABOUT IT. AND TO ME, THAT IS THE IDEA THAT THERE ARE WOMEN RIGHT NOW IN THIS CITY THAT ARE BEING TRAFFICKED, USED IN THIS WAY. IT MAKES ME WANT TO PUKE. AND IF WE AREN'T PULLING OUT ALL STOPS TO STOP THAT, I CONSIDER IT JUST AS SERIOUS AN ISSUE AS OVERDOSE DEATHS. AND SO WE'VE MADE GREAT PROGRESS THERE. IF WE DON'T MAKE GREAT PROGRESS IN THAT AREA, AND THAT MEANS POTENTIALLY REPRIORITIZING OTHER MORE FRIVOLOUS PROGRAMS TO FOCUS ON IT THAN FINE, LET'S CUT FRIVOLOUS PROGRAMS THAT DON'T HAVE THE SAME IMPACT AS ELIMINATING THE SLAVERY OF WOMEN. THEN. THEN LET'S DO IT RIGHT. AND SO THAT'S SORT OF MY POINT ABOUT IF I'M GETTING A LITTLE PASSIONATE ABOUT THE ALLOCATION OF DOLLARS TOWARD PROGRAMS THAT MAKE BIG IMPACT, I'M GOING TO BRING UP FEDERAL GRANTS HERE FOR A SECOND WITH THE MASSIVE CAVEAT AND ASTERISKS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST CHANGED ADMINISTRATIONS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CURRENTLY ON A COUPLE AREAS ISN'T THE MOST CLEAR CUT AS TO WHAT THE HECK'S GOING ON. SO IF THAT'S YOUR ANSWER, THEN I'M I'M DOWN WITH UNDERSTANDING THAT. BUT JUST AS RELATES TO WHAT I SEE IN THE BUDGET. RIGHT. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE FISCAL YEAR 25 ORIGINAL BUDGET UNDER THE MAKE SURE I GET THIS RIGHT, THE STATE AND FEDERAL GRANT COLUMN, YOU HAD SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS ALLOCATED THERE. COMPARED TO THE REVISED BUDGET, WHICH IS DOWN TO 19. SO LET ME READ THIS WHOLE THING. THE FISCAL YEAR 25 ORIGINAL BUDGET CONSISTS OF 12.14 MILLION ANTICIPATED AWARDS IN THE RESTRICTED AND OTHER PROJECT EXPENSE BUDGET LINE ITEM COMPARED TO THE FISCAL YEAR 25 REVISED BUDGET OF 19,000. WHAT WHAT HAPPENED THERE? WHAT'S THE LARGE DECREASE? SO WE LOST. WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE COULD LOSE HALF OF THE HEALTHY START FUNDING BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT IT'S AWARDED ACROSS FEDERAL FISCAL YEARS. WE WILL NOT KNOW THAT IN DEFINITELY UNTIL OCTOBER. THE OTHER ONE WAS A COVID VACCINE GRANT THAT HAD VERY, VERY STRICT ALLOWABLE [01:15:04] EXPENSES. THAT WAS CUT BY $1.3 MILLION. SO THAT'S NOT THERE WAS NO STAFF THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THAT LOSS. IT WASN'T SPECIFICALLY SUPPORTING A PROGRAM. SO WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO OFFSET THE REMAINDER BY PAUSING, HIRING, LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES. BUT TO BE CLEAR, YES, WE DON'T KNOW 100% WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN OCTOBER. YEAH, YEAH. THEY'RE LIKE IT'S LIKE PREDICTING. IT'S LIKE PREDICTING THE WEATHER WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SOMETIMES. SO THANK YOU. I'M SORRY I DON'T KNOW IF DEPUTY MAYOR GEORGE WANTS TO. DEPUTY MAYOR GEORGE, I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. CHAIR NICOLE GEORGE, DEPUTY MAYOR, PUBLIC HEALTH, PUBLIC SERVICES. JUST WANT TO ECHO COUNCILMAN PIAGENTINI CONCERN FOR ILLEGALLY OPERATING MASSAGE SPA PARLORS. MAYOR GREENBERG IS VERY CONCERNED AS WELL. WE HAVE FORMED A MULTI-AGENCY TASK FORCE TO LOOK AT ALL THINGS FROM UPDATES NEEDED TO LEGISLATION. SO HOPEFULLY SOMETHING WILL BE COMING YOUR WAY FAIRLY SOON. ALSO, MORE COORDINATED ENFORCEMENT, REALLY BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT APPLYING ALL THE TOOLS WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THESE ILLEGALLY OPERATING FACILITIES, BEING ABLE TO FOCUS ON OUR AREAS WITHIN OUR CRIME PLAN, AS WELL AS AREAS THAT WE KNOW ACROSS THE CITY THAT HAVE SEEN. A LOT OF INTEREST AND ATTENTION OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WHERE THEY HAVE POPPED UP. CERTAINLY, WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE NOT JUST FROM A HUMAN TRAFFICKING PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO WHAT THIS MEANS TO COMMUNITIES. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED, AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS WORKED REALLY HARD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND AND GO OUT IN COLLABORATION AND ENFORCE. AND DEPUTY MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THAT. I WANT TO DIFFERENTIATE MY. GRATITUDE FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING MOVING FORWARD. AND I GUESS WHAT I HAVE RELATED TO MY HISTORICAL. DISAPPOINTMENT IN WHAT WE HAVE FOCUSED ON AS A PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. OKAY, I DO FEEL LIKE IT'S MY OPINION. PEOPLE HAVE OPINIONS, BUT I THINK I TRY TO DO THIS IN THE MOST OBJECTIVE WAY POSSIBLE AS FAR AS WHAT OUR TRUE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISES AND WHAT ARE NOT. AND WE'VE SPOKEN PRIVATELY ABOUT THINGS THAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED RESOURCES TO, IN SOME CASES VERY SMALL RESOURCES, BUT THAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED TIME AND RESOURCES TO THAT I WOULD CALL NOT A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE OR CRISIS. AND MEANWHILE THIS IS PRECISELY ONE. SO I'M APPRECIATIVE THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH IT. AND I WOULD JUST ASK AND AGAIN, I WENT TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH WEBSITE AGAIN, I WILL SAY I APPRECIATE UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION THAT RIGHT NEXT TO HARM REDUCTION, WE NOW HAVE ADDICTION SERVICES ON THE MAIN PAGE AS MAIN BLOCKS. THAT WAS NOT TRUE UNTIL THE VERY I THINK THAT CHANGED TWO YEARS AGO. AND IT WAS AFTER I HAD A VERY HEATED CONVERSATION WITH A FORMER PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR, BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO ADDICTION SERVICES BACK THEN WAS TO GO THREE PAGES DEEP ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH WEBSITE. SO IT'S ABOUT THIS IS ABOUT PRIORITIES. WE CANNOT SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM. THAT'S ALSO MY FOCUS ON JEFFERSON COUNTY, BECAUSE THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING ISSUE, I CAN 100% GUARANTEE THAT IF WE SOLVE THE PROBLEM IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, IT WILL MOVE TO BORDERING COUNTIES. THAT IS INCREDIBLY LAMENTABLE. I WILL BE I WILL JOIN ANYBODY IN WALKING TO FRANKFORT AND WALKING TO WASHINGTON, DC TO SAY THAT. THEN THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO STEP THEIR UP AND DO MORE ABOUT IT. BUT I'M FOCUSED ON WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE LIMITED RESOURCES WE HAVE. AND IF THE MINIMUM WE CAN DO IS, IS GET THAT PROBLEM OUT OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND THEN HIGHLIGHT IT SO THE OTHER COMMUNITIES CAN STEP UP AND PRESSURE PRESSURE THEM TO DO IT. SO WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, AND HAVE THEIR TAXPAYERS STEP UP THEN THEN THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO. SO BUT THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THAT MOVING FORWARD I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. JUST A COUPLE OTHERS. I KNOW IN THE PAST THERE THE THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE TRYING TO HIRE PEOPLE AND THE DIFFICULTY THAT WENT BACK TO HUMAN RESOURCES. I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES IN HUMAN RESOURCES, AND WE SEEM TO BE RESPONDING A LITTLE BIT MORE QUICKLY, PERHAPS STILL NOT AS MUCH AS YOUR DEPARTMENT WOULD LIKE, BUT CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO HOW THINGS ARE GOING WITH RECRUITMENT? YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT YOU'RE STILL USING A LOT OF CONTRACT NURSES, WHICH SAYS THAT WE CLEARLY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH. IS THE PROBLEM STILL? I MEAN, ARE WE IDENTIFYING PEOPLE? WE STILL CAN'T GET THEM THROUGH THE SYSTEM IN HR, OR ARE WE IDENTIFYING PEOPLE AND WE CAN'T GET THEM FOR SOME OTHER REASON, [01:20:06] OR ARE WE NOT EVEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES? BECAUSE THE COMPETITION IS AND I KNOW THE COMPETITION FOR NURSES IS INCREDIBLE. SO I DON'T WANT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION FOR YOU, BUT YES. SO THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW. WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THAT WILL REFLECT WHAT THE MARKET LOCALLY IS. BUT CURRENTLY FOR A REGISTERED NURSE, BECAUSE OF THAT BEING A UNION POSITION, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE OR EDUCATION YOU HAVE, YOU'RE GOING TO COME IN AT LIKE $24 AN HOUR AND YOU COULD MAKE DOUBLE THAT JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE ELSE. SO IT REALLY HAS TO DO WITH AND WHAT ARE WE PAYING CONTRACT NURSES. IT DEPENDS. WE CONTRACT WITH THREE DIFFERENT TEMPORARY STAFFING AGENCIES. THEY ALL HAVE A PER DISCIPLINE RATE. AND THEN THE RATE THAT THE AGENCY TAKES ON TOP OF THAT. BUT I WOULD SAY IT AVERAGES ABOUT $60 AN HOUR. SO BECAUSE WE ARE ONLY WILLING TO PAY 24, WE'RE ACTUALLY PAYING 60. CORRECT. I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH. I'M JUST MAKING SURE. YES. OKAY. AND THAT DOES SEEM TO BE YOUR BIGGEST DRAW OR BIGGEST HURDLE IN TERMS OF HIRING. THANK YOU. THAT'S HELPFUL. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT A COUPLE OTHER LINES IN HERE. YOUR DRUGS AND MEDICINE SUPPLIES WENT DOWN BY 306,000, AND YOUR MEDICAL SUPPLIES WENT UP BY 316. IT I MEAN, A PERSON TAKING A QUICK LOOK AT THIS WOULD JUMP TO THE CONCLUSION THAT YOU'VE MOVED THINGS FROM ONE ITEM TO THE OTHER. IS THAT A SAFE ASSUMPTION OR IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON THERE? I BELIEVE IT IS DUE TO THE SPIN CATEGORIES, SOME OF THEM BEING ELIMINATED AND THOSE COSTS BEING MOVED TO THE APPROPRIATE LINES. OKAY. GREAT. THANKS. I'M SEEING A $1.5 MILLION, 1.53 INCREASE IN YOUR PERSONNEL. IS THAT AGAIN, I DON'T REMEMBER IF YOU SAID THAT WAS SPECIFIC TO THE NURSING. I THINK THAT IS SPECIFIC TO THE ANTICIPATED END OF THE CBA NEGOTIATIONS. AND KNOWING THAT THAT WILL INCREASE WAGES ACROSS THE BOARD FOR THOSE THAT ARE ON THAT CONTRACT, SO THAT WE CAN PAY THOSE WAGES. OKAY. THANKS. YOU HAD A SPIN CATEGORY THAT YOU MERGED WITH YOU. AND SO THERE WAS AN INCREASE FROM 85 TO 1,000,423. WAS THAT ENTIRE INCREASE BECAUSE OF NEW OR ARE THERE OTHER THINGS INCLUDED IN THAT BUDGET LINE? THE NEW NUMBER WASN'T THAT BIG ORIGINALLY. WE HAD TO GET YOUR RECONCILIATION ON EXACTLY WHAT WENT INTO THAT. OKAY. THANKS. YEAH, I SUSPECT THERE'S MORE THAN NEW IN THERE. I JUST COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS. YEAH, THANKS. AND THEN I THOUGHT IT INTERESTING THAT YOUR LANDFILL SANITATION WENT FROM 61,000 TO 0. I THINK THAT, AGAIN, WE HAD MULTIPLE CATEGORIES THAT KIND OF COVERED THE SAME COSTS. WE DO HAVE MEDICAL WASTE. WE DON'T REALLY CALL IT LANDFILL. IT WAS IT'S BEING MOVED TO THE MORE APPROPRIATE LINE. OKAY. SO THERE WILL BE SLIGHT INCREASES. AND BECAUSE IT'S ONLY 61,000 SO IT'LL BE SLIGHT INCREASES IN A COUPLE OTHER PLACES. CORRECT. GREAT. THANK YOU. THERE ARE OTHER FOLKS IN THE QUEUE. SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND DROP OUT AND I MAY JOIN BACK IN. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN WEBER. COUNCILMAN WINKLER HASN'T HAD A CHANCE YET, SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET HIM. LET HIM GO IN FIRST. DO YOU WANT TO? COUNCILMAN WINKLER? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND I APOLOGIZE FOR HAVING TO BE DOWNSTAIRS FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE MEETING. BUT I DID HEAR ALL THE QUESTIONS, AND I WANTED TO ASK SOMETHING SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK HAD A LOT OF BENEFIT FOR THE COMMUNITY, IN MY OPINION, WE DIDN'T GIVE IT ENOUGH TIME. I'M NOT BLAMING ANYBODY. IT WAS CERTAINLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DECISION AS WELL. WAS THE ELIMINATION OF THE LIVING ROOM. AND I KNOW THAT LOOKING FOR A 24 HOUR DROP IN CENTER IS SOMETHING THAT CERTAINLY SOME FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY ARE ADVOCATING FOR. I'M CURIOUS IF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT COULD SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SORT OF THE EXPERIENCES WITH THE LIVING ROOM, AND IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT THAT SORT OF MODEL AGAIN, WHAT WE MIGHT WANT TO DO DIFFERENTLY. SURE. IN THAT, IN THAT AREA, THAT. BEN GOLDMAN, DIRECTOR OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. SO I HAD THE GREAT PRIVILEGE OF BEING SORT OF THE HEALTH PROGRAM ANALYST AT PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS WHEN THAT PROGRAM SWITCHED FROM BEING UNDER THE OVERSIGHT OF LMPD TO BEING UNDER THE OVERSIGHT OF LMPD, W AND KIND OF SEEING IN REAL TIME THE RAMP UP KIND OF THE PEAK AND THEN THE RAPID FALL OFF WHEN IT LOST FUNDING. SO I DEFINITELY THINK I AGREE OVERALL, IT WAS A GREAT ASSET FOR THE COMMUNITY. THERE IS A NEED. WE HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING CRISES WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM HAVING A THIRD PLACE. THAT'S NOT THE HOSPITAL OR THE JAIL IN TERMS OF LESSONS LEARNED. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST ONE WOULD BE THE DATA REALLY NEEDS TO BE [01:25:03] COMPREHENSIVELY COLLECTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE CAN TELL AN ACCURATE STORY ABOUT THE ENTIRE LIFE CYCLE OF THE PROJECT. SO WE SAW A HUGE AMOUNT OF EXPENDITURE AT THE FRONT END OF THAT, RETROFITTING THE SPACE, MAKING SURE THAT IT WAS A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE IN CRISIS, LIGATURE PROOF BATHROOMS, RAMPING UP STAFFING. AND THEN NOBODY CAME BECAUSE IN THE BEGINNING, TO ACCESS THAT RESOURCE, YOU HAD TO BE BROUGHT IN BY LMPD. AND I BELIEVE THE GUIDANCE FOR LMPD WAS THAT THEY SHOULD BRING PEOPLE WHO HAD NOT COMMITTED ANY CRIMES BUT WERE IN CRISIS, AND GENERALLY, THAT IS NOT A POPULATION THAT OFFICERS ARE TRAINED OR GUIDED TO SPEND TIME WITH, RIGHT? THEIR ROLE IS PRIMARILY REACTING TO CRIMES. SO THERE WEREN'T VERY MANY. IF THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE VIOLENT AND THREATS TO THE COMMUNITY, POLICE WERE BRINGING THEM TO JAIL. AND IF THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE EXPERIENCING A CRISIS BUT WERE MINDING THEIR OWN BUSINESS, FOR THE MOST PART, OFFICERS LEFT THEM TO THEIR DEVICES. BUT OCCASIONALLY THERE WOULD BE SOMEONE WHO YOU KNOW WOULD BE A MINOR NUISANCE, HADN'T YET COMMITTED ANY CRIMES, OR BEEN CHARGED WITH ANY CRIMES AND BEEN BROUGHT IN. WE SAW A HUGE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ACCESS SERVICES WHEN THE DOORS WERE OPEN TO THE GENERAL POPULATION, AND ANYBODY COULD SHOW UP. COMMUNITY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS COULD BRING PEOPLE IN, PEOPLE COULD COME AND, YOU KNOW, JUST DROP IN, SPEND TIME, YOU KNOW, ON A ON A HOT DAY, SPEND TIME IN AN AIR CONDITIONED LOCATION ON A COLD DAY, SPEND TIME IN A WARM LOCATION AND REALLY SORT OF BY THE END OF THAT PROJECT, THEY WERE SEEING ABOUT TEN PEOPLE IN EVERY 24 HOUR PERIOD, WHICH WAS INITIALLY THE TARGET THEY HAD SET. SO THE LAST MONTH OF THEM OPERATING, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PER VISIT COST, IT WAS A VERY REASONABLE PER VISIT COST. HOWEVER, IF YOU LOOKED AT THE 18 MONTH PERIOD, IT WAS AN EXCEEDINGLY EXPENSIVE, VERY, VERY LOW DELIVERY SERVICE BECAUSE FOR THE FIRST NINE MONTHS IT HAD VERY, VERY LOW UTILIZATION AND THEN IT GRADUALLY TICKED UP. I THINK IN TERMS OF FUNDING, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE OTHER FUNDING AVENUES BEYOND METRO GOVERNMENT THAT THE PROGRAM DIDN'T PURSUE. AND THERE ALSO ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, INSTITUTIONS THAT BENEFIT BEYOND METRO GOVERNMENT WHO COULD HAVE BEEN ASKED TO PAY SOME OF THAT BILL AND FOOT THE COST. WELL, I'M GLAD YOU HIT ON THAT LAST POINT, BECAUSE THE I KNOW THERE'S A GROUP AT LEAST ONE, MAYBE OTHERS THAT HAVE FLOATED A POTENTIAL PROPOSAL. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE HIGHLIGHTED IS THAT THEY BELIEVE, AFTER AN INITIAL INFUSION OF CAPITAL TO GET THE PROGRAM STARTED, THAT THE PROGRAM COULD BE TOTALLY VOID OF METRO FUNDING ON AN ONGOING BASIS THROUGH SOME OF THESE ALTERNATIVE BILLING METHODS. TOO MUCH TO GO INTO HERE. I'D LOVE TO ASK IF MAYBE I CAN GIVE YOU SOME HOMEWORK. WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO GET, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, WHAT WHAT YOU ALL WOULD RECOMMEND IN TERMS OF THAT TYPE OF SERVICE IN OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE, HOW THAT WOULD WORK GIVEN THE EXPANSION WE'VE HAD IN THE IN THE INTERIM WITH, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR OTHER DIVERSION PROGRAMS AND MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTION. AND THEN I THINK IN SOMETHING THAT DEPUTY MAYOR GEORGE AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT, ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT CLARITY OF MISSION IN TERMS OF WHAT IS THE PURPOSE, RIGHT. IS IT A DAY SHELTER FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS OR IS IT A MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY? BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A CONCERN AS WELL. RIGHT. IF YOU DON'T HAVE MISSION CLARITY, THEN, YOU KNOW, IT CAN'T SORT OF BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE. SO I WOULD ASK IF AGAIN AND I DON'T, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, IF THAT'S REASONABLE, IF WE COULD GET SOME SORT OF REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION, IF YOU THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT WOULD BE VALUABLE, WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND HOW WE MIGHT STRUCTURE IT. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. COUNCILOR WEBER, IT WARMS THE COCKLES OF MY HEART TO HEAR MY COLLEAGUES TALKING ABOUT ALTERNATIVE FUNDING STREAMS JUST RIGHT DOWN TO THE CORE. WE'VE HEARD A LOT OVER THE LAST YEAR AROUND THE IMPENDING ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS SYSTEM. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT? AND YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR THIS YEAR AND WHAT WE THINK THE BUDGET IMPLICATIONS OF THAT ARE GOING TO BE. SEE, LOOK, BUDGET RELATED QUESTION THERE. SO WE ARE FULLY LIVE IN OUR SYSTEM. ALL THE CLINICS THAT ARE GOING TO USE IT HAVE ARE USING IT. WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING [01:30:01] THROUGH A COUPLE OF PAIN POINTS WITH THE VENDORS AROUND BILLING, MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THE DOCUMENTATION IS APPROPRIATELY TIED TO THE CPT CODES. BUT YES, I CAN PROVIDE YOU THE BILLING SUMMARIES SO FAR FOR THIS YEAR IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE COST OR THE REVENUE DIFFERENCE. THAT WOULD BE AMAZING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND REALLY CONGRATULATIONS. I KNOW THAT ANY KIND OF THAT MASSIVE SORT OF SHIFT IN IMPLEMENTATION IS A SIGNIFICANT EFFORT. SO CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING THAT UP AND RUNNING AND LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING SOME MONEY FROM IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE CONTRACT THAT LMPD THAT WE HAVE WITH CORRECTIONS FOR MEDICAL SERVICES. IN YOUR NOTES, YOU SUGGESTED THAT THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES NOT OVERSEE THAT CONTRACT IS RUN THROUGH YOU, BUT YOU GUYS DON'T OVERSEE IT. CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT CONTRACT, LIKE HOW OR WHO IS MANAGING OVERSEEING THAT CONTRACT IF IT'S NOT YOU GUYS? DIRECTOR COLLINS CAN PROBABLY GIVE MORE DETAIL. I THINK THEY HAVE AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY EVALUATOR. YEAH, CORRECT. WE HAVE AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACT MONITOR WHICH HOLDS THE STANDARDS OF NCAC, WHICH IS THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON CORRECTIONAL HEALTH CARE, AND THEY HAVE POORLY INSPECTIONS OR AUDITS TO HOLD THE ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT'S IN THE CONTRACT. SO IS THERE A REASON WE RUN IT THROUGH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT INSTEAD OF DIRECTLY TO YOU? WHAT'S THAT? IS THERE A REASON THAT WE RUN THE CONTRACT THROUGH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT INSTEAD OF DIRECTLY THROUGH YOU? WELL, THAT IS A AARON QUESTION. OH, OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THERE'S A STATUE ON THAT. I WE THE MEDICAL MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDED TO INCARCERATED PERSONS IS CONSIDERED A PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVE. AND THEREFORE WE IT'S PLACED IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUDGET. IT ALSO GOES TOWARDS THERE IS A STATUTE. I DON'T HAVE TO TOP MY HEAD THAT THERE'S A PERCENTAGE OF FUNDING RELATED TO THE POPULATION OF THE COUNTY. YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH BUDGET SHOULD BE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND SO THAT CONTRACT IS PART OF THAT CALCULATION AS WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU. I'M LOOKING AT A LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENT PURCHASE AGREEMENT THAT WENT FROM 3600 TO 81,000. WHAT ARE WE LEASING THIS YEAR THAT WE DIDN'T LEASE BEFORE. SPECIFICALLY I DON'T HAVE AT LEAST INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME. GREAT. THANK YOU. YEAH. IF YOU WOULD. JUST SEE IF YOU CAN FIND IT AGAIN. THE LEASE BEFORE WAS 3600 AND WE'RE LOOKING AT 81,300 NOW. AND I'M CURIOUS WHAT THAT WE THINK THAT MIGHT BE THE COPIERS. BUT WE'LL WE'LL CONFIRM THAT OKAY. THANK YOU. GOODNESS ARE. I THINK IT'S $81,000. RIGHT. SO THE REASON THAT STRIKES ME IS MY LA AND I EVERY MONTH I GIVE HIM GRIEF BECAUSE HE BRINGS ME THE COPIER BILL. AND EVERY MONTH I TEASE HIM ABOUT THE FACT THAT I HAVE TO SIGN THAT. SO I'M JUST 81,000. I'LL QUIT TEASING, SCOTT. I MEAN, COPIERS MAY BE PART OF IT, BUT WE'LL SEE. WHAT ELSE. MAYBE THAT'S SEEMS LIKE A LOT. THANK YOU. AND THEN I WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT A COUPLE THINGS THAT A COUPLE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE. WE PUT 3,000,500 IN THE LOUISVILLE COMMUNITY GROCERY. THERE WAS MOVEMENT AND THEN THERE WASN'T. AND THEN THERE WAS AGAIN. AND NOW THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THERE'S REMAINING. I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT. I SHOULD SAY THERE'S A REMAINING BUDGET OF 3,500,000. WHERE IS THAT RIGHT NOW? IS THERE ANY MOVEMENT IN THAT, OR IS THIS MONEY PARKED HERE STILL? OKAY? I'M NOT SURE IF WE DON'T. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HERE HAS A STATUS UPDATE ON THAT, BUT WE'LL GET THAT FOR YOU. THE PROJECT HAS DISSOLVED SO THAT THERE IS NO WORK CONTINUING AROUND THAT. I'M NOT SURE WHY IT'S STILL ON THE BOOKS. OKAY, SO IT'S PROBABLY BEEN MOVED TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT I THINK IS TRUE. MR. CHAIR, I HAVE A SNEAKY SUSPICION WHEN OMB LOOKS INTO IT. IT'S ACTUALLY ALREADY BEEN ABSORBED. I MEAN, I'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE, AND I THINK IN A PRIOR BUDGET YEAR, IT WAS ABSORBED. WE ABSORBED INTO SOMETHING ELSE. AND THERE'S NO LONGER A PROJECT CALLED THIS. AND THAT MONEY IS NOT BEING HELD FOR ANYTHING. RIGHT. SO WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL CHECK AND SEE. AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE, $2 MILLION FOR THE FAMILY CENTER'S MARINE HOSPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. HOW'S THAT GONE? WE HAVE RECENTLY PAID SOME INVOICES. I KNOW WE WERE SLOW TO START ON THAT, BUT IT IS MOVING OKAY. IT SAYS THERE'S NO REMAINING BUDGET, BUT THERE'S $2 MILLION. THAT'S ENCUMBERED. ENCUMBERED. SO IT'S ALL BEEN. YOU HAVE THE YOU HAVE THE SPOKEN FOR INVOICES. OKAY. OKAY. GOOD. SO IT'S ALL ENCUMBERED. GOOD. THANK YOU. DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE. THAT BRINGS US I, [01:35:02] I HAD A QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD ADD IT BACK, COUNCILWOMAN SHAMIKA. THANK YOU. SO I, I YOU ALL'S THE CHAIRS PREVIOUS QUESTION REMINDED ME OF A QUESTION I'VE HAD FOR A WHILE. WHERE DOES THE OPIOID ABATEMENT FUNDING SIT AND DOES IT INCLUDE INTEREST. AND IF IT DOES, WHERE DID THAT? WHERE DOES THAT GO? AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE THAT ANSWER, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN WONDERING FOR A WHILE. HI, ANGELA. SO THE OPIOID ABATEMENT IS RECEIVED INTO METRO GOVERNMENT. IT'S INVESTED ALONG WITH ALL OF OUR OTHER CASH RECEIPTS. SO IT DOES RECEIVE INTEREST. THAT INTEREST IS THEN APPLIED BACK TO THE HOLDING ACCOUNT. SO ESSENTIALLY THE MONEY COMES IN. IT SORT OF SITS IN A HOLDING ACCOUNT ON OUR BOOKS. AND THEN AS YOU ALL APPROPRIATE IT AS THE METRO COUNCIL APPROPRIATES IT FOR VARIOUS PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES. THE BUDGET, THE FUNDING IS THEN MOVED TO WHATEVER COST CENTER THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR WHATEVER DEPARTMENT. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WHILE WE'RE SITTING ON THE CASH IS BEING INVESTED, EXCUSE ME, IS BEING INVESTED. AND THEN THAT INTEREST IS ALLOCATED BACK TO THE OPIOID ABATEMENT. THANK YOU. SO THE INTEREST IS COMING BACK TO THE FUND. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. GREAT SEEING NO ONE ELSE IN [Adjournment Note: Agendas are followed at the discretion of the Chair. While an item may be listed, it does not mean all items will be heard and/or acted upon by the Committee.] THE QUEUE. THAT'S THE END OF OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS. THANK YOU ALL FOR PARTICIPATING. ESPECIALLY THANKS TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR BEING ABLE TO RESCHEDULE. WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BEING HERE THIS AFTERNOON. WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE ARE ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.