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EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON EFFICIENCY OF
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BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. IT'S WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20TH, 2025, AND THIS MEANS MEETING IS BEING[00:35:12]
HELD PURSUANT TO KRS 61.826 AND COUNCIL RULE 5A. TODAY, UH, I'M CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, UH,[00:35:31]
COUNCILWOMAN JENNIFER CHAPEL, MY VICE CHAIR HAS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE TODAY. UH, WE ARE[00:35:35]
JOINED IN CHAMBERS TODAY BY COUNCILMAN LENNINGER, AS WELL AS COUNCILMAN KRAMER, WE'RE[00:35:38]
JOINED VIRTUALLY BY COUNCILMAN WINKLER AND, UH, COUNCILMAN SCOTT REED HAS AN EXCUSED[00:35:40]
ABSENCE. UM ITEM NUMBER SORRY, THIS IS LOGGED INTO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING. IT'S[00:35:42]
LIKE THAT DOESN'T MATCH UP UM OK. ITEM NUMBER 0-8 085-25 UM IS BEING HELD. AND UM. TODAY WE HAVE SPEAKERS FROM THE ETHICS COMMISSION, THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSIONS AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION ADVOCACY BOARD, UM, THE CIVIL SERVICES BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY ACTION BOARD. UM, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I JUST WANNA, AGAIN, UM, JUST TALK ABOUT THE GOALS OF THIS COMMITTEE AND YOU'RE NOT HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE IN TROUBLE, YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR COMMITTEE. UM, THIS IS AN AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT WE HAVE ASSEMBLED AND WE'RE JUST KIND OF GOING THROUGH THE METRO 65+ BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SEEING WHERE WE CAN HELP YOU ALL AND COLLABORATE AND, AND BETTER SENSES. UH, THERE'S NO ACTION ITEMS THAT WILL COME OUT OF THIS MEETING, BUT AT THE END OF ALL OF OUR MEETINGS WE'RE GOING TO COME TOGETHER UM AS A COMMITTEE AND KIND OF FORMULATER COUNSEL TO TAKE, WHETHER THAT'S ADDING OR SUBTRACTING MEMBERS, CREATING NEW LANGUAGE TO DICTATE WHAT MEMBERS ARE ON THOSE BOARDS OR, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE'VE ALSO FOUND SOME REDUNDANCIES IN SOME OF THESE BOARDS. AND SO, UM, AGAIN, YOU'RE NOT IN TROUBLE. WE'RE JUST HERE AND EXCITED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU, BUT SINCE WE DO HAVE UM SO MANY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO GET THROUGH, AND IT'S 5 P.M. AND WE ALL HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WANNA, YOU KNOW, TEND TO. WE WANNA MAKE THESE MEETINGS AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE. AND EACH BOARD AND COMMISSION GETS 15 MINUTES, AND TIMER IS UP, TRY TO FINISUP YOUR THOUG ANDM WEL MO ON. AND THEN ANYTHING ELSE WE CAFO UTH Y, UR CHOICE. UM. THANK YOU. AND'S WHILE YOU'RE GETTING SETTLED IN, I JUST WANNA GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION, UM, THEY ARE UNDER KRO STATUTE AND A LOCAL ORDINANCE. UH, THE MEET MONTHLY ON TH THURSDAY. THEIR COMPENSATED, ALTHOUGH THEY D HAVE, UM, BUT MONEY IN THEIR BUDGETOR AN ATTORNEY. ERE ARE 7 MEMBERS, NO IMMEDIATE VACANCIES AND WITH THAT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, MR. SHREK.FOR HAVING US. UH, I WASN'T SURE EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO, UH, WE HAVE TWO HANDOUTS. WE HAVE A, A POWERPOINT, A HARD COPY OF A POWERPOINT AS WELL AS OUR ANNUAL REPORT IN DRAFT FORM. UH, I CAN HAVE ROLES REBUILD OUR NEW ADMINISTRATIVE CLERK TO HAND THEM OUT IF THAT'S OK. UM, SURE, OUR CLERK WILL HAVE TO INTERCEPT THEM BECAUSE ANYTHING HAS TO BE UM. PUT INTO THE RECORD BEFORE IT CAN BE SHARED WITH THE COMMITTEE, BUT, UM, WHILE CHERYL IS TAKING CARE OF THAT. UM.
YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO KINDA WALK THROUGH IT. AND BY THE WAY, WAS THAT 15 MINUTES, IF YOU COULD, UH, JUST TELL US ABOUT YOUR BOARD AND WHATEVER CAPACITY YOU WANT FOR MAYBE ABOUT 7 MINUTES AND THEN THE REST OF THAT TIME, IT'D BE GREAT FOR US TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS. OK. UH, THE POWERPOINT IS REALLY BROKEN UP INTO A TOTAL OF 11 SECTIONS.
THE FIRST ONE GENERAL THAT JUST GOES THROUGH THE, THE COMMISSION, WHY IT EXISTS, UH, HOW MANY MEMBERS, UH, AND. IT GOES THROUGH THE REQUIRED TRAINING, THE PROGRAM, UH, THAT THE SECOND PART IS THE DEFINITIONS, THE THIRD PART IS STANDARDS OF CONDUCT, THE FOURTH PART IS FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES, THE FIFTH IS NEPOTISM, THE 6TH IS ADVISORY OPINIONS, THE 7TH, ITS COMPLAINTS AND HOW THEY'RE PROCESSED, UH 8 IS PROTECTION AGAINST REPRISAL. 9 IS TRANSACTIONS WITH SUBORDINATES CANDIDATES, PUBLIC HOUSING, IN
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111 IS LOBBYISTS.UH, EACH ONE OF THESE, UH, SERIES OF SLIDES WILL GO INTO DETAILS ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THOSE AREAS. UH, WE AS A COMMISSION EXISTS TO PROMOTE ETHICAL CONDUCT ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY, AND BUILD PUBLIC TRUST IN AND TRANSPARENCY BY OVERSEEING ETHICAL PRACTICES, PROVIDING GUIDANCE AND TRAINING AND ENFORCING THE LAWS. UH WE, UH, DO YOU WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR CURRENT NEEDS OR, OR OUR COMMISSION REALLY IS, IS KIND OF AN ALMOST A NEW COMMISSION. I'M THE OLDEST COMMISSIONER AND I'VE ONLY BEEN ON THERE SINCE, I THINK IT'S DECEMBER OF 23. UH, WE'VE HAD 3 NEW ONES COME ON AS OF JULY THE 1ST AND WE HAVE ONE MORE THAT'S GOING TO BE LEAVING. SO FOR THE 7 WILL BE BRAND NEW AND UH WHICH I THINK WILL REALLY BE GOOD BECAUSE IT WILL BRING A NEW ASPECT. TO IT, UH SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD BUT, BUT I CAN GO THROUGH SOME OF OUR CURRENT NEEDS OR I CAN TALK ABOUT UH EACH OF THE SLIDES. I CAN TALK ABOUT THE ANNUAL REPORT.
UH, UH, IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. I, I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING YOU ALL WANT, DON'T WANNA HEAR ABOUT, I GUESS. SURE, IT'S REALLY MEETING, UH, MAYBE YOU COULD TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. UM, I KNOW THAT WE ALSO ASSOCIATE THE ETHICS COMMISSION WITH, UH, TRIALS AND THAT CAPACITY, SO MAYBE YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THAT AND WHAT THAT'S LOOKED LIKE SINCE YOUR INCEPTION. OH, OK. UH, AS PER THE DRAFT ANNUAL REPORT OF. WE HAVE OUR, WE HAVE PROCESSED AND REGISTERED 130 LOBBYISTS AND 55 EMPLOYERS OF LOBBYISTS, UH, WE DO AN ANNUAL TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ALL THOSE THAT ARE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH THAT. WE, WE ALSO, UH, RECEIVE ALL THE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES. UH, WE HAVE PROCESSED IT DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR TO FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE COMPLAINTS. WE'VE HAD 15 MEETINGS. UH, WE ISSUE 10 ADVISORY OPINIONS. WE PROCESS 26 OPEN RECORDS. WE PROCESSED AND HER 9 COMPLAINTS. UH, WE HAVE ONE CASE THAT'S CURRENTLY IN APPEALS. AT THE CIRCUIT COURT LEVEL. UH AND THAT'S ABOUT A SUMMARY, A QUICK SUMMARY OF LAST YEAR'S ACTIVITIES. AND UM I THINK RIGHT NOW, UM, YOU ALL ARE IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING FOR A LAWYER. FOR THE COMMISSION AND WE ARE ABOUT THAT AND HOW THAT RELATIONSHIP IS WITH THE BOARD MAYBE? YES, UH, AS OF OUR LAST MEETING WE AS A COMMISSION REQUEST TO RENEW TODD LEWIS'S THE CONTRACT. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY APPARENTLY HAS SOME ISSUES WITH THAT, UH, AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH IT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT TODD LEWIS HAS BEEN AN UNBELIEVABLE ASSET TO THE COMMISSION. ONE, HE'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT IT. HE'S VERY UH HE, HE ACTUALLY ENJOYS IT, UH, AND HE IS JUST ONE THAT IS TOTALLY FACTUAL BASE. AND SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THIS RESOLVED AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN BECAUSE IT, IT IS KIND OF STOPPING OUR PROCESSES WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP IN RESOLUTION? UH, WE'RE GONNA BE ON IT TOMORROW AND DETERMINE THE BEST ROUTE TO GO. I GUESS TOMORROW IS THE 3RD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH. SO, UM, I HEAR YOU, UH, ON THE 9TH PAGE OF YOUR ANNUAL REPORT, THERE ARE RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS TO THE ETHICS CODE, UM. I HAVEN'T READ THROUGH THEM SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN THIS DOCUMENT. UM, BUT ARE THOSE HANDED OFF TO METRO COUNCIL OR A COMMITTEE AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES IMPLEMENTATION LOOK LIKE? UH THIS REPORT WILL BE SENT TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL HOPEFULLY WE WILL AGREE ON THE DRAFT TOMORROW IN WE SHOULD HAVE IT OUT BY THE END OF THE WEEK. A CAN SO THIS ENTIRE REPORT WILL COME TO
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Y'ALL SO THIS IS KIND OF A HOT OFF THE PRESS'S REPORT THAT WE'RE HOLDING. YEAH IT IS IT IS A DRAFT AND I WAS REALLY KIND OF UH HESITANT ABOUT DOING IT, BUT IT IS BASED ON LAST YEAR, SO I THINK WE'RE FINE. AND UM I WANNA REMIND MY COLLEAGUES IF YOU WANT TO JUMP IN. I KNOW THAT THE ETHICS COMMISSION IS SOMETHING THAT COMES UP QUITE OFTEN, SO I KNOW THAT THIS IS OF INTEREST TO MY COLLEAGUES, SO JUST BUZZ IN IF YOU WANT SOMETHING AND MARCUS, UNLESS YOU'RE AN AI GENERATED GLASS OF WATER. I CAN'T SEE YOU. UM. SO IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION HERE. UM, LET'S SEE. SO 9 FORMAL COMPLAINTS WERE PROCESSED BETWEEN JULY 2024 AND JUNE 2025.UM, CAN YOU KIND OF TALK ABOUT THOSE AND THEN HOW MANY OF THOSE RESULTED IN WHAT ACTION? ALMOST ALL OF THEM WERE RESOLVED, UH, TO, TO REVIEWING THE FACTS AND, AND HAVING THE PARTIES INVOLVED, UH, BECAUSE WE CONCLUDED THAT ALL OF THEM RARELY EITHER NEEDED SOME MORE INFORMATION OR WE, WE RESOLVED THEM WITHOUT A FINDING. UM, WE, WE DIDN'T FIND THEM IN VIOLATION OF THE ORDINANCE. AND DO YOU ALL UM PROCESS ALL OF THOSE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORTS? DO YOU ALL REVIEW THEM? LIKE, WHAT'S THE METHOD OF UM. BOOKKEEPING ON THOSE. THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, AND WE DISCUSSED IT AT OUR LAST MEETING IN AT TOMORROW MEETING WE WILL GO THROUGH ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CURRENTLY DELINQUENT OR DID NOT FILE. AND THEN WE WILL WORK WITH HR TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THEY RECEIVED LETTERS TELLING THEM OF THE IMPORTANCE OF IT IF THEY DON'T FOLLOW THROUGH, WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION.
AND SO YOU ALL JUST GET THOSE AND THEN FILE THEM AWAY OR HOW MUCH, YOU KNOW, WORK IS PUT INTO LIKE CREATING A DATABASE TO CONNECT DOTS IN CASE THERE IS A POTENTIAL ETHICS VIOLATION.
WELL, THE PAST AGAIN ANOTHER GOOD QUESTION AND ONE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO EXPRESS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BRING OUR SYSTEM INTO THE CURRENT CENTURY. I MEAN, WE HARD COPY EVERYTHING.
AND IT I'VE, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A FIRM BELIEVER, THE EASIER YOU MAKE IT THE BETTER COMPLIANCE AND THE MORE TRANSPARENCY. WE WORK WITH IT. AND FOUND THEY CONTRACTOR THEY COULD DO A SYSTEM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A BUDGET FOR IT. DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER FOR THAT? DO YOU KNOW? OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, IT'S THE I I REALLY DON'T. WELL, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILMAN LENNINGER. I'M SORRY. I BELIEVE COUNCILMAN LINNINGER HAS A QUESTION UNLESS, AND I HAD A FEW OF MY QUESTIONS, YOU'VE, YOU'VE GONE THROUGH THEM, BUT, BUT I, I, I WANNA HAVE A LITTLE MORE ORIENTATION HERE, UH, IN THE VERNACULAR OF UH YOU KNOW, METRO GOVERNMENT, YOU WOULD SAY THAT YOUR PROCESS IS COMPLAINT-DRIVEN, THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING NO PROACTIVE INVESTIGATION OF.
THE, THE FORMS THAT ARE FILED, UH, AND INSTEAD, IF THERE IS A COMPLAINT, THEN YOU GO AND YOU INVESTIGATE INTO THE FILE ABOUT THAT THE DISCLOSURES. YES, WE ARE PRIMARILY COMPLAINT DRIVEN. WE DO REVIEW THE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES FORMS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE FILLED OUT COMPLETELY, RIGHT, BUT, BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE MOSTLY LOOKING FOR COMPLIANCE ON FILLING OUT THE FORMS, SUBMITTING THE FORMS ON THE FRONT END. THAT'S REALLY ALL YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR UH. IN THE REPORT, YOU MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES THAT THERE'S BEEN ASKS FOR FUNDING. HAS THERE EVER BEEN ANY FUNDING OR IS, OR IS IT A CHANGE? AS FAR AS THE MY TENURE ON THE COMMISSION, UH, WE HAVE NEVER HAD A BUDGET. OK. WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO FULFILL THE PURPOSE OF THE ORDINANCE, THE, THE, NOT LIKE THE SPIRIT OF THE ORDINANCE WITHOUT FUNDING. UH I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD DO IT. I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO IT BASED UPON WHAT I THINK THE SPIRIT OF THE ORDINANCE IS, I THINK WE SHOULD BE. WE, WE SHOULD DO MORE
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EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAD NOT ONLY THE METRO OFFICIALS WHO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE TRAINING, KNOW ABOUT THE ORDINANCE, BUT WE SHOULD PROBABLY DO IT TO METRO EMPLOYEES, ALL OF THEM, AND WE PROBABLY SHOULD DO A BETTER JOB. TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. AS FAR AS THE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE FORMS THAT THEY ARE A SWORN DOCUMENT. UH WE WOULD HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT TIME TO DETERMINE THE TOTAL, I MEAN IF THEY SAY THEY OWN EGGS. THEY MOST LIKELY DO OWN X.AND WOULD YOU, COULD YOU DESCRIBE TO ME WHAT UH THE INTERACTIONS WITH THE BODY OUTSIDE OF, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S A COMPLAINT, THERE'S AN ALLEGATION, ETC.
THAT YOU INVESTIGATE, BUT I MEAN, IN TERMS OF A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS BODY, WITH THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION, IS IT YOU SEND AN EMAIL, YOU SEND A LETTER, UH. HAVE A REGULAR MEETING LIKE HOW, HOW DOES THE BOARD INTERACT WITH UH THE ELECTED MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT. UH, WE'RE REQUIRED BY OURS TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE, UH WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO AN ANNUAL REPORT. I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT ELSE. I, I MEAN, WE, WE WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING TO WORK WITH Y'ALL AND I MEAN, WE WANNA MAKE OUR ETHICS COMMISSION THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY, AND WE REALLY THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE TO HAVE THE PUBLIC TRUST AND AND BEING ETHICAL IS THE BEST WAY TO GET IT. YEAH OK, THANK YOU UM, SO YOU HAVE 7 MEMBERS, THEY'RE ALL APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND THEY'RE ALL APPROVED BY COUNCIL, CORRECT? YES UM, IS UM, IS. THEY REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE UM WELL, LET ME ASK THIS. DO YOU THINK THAT THAT CREATES A GOOD. DIVERSE, AND ETHICAL MAKEUP OF THIS BOARD, ESPECIALLY SINCE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE UNDER ETHICS INVESTIGATIONS OR ABLE TO APPOINT OR DICTATE MEMBERS. I REALLY THINK ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS SHOULD BE UNBIASED, APOLITICAL, VERY OBJECTIVE, AND DEALS WITH FACTS. WE'RE REALLY LUCKY. I, I, I, I AND ONE OTHER PERSON PROBABLY THE ONLY NON-LAWYERS ON THE COMMISSION. SO WE, WE'RE A VERY FACTUALLY BASE ON BAED GROUP, I THINK. SURE, I DON'T. KNOW ON BEHALF. I CAN'T SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR, BUT I FEEL LIKE ON METRO COUNCIL'S BEHALF, WE DON'T PUT THOSE CANDIDATES OR UM APPOINTEES THROUGH THE WRINGER, UM, THERE'S NO TEST TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO JUDGE HOW FAIR YOU ARE, RIGHT? UM, SO. IF YOU FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT A GOOD COMMISSION, BUT, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU AFRAID THAT IT COULD BE SWAYED IN A CERTAIN WAY IN THE FUTURE, UM, YOU KNOW, AS YOU'VE GOT ALMOST HALF OF YOUR BOARD BEING CHANGED IN THE FUTURE. IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD LOOK FOR AS A RED FLAG AND CANDIDATES. WHAT'S A GREEN FLAG. IT'S. I THINK IT'D BE GOOD TO LOOK INTO THE HISTORY OF THE, OF THE APPOINTEES. I, I MEAN, I KNOW WHEN I WAS APPOINTED, I HAD TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL, UH, I HAD SOME QUESTIONS ASKED OF ME, UH, I ASSUMED THAT YOU ALL DO THAT FOR ALL OF THEM. UH I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS AND SO THEREFORE WE'RE DOING IT.
BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN IT. I, I MEAN, UH, IF WE DIDN'T, WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T AGREED TO DO IT. UH, SO, SO I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU GET TO A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT, UH, IT IS GOOD TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD ATTORNEY ASSIGNED TO US AS WHO, WHO KEEPS US FOCUS, UH, WE DON'T. AGREE ON ALL THINGS, ALL, ALL THE TIMES WE HAVE LENGTHLY THE DISCUSSIONS.
SOME LONGER THAN EVEN I LIKE, BUT, UH, WE, WE ALWAYS COME TO SOME CONSENSUS OR OR COME TO SOME PLACE THAT WE EITHER NEED TO GET MORE DATA OR TALK TO MORE MORE PEOPLE. WE
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WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THE RIGHT THING 100% OF THE TIME. WE DON'T WANT TO BE A GOTCHA GROUP. THAT'S WHY WE LOVE PEOPLE SEEKING ADVISOR'S OPINION. WE IF YOU THINK IT'S A POSSIBILITY IT MAY BE A VIOLATION ACCESS AND, AND WE WILL RESPOND AS. QUICK AS WE CAN. SURE, THANK YOU, AND I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OF LIKE THE LITMUS TEST ON SOMEBODY'S BEFORE US, YOU KNOW, LIKE, WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU TAKE A BRIBE AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW A PERSON THAT WOULD SAY, ACTUALLY, YES, I WOULD, SO I'M PROBABLY NOT FIT FOR THIS COMMISSION. SO, YOU KNOW, UM, MAYBE THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO GET A SENSE OF GUIDANCE ON, ON THE.CANDOR OF CANDIDATE THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT. BUT YEAH, I, I, I WOULD JUST THINK THAT ONLY PEOPLE THAT REALLY THINK. THAT THE PROCESSES SHOULD BE ABOVE BOARD AND ETHICAL AND MORAL. WOULD WANT TO BE ON THE COMMISSION. I MAY BE NAIVE AS SOME OF YOU ALL KNOW, I'VE WORKED FOR A GOVERNMENT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND I ALWAYS TOLD MY STAFF, YOU DON'T TAKE ANYTHING. UH, I MEAN, EVEN SOMETHING SMALL CAN TURN IN A PERCEPTION THAT THAT'S NOT GOOD AND, AND WE REALLY NEED AS PUBLIC SERVANTS TO BE BETTER THAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT, BUT I AM, BUT, BUT I, I REALLY BELIEVE IT'S AN EXTREME HONOR TO BE A PUBLIC OFFICIAL AND THEY GO WHAT GOES WITH THAT. YOU, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE BETTER THAN, I MEAN, I, ALL MY FRIENDS ARE FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND I, I KNOW WHAT THEY DO AND AND HOW THEY WILL AND DEAL AND STUFF, UH, WE JUST CAN'T DO THAT. THEY SHOULDN'T, BUT UH IT BUT GETTING BACK TO THE COMMISSION, I I REALLY THINK THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BE ON IT, WANT TO BE ON IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS AND THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PREDETERMINED OPINION OF PEOPLE OR OR THINGS I HOPE THAT'S IT. HOPE SO. ANY OTHER BURNING QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE. IF NOT, THEN WE'LL MOVE ON AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND ESPECIALLY SERVING IN THE ON THIS BOARD THE FACT AND YOU ALL FOR HAVING US AND THAT THEY HAD IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, WE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GET BACK WITH Y'ALL.
WE'VE GOT US PLENTY TO MULL OVER. OK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. UM, ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP UM SORRY, HOLD ON PAPERS TO SHUFFLE THROUGH. I'M GOING TO INVITE A UM THE CIVIL SERVICES BOARD, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE CHIEF EXAMINER STEVE WILKINS HERE. UM, SO THIS IS A BOARD THAT IS UNDER KRS STATUTE AUTHORITY. UM, THEY, THERE IS A LOCAL ORDINANCE, UM, THEY MEET AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH ONLINE. UM. THERE IS A STIPEND OR A PER DIEM I GUESS PER MEETING FOR $50 AND NO ONE CAN EXCEED $3600 ANNUALLY. UM, THEY DON'T RECEIVE ANY MONEY FROM THE BUDGET AND THEY HAVE A MAXIMUM OF 6 MEMBERS, NO IMMEDIATE VACANCIES. UM, AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, MR. WILKINS. OK, THANK YOU. UH, YES, I AM STEVE WILKINS, CHIEF EXAMINER OF THE CIVIL SERVICE DIVISION OF LOUISVILLE METRO HUMAN RESOURCES. UH, SOME OF THE INFORMATION I HAD IN MY PRESENTATION, YOU ACTUALLY ALREADY MENTIONED, UH, BUT IT WAS ESTABLISHED BY STATE STATUTE. UH, SPECIFICALLY KRS 90. UH, THIS IS A VERY OLD BOARD CREATED IN 1942. UH WHICH IS UH WHEN UH HISTORICALLY A LOT OF MARITIME SYSTEM LAWS WERE PASSED IN CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. UH, THE, UH, SPECIFIC THINGS THAT KRS 90 GOVERNS ARE, UH, HIRING AND PROMOTIONS FOR CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS WITHIN METRO. WE HAVE THE CIVILIAN POSITIONS IN LNPD. WE HAVE THE LOUISVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY METROSAFE. WHICH HAS THE 911 CALL TAKERS AND DISPATCHERS AND FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS. UH FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS BEING WHAT WE CALL A QUASI AGENCY, UH, HIRING AND PROMOTIONS ARE HANDLED BY THE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES OF THE CIVIL SERVICE DIVISION OF LOUISVILLE METRO HR. CARRIS 90 ALSO UH GOVERNS JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND IT ALSO HAS RULES AROUND DISCIPLINE, INCLUDING SUSPENSIONS, TERMINATIONS, AND DEMOTIONS.
AND ALTHOUGH IT'S A RARE OCCURRENCE, ALSO DISCIPLINARY APPEAL HEARINGS. UH, AS YOU MENTIONED, UH, THE BOARD IS COMPOSED OF 6 MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR. UH, THE MAYOR HIMSELF IS ACTUALLY A MEMBER EX OFFICIO WHO WOULD HAVE COME IN TO BREAK A TIE IF MEMBERS DO RECEIVE $50 PER MEETING APPOINTED TO FOUR-YEAR TERMS. AND MUST BE RESIDENTS OF LOUISVILLE METRO. UH, HERE'S JUST AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHART UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT WE HAD NO
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VACANCIES, BUT THAT THERESA BOYD, OUR CHAIRPERSON, IS ACTUALLY COMING UP ON THE END OF HER 3RD TERM. UH, WHICH MEANS THAT UH SHE WOULD BE TERM LIMITING OUT UH, WE'LL BE SORRY TO SEE HER GO. SHE'S BEEN A FANTASTIC CHAIRPERSON, UH, BUT, UH, UH, THIS, UH, THE, UH, BOARD IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT. UH OK THE BOARD HAS ADMINISTERED UH THROUGH THE UH HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT. AND SO, UH, LET'S SEE, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, WE HAVE A VICE CHAIR AND THEN 4 OTHER MEMBERS. UH, MEETINGS, UH, BY STATUTE, THE BOARD MUST MEET AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. UH, ALTHOUGH IT'S, UH, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN. WE DO, WE WILL CALL A SPECIAL MEETING IF WE NEED TO, IF THERE'S SOME URGENT MATTER. AND WE HAVE DISCIPLINARY APPEAL HEARINGS WHEN NECESSARY. UH, A TYPICAL AGENDA, UH, WE WOULD READ SUSPENSIONS AND TERMINATIONS INTO THE RECORD FOR OUR COVERED DEPARTMENTS. UH, THOSE ARE NOT ACTION ITEMS FOR THE BOARD. INSTEAD, THEY'RE FOR BOARD INFORMATION ONLY. THERE ARE ALSO REQUESTS TO ESTABLISH A REVISED JOB DESCRIPTIONS. JOB DESCRIPTIONS ARE ACTUALLY UH WRITTEN BY THE CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION DIVISION OF UH OF METRO HUMAN RESOURCES, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE BOARD. THE BOARD CAN UH, THE BOARD BASICALLY LOOKS AT IT, UH, AND IF THEY SEE ANY ISSUES WITH IT, THEN THEY WILL BRING THAT TO CNC'S ATTENTION. UH, WE ALSO HAVE A REQUEST TO ESTABLISH A REVISED TEST COMPONENTS AND WEIGHTS, WHICH IS A FREQUENT ITEM. UH, IN A, IN THE MARITIME SYSTEM, ALL APPLICANTS FOR PHYSICIANS WITHIN THE COVERED DEPARTMENTS MUST BE EVALUATED IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. SOMETIMES IT'S AN ACTUAL TEST THAT THEY TAKE UH, ANYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW. MULTIPLE CHOICE WRITTEN TESTS ALL THE WAY UP TO FULL BLOWN ASSESSMENT CENTERS, OR YOU COULD HAVE 100% TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE EVALUATIONS, OR IT COULD BE ANY COMBINATION OF THOSE. SO THOSE ARE UH ALSO APPROVED BY THE BOARD. TYPICAL AGENDAS ALSO HAVE REQUESTS TO EXTEND PROBATIONARY PERIODS. UNDER THE CIVIL SERVICE RULES, ALL EMPLOYEES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF UNIFORMED MEMBERS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAVE A PROBATIONARY PERIOD OF 6 MONTHS. UNIFORMED MEMBERS OF FIRE HAVE A PROBATIONARY PERIOD OF ONE YEAR. UH, HOWEVER, THOSE THAT HAVE THE 6 MONTHS, UH, CAN'T HAVE THAT EXTENDED IF THE UH AGENCY DEEMS IT APPROPRIATE FOR UP TO AN ADDITIONAL 6 MONTHS. AND THEN UH ALSO UH REQUESTS FOR REHIRE REQUESTS FOR RE-EMPLOYMENT. ARE APPROVED BY THE BOARD. HEARINGS, UH, UNDER KRS 90 EMPLOYEES IN CIVIL SERVICE POSITIONS IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS COVERED BY THE STATUTE HAVE A RIGHT TO APPEAL SUSPENSIONS OF OVER 10 DAYS, UH, TERMINATIONS AND DEMOTIONS. UH, HEARINGS ARE VERY MUCH LIKE A, YOU KNOW, A TRIAL WHERE EACH SIDE IS REPRESENTED BY LEGAL COUNSEL. THEY WOULD HAVE OPENING ARGUMENTS. THEY WOULD CALL WITNESSES TO TESTIFY, AND THEN THE OTHER SIDE WILL CROSS-EXAMINE. UH, IT WOULD HAVE CLOSING ARGUMENTS AND THEN THE BOARD GOES INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DELIBERATE. UH, THE BOARD CAN OVERTURN OR REDUCE DISCIPLINE BUT NOT ISSUE DISCIPLINE OVER AND ABOVE THAT ALREADY ISSUED BY THE CHIEF OR DIRECTOR OF THAT DEPARTMENT. HEARINGS ARE QUITE RARE, UH, WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD.WE HAVE HAD ONE SINCE 2014. UH, THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, PROBABLY AROUND 6 REQUESTS SINCE THEN.
UH, HOWEVER, UH, THE, UH APPEALING EMPLOYEE UH BASICALLY CHANGED THEIR MINDS AND WITHDREW THE REQUEST OR JUST SIMPLY DID NOT APPEAR. UH WHEN HEARINGS DO OCCUR, THEY TYPICALLY LAST 1 TO 2 DAYS, SOMETIMES MORE. AND SO I CAN'T TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. YOU DON'T OVERSEE ALL LOUISVILLE METRO EMPLOYEES, JUST THE ONES THAT ARE LMPD CIVIL SERVANTS FIRE DEPARTMENT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS. YES, IT'S, IT'S UH SPECIFICALLY CIVILIAN MEMBERS OF LNPD UH, THE SWORN OFFICERS ARE COVERED BY THE POLICE MERIT BOARD, WHICH IS A SIMILAR SYSTEM. AND WE JUST HEARD FROM THEM, SO MAKES SENSE. UM. SINCE 2014, YOU'VE HAD ONE TRIAL. WHAT DEPARTMENT WAS THAT UH EMPLOYEE FROM? I BELIEVE IT WAS FAMILY HEALTH CENTER. AND IS THAT LACK OF CASES, DOES THAT OR UM UH APPEALS. DOES THAT INDICATE THAT WE'RE JUST DOING REALLY, REALLY GREAT. IN THAT DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, OR DOES
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THAT JUST MEAN MAYBE PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE OF THEIR RIGHT TO APPEAL. THEY, THEY SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE RIGHT TO APPEAL. ONE OF THE UH UH THINGS THAT THEY GET WHEN THEY ARE SUSPENDED OR IF THEY ARE TERMINATED IS A NOTICE IT'S CALLED PERSONNEL ACTION FORUM FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD THAT UH HAS THE INDICATION ON IT THAT UH THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO APPEAL. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS UH, COUNCILMAN LENNINGER. I, I GUESS MY INSTINCT WHEN I SEE THAT NUMBER, UH, IN TERMS OF THE, THE LACK OF APPEALS SINCE 2014. I, I, I GUESS WHAT I SEE IS, IS IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE ARE UNDERDISCIPLINING.YOU KNOW, THAT WE, THAT THE SLIDER IS SO FAR INTO A CONSERVATIVE DIRECTION THAT, YOU KNOW, CAUSE NOBODY'S PERFECT, RIGHT? AND UH AND I, AND I, I CERTAINLY DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF ARGUMENTS THAT LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT AND THE, THE ADMINISTRATION THEREOF, THE MANAGEMENT AT ANY LEVEL THAT ANYONE'S GONNA SAY THAT THERE IS ZERO ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN ANY ACTIONS, UH, AND I I GUESS TO ME, IN 11 YEARS, ONE PERSON APPEALING THAT THAT TO ME SUGGESTS THAT THE DISCIPLINE HANDED DOWN REGULARLY. PEOPLE LOOK AROUND AND THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE NOT REALLY, WE'RE NOT REALLY DODGING BULLETS OVER HERE. YEAH, THEY, UH, THERE'S ACTUALLY A FAIR AMOUNT OF DISCIPLINE, EVERY AGENDA, YOU KNOW, HAS AT LEAST A FEW SUSPENSIONS IN THE OCCASIONAL ODD TERMINATION. UH, ONE LIMITING FACTOR IS THAT UH THEY CAN ONLY APPEAL SUSPENSIONS OF OVER 10 DAYS. YOU KNOW, UH, SO UH, I WOULD, I, I MEAN, HONESTLY, I WOULD HAVE TO CHECK THE DATA, BUT I WOULD THINK PROBABLY THE MAJORITY OF THE SUSPENSIONS ARE FOR LESS THAN 10 DAYS, MEANING THEY WOULD NOT BE APPEALABLE. UH, THE MOTIONS ARE PRETTY RARE. UH, THERE'S ACTUALLY ONLY ONE CASE THAT I RECALL. UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE SOMEONE WAS DEMOTED, THAT WAS ACTUALLY A FIRE DEPARTMENT CASE AND HE DID REQUEST AN APPEAL. UH, HOWEVER, UH, THE BOARD WAS UNABLE TO HEAR IT, UH, BECAUSE UNDER THE RULES YOU, UH, PROBATIONARY EMPLOYEES DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO APPEAL. UH, SO UH, BUT, UH, THAT'S, I MEAN THAT I THINK IT'S PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BIGGEST REASON IS JUST THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SUSPENSIONS THAT ARE OVER AND ABOVE 10 DAYS. OK, I MEAN, CAUSE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO TERMINATIONS ARE APPEALABLE TO THIS BOARD, AND AGAIN, I I, I DON'T WANT TO SLANDER OUR METRO EMPLOYEES WHO ARE OF COURSE THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST AND THE GREATEST IN THE WORLD, UH AND, AND YOU KNOW, BUT I, I, I DO QUESTION THAT, THAT NO ONE COMES AWAY FEELING SOUR UH THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY WERE ON THE LINE AND IT WENT THE WRONG WAY TO THEM. I, I DON'T, I. AGAIN, ONE CASE IN 14 YEARS, EVEN TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT THERE ARE EDGE CASES ABOUT SOMEONE IN A PROBATIONARY PERIOD AND THAT THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I DON'T KNOW. TO ME THAT SAYS THAT THAT I WOULD EXPECT THIS BOARD TO BE MORE BUSY. WHICH OF COURSE IS NOT TO SAY THIS WAR SHOULDN'T EXIST. IT'S STATUTORILY REQUIRED, BUT THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. DO YOU FEEL THAT THE BOARD IS EFFECTIVE WITH 6 MEMBERS BECAUSE EARLIER YOU SAID THAT THE MAYOR HAD TO COME IN FOR A TIEBREAKER AND I UM I'M JUST WONDERING WITH ONE MORE MEMBER YOU WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO, YOU KIND OF ELIMINATE THAT NEED. UH, WELL, ACTUALLY, I'VE BEEN WITH THE BOARD SINCE 1999 AND UH THE MAYOR HAS NEVER HAD TO STEP IN TO BREAK A TIE. SO. HI.
I GUESS IT DEPENDS ON WHO SHOWS UP BECAUSE YOU ALL VOTE ON OTHER THINGS, I ASSUME, LIKE UH, DO, DO YOU VOTE TO APPROVE A JOB DESCRIPTION. UM BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE THERE'S MANY CONTENTIOUS VOTES. UH, THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE NOT CONTENTIOUS. WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE WHAT IS IN THAT MINORITY THAT WOULD BE CONTENTIOUS BE HONEST WITH YOU, I CAN'T RECALL ANY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES. OK. UM COUNCILMAN KRAMER ANYTHING DO YOU FEEL LIKE, UM, THERE WERE MAYBE JOB RESPONSIBILITIES THAT COULD BE PUT ONTO THIS BOARD THAT DON'T CURRENTLY EXIST. UH NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, NO. OK. WELL, UNLESS ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS. WE CAN THANK
[01:10:14]
YOU FOR YOUR TIME, MR. WILKINS, AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. NO ONE GOT TO SEE IT. I'M SORRY, BUT IT WAS A, IT WAS A NICE ONE. SO THANK YOU UM, NEXT UP, AND HOPEFULLY YOU ALL CAN CLARIFY THIS. I DON'T KNOW, UM, THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION ADVOCACY BOARD AND THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION ENFORCEMENT BOARD, ARE THOSE TWO SEPARATE BOARDS? SO DO WE WANT THE ADVOCACY OR ENFORCEMENT FIRST THE HRC IS THE WHOLE ENDEMIC THROUGH A BREAKDOWN FOR THE BOARDS BECAUSE WE KIND OF WORKED.FANTASTIC. OK. ALL RIGHT. WELL, I'LL LET YOU TAKE IT SINCE I'M CONFUSED, I CAN'T GIVE MY SYNOPSIS. SO I'LL JUST LET YOU TAKE IT FROM HERE. OK, I'M BERNEE GOATLEY, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION. I HAVE WITH ME THIS EVENING MY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND THE BOARD CHAIRS FOR BOTH ADVOCACY AND ENFORCEMENT, UM, SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE HRC. WE SERVED AS THE CIVIL RIGHTS AGENCY FOR LOUISVILLE METRO. AND HAVE BEEN LEGALLY CHARTERED TO ENFORCE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAWS IN THE LOCAL AREAS SINCE 1962.
SINCE THEN, HRC HAS MAINTAINED A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY TO DELIVER SOLUTIONS THAT EMPOWER BOTH INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS TO TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN IMPLEMENTING PRACTICES THAT REDUCE BIAS AND PREVENT DISCRIMINATION.
THE WORK THAT THE COMMISSION DOES EVERY DAY SUPPORTS 3 OF MAYOR GREENBERG'S STRATEGIC STRATEGIC PRIORITIES WHICH ARE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SAFE AND HEALTHY STREETS. TODAY OUR ENFORCEMENT EXPANDS TO WORK WITH AGENCIES ACROSS LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT THAT SUPPORTS UM LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT'S UTILIZATION GOALS SO THAT INTERESTED SMALL BUSINESSES CAN FAIRLY.
PARTICIPATE WITHIN OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS TO DO THIS WORK, OUR DEPARTMENT HAS 2 COMMISSION BOARDS THAT ASSIST THE STAFF IN DOING THAT WORK. THE ADVOCACY COMMISSION IS TO PROMOTE AND SECURE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT AMONG ALL ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, RELIGIOUS, ETHIC, AND SOCIAL GROUPS IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA AND SHALL ACT AS A CONCILIATOR IN CONTROVERSIES INVOLVING INTERGROUP AND INTERRACIAL RE L ATIONS. THE ADVOCACY BOARD IS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY LISTENING, INFORMING, AND BUILDING BRIDGES SO THAT FEWER PEOPLE END UP IN SITUATIONS WHERE THEY DON'T KNOW THE NEXT STEPS TO TAKE AS WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. WE BEGIN TO FIND SOLUTIONS FOR VOICES THAT OFTEN GO UNHEARD.
OUR, UM, ADVOCACY COMMISSION HAS UM 4 WORKING COMMITTEES. ONE IS DISABILITY RIGHT AND PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION. ANOTHER IS HOUSING AND HATE CRIMES. WE HAVE AN EDUCATION COMMISSION COMMITTEE AND A CROSS-CULTURAL CONNECTION COMMUNITY OUTREACH COMMITTEE.
WITH OUR ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION, UM, THE DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND AUTHORITIES GRANTED TO THE ENFORCEMENT, UM, GROUP ARE FOR FOR INVESTIGATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF ANTI DISCRIMINATION LAWS IN SMALL BUSINESS CERTIFICATION. THE COMMISSION REVIEWS THE WORK OF THE HRC AND THOSE UM COMMITTEES WORK DIRECTLY WITH OUR OPERATION. WE HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT WE CALL THE RECONSIDE RATION BOARD AND THAT GROUP UM BASICALLY WORKS WITH OUR INVESTIGATORS IF WE HAVE A COMPLAINT THAT CHOOSES UM THAT THEY DON'T LIKE THE RESULT OF THEIR UM.
OF THEIR CASE, THEN WE CAN TAKE IT FOR THAT COMMISSION TO REVIEW IT TO SEE IF WE NEED TO DO FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND THEN WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL OUR CERTIFICATION REVIEW COMMITTEE AND THAT WORKS WITH US, UM, FOR CERTIFICATION OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, WE SOMETIMES RUN INTO SOME BARRIERS OF MAKING DECISIONS WHETHER OR NOT TO CERTIFY A BUSINESS AND THEY HAVE SOME EXPERTISE THAT THEY BRING TO US TO HELP US MAKE THOSE DETERMINATION. SO BASICALLY, UM, THAT'S OUR DEPARTMENT AND OUR TWO COMMISSIONS, AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. UM SO THE LOUISVILLE METRO HUMAN
[01:15:02]
RELATIONS COMMISSION IS A DEPARTMENT WITHIN LOUISVILLE METRO. YES. IN THAT DEPARTMENT IS UNDER WHAT IS IT AN ON ITS OWN OR IS IT UNDER ANOTHER OFFICE LIKE, NO, WE'RE, WE ARE A SEPARATE DEPARTMENT THAT I REPORT UP TO THE UH DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL OUT OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. SO MR. KAPLAN. UM, WELL, MEGAN METCALF IS MY DIRECT REPORT TOO. OK AND SO, COULD YOU KIND OF GO OVER THE.COMMITTEES FOR EACH ONE. SO STARTING WITH THE COMMITTEES FOR THE ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION.
THE ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION HAS TWO SUBCOMMITTEES. ONE OF THEM IS UH RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT WORKS WITH OUR ENFORCEMENT, UM, OUR INVESTIGATORS BECAUSE, UM, WHAT WE DO IS PEOPLE CALL IN COMPLAINTS ABOUT FAIR HOUSING, FAIR EMPLOYMENT, PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION, HATE CRIMES, AND UM WE GO THROUGH. A PROCESS OF TAKING IN THAT INFORMATION, REVIEWING IT, AND THEN UM IT'S, IT WORKS FEASIBLY THEN WE SEND IT OVER TO THE INVESTIGATORS TO INVESTIGATE. ONCE THE INVESTIGATORS GO THROUGH THEIR PROCESS OF INVESTIGATING THAT INFORMATION, UM, AND WE COME UP AND THEY COME UP WITH THE UM.
THE OUTCOME. WE SHARE THE OUTCOME WITH THE COMPLAINT AND IF THEY'RE NOT UH UM IF THEY DON'T APPROVE OF WHAT THE OUTCOME IS, THERE IS WHAT WE CALL A RECONSIDERATION PROCESS THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, UM, SUBMIT TO US THAT THEY WANT US TO REREVIEW IT AND THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THAT CASE TO BRING TO US. WE ALSO UM THROUGH INVESTIGATIONS, WE HAVE WORKSHARE AGREEMENTS WITH HU U D AND EEOC. SO SOME OF THE UM THE DIFFERENT STEPS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW IS THROUGH THEIR OFFICE OF OPERATION.
SO YOU SAID THE ENFORCEMENT D O COITES CERTICION VIEWI HA ANHER WHE OPATIOINY DEPAME THAWE WK WI THE ALL SINE COMNITYF DOG SML BUNESS CEIFATIOFOR TRO GORNMENT. SO IF A COMPANY IS 51OWNED, CONTROLLED, AND OPATED BY A MINORITY WOMAN. UM DISABLED LGBT UM BUSINESS, THEN WE CAN CERTIFY THEM, UM, TO FOR BUSINESS AND THAT CERTIFICATION IS USED TO MEET THE UM THE UM. THE GOALS OF DOING BUSINESS WITH OUR DIVERSE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE SOMETIMES RUN INTO SOME BARRIERS WHERE WE NEED ADDITIONAL UM.
CONSULTATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS BUSINESS IS GOOD TO GO FORWARD. SO SOME OF OUR MEMBERS FROM THE ENFORCEMENT UM COMMITTEE SITS ON WHAT WE CALL A CERTIFICATION REVIEW COMMITTEE TO UM THAT WE TAKE THAT INFORMATION THROUGH TO THEM AND GET A UM OUTCOME ON THAT. ON THAT CERTIFICATION. THANK YOU, THESE ARE THOROUGH ANSWERS. I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, AND SO FOR THE ADVOCACY COMMISSION, THOSE THAT HAD TWO COMMITTEES AS WELL, THAT'S EDUCATION AT CROSS CONNECTION. THEY HAVE 4. DISABILITY RIGHTS AND PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION.
HOUSING AND HATE CRIMES. EDUCATION AND CROSS-CULTURAL CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH. OK, AND UM HOW MANY CASES DO YOU ALL HEAR? AND I GUESS THOSE CASES WOULD GO BEFORE THE ENFORCEMENT. COMMISSION, LIKE HOW MANY REPORTS OF HATE CRIME AND. GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M TONY SEARS. I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION, UM, AT LAST COUNT, I DON'T HAVE IT ALL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT WE HAVE UM INVESTIGATED 30 HOUSING CASES FOR THIS UH CASE PROCESSING PERIOD, WHICH IS JULY 1ST OF TO JUNE 30TH EACH YEAR, AND THEN UM. AND THEN EEOC CASES, THAT IS 30 FOR THE CASE PROCESSING PERIOD OF
[01:20:05]
OCTOBER 1ST THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH. SO THOSE ARE THE CASES THAT WE HAVE THAT WE'VE INVESTIGATED AS FAR AS LIKE OF THEM COMING BEFORE THE RECONSIDERATION. I WOULD ESTIMATE ROUGHLY 10%. OF EACH OF THOSE CASES MAYBE, MHM. AND THAT'S AN ESTIMATE. UM, I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER. ARE YOU IN THE COUNCILMAN HERE? OK, COUNCILMAN KRAMER, JUST A REAL QUICK, YOU SAY ONCE YOU GET A COMPLAINT, YOU DO AN INVESTIGATION. WHAT WHO DOES THE INVESTIGATING AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IS THAT LIKE A. ARE YOU INVESTIGATING PAPERWORK? ARE YOU ACTUALLY GOING OUT AND LIKE WHO DOES THAT? THANK YOU. SO IT'S, WE USE WHAT'S CALLED THE THEORIES OF DISCRIMINATION WHICH INVOLVES PRIMA FACIE, PRIMA FASCIA, AND SO, UM, WE HAVE ELEMENTS THAT WE INVESTIGATE AND SO THAT MEANS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE AN INTERVIEW WITH THE COMPLAINANT. WE MIGHT GO TO THE SITE AND YOU KNOW, TAKE PICTURES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND THESE ARE VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE GOING AND DOING THIS? NO, OK, THAT'S MY QUESTION. SO WHO, WHO ACTUALLY IS DOING THE INVESTIGATING EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYEES. WE HAD 3 INVESTIGATORS, UM, ON OUR STAFF IN A SUPERVISOR INVESTIGATE UH ENFORCEMENT SUPERVISOR AND THEN THE BOARD OVERSEES THE, THE GENERAL WORK. IF THERE'S A NEED FOR RECONSIDERATION, THEY DO OVERSEE THAT, YES. GREAT. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN LELLINGER. IS ALL THAT INVESTIGATORY WORK AGAIN, IS THAT COMPLAINT DRIVEN OR DO YOU DO PROACTIVE, LIKE, I, I KNOW THAT SIMILAR AGENCIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ESSENTIALLY TEST UH.BUSINESSES AND WHATNOT AROUND THE COUNTRY TO SEE IF THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH WE NO LONGER DO TESTING IN OUR OFFICE. WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO CONTINUE THE PROCESS, UM, WHEN I CAME ON BOARD, I CAME OVER TO THE COMMISSION IN 2019 AND UM THROUGH SOME CHANGES WITH UM OUR WORKSHARE AGREEMENT WITH HUD. WE LEARNED THAT THE PROCESS THAT WE WERE USING FOR DOING TESTING WASN'T TO THEIR.
CALIBER AND WE NEVER GOT THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO PURSUE THAT, SO WE'VE TAKEN THAT OUT OF OUR PROCESS. SO BASICALLY WE LOOK FOR FOLKS TO CALL IN TO US WITH THE COMPLAINTS. WE ALSO DO A LOT OF OUTREACH, SO WE'RE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AT COMMUNITY FESTIVALS, UM, DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE WORK THAT WE DO AND SOMETIMES THAT BRINGS ALONG UM SOME COMPLAINTS, AS A MATTER OF FACT, I SHARED A BOOTH WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE, OUR STATE OFFICE OUT AT THE FAIR ON SUNDAY AND I GOT ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES FROM THAT, SO. THAT'S HOW WE GET OUR WORK DONE. DO, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE HRC IS FULFILLING ITS MISSION WITHOUT THIS TESTING.
OR DO YOU BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER IF THE HRC WAS FUNDED AT A LEVEL THAT THEY COULD PURSUE THE TESTING IF WE COULD DO THE TESTING CORRECTLY, IT WOULD BE VERY GOOD, ESPECIALLY IN THIS HOUSING MARKET WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP WITH THE HOUSING, UM, AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING IS THAT THE WAY WE WERE DOING THAT TESTING, WE WERE JUST GOING OUT AND SAYING SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO IT, UM, LIKE 2 OUT OF 3 TIMES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND SO THAT WAS PART OF THE PROBLEM. OK, THANK YOU. MHM CAN YOU KIND OF TALK ABOUT UM. YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INTERNAL AUDIT OFFICE OF INTERNAL AUDIT, UM, BECAUSE WE GET THAT REPORT AND UM TAKING A SECOND TO DOWNLOAD RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT'S KIND OF LIKE SEXUAL HARASSMENT.
AND UM, YOU KNOW, DISCRIMINATION AND ALL SORTS OF ISSUES THAT GET REPORTED INTERNALLY BY DEPARTMENTS AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TO WONDER WHEN DO YOU ALL KIND OF COME INTO THE WE DON'T, WE GET THAT REPORT ALSO, BUT THERE'S THAT'S NOT THAT ANYTHING THAT WE INVESTIGATE. OUR INVESTIGATIONS ARE FROM THE CITIZENS OF THE COMMUNITY, NOT INTERNALLY FROM EMPLOYEES. TO THE KENTUCKY COMMISSION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. AND SO. SOMEONE FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO IS MAKING A COMPLAINT, THEY WOULD BE DOING THAT AGAINST A BUSINESS OR HOUSING OR COULD I DO IT BECAUSE I THINK SOMEONE'S, YOU KNOW, REPORTS SOMEONE JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE A BIGOT TO ME ON THE SIDEWALK. YES. YES, YOU CAN DO THAT. THAT'S A HATE
[01:25:15]
CRIME. THE SITUATION THAT WE HAD A WHILE AGO WHERE SOMEBODY WAS DOING UM THE SCRIBBLING OF HATRED STUFF ON THEIR PROPERTY AND THINGS OF THAT SORT. WE GOT THAT CALL. AND HAD TO INVESTIGATE THAT CASE.AND THEN WHAT CAME OUT OF THAT CASE SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A TERRIBLE PERSON WITH HATE IN THEIR HEART. WHAT IT HAPPENS. SO WHAT OUR OFFICE DOES IS WE TRY TO CONCILIATE IT AND SO THE COMPLAINANT IN THIS CASE, THEY WANTED THE PERSON TO UM RECEIVE SOME TYPE OF TRAINING IN THE PERSON AGREED TO IT VOLUNTARILY. AND THAT TRAINING IS THROUGH YOU, YOU ALL? NO, UM, THEY, UM, THE PERSON IN THIS CASE THE COMPLAINANT ACTUALLY HAD A CERTAIN TRAINING THAT THEY WANTED THEM TO TAKE. THEY PICKED OUT A CERTAIN TRAINING. AND WHAT IF THE PERSON REFUSES, THEN IT'S NO LONGER VOLUNTARY.
IF IT'S CONSIDERED TO BE A REASONABLE CAUSE CASE, THEN IT'S HANDED OVER TO JCAO, THE JERSEY COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND THEN THEY PURSUE IT FURTHER. IF THEY ACCEPT THE CASE OK UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO. LOTS TO LEARN FROM, BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL OF YOUR.
INFORMATION TODAY. YEAH, IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO CALL AND LET US KNOW AND WE CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. YES, AS YOU WALK AWAY, UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU REFERRED THESE TO THE CAO AND THEN WHETHER THEY DECIDE TO PURSUE IT OR NOT, UM I, I CAN'T IMAGINE THERE'S LOTS AND LOTS THAT YOU REFER BECAUSE OF THE WORK YOU DO BEFORE YOU GET THERE, OBVIOUSLY, UM. ON THE, ON THOSE CASES THAT DO GET REFERRED, WHAT IS THE GENERAL OUTCOME THERE? IS IT MORE COMMON THAT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TRIES TO WORK OUT SOME KIND OF A AN ARRANGEMENT OR IS IT MORE COMMON THAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY PRESS CHARGES AND FOLLOW THROUGH. IT DEPENDS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS OBVIOUSLY MORE THAN LIKELY THEY WOULD TRY TO CONCILIATE IT AS WELL. AND IF THEY CAN'T CONCILIATE IT, THEN THEY DO PROCEED WITH TRIAL.
WITH A BIGGER STICK THAN YOU HAVE. MHM.
AND WE HAVE BEEN KIND OF SUCCESSFUL THIS YEAR WITH SOME OF THE CONCILIATIONS THAT WE HAVE DONE WITH SOME OF OUR CASES THAT UM PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO GET MONETARY AND SOME UM LIKE THEY SAID, TRAININGS AND STUFF, SO WE ARE A SMALL GROUP, BUT WE DO SOME WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S IT FOR ME. THANK YOU. YOU'RE GEARING UP FOR A QUESTION, UM, I, I GUESS I DO HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION. YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU OVERSEE UM MINORITY BUSINESSES AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE, THEY GET LICENSED. CAN YOU JUST QUICKLY TALK ABOUT HOW MANY BUSINESSES YOU HAVE AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE A BREAKDOWN OF LIKE WOMEN AND MINORITY, YOU KNOW, UM, CURRENTLY IN OUR DATABASE WE HAVE ABOUT 215 UM DIVERSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE, UM, LISTED IN THERE.
UM A VERY AND LIKE YOU SAID IT IS A VARIATION OF UM THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, BUT WE ALSO TELL OUR UM OUR DATABASE CLIENTS THAT THIS IS A MARKETING TOOL FOR THEM AS WE ARE LOOKING FOR DIVERSE BUSINESSES TO DO BUSINESS WITH. WE HAVE A UH PLACE TO GO TO LOOK FOR THEM. WE ALSO, UM. SHARE INFORMATION WITH THEM ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES. WE TRY TO GET THEM LINKED UP INTO THE UM PROCUREMENT PORTAL SO THEY CAN GET INFORMATION ABOUT PROCUREMENT, UM, OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME THROUGH OUR PURCHASING DEPARTMENT. SO WE'RE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THOSE DIFFERENT UM AREA UM DEPARTMENTS ABOUT THAT. AND ARE THOSE, UM, 215 DIVERSE BUSINESSES. IS THERE LIKE A DIRECTORY ONLINE. YES, IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE, UM, TO OUR WEB PAGE AND CLICK ON UM THE UM THE THE CONTRACT COMPLIANCE LINK, YOU CAN GET INTO THE DATABASE TO SEE WHAT BUSINESSES ARE OUT THERE. AND THAT'S FOR ANYBODY, AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE A LOT, A LOT OF TIMES THE CERTIFICATIONS THAT THESE COMPANIES GET, THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR AND OUR CERTIFICATION IS A FREE CERTIFICATION. AND ANYBODY HAS LISTINGS TO IT, SO, UM, IF A COMPANY, A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY COMES IN FROM OUT OF TOWN AND THEY NEED A PAINTER THAT CAN GO TO THAT DATABASE TO SEE WHAT PAINTERS THAT WE HAVE IN THERE AND UM REACH OUT TO THEM. I, I SEE, AND I GUESS MY LAST QUESTION, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE AN YOUR LAST ANNUAL REPORT ONLINE WAS FROM 2021. IS THERE A REASON THAT THE LAST 4 YEARS OR AT LEAST 3 YEARS, WE DO A BIANNUAL REPORT.
[01:30:03]
AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON, WE DID THE LAST ONE IN, UH, WHAT WAS IT 23 AND WE'RE WORKING ON THE ONE, THE CURRENT ONE, YES, WE DO A BIANNUAL REPORT. WE DON'T DO AN ANNUAL REPORT. GOT YOU.WELL, UM I GUESS THAT IS FROM 21 TO 23, AND SO, OK, YOU'RE UP TO DATE, NEVER MIND. I TRY TO.
I'M TRYING TO KEEP IT HONEST. WE WILL COME THROUGH THAT, BUT ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
AND JUST COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THEY ALSO HAVE A LITTLE PAMPHLET THAT THEY GAVE EVERYONE IF YOU WANTED TO. OK, WE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. ALL RIGHT, THANKS FOR STICKING WITH US. WE'VE GOT ONE MORE TO GO AND THIS IS GOING TO BE THE UM COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP BOARD, AND TODAY WE HAVE CRYSTAL BRYSON OBER. HELLO. DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? OBRA. OBRA VERY CLOSE. THE WAY YOU SAY IT IS MUCH COOLER, BUT THEY ARE UNDER CARE STATUTE, A LOCAL ORDINANCE. THEY MEET ON THE 2ND THURSDAY OF EVERY OTHER MONTH. UM.
WE'RE NOT COMPENSATED. IT LOOKS LIKE 18 MEMBERS AND THERE'S NO IMMEDIATE VACANCIES, AND I WILL LET YOU TAKE IT. ALL RIGHT. SO, UM, CAN'T TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ACTION BOARD WITHOUT TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT COMMUNITY ACTION, COMMUNITY ACTION IS AN IDEA, HISTORY, AND LEGISLATION. COMES OUT OF THE 1960S WAR ON POVERTY FROM LYNDON B. JOHNSON, UM, AND A FUNDING STREAM WAS ESTABLISHED DURING THAT TIME, UM, THAT WAS GIVEN STRAIGHT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO LOCAL COMMUNITY ACTION ENTITIES. WHO WERE DOING ANTI-POVERTY WORK. THAT GOT SHUFFLED AROUND A LITTLE BIT IN THE 80S, UM, AND IT GOT TURNED INTO A BLOCK GRANT, WHICH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GIVES TO THE STATES, STATES ADMINISTER TO THE LOCAL ENTITIES, UH, BUT IT IS STILL DRIVEN BY ANTI-POVERTY MISSION WORK. UM, SO THERE ARE.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITHIN LOUISVILLE METRO, WITHIN JEFFERSON COUNTY, OUR COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY IS THE OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICES. MOST COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES IN THE COUNTRY ARE NONPROFITS. WE ARE THE ONLY PUBLIC AGENCY WITHIN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY, AND I THINK TOTAL THERE'S MAYBE 70 ACROSS THE COUNTRY. MOST OF THEM ARE NONPROFITS, UM, AND THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NONPROFIT OR THE PUBLIC, UH, AGENCIES IS THAT NONPROFIT BOARDS, COMMUNITY ACTION BOARDS ARE GOVERNING BOARDS WHEREAS FOR PUBLIC COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES, THEY ARE JUST ADVISORY BOARDS. SO WE ADHERE TO THE, THE KRS STATUTE, I THINK THAT YOU MENTIONED, BUT THEN WE ALSO FOLLOW SOME NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL STANDARDS THAT ARE SET BY OUR NATIONAL COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP. UH, THOSE ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH GERPA, THE 93 LEGISLATION ABOUT GOVERNMENT ENHANCED MANAGEMENT PROCESSES, UM, AND OUR BOARD IS SUBJECT TO SOME OF THOSE.
REQUIREMENTS. SO I'M THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE STAFF LIAISON FOR THAT BOARD. WE THOUGHT IT BEST FOR ME TO COME IN SINCE I'M, UH, CERTIFIED COMMUNITY ACTION PROFESSIONAL, SO I'M WELL TUNED INTO THE DIFFERENT NUANCES OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS, BUT ESSENTIALLY OUR BOARD, LIKE YOU SAID, IS MEETING EVERY OTHER MONTH, UM, ON THE 3RD THURSDAY, IT IS 18 MEMBERS, THE MOST UNIQUE THING ABOUT OUR BOARD IS THAT WE HAVE A TRIPARTITE STRUCTURE, UM, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN A RATIO OF, I THINK IT'S AT LEAST 1/6 HAS TO BE GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES, UM, AND SO FOR THAT. FOR THAT SECTOR WE'VE GOT.
OHCD TARC, DCBS, JCPS, AND THEN ALSO DEPUTY MAYOR GEORGE SITTING FOR THAT SECTOR. UH, WE CAN HAVE NO MORE THAN 1/6 COMING FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THOSE FOLKS CAN BE FROM NONPROFITS OR FROM PRIVATE BUSINESSES. SO WE'VE GOT COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, UH, LOUISVILLE WATER COMPANY, UNITED WAY, LEGAL AID AND LOUISVILLE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION. UH, WE'VE GOT LOUISVILLE METRO HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND I DON'T REMEMBER ACTUALLY WHICH SECTOR THEY SIT FOR, BUT THEY'RE ALSO PRESENT. AND THEN WE HAVE A LOW INCOME SECTOR WHICH MUST MAKE UP 1/6 OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES. THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK WITH THE LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY AND ARE ABLE TO SPEAK TO SOME OF THE NEEDS OF THE LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY. SOME OF THEM DO WORK FOR DIFFERENT AGENCIES, BUT THEY ARE, THEY ARE KIND OF SPEAKING FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. UM, WE, THIS IS AN ADVISORY BOARD WITH NO GOVERNING POWERS, SO THEY DO WEIGH IN ON AND OFFER APPROVAL ON THINGS LIKE MISSION STATEMENT CHANGE OR, UM, ACTION PLAN, STRATEGIC PLANNING, UPDATES AND APPROVAL, UM, AND WE DO AN ANNUAL COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT, UH, TO HELP DETERMINE HOW WE USE OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE BLOCK GRANT FUNDING AND THEN TO HELP WITH JUST KIND OF OVERALL PLANNING FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND THEY ALSO WEIGH IN ON THAT PROCESS AND, UH, APPROVE WHEN WE FINISH IT. AND I CAN TALK ABOUT OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICES AS WELL IN THE WORLD OF SOCIAL SERVICES, IT'S ALWAYS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WHO'S, WHO'S PART OF WHAT TEAM AND HOW WE COMBINED, UM, BUT I
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CAN JUST TAKE QUESTIONS TOO IF THAT'S EASIEST. I'LL GET TO YOU IN JUST ONE MOMENT, BUT I GUESS, UM, WHAT WORK ARE YOU ALL DOING TO ELIMINATE THE PARADOX OF POVERTY IN THE MIDST OF PLENTY IN THIS NATION. WELL, WE ARE, UM, WE WORK WITH OUR 8 DIFFERENT DIVISIONS, UM, THE.DEPARTMENT PRIORITIES RIGHT NOW HAVE TO DO WITH ALLEVIATING AND PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS. LOTS AND LOTS OF THAT HAS TO BE DONE THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS, OF COURSE, BECAUSE AS THE OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICES, WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME DIRECT SERVICES, BUT THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT WE CAN DO AND KIND OF PREVENTING THIS ENTIRE LARGE SYSTEMIC COMPLICATED PROBLEM.
UM, WE HAVE GOT CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND EVICTION PREVENTION FUNDING.
WE HAVE LIHEAP, UH, THAT WE ADMINISTER THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT IS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT AND THEY OFFER FINANCIAL COACHING AND COUNSELING AS A MUNICIPAL SERVICE, UH, SENIOR NUTRITION MEALS ON WHEELS ARE INCLUDED WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT. SO WE'VE GOT GREAT PROGRAMMING GOING ON WITH OUR SENIORS AND WE'VE ALSO GOT SOME AMERICORPS PROGRAM DOING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WORK.
THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN LANAIRE. SO YOU ADVISE, BUT YOU DO NOT GOVERN. UH, HOW'S THE ADVISING GOING? WELL, I DON'T, I DON'T MEAN THIS TO COME ACROSS AS FLIPPANT. I ALSO, I CHAIR AN ADVISORY BOARD MYSELF. THERE'S ALWAYS AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS WITH AN ADVISORY BOARD OF THAT QUESTION OF WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? UM, TO ME, THE, THE BEST THING THAT COMES OUT OF OUR BOARD AND OTHER ADVISORY BOARDS THAT I'VE SEEN IS THE POWER OF CONVERSATION AND BREAKING DOWN SILOS. OBVIOUSLY WITHIN SOCIAL SERVICES, YOU'VE GOT LOTS OF DIFFERENT FUNDING STREAMS THAT HAVE THEIR OWN LANGUAGE THAT YOU NEED TO SPEAK THEIR OWN REPORTING METRICS THAT YOU HAVE TO USE IN THEIR OWN TIMELINES. AND SO WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO.
STAY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE DIFFERENT FUNDING STREAMS, YOU CAN JUST GET SO ZONED IN ON YOUR OWN WORK THAT YOU FORGET ABOUT WHAT SOMEBODY'S DOING IN THE OFFICE RIGHT NEXT TO YOU.
SO THE COMMUNITY ACTION BOARD IS A GREAT SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING AND THEN YOUR INPUT FROM THE COALITION FROM THE HOMELESS, YOUR INPUT FROM LOUISVILLE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, FROM THE LANDLORDS THAT ARE ON THAT BOARD, UM, SO THE ADVISING IS GOING, I WOULD SAY, WELL, WE'RE ALWAYS WANTING TO DO BETTER WITH IT AND KIND OF COME DOWN WITH MORE TANGIBLE RESULTS OUT OF IT, BUT THE CONVERSATION HAS A LOT OF POWER. AND AGAIN, UH, THE STRUCTURE IS A MINORITY FOR THESE, FOR THIS NETWORK NATIONALLY, UH IS THERE CONSIDERED A BEST PRACTICE FOR FORMAT? WE DO. I CAN ABSOLUTELY SEND OVER OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STANDARDS TO YOU. WE'VE GOT, UM, IT'S BROKEN OUT FOR PUBLIC AND FOR PRIVATE ENTITIES. OK. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN KRAMER, SO YOU MENTIONED THAT UM YOU WERE THE ONLY MUNICIPAL UM A COMMUNITY ACTION BOARD IN MUNICIPALLY CONTROLLED OR RUN. CAN BE ACTION BOARD IN THE STATE. UM AND THEY'RE, I THINK YOU SAID 70 ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT ARE MUNICIPALLY RUN, UM. I MEAN SOME OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE STATES THAT HAVE MORE THAN ONE, EVEN THOUGH WE ONLY HAVE ONE, I AM GUESSING AND THIS IS A QUESTION TO CONFIRM MY GUESS, UM I SUPPOSE IT'S THE LARGER CITIES THAT HAVE MUNICIPALLY CONTROLLED COMMUNITY ACTION BOARDS. WHEREAS THE SMALLER COMMUNITIES VERY OFTEN ARE USING NONPROFITS. I THINK IT KIND OF, IT VARIES, UM. THE, THE BEAUTY AND THE CHALLENGE OF COMMUNITY ACTION IS THAT IT WAS VERY HOMEGROWN IN ITS ROOTS. UM, SO LOUISVILLE, OUR COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY STARTED AS A QUASI- GO VER N MENT AL AGENCY, AND THEN I THINK IT WAS DURING THE MERGER WHEN IT TURNED INTO WHAT IT IS NOW, A PURELY, YEAH, I KNOW THAT'S, THAT'S NOT TRUE. I THINK IT WAS A QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL DURING THAT TIME PERIOD. UM. I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE SIZE OF THEM. I DO, WHEN I'VE, WHEN I'VE LOOKED INTO THE, THE WEBSITES FOR SOME OF THESE OTHER ONES. I KNOW THERE'S A FEW IN ARIZONA. I THINK MARYLAND HAD ONE. THEY DO SIMILAR WORK, SO THEY'LL HAVE LIE HEAT, THEY'LL HAVE MEALS ON WHEELS, AND THEY'LL HAVE AMERICORPS KIND OF PLUGGED INTO IT. OK, CAUSE THE QUESTION IS CAN BE IF IT'S NOT, IF IT'S NOT POPULATION SIZE, THEN THE NEXT GUESS IS GEOGRAPHY. I TRULY THINK IT WAS SITUATIONAL IN THE CONTEXT OF WHATEVER WAS GOING ON WITH THE ORIGINAL APPLICANTS FROM THE 1960S. YEAH, FAIR ENOUGH, AND THEN YOU MENTIONED THAT THE FUNDING WAS INITIALLY THROUGH THE FEDS AND THEN NOW IT'S, IT'S A PASS THROUGH FROM THE STATE. UM WHERE DOES THAT MONEY GO AND HOW IS THAT MONEY USED IN, UM, ACTION BOARDS CAN BE ACTION BOARDS THAT ARE RUN BY NONPROFITS. UM.
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SO I CAN SPEAK OBVIOUSLY MOST CONFIDENTLY FOR OUR OWN, MOST OF OURS, AND I REALIZE THAT AND I APOLOGIZE. I'M I'M TRYING TO AND I KNOW IT'S NOT FAIR TO ASK YOU TO COMPARE BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE WORLD, THOSE ARE NOT THE WATERS THAT YOU SWIM IN. WE DO TALK A LOT THOUGH, LIKE I SAID, THAT'S A BIG PART OF OUR WORK. I THINK OTHER ONES USE IT FOR, THEY'VE GOT SOME JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS. THERE'S A LOT OF CASE MANAGEMENT AND WHOLE FAMILY APPROACH WORK THAT'S BEING DONE ACROSS THE STATE RIGHT NOW. UM, I THINK THAT WE ARE THE, WE DO EVICTION PREVENTION ON THE LARGEST SCALE THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PLACE PROGRAMS. UM SO IT REALLY, IT DOES KIND OF VARY. SOME MIGHT USE IT FOR UM MEALS ON WHEELS, OTHER, AND OTHER, OTHER ENTITIES ALSO HAVE HEAD START KIND OF ROLLED INTO THEIR AGENCIES. OK. THANK YOU.SO IN YOUR MEETING MINUTES, UM. AND. OBVIOUSLY, AS WE SAW IN THE LAST GROUPING, I COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, NOT THE MOST RECENT ONES PULLED UP, BUT UM LOOKING AT THE ONES FROM DECEMBER 2024.
THERE IS UM A FINANCIAL REPORT THAT IS PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY ACTION BOARD. IS THAT THE OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICES. FULL BUDGET? YES, AND THAT, THAT REPORT DIVIDES, UM, AWARD.
PLAN AND ANNUAL PLAN. SO GENERAL FUND. REPORTING AND, UH, GRANT REPORTING WITH THE WAY THAT GRANT FUNDING WORKS, AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW, IT HAS DIFFERENT TIMELINES THAT IT'S ADMINISTERED ACROSS AND SO LINING, IT'S NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO LINE IT UP WITH OUR FISCAL YEAR, UM, AND SO RATHER THAN TRYING TO FORCE SOMETHING AND COME OUT WITH INACCURATE NUMBERS. WE HAVE TWO SEPARATE ONES. AND THAT MAKES SENSE. AND SO, UM, AND, AND THIS IS THE ONE FROM 8 MONTHS AGO, BUT UM.
THE ANNUAL PLAN HAD 16 MILLION ALLOCATED, 6.3 MILLION SPENT AND 7 9.7 MILLION REMAINING AND THAT I GUESS COULD JUST BE IT'S BEEN COMMITTED BUT NOT SPENT MAYBE OR IS THAT KIND OF MONEY THAT'S SITTING ON THE TABLE AND DOES THIS COMMUNITY ACTION BOARD GIVE ANY GUIDANCE INTO HOW THAT MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT. THEY ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS, WHICH IS GREAT. UM, SO THAT DECEMBER 1 THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT WOULD BE RIGHT SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FISCAL YEAR FOR THAT ANNUAL PLAN. UM MY UNDERSTANDING ON THE FINANCIAL AFFAIRS IS KIND OF THE LEAST OF ALL OF THIS STUFF, BUT THE. THE WAY THAT THE BUDGETS ARE OPERATED, I THINK THE GOAL IS TO TAKE DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FROM OUR GRANTS AND THEN WORK WITH THE, THE GENERAL FUND MONEY OR THE ANNUAL PLAN MONEY, BUT I WOULD NOT STAKE MY REPUTATION ON THAT, SO I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE THAT QUESTION DOWN AND GET BACK TO YOU WITH A BETTER ANSWER. SURE, UM AND MAYBE JUST CAUSE I AM HAVING DIFFICULTY FINDING IT. THERE'S NO MEETING MINUTES FROM 2025. I WILL GET THOSE ONTO THERE AS SOON AS I CAN, OR I CAN SEND THEM OVER TO YOU AS WELL. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU WE WOULD JUST AT THIS POINT HAVE FEBRUARY AND APRIL, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN APPROVED. JUNE WILL BE APPROVED TOMORROW. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS COMMITTEE MEMBERS ALL RIGHT. ARE WE GOOD? ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU, MISS BRYSON OUBRE. ALL RIGHT. AND WITH THAT, WE STAND ADJOURNED. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR TIME.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.