Sep 03, 2025 Ad Hoc Committee on Efficiency of Boards and Commissions (trimmed) (trimmed)

[Call to Order]

[00:00:07]

EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE AND THE EFFICIENCY OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. IT'S WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2025, AND THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD

[Roll Call]

[2. O-085-25     AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT CODE OF ORDINANCES (“LMCO”) SECTION 40.45 TO ADDRESS BOARD MEMBER CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.  8/20/25 Ad Hoc Committee on Efficiency of Boards and Commissions Held Action Required By:  February 14, 2026 8/14/25 Metro Council  Reintroduced 8/6/25 Ad Hoc Committee on Efficiency of Boards and Commissions Tabled 7/23/25 Ad Hoc Committee on Efficiency of Boards and Commissions Held 6/4/25   Ad Hoc Committee on Efficiency of Boards and Commissions Held 5/7/25   Ad Hoc Committee on Efficiency of Boards and Commissions Held 4/16/25 Ad Hoc Committee on Efficiency of Boards and Commissions Held Sponsors: Donna L. Purvis (D-5) ]

[00:05:04]

AND SO I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A DECISION. I DON'T WANT TO INVITE ONE ENTITY IN AND MAKE A DECISION BASED ON THAT ONE ENTITY'S REALITY THAT THAT I BELIEVE SHOULD BE ACROSS, YOU KNOW, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. AND SO THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY HESITATION IN THAT REGARD. I CAN SPEAK ONLY BRIEFLY TO THE, YOU KNOW, CONCERN ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ONE. I WAS ABLE TO JOIN THE COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES LAST WEEK. AND SO OUR COMMITTEE, THE WHOLE I'M SORRY, LAST WEEKEND, I DID HEAR SOME OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT A LETTER THAT HAD BEEN SUBMITTED AND WAS BEING REQUESTED WITHDRAWN. I HEARD SOME CONVERSATION AROUND, WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT LETTER CAME FROM OR WHAT THAT WAS. I WAS INVOLVED IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS. SO I DO KNOW ABOUT THE LETTER. I KNOW WHERE THAT CAME FROM. I KNOW WHAT THE CONVERSATION AROUND THAT WAS. THERE WAS AN UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD. EVERYBODY IN THAT CONVERSATION UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE. HER NAME HAD BEEN HELD UP 2 OR 3 TIMES IN THE APPROPRIATIONS IN THE APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE, AND IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE IT WAS GOING ANYWHERE BECAUSE THERE WAS SUCH CONCERN AROUND THIS. AND IT WAS SUGGESTED AND I DON'T KNOW WHO MADE THIS SUGGESTION, BUT THERE WAS A SUGGESTION THAT IF SHE, IN FACT, WEREN'T PLANNING ON PROFITING FROM IT, THAT THAT WOULD SMOOTH THE WAY AND THE COUNCIL WOULD APPROVE. AND THAT'S ULTIMATELY WHAT HAPPENED.

SHE WROTE A LETTER AND SHE WAS APPOINTED TO THAT COMMITTEE. I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. I'M STRUGGLING WITH THE MECHANICS. LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR HER TO WITHDRAW THAT LETTER. THAT LETTER STATED WHAT HER INTENT WAS. THAT LETTER IS IN THE PUBLIC RECORD. YOU CAN'T GO BACK AND SAY, THAT WAS MY INTENT AND THEN SAY THAT WAS NEVER MY INTENT. I MEAN, WHEN YOU PULL THE LETTER BACK, THAT'S TO SAY THE LETTER NEVER EXISTED. THE LETTER EXISTS. YOU CAN'T UNDO THAT. I THINK IT WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE FOR ANYBODY TO NOT RECOGNIZE AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE REASON SHE WAS APPOINTED TO THAT BOARD IS BECAUSE SHE WROTE THAT LETTER. ABSENT THAT LETTER, I DOUBT I WOULD. I DON'T DOUBT I WOULD SAY ABSENT THAT LETTER, I WOULD ARGUE VEHEMENTLY THAT SHE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO THAT BOARD. SO MY POSITION ON IT WOULD BE IF SHE WANTS TO WITHDRAW THE LETTER, FIRST OF ALL, SHE CAN'T BECAUSE IT'S IN THE PUBLIC RECORD. IF SHE WANTS TO GO BACK ON HER WORD, WHICH SHE PUT IN THAT LETTER, THEN I THINK WHATEVER RECOURSE METRO COUNCIL HAS, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXERCISE. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT RECOURSE WE HAVE. RIGHT? I MEAN, I TALKED TO COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, I SUPPOSE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT LETTER I DON'T KNOW HOW BINDING A LETTER LIKE THAT IS. RIGHT? LIKE, I DON'T KNOW HOW BINDING THAT IS. AND I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW IF SHE CAN JUST SAY, YEAH, I WROTE THE LETTER. THAT WAS MY INTENT, BUT I CHANGED MY MIND. I'M GONNA DO IT ANYWAY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR RESPONSE IS. I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN TAKE A VOTE TO REMOVE HER FROM THE BOARD. I DON'T KNOW, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYTHING WE DO TODAY IS GOING TO IMPACT THAT. I DON'T, AND I'M NOT. AND I APPRECIATE WHERE, YOU KNOW, COUNCILWOMAN PURVIS IS COMING FROM. I AGREE THAT IT'S A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT ONCE SHE'S APPOINTED TO THE BOARD, CAN WE WRITE AN ORDINANCE THAT CHANGES THE WAY APPOINTMENTS ARE DONE AND THEN REMOVE SOMEBODY FROM A BOARD THAT THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN APPOINTED TO? I'M NOT EVEN SURE WE COULD DO THAT IF WE WANTED TO. AGAIN, I, I WOULD NEED TO CONSULT WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. I, I WOULD THINK THAT ONCE WE'VE APPOINTED SOMEBODY, THEY'RE APPOINTED UNLESS THEY DO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THAT GIVES US GROUNDS TO REMOVE THEM. AND IS THE FACT SHE WROTE A LETTER GROUNDS REMOVAL? IF IT IS, THEN IT IS. WE DON'T NEED TO WRITE AN ORDINANCE. IF IT'S NOT, THEN WRITE AN ORDINANCE WON'T CHANGE ANYTHING. AGAIN, I'LL JUST PUT THAT OUT THERE. I'LL LET MY COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, THINK THAT THROUGH. I KNOW YOU'VE ALREADY SAID WE'RE GOING TO TABLE IT, SO PROBABLY WE CAN STOP TALKING ABOUT IT AND JUST MOVE TO TABLE IT AND AND MOVE ON. BUT JUST FOR THE PUBLIC WHO MIGHT BE PAYING ATTENTION, THAT'S AT LEAST WHERE I'M COMING FROM. I BELIEVE COUNCILMAN REID WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING. YEAH. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I YOU KNOW, THIS LETTER, AS FAR AS I KNOW, WAS NOT LEGALLY BINDING. AND SHE DID IT ON HER OWN VOLITION. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. AND I THINK IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS WAS, YOU KNOW, PRETTY ANIMATED ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WHATEVER WE COME UP WITH IS A HOLISTIC SOLUTION. AND, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST A ONE SIZE FITS ALL. SO, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE SHOULD DO, KIND OF STATING THE OBVIOUS HERE, IS GETTING THE SPONSOR HERE, INVITING OTHERS ON THE COUNCIL THAT

[00:10:05]

THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I'M BRINGING IT UP. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE LETTER, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING. SO AGAIN, WE'LL JUST MOVE TO TABLE IT AND MOVE ON. I BELIEVE IS CHAIR DOES NOT BRING IT UP. SORRY. I THINK IT'S BEING HELD. YEAH IT'S CHAIR.

YOU CAN JUST BRING IT UP. HELD OKAY. SO AGAIN TODAY WE HAVE A LIGHT MEETING. AND I'M HOPING THAT AFTER OUR TWO SPEAKERS TODAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME HOUSEKEEPING, JUST LOOKING FORWARD AND LOOKING AT OUR WORK AND ALSO SOME UPCOMING MEETINGS THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE SWITCHED AROUND. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, OUR FEATURED SPEAKERS TODAY ARE FROM THE KENTUCKIANA WORKS GREATER LOUISVILLE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND THE METROPOLITAN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. AND SO WE'LL INVITE THEM UP. AND I'M GUESSING WE'RE GOING TO START WITH KENTUCKY AND A WORKS TODAY. AND MISTER OR I GUESS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GRITTON IS HERE TO SPEAK. I WAS ACTUALLY JUST WATCHING I THINK YOU ON METRO TV LAST NIGHT, SO IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'VE SEEN YOU, SO. I'LL JUST LET YOU TAKE IT FROM THERE IF YOU'D LIKE. SURE. MAKE SURE THIS IS ON MADAM CHAIR. MISTER VICE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, MICHAEL GRITTON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF KENTUCKIANA. WORKS. LEGALLY, WE ARE THE GREATER LOUISVILLE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD DOING BUSINESS AS KENTUCKIANA WORKS. BUT EVERYBODY KNOWS US AS KENTUCKIANA WORKS. I THINK WHAT THE COMMITTEE IS INTERESTED IN IS THE MAKEUP OF OUR BOARD. AND SO I JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN, THERE'S A FEDERAL LAW CALLED THE WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT, WIOA, THAT PASSED IN 2014. IT'S THE THIRD LAW THAT CREATES A BOARD LIKE KENTUCKIANA WORKS.

THE FIRST ONE PASSED IN 98, THE SECOND IN LET'S SEE, THERE WAS 82, 98, 2014. AND SO BY LAW, THAT FEDERAL LAW DESIGNATES MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE THAT HAVE TO BE APPOINTED, IT'LL SAY SOMETHING LIKE A REPRESENTATIVE WHO REPRESENTS ADULT EDUCATION, A REPRESENTATIVE WHO REPRESENTS VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION, BECAUSE CONGRESS WANTS MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO ARE PART OF THE FEDERALLY FUNDED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM TO BE ON THE BOARD. BUT THEN THE LAW ALSO SAYS THE BOARD HAS TO HAVE A MAJORITY OF BUSINESS MEMBERS. AND SO IT HAS 12 MEMBERS THAT IT NAMES. SO IN ORDER TO GET A MAJORITY OF BUSINESS PEOPLE, IT'S A 26 MEMBER BOARD. AND THE WAY THAT SHAKES OUT, BECAUSE WE'RE A SEVEN COUNTY BOARD THAT INCLUDES HENRY OLDHAM, TRIMBLE, SPENCER, SHELBY AND TRIMBLE, I THINK. DID I MISS OUR BULLET? THE WHOLE SEVEN COUNTY AREA.

WHAT WE HAVE IS 18 MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND APPROVED BY THE METRO COUNCIL.

AND THE MAYOR HIMSELF IS ONE OF THE 26 MEMBERS. THAT MEANS 19 OF THE 26 MEMBERS ARE FROM LOUISVILLE METRO, WHICH IS ABOUT 72% OF THE BOARD. THAT ABOUT ROUGHLY MATCHES THE PERCENTAGE THAT JEFFERSON COUNTY IS. OF THE POPULATION OF THAT SEVEN COUNTY AREA. KENNEDY.

ARE THERE MORE DETAILED QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE ABOUT THAT? SO WHAT YOU SEE IS THEY TEND TO SERVE FOR THREE YEAR TERMS. SO THOSE COME UP IN THE REGULAR COURSE OF BUSINESS.

THEY COME UP IN FRONT OF YOUR COMMITTEE IN THE REGULAR COURSE OF BUSINESS, GET APPROVED BY YOU ALL IN THE REGULAR COURSE OF BUSINESS. SURE. AND I'M SO SORRY, BECAUSE WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION AT THE BEGINNING. I DIDN'T GIVE MY MY LITTLE BIT. SO NO ONE HERE IS IN THE HOT SEAT AND WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR TO DIG UP ANYTHING WE DON'T HAVE. THERE'S NO TARGET ON YOUR BACK. AND SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET TO KNOW YOU, NOT ONLY THE MAKEUP OF YOUR BOARD, BUT WHAT YOU ALL ARE WORKING ON TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EFFICIENCY AMONG OUR BOARDS AND NOT ONLY HOW THEY'RE COMPRISED, BUT ALSO HOW THEY'RE OPERATING. AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S IN OF OF NOTE FOR US. AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF TALKING ABOUT ANY OF THE INITIATIVES THAT YOU ALL ARE WORKING ON OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES. AND, YOU KNOW, IF

[00:15:04]

[00:20:04]

WHAT WE'RE REALLY BUILDING NOW, MADAM CHAIR, IS A TALENT DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM WHERE FOR THE HALF OF THE KIDS WHO ARE NOT GOING TO COLLEGE, WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY THEM IN HIGH SCHOOL AND CONNECT THEM TO INTERNSHIPS, CO-OPS, AND SUMMER JOBS SO THAT THEY GET GOOD EXPERIENCE WHILE THEY'RE STILL IN SCHOOL, SO THAT BY THE TIME THEY GRADUATE, THEY'RE GOING TO WALK RIGHT OUT INTO A GOOD JOB AND NOT WALK OUT INTO A LIFE OF WANDERING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONNECT. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. I'VE GOT COUNCILMAN CRAMER IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU. SO JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS REAL QUICK. WE TALKED ABOUT THE BOARD IS 26 AND LARGELY US I THINK YOU SAID 70 PLUS PERCENT. YES. HOW WERE THEY APPOINTED AND APPROVED IN THOSE OTHER COUNTIES. IS IT DO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS DO IT OR IS IT DONE THROUGH THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT. YEAH, IT GOES THROUGH COUNTY GOVERNMENT. SO THERE'S AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT ALL SEVEN COUNTIES HAVE SIGNED. AND A BOARD POSITION WILL BE NAMED TO BE APPOINTED BY OLDHAM COUNTY. SO I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE OLDHAM COUNTY JUDGE AND THE JUDGE. TYPICALLY THEY HAVE DIFFERENT PROCESSES, BUT TYPICALLY THEY TAKE THAT, GET IT APPROVED BY THEIR THEIR VERSION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT. SO IT'S DONE THROUGH THE COUNTY OUT THERE. YEAH. WHICH MAKES SENSE. OKAY. AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION AND I I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO SPEAK TO IT INSTEAD OF ASKING IT AS A QUESTION BECAUSE I'M SURE IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING. BUT SURE, HOW IS IT GOING IN YOUR CONVERSATIONS WITH WITH OUR OTHER PARTNERS IN TERMS OF HELPING HELPING GENERATE REVENUE? YOU TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY FLOWS TO YOU GUYS THROUGH THE FED AND THROUGH THE STATE. I KNOW METRO LOUISVILLE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS TOO. I CAN'T IMAGINE THE CONVERSATIONS AREN'T HAPPENING WITH ALDERMAN SPENCER AND SHELBY. HOW ARE THOSE CONVERSATIONS GOING? CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CAN YOU DEFINE WHAT YOU MEAN BY GENERATING REVENUE? YEAH. SO WE'RE WE ARE I WON'T SAY FOOTING THE BILL, BUT WE'RE HELPING COVER SOME OF YOUR EXPENSES. YES. I'M WONDERING LIKE HOW THE CONVERSATIONS ARE GOING IN THOSE OTHER COUNTIES TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO HELP YOU COVER SOME OF YOUR EXPENSE. SO LET ME START. I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT. SO WE'RE PAYING 70%, RIGHT OR NOT. SO LET ME LET ME JUST MAKE SURE THERE'S A QUESTION, I THINK, INSIDE WHAT YOU'RE ASKING. AND LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I'M CLARIFYING IT. SO WHEN WE GET MONEY FROM METRO COUNCIL, THAT MONEY STAYS TOTALLY INSIDE LOUISVILLE METRO SURE DOES. YEAH. BUT WHEN YOU GET MONEY FROM THE STATE, YOU HAVE TO USE THAT ACROSS THE ENTIRE ENTERPRISE, RIGHT? IT WOULDN'T BE FAIR TO NOT. THAT'S RIGHT.

SO WHAT WE TYPICALLY DO, YOU GET MONEY FROM US. YOU DON'T NEED AS MUCH MONEY FROM THE STATE FOR US. WELL, WHAT WE YEAH WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS TO USE THAT ROUGH APPORTIONMENT.

IF IT'S A 7030 POPULATION SPLIT, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT ABOUT A THIRD OF THAT MONEY IS GOING TO THE COUNTIES SO THAT THEY CAN SEE IT AND KNOW THAT IT'S GOING THERE. BUT THE SIZE OF THE EFFORT IN THE COUNTIES IS MUCH SMALLER THAN IT IS IN LOUISVILLE METRO, BECAUSE OF THE CO-INVESTMENT THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN MAKING. OF COURSE. AND AGAIN, TO YOUR POINT, I MEAN, THE THE GOODWILL PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY HERE. IT'S HOUSED HERE. IT'S NOT IN OLDHAM COUNTY OR SPENCER COUNTY. WELL, I MEAN, AGAIN, THEY ARE PROVIDING SERVICES TO YOUNG ADULTS. WE HAVE PHYSICAL LOCATIONS IN SHELBY, HENRY AND BULLITT COUNTY, AND IT'S GOODWILL RUNNING THAT TOO. BUT THERE'S NOTHING OUT THERE THAT LOOKS LIKE SECOND AND CHESTNUT FOR SURE. RIGHT. SO SO WHAT IS THE CONVERSATION AROUND OR THE EFFORT BEING MADE TO SEEK ASSISTANCE, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THESE OTHER COUNTIES? SO I HAVE MADE IT CLEAR SOMETIMES THE COUNTY JUDGES WILL SAY TO ME, HOW COME THERE'S NOT SOME WORKS IN

[00:25:03]

IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SO MUCH LOWER. WELL, I MEAN, A LOT OF THOSE COUNTIES ARE SMALLER. THE POPULATIONS ARE SMALLER. SO IT DOESN'T TAKE, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T TAKE VERY MANY JOBS TO TO GET TO A LOW UNEMPLOYMENT RATE. I WILL ALSO SAY, I THINK, RIVER, EVEN IF YOU EVEN IF YOU KNOCK OUT JEFFERSON, THE OTHERS ARE SMALLER THAN CLARK AND IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL. I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE WAS A. WELL, I MEAN, I THINK, I THINK THE ECONOMY HAS BEEN STRONG IN SOUTHERN INDIANA AS WELL. RIVER RIDGE IS REALLY THRIVING OVER THERE. SO THEY'RE DOING WELL.

SO THEY'VE GOT LOTS OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES. AND AGAIN, BUILDING THE BRIDGE, BOTH BRIDGES HAS MADE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO COME BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE RIVER. THAT'S ALSO MADE IT EASIER FOR THERE PEOPLE WHO WANT A JOB TO GET ONE. MY MY QUESTION IS THIS YOU SAID THAT YOU HAVE A LOT OF PARTNERS, LIKE YOU WORK WITH GOODWILL, YOU WORK WITH JC, YOU WORK WITH FORD AND GE. YEP. YOU WORK WITH EMPLOYERS AND THE PRODUCERS OF OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES? YES.

HOW HOW DO HOW DOES THAT HOW DOES THE. THE BOARDS OF EACH OF THOSE GET ALONG TOGETHER? I MEAN EVERYTHING'S IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PRESENTATION. IS THERE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE OR IS EVERYTHING GOING DOWN THE TRACK JUST FINE? ONE THING I DIDN'T MENTION THAT I SHOULD IS THAT JC MADE THIS HUGE CHANGE TO THE WAY THEY ORGANIZE HIGH SCHOOLS EIGHT YEARS AGO, WHERE SCHOOLS LIKE MY ALMA MATER, PRP, ARE NOW ORGANIZED IN THIS THING WE CALL THE ACADEMIES OF LOUISVILLE. SO AT EACH OF THOSE 15 HIGH SCHOOLS, DOSS MORE J-TOWN EASTERN, EVERY UPPERCLASSMEN IS NOW IN A CAREER PATHWAY THAT'S DESIGNED TO LEAD TO AN INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CREDENTIAL OR A DUAL CREDIT CLASS IN COLLEGE WHILE THEY'RE IN HIGH SCHOOL. AND EIGHT YEARS AGO AT THOSE 15 SCHOOLS, ROUGHLY HALF OF THE KIDS THAT WERE GRADUATING WERE GRADUATING COLLEGE OR CAREER READY LAST YEAR, THAT 50% WAS AT 79. IT'S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF PROGRESS. IT'S A GREAT STORY, AND I ALWAYS NEED TO BE MAKING SURE I'M TELLING PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE AN OPEN INVITATION TO VISIT ONE OF THESE SCHOOLS. I'LL SAY WE'RE ORGANIZING TOURS IN THE FALL. I'LL GET THEM TO THE WHOLE COUNCIL. I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU ALL TO COME AND SEE FOR YOURSELF WHAT THEY'RE DOING. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF BUILDING BLOCKS, COUNCILMAN, THAT ARE THERE NOW THAT WEREN'T THERE A FEW YEARS AGO. GE APPLIANCES IN PARTICULAR IS A FANTASTIC PARTNER WITH DOSS HIGH SCHOOL, NORTON HEALTHCARE, FANTASTIC PARTNER WITH SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS. FORD. WE'RE STILL WORKING TO TRY TO GET FORD TO BE IN A TIGHT PARTNERSHIP WITH ONE OF THOSE SCHOOLS. WE JUST ADDED A BOARD MEMBER THIS MONTH, IN FACT, WHO'S AN HR LEAD FOR BOTH KENTUCKY TRUCK PLANT AND THE LAP WHERE MY DAD WORKED FOR 30 YEARS. AND SO ARE THERE THINGS WE CAN IMPROVE? YES, FOR SURE. BUT WE'VE MET WITH GE

[00:30:05]

BUT IF YOU TAKE THAT OUT OF THE GRAPH, THE GRAPH IS STILL VERY, VERY, VERY LOW UNEMPLOYMENT RATES. AND THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS. RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO HELP CONNECT PEOPLE TO JOBS. BUT THERE ARE STILL POCKETS OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO REALLY WANT TO WORK WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO GET HIRED. SO I'VE MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SOMALI COMMUNITY. I'VE MET WITH KEVIN USANGA, WHO'S A BOARD MEMBER OF MINE WHO WORKS WITH A LOT OF IMMIGRANTS FROM AFRICA WHO ARE REALLY EAGER TO WORK. BUT BECAUSE THEIR ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS AREN'T GREAT, THEY'RE STILL STRUGGLING TO GET ENGLISH GOOD ENOUGH TO GET HIRED AT PLACES AGAIN. GE APPLIANCES, JUST ONE OF THE PLANTS THAT I MET WITH A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, HAS NINE LANGUAGES SPOKEN ON THE FLOOR OF JUST ONE OF THEIR PLANTS, SO THEY ARE HIRING PEOPLE, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF ENGLISH TO BE ABLE TO GET HIRED. SO WE STILL HAVE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE IDENTIFYING AND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE. BUT THE WORKFORCE SYSTEM IS WORKING BETTER, PARTLY BECAUSE THE CITY IS NOW INVESTING IN KEY THINGS.

AND WITH THE STATE INVESTING TWO AT THE YOUNG ADULT LEVEL, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF RESOURCES TO TRY TO TACKLE THESE PROBLEMS. THE THE PLACE WHERE THE FEDERAL MONEY SHRINKING IS A REAL PROBLEM FOR US IS WE USED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER PEOPLE THAT CAME TO OUR CAREER CENTER, WHICH IS DOWN IN THE GOODWILL WEST LOUISVILLE OPPORTUNITY CENTER, JOB TRAINING, SCHOLARSHIPS. SO YOU WORKED AT A PLANT, THE PLANT CLOSES. YOU HAD A HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE, RIGHT? BUT YOU DIDN'T. HEY, I WANT TO GO BACK AND I WANT I WANT TO GET A WELDING CERTIFICATE OR I WANT TO GET A CDL OR I WANT TO MOVE INTO HEALTHCARE. WE USED TO HAVE $3 MILLION A YEAR TO TO OFFER IN JOB TRAINING, SCHOLARSHIPS AND LET PEOPLE GO BACK TO SCHOOL TO PURSUE THAT.

LAST YEAR, WE ONLY HAD ABOUT A MILLION OF THAT THE TWO YEARS BEFORE WE HAD EVEN LESS THAN THAT. SO THAT'S WHERE THE FEDERAL CUTS ARE AFFECTING ADULTS MORE. AND THAT IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE. IF WE EVER HIT A PERIOD OF HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT. BUT WE'VE BEEN REALLY LUCKY THE LAST FIVE, SIX, SEVEN YEARS. THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY ABOUT AS LOW AS IT'S BEEN IN MY LIFETIME, WHICH HAS BEEN GREAT. AND JUST THE LAST QUESTION TO TOUCH ON THAT. YOU KNOW, LIKE I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE, WE WOULD GO TO FORD AND GE AND TAKE THESE TRIPS. YES. AND THEY'D SAY, WE NEED PEOPLE SO BAD. NOW, THIS WAS 4 OR 5 YEARS AGO. IS THAT STILL GOING ON? ARE THEY STILL SUFFERING FOR THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LABOR. SO HERE'S HOW YOU CAN TELL WHEN GE REALLY NEEDED A LOT OF PEOPLE. THEY WERE RUNNING TV ADS. SO WHEN YOU WERE WATCHING NFL GAMES DURING THE COMMERCIALS YOU WERE SEEING ADS FOR GE. THOSE ADS ARE NOT ON TV ANYMORE. SO I DON'T I THINK THAT THERE WAS A MOMENT WHERE THEY REALLY NEEDED PEOPLE. I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE AS MUCH ANYMORE. AND REMEMBER THE LAP WHERE MY DAD WORKED IS ON SHUTDOWN AT THE MOMENT, BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE MAKING THAT BIG INVESTMENT IN THE NEW PLANT, RIGHT? KTP SEEMS TO BE STAFFED UP AND DOING FINE. SO I DON'T HEAR FORD HAVING ISSUES. THE MEETING WITH GE, RIGHT. WITH GE APPLIANCES THAT INCLUDED A WISDOM AT AT GOP WAS MORE ABOUT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO NEED THESE 700 PEOPLE A YEAR AND A HALF FROM NOW. WHAT CAN YOU ALL DO TO HELP US GET ORGANIZED, TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT A PIPELINE OF THOSE PEOPLE? THEY DID EXACTLY WHAT YOU'D WANT A COMPANY TO DO. HEY, WE GOT THIS NEED. WHAT CAN YOU DO ON THE PUBLIC SIDE TO HELP US GET READY FOR IT? SO THAT'S A BIG ADVANTAGE. BUT I WILL SAY THEY ARE ACTIVELY HIRING AGAIN, BECAUSE SOME OF THE IMMIGRATION CHANGES THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE, PARTICULARLY THAT AFFECTED CUBANS. THERE WAS A THERE WAS A LEGAL STATUS THAT PEOPLE HAD THAT GOT REVOKED AND MANY THEY WERE HERE LEGALLY. BUT WHEN THAT STATUS GOT REVOKED, MANY OF THEM SUDDENLY WERE NOT HERE LEGALLY. AND THAT HAS CAUSED NOT JUST GE APPLIANCES, BUT OTHER MANUFACTURING COMPANIES AND LOGISTICS COMPANIES TO LOSE EMPLOYEES. SO I THINK THAT'S GOT THEM BACK INTO A HIGHER THAT'S AT LEAST ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT'S GOT THEM BACK INTO A HIRING MODE. BUT THEY'RE NOT RUNNING ADS ON TV. SO I THINK IT'S IT'S A NORMAL STEADY STATE FOR THEM, I THINK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IN CASE ANYONE IS WONDERING IF THEY'RE IN A TWILIGHT ZONE OR THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT 15 MINUTES IS, MY TIMER WENT OFF, BUT THEY WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A QUESTION, SO I DIDN'T LET IT BEEP. BUT WE ARE UP ON TIME. BUT COUNCILMAN REED, I DO WANT TO RESPECT

[00:35:04]

YES. SO HERE'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS A LOT THAT I WANT TO CORRECT. THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY AS A STATE, HAS A RELATIVELY LOW LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE. WHAT THAT MEANS IS WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR WORKING AGE POPULATION ARE IN THE WORKFORCE. THEY'RE EITHER WORKING OR LOOKING FOR WORK. THAT'S WHAT THE PERCENTAGE IS, RIGHT? KENTUCKY'S PERCENTAGE IS RELATIVELY LOW ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE'RE IN THE BOTTOM 5 OR 6 STATES. THAT IS NOT A PROBLEM IN THE LOUISVILLE AREA. IF YOU LOOK AT LOUISVILLE AND OUR SEVEN COUNTY AREA, YOU LOOK AT THE BLUEGRASS AREA AROUND LEXINGTON AND YOU LOOK AT NORTHERN KENTUCKY. WE'RE ALL WELL ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IN TERMS OF LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE, THE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION PARTICIPATION RATE PROBLEM IN KENTUCKY IS MAINLY AN EASTERN KENTUCKY PROBLEM. PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE THERE, BUT THERE AREN'T ENOUGH JOBS FOR THEM AT THE MOMENT. THAT'S WHERE THE LABOR FORCE NUMBERS ARE VERY LOW. SO IN OUR AREA WE'RE ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. WHAT HAPPENS IS OUR PARTNERS, WHO ARE FUNDED BY THE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE SYSTEM, WORK WITH ANYBODY WHO'S ON UNEMPLOYMENT TO TRY TO GET THEM BACK IN THE WORKFORCE RIGHT AWAY. SO THEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST PEOPLE WHO ARE CHOOSING NOT TO WORK. AND IF THEY'RE YOUNG ADULTS, IF WE CAN GET THEM INTO THE SPOT, WE'RE CLEARLY TRYING TO HELP THEM GET A JOB BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S THE FORMULA, RIGHT? WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THIS GETS INTO OTHER ISSUES. TRANSPORTATION AND CHILDCARE ARE THE TWO THAT COME UP OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE FIGURE OUT, HOW CAN I WORK? I WANT TO WORK, BUT I'VE GOT THIS THREE YEAR OLD NOW. YOU'VE GOT TO HELP THEM SOLVE THE CHILDCARE PROBLEM IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO WORK. OR I LIVE IN WEST LOUISVILLE, BUT I BUT AND I GOT A JOB OFFER AT GE APPLIANCES TO WORK ON THE SECOND SHIFT. THEN YOU RUN INTO THE PROBLEM THAT I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO, AND WE'VE BEEN OVER TO MEET WITH OZZY ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE SECOND SHIFT LETS OUT AFTER TARC STOPS RUNNING. SO YOU CAN GET ME GE, BUT NOT HOME. SO YOU BUMP INTO THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES THAT ARE HARD TO SOLVE, BUT THAT WE REALLY NEED TO TACKLE IN ORDER TO GET EVEN MORE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO WORK.

BUT AGAIN, THE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE IN OUR SEVEN COUNTIES IS WELL ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. GOOD ANSWER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AWESOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO I TOOK SO MUCH TIME. PEOPLE LOVE WORKFORCE. IT'S GREAT STUFF. Y'ALL DON'T KILL ME. COUNCILMAN BRATCHER HAS A QUESTION. OH, SORRY ABOUT THAT. MARY WILL FORGIVE ME, BUT THE ANSWER. PLEASE MAKE IT BRIEF. YOU'VE GIVEN WONDERFUL ANSWERS, BUT IT'S JUST. THESE ARE THE KIND OF QUESTIONS I'LL THINK ABOUT LATER WHEN I'M LEAVING. I SAID, WHY DIDN'T I ASK THAT? SO THE THE CHAIRWOMAN HAS BEEN GRACIOUS TO GIVE ME A COUPLE OF MINUTES HERE. WHAT? SO, YOU KNOW, I HAD ONE TIME I HAD HONESTLY, I HAD THE VP OF NORFOLK SOUTHERN, ONE OF THE VP'S IN ATLANTA. HE TALKED TO US WHEN I WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE ABOUT A LACK OF LABOR. IT WAS REALLY A PROBLEM SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS BEFORE COVID OR AFTER REALLY, BUT IT WAS. THERE WAS A LACK OF HUMAN BODIES, YOU KNOW, AND AND HE HE SAID, AND I'VE GOT THE EMAIL SOMEWHERE, HE SAYS, IF YOU IF YOU PERSONALLY ASKING US PERSONALLY IF YOU KNOW, A 21 TO 41 YEAR OLD PERSON THAT'S DRUG FREE AND PHYSICALLY ABLE, PLEASE GIVE ME GIVE THEM MY NUMBER. THE VP OF NORFOLK SOUTHERN, THE DRUG PROBLEM WAS THE THING THE DRUG URINE TESTS OR WHATEVER IT WAS, WAS AN ISSUE IS THAT IS HOW DOES THAT FACTOR IN ANYMORE? IS THAT STILL A PROBLEM OR WHAT? SO TWO THINGS. NUMBER ONE, ANYTIME YOU HAVE A CONVERSATION LIKE THAT WITH AN EMPLOYER, PLEASE SEND THEM MY WAY BECAUSE WE CAN CONNECT THEM UP TO THE YOUNG ADULT PROGRAM, TO THE ADULT CAREER CENTER. WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING FOR WORK. THERE ARE A THOUSAND PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH THAT CAREER CENTER EVERY MONTH WHO ARE ASKING FOR OUR HELP. GETTING A JOB RIGHT. IS THE DRUG TESTING THING STILL AN ISSUE? YES, I THINK IN PARTICULAR, MARIJUANA IS LEGAL IN BIG PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. AND I THINK FOR YOUNG PEOPLE CULTURALLY, THEY THINK IT'S LEGAL EVERYWHERE. BUT SOME EMPLOYERS ARE STILL DRUG TESTING FOR IT, AND THAT KNOCKS SOME PEOPLE OUT. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT NORFOLK AND SOUTHERN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR POLICIES ARE. SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, IS THAT AN ISSUE? YES. SOME EMPLOYERS HAVE STOPPED TESTING FOR MARIJUANA. SO THIS

[00:40:03]

SO AGAIN, THEY'RE JUST IN A COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE. BUT WE HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO WANT JOBS, AND IF THEY'RE STILL HIRING, YOU LET ME KNOW AND WE'LL WE'LL HELP THEM OUT FOR SURE. MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME, I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR YOURS. NEXT UP, WE'VE GOT THE METROPOLITAN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TREVOR PAUL, JOSHUA MCKEE. DIANA. CHICKA CHICA. SO CLOSE. AND JEFF O'BRIEN IS HERE IN CASE WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. BUT JUST TO KIND OF GIVE EVERYONE A HEADS UP, THIS IS UNDER CRA STATUTE. STATUTE, NO LOCAL ORDINANCE ON THIS. THEY MEET MONTHLY.

THERE'S SEVEN MEMBERS, NO IMMEDIATE VACANCIES. AND THEY DO GET MONEY FROM THE BUDGET AND THEY DO GENERATE REVENUE. SO I'LL HAND IT OVER TO YOU ALL AND START YOUR 15 MINUTES. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU AGAIN, MADAM CHAIR. MR. VICE CHAIR, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MY NAME IS TREVOR PAUL. I'M THE CEO OF THE LOUISVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE. AND I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE METROPOLITAN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS METCO, WHICH IS A PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN AROUND SINCE THE 1980S. I SHOULD ADD TO THAT, I'M JOINED BY DANA, WHO MANAGES THE PROGRAM, AND THEN ALSO JEFF O'BRIEN, WHO YOU REFERENCED IS HERE TODAY. SINCE I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE ABOUT SIX MONTHS, THERE'S A LONG HISTORY OF THIS PROGRAM AND ITS GOVERNANCE THAT I THINK JEFF IS PROBABLY BEST TO ANSWER. SO I MAY CALL HIM UP FOR SOME QUESTIONS. SO WHEN THE LOUISVILLE ECONOMIC YOU ALL HAVE A PRESENTATION, CORRECT? YEAH. WAIT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. HERE WE GO. SO WHEN THE LOUISVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE FORMED, THE GOAL WAS TO INCREASE CAPITAL ACCESS FOR ALL SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS JEFFERSON COUNTY. BUT IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL. SO INSTEAD, WE THOUGHT, WHY NOT BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO AN EXISTING ASSET THAT METRO GOVERNMENT HAS THAT HAS EXPERIENCED CONSISTENT DEMAND OVER DECADES? AND THAT PROGRAM WAS METCO, A REVOLVING LOAN FUND FOCUSED ON BUSINESSES THAT WERE EVERYWHERE FROM JUST STARTING TO READY TO EXPAND, HELPING WITH THINGS LIKE EQUIPMENT PURCHASES TO PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS. AND SO SINCE IT STARTED OPERATING, I SHOULD ADD, NOW IT OPERATES UNDER LITA. AND SINCE THAT PARTNERSHIP IS FORMED, WE'VE SEEN IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICE, WE'VE SEEN IMPROVED COLLECTIONS. WE'VE WE'VE SEEN A DECLINE IN DELINQUENCIES. AND THIS HAS PUT US IN A POSITION TO FIND NEW SOURCES OF FUNDS TO MEET THAT CONSISTENT DEMAND, ALL WHILE MAINTAINING AN INDEPENDENT BOARD SEPARATE FROM LITA'S BOARD. THE METCO BOARD IS IS EXPERIENCED, HAS, HAS I WOULD SAY, WELL, DINA CAN GET INTO THE EXPERIENCE OF THE BOARD AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU RIGHT NOW TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND ITS MAKEUP. YEAH. THANK YOU. SO METCO WAS ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED IN 1998 AS A RESULT OF A MERGER OF THREE REVOLVING LOAN FUNDS, AND IT WAS ORIGINALLY SEEDED WITH A FEDERAL GRANT. THE MISSION IS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO CAPITAL TO BUSINESSES IN JEFFERSON COUNTY TO ENCOURAGE ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS GROWTH, WITH THE FOCUS ON SMALL BUSINESSES AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS. THE LOAN SIZES ARE BETWEEN 15,000 AND 300,000, WITH AN AVERAGE LOAN SIZE OF $85,000. WE MAKE APPROXIMATELY $2 MILLION IN NEW LOANS EVERY YEAR. THAT'S WITH FULL CAPACITY OF THE PROGRAM, AND RECEIVED JUST UNDER $2 MILLION IN REPAYMENTS EVERY YEAR. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE ABOUT $13.5 MILLION IN PRINCIPAL OUTSTANDING. SO THAT'S ALL THE MONEY THAT'S OUT IN THE COMMUNITY WITH SMALL BUSINESSES OF JEFFERSON COUNTY. AND WE HAVE $15 MILLION OF TOTAL ASSETS. THAT INCLUDES AVAILABLE FUNDS FOR LENDING AND ANY ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE. LEGALLY. METCO IS A KENTUCKY NONPROFIT, NON-STOCK CORPORATION AUTHORIZED BY KRS CHAPTER 58. IT LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND MOA WITH THE LEDA, PROVIDES PERSONNEL AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES FOR METCO, AND IT IS GOVERNED BY THE METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES ALL METCO USE OF FUNDS AND ANY CHANGES IN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. METCO OPERATES UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL

[00:45:04]

THE METCO BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS A SEVEN MEMBER BOARD. ONE SEAT IS EX-OFFICIO. IT'S DIRECTOR OF THE METRO DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, OR THEY'RE DESIGNING AND SIX SEATS ARE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR. THEY CAN BE RENEWED UP TO THREE TIMES FOR THREE YEAR TERMS. THE METCO BOARD IS COMPRISED OF LOUISVILLE RESIDENTS WITH PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUNDS IN LENDING, CREDIT RISK ANALYSIS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, FINANCE, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO UNDERSTAND BOTH SOUND LENDING PRACTICES FOR RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATION OF PUBLIC FUNDS AND THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF UNDERSERVED SMALL BUSINESSES AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE METRO DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. THE CHAIR IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE AS WELL OR THEIR DESIGNEE. THE VICE CHAIR IS ELECTED BY THE BOARD AND THE SECRETARY TREASURER IS THE METCO MANAGER, WHO IS ALSO ELECTED BY THE BOARD. MEETINGS ARE MONTHLY OPEN TO PUBLIC, AND THERE'S NO COMPENSATION TO SERVE ON THE BOARD. THE METCO BOARD HAS A LOAN COMMITTEE THAT CONSISTS OF AT LEAST TWO BOARD MEMBERS AND A MEDICAL STAFF MEMBER. THE LOAN COMMITTEE REVIEWS LOAN APPLICATIONS AND DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS, AND THEY MEET IN CLOSED SESSION EVERY MONTH DUE TO CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION. OTHER COMMITTEES MAY BE APPOINTED AS NEEDED. SO THAT'S THE BIG PICTURE OF METCO, AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. SURE. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. COULD YOU KIND OF GO BACK TO THE METRO DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY? BECAUSE THERE'S ONE SEAT THAT'S THE DIRECTOR OF THE METRO DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. YES. WHO IS THAT? METRO DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IS A REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. AND I THINK JEFF O'BRIEN WOULD BE A GOOD PERSON TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH OF HISTORY ABOUT THAT. GOOD AFTERNOON. KATIE O'BRIEN. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE METROPOLITAN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, THAT THIS IS A LOCAL CORPORATION. THAT IS, I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE METROPOLITAN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. THE MEMBERS CONSIST OF MYSELF, ANGIE DUNN, THE CFO, MAYOR, PRESIDENT ACKERSON AND THE THE DEPUTY MAYOR FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS CURRENTLY A VACANT POSITION. SO THAT'S WHAT THE MDA IS. AND THAT'S NOT ONE OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT. WHERE DOES THAT LIVE? IT LIVES IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO IT'S THIS IS AN AUTHORITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY THAT WAS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO KRS CHAPTER 237. IT'S AN AUTHORITY THAT WE USE TO DO ALL OF OUR ALL OF OUR TIF PROJECTS THAT WE THAT WE DO, THAT THE AGENCY THAT ACTUALLY ISSUES THE REIMBURSEMENTS AND THE AGREEMENTS FALL WITH THE DEVELOPERS, GO THROUGH THE METROPOLITAN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. AND SO THAT IS IN THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CORRECT? IT'S AND IT'S A IT'S A IT'S A 500 1C3 NONPROFIT CORPORATION. SAME. IT'S SET UP SIMILAR TO HOW THE METCO IS SET UP. THANK YOU.

COULD YOU SPEAK TO THE APPROVAL RATE OF THE APPLICATIONS? I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT SOME DOLLAR AMOUNTS HERE AND THE AVERAGE IS $85,000. BUT ON AVERAGE EVERY YEAR HOW MANY LOANS DO YOU HAVE AND THEN HOW MANY LOANS ARE APPROVED. SO I WOULD SAY WE CLOSE ABOUT 20 TO 30 LOANS EVERY YEAR, WHICH IS ABOUT $2 MILLION. AND. ABOUT 80% OF APPLICATIONS THAT GO TO THE BOARD ARE APPROVED BECAUSE THEY'RE SUPPORTED BY INTERNAL STAFF FIRST. AND WE MAKE SURE THAT THE APPLICATIONS ARE COMPLETE AND THEY QUALIFY, ARE ELIGIBLE, THEY MEET THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION, AND THEN THEY ARE REVIEWED BY THE LOAN COMMITTEE, WHO MAKES RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD. AND THEN THE BOARD MAKES THE FINAL DECISION ABOUT THE APPLICATION. SO I'M TERRIBLE AT MATH, BUT SAY IF YOU DO 30 LOANS AND THAT IS 80% THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED, IS IT SAFE TO SAY YOU GUYS MAYBE GET 50 APPLICATIONS A YEAR? YEAH, I WOULD SAY SO. IS THAT GOOD? DID I DO GOOD MATH, GOOD MATH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PEOPLE. SO Y'ALL CAN CHECK ME. WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE 20% THAT DON'T GET APPROVED? DO YOU ALL JUST SAY TOO BAD, TOO SAD, GET OUT OF HERE? OR IS THERE A NET THAT CAN KIND OF LIKE CATCH THEM AND

[00:50:03]

AND WE ALSO TRY TO CONNECT THEM WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE SCORE AS BDC AND TO WORK WITH THEM. I SHOULD ADD, TOO, I THINK ONE OF THE BENEFITS TO ADDING METCO TO THE LEAD UP PLATFORM IS THAT METCO NOW HAS ACCESS TO OUR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TEAM THAT ARE GOING TO BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY REGULARLY MEETING WITH COMPANIES, BUT ALSO GETTING TO KNOW THESE PARTNERS A BIT BETTER AND MAKING THESE CONNECTIONS WHERE BEFORE IT WAS JUST THE SAME, PEOPLE THAT WERE WORKING ON LOANS WERE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TRYING TO MEET PARTNERS. NOW THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING ON LOANS GET TO JUST WORK ON LOANS, AND THEN THE FOLKS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY NOW CAN TALK ABOUT METCO, AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT THAT WE OFFER. SO I WOULD IMAGINE FOR THAT 20%, THEY'RE GOING TO GET AN INFLUX OF A LOT MORE INFORMATION AS, AS OUR AS OUR TEAM GETS BUILT UP. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN REED. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. SO, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE AVAILABILITY OF CAPITAL IS VITAL TO TO SMALL BUSINESSES. I WORK FOR SMALL BUSINESS. MY QUESTION IS WELL, TWO QUESTIONS. NUMBER ONE. IS THERE A. IS THERE A TIME OF YEAR? I REMEMBER LAST YEAR DIRECTOR O'BRIEN AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT POTENTIAL LOANS FOR, FOR SOME OF THE BUSINESSES ON RIVER ROAD AND THE, THE FUND WAS EXTINGUISHED OF, OF CAPITAL AT THAT TIME. IS THERE A TIME OF YEAR TYPICALLY WHEN YOU RUN OUT OF MONEY AND NUMBER ONE, AND IS THERE A MECHANISM BY WHICH YOU CAN COME BACK TO COUNCIL MID-YEAR AND ASK FOR REPLENISHMENT OF THE FUNDS? SO I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC TIME IN THE YEAR WHEN WE RUN OUT OF FUNDS BECAUSE IT JUST APPLICANTS COME IN, AND WHEN WE RUN OUT OF FUNDS, WE REPLENISH THEM WITH LOAN REPAYMENTS. AND SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S A SPECIFIC TIME IN THE YEAR. BUT AS FOR THE MECHANISM THROUGH WHICH WE COME BACK TO COUNCIL, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT. I'VE BEEN IN THE JOB FOR TEN MONTHS, ABOUT ABOUT TEN MONTHS NOW, SO I HAVEN'T GONE TO THE COUNCIL TO ASK FOR MORE FUNDS YET. WELL, I CAN ADD I MEAN, I THINK A LONG TERM GOAL FOR THIS IS TO DIVERSIFY OUR FUNDING STREAMS, WORK WITH PHILANTHROPY AND OTHER PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT SEASON IN WHICH WE'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF MONEY. YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT METCO, I LOOK AT THIS PROGRAM AS LIKE THE END CAP TO THIS VALUE CHAIN WHERE A PROBLEM IS IDENTIFIED. IT'S DEBATED HERE AND AMONG THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. AND THEN ULTIMATELY A SOLUTION IS DECIDED. RESOURCES ARE ALLOCATED, SAY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES ON RIVER ROAD. AND THEN YOU NEED A MECHANISM TO DELIVER THAT MONEY. AND I THINK THAT'S A PERFECT PLACE FOR METCO. I AGREE WITH THAT. WHEN I WAS INTERESTED, IT WAS OUT OF MONEY. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING. MY NEXT QUESTION IS ON THE ON THE LOANS THAT ARE OUTSTANDING, IS THIS A SELF-SUSTAINING, PRETTY MUCH SELF-SUSTAINING FUND? ARE THE LOANS BEING PAID BACK OR PEOPLE DEFAULTING ON THE LOANS? IS THE WAY THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME DATA TO WEAKEN. OR WE CAN SEE THAT. YES. YEAH. SO IT IT IS MOSTLY A SELF-SUSTAINING FUND. WE DO HAVE DEFAULTS BECAUSE WE GENERALLY PROVIDE LOANS TO BUSINESSES THAT CANNOT QUALIFY FOR TRADITIONAL LOANS. SO THERE ARE RISKIER LOANS. OUR DEFAULT RATE RIGHT NOW IS ABOUT 6%. BUT THE REST 94% IS REPAYING. SO OUR FUNDS ARE GETTING REPLENISHED WITH THAT.

BUT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE REPAYMENTS ARE COMING IN SLOWLY. AND SO WHILE IT IS A SELF-SUSTAINABLE FUND, WE RELY ON OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR LARGER, MORE LIKE FASTER AVAILABLE FUNDS. SO WE WE HAVE RECEIVED THE $1 MILLION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE SOUTH END BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE THIS FISCAL YEAR. WE ALSO HAVE SOME FEDERAL GRANTS IN OUR PORTFOLIO. SO WE TRY TO LOOK FOR NEW WAYS TO GENERATE FUNDING, BUT ALSO WE TRY TO SERVICE THE EXISTING PORTFOLIO SO THAT MORE LOANS ARE REPAID AND WE CAN LEND BACK OUT INTO

[00:55:06]

OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. SO IF A MEMBER OF YOUR BOARD WAS IN A BUSINESS THAT GOT LOAN, HE'S GOING TO PAY IT BACK OR SHE'S GOING TO PAY IT BACK. CORRECT? OKAY. GREAT. THANKS. SO IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR INTEREST RATES ARE KIND OF VARIABLE BETWEEN OKAY 3% AND SAY 8% I THINK IS THE HIGHEST ONE. DOES THAT SOUND AROUND. YEAH I WOULD SAY 3 TO 5%. 8% IS REALLY AN OUTLIER. IT'S FOR THE LOAN PROGRAM THAT'S COMPLETELY UNSECURED. AND SO WE HAD TO COMPENSATE WITH A HIGHER INTEREST RATE. SURE. YEAH. THAT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT LOOKS KIND OF LIKE THE THE ODD ONE OUT IN THAT INFORMATION THAT YOU SEND ABOUT THE DELINQUENT.

COULD YOU ALSO MAYBE SEND A BREAKDOWN OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO, OF WHICH LOANS PEOPLE APPLIED FOR MOST? I MEAN, IS IT THE FACADE, LOAN ACCESSIBILITY, COMMERCIAL RENOVATION, AND ARE THERE ANY GAPS THAT YOU ALL HAVE IDENTIFIED IN? YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE WE GET A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR LOANS FOR THIS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A PROGRAM AVAILABLE FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, JUST UNDERSTANDING THOSE GAPS CAN KIND OF HELP. BUT IT ALSO, YOU KNOW, SINCE YOU ALL ARE UNDER KRS STATUTE, THERE'S NO LOCAL ORDINANCE THAT DICTATES YOU ALL. AND SO I'M LOOKING AT THIS 2025 METCO LOAN LOANS PROGRAM, KIND OF ONE PAGER THAT'S LINKED ON YOUR WEBSITE. AND IT'S THROUGH LEDA. AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE PIECES IN HERE IS THE KENTUCKY SMALL BUSINESS TAX CREDIT, WHICH IS REALLY WONDERFUL. BUT THERE'S THREE STIPULATIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MET. AND ONE OF THOSE HIGHER AND SUSTAIN AT LEAST ONE FULL TIME NEW JOB IN THE LAST YEAR, EARNING A MINIMUM OF $10.88 PER HOUR. YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF A LAUGHABLE MINIMUM. AND SO IS THERE ANY, YOU KNOW, WHO WHO OVERSEES THE INFORMATION THAT'S IN THIS? IS THIS ALL DECIDED BY THE METROPOLITAN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION? IS THIS IS WHAT'S IN THIS DOCUMENT DECIDED BY LEDA? IS IT DECIDED BY THE METRO DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY? IS IT DECIDED BY WHO? NO. SO THE FIRST PAGE OF IT WITH LOAN PROGRAMS IS ARE THE LOAN PROGRAMS OF METCO. THE SECOND PAGE ARE JUST RESOURCES ON TOP OF METCO. THEY'RE NOT ADMINISTERED BY METCO OR DECIDED ON BY METCO. I SHOULD ADD ONE THING. AND JUST IN RELATION TO LEDA, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE KIND OF NEW TO THE SCENE, WE WOULDN'T MAKE THOSE SORTS OF POLICY DECISIONS.

WE'RE MORE ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE WHERE WE LOOK TO BOLSTER WHAT'S ALREADY BEING DONE. BUT I THINK JOSH IS GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE. YEAH. GOOD AFTERNOON. JOSHUA MAGEE, CHIEF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER FOR LEDA. THE KENTUCKY SMALL BUSINESS TAX CREDIT IS A PROGRAM ESTABLISHED BY KENTUCKY STATE STATUTE. SO THAT'S MONITORED AND COMPLIED ALL AT THE STATE LEVEL. SO IT'S ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER FOR SOMEBODY TO TAP INTO IN ADDITION TO METCO. SO REALLY OUR JOB IS TO TRY TO COBBLE TOGETHER ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT A BUSINESS COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR AND CONNECT THEM TO THOSE RIGHT RESOURCES. SO TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, WE WOULD CONNECT THEM TO THE OUR COUNTERPARTS IN FRANKFORT.

THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. I THINK THAT IT'S STILL A TANGLED LITTLE WEB THAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHEN IT COMES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE'LL GET THERE. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. IF YOU DON'T MIND STICKING AROUND FOR JUST A

[01:00:02]

SO WE HAVE OUR MEETINGS PLANNED OUT FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. THERE'S A MEETING THAT'S ON OCTOBER 22ND, AND THAT HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY MY VICE CHAIR, AND I'M SURE BY OTHERS TO CANCEL THAT MEETING BECAUSE OF A FEW CONFLICTS THAT WE HAVE ON THE ON ON COUNCIL, NAMELY GLIDE IS THAT WEEK. HOW DO YOU ALL FEEL ABOUT CANCELING THAT MEETING ON OCTOBER 22ND? OKAY, WELL, HERE'S MY OTHER THING WITH THIS. PERFECTLY FINE TO CANCEL. BUT SHOULD WE CANCEL AND I APOLOGIZE, I WISH THAT WE WOULD HAVE GIVEN THIS TO I WOULD HAVE CREATED A LIST SO EVERYONE CAN SEE WHAT I'M SEEING. CHERYL, DO YOU MIND CHANGING OVER THE. YEAH. IT'S OKAY. THE THINGS, BUT. SO WE HAD THIS BUILT OUT AND SO WE HAVE FOR PEOPLE COMING TO SEE US AT EVERY SINGLE MEETING, THE ONE THAT WE WOULD BE CANCELING ON THE 22ND. THAT MEETING ACTUALLY HAS FIVE SPEAKERS. AND SO THAT ON TOP OF THE LOUISVILLE FILM ADVISORY, WHICH WE DID NOT DISCUSS TODAY, THAT MEANS THAT THERE WOULD BE SIX BOARDS IF WE CANCEL THE OCTOBER 22ND MEETING THAT WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM, BUT IN ALL ACTUALITY, WE HAVE ALSO NOT BUDGETED TIME FOR THE SEVEN FIRE BOARDS, ANY OF THE OVERLAY DISTRICTS. THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST OVERSIGHT COMMISSION, THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT COMMISSION, THE COMMUNITY SAFETY COMMISSION, AND THE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT CHARGE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. SO WE HAVE ALMOST 20 COMMITTEES THAT WE WILL NOT BE HEARING AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. SO THIS MEETING, THIS AD HOC COMMITTEE IS ONLY GOING THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR. IT COULD, OF COURSE, BE RENEWED FOR NEXT YEAR. BUT THAT IS, I BELIEVE, UNDER THE PURVIEW OF OUR PRESIDENT. COUNCILMAN REED, DO WE KNOW WHO'S GOING TO GLIDE? I MEAN, ARE YOU GOING IS I KNOW COUNCILMAN BRADSHAW IS GOING CORRECT. I'M NOT. IT'S IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I WON'T BE THERE THAT NIGHT. OKAY? I'M NOT GOING. I'M NOT GOING. ARE YOU GOING? I'M GOING. BUT I'M SURE THAT I COULD BE VIRTUAL. I THINK THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IS IMPORTANT. AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT COUNCILMAN POTTINGER. I DON'T BELIEVE HE'S GOING. BUT I DON'T WANT TO SAY 100%. I MEAN, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO DO A VIRTUAL MEETING, WE COULD CONTINUE. I MEAN, I'D LIKE I WOULD PREFER TO CONTINUE. OKAY.

PERSONALLY, COUNCILMAN CRAMER. YEAH, I'M. I'M FINE, ESPECIALLY AS YOU LIST OUT, YOU KNOW, THE WORK THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT IS STILL BEFORE US. SO IF IT WAS A MATTER OF WE WERE NEARING THE END AND WE WERE, YOU KNOW, TAKING A LITTLE BREAK, BUT GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WE STILL HAVE TO DO, TAKING OFF SEEMS LIKE THAT MIGHT NOT BE IN OUR BEST INTEREST. AND AT THE SAME TIME, I DID SPEAK TONIGHT ABOUT ABOUT THE ORDINANCE THAT'S BEFORE US. I DON'T KNOW IF I, I THINK THIS MIGHT BE A MORE PRESSING ISSUE THAN WAITING UNTIL WE'RE FINISHED WITH ALL OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. SO I HAVE TO WONDER IF, WHEN GIVEN OUR TIGHT SCHEDULE, WHEN IT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO HAVE THAT BROADER CONVERSATION AND AND NOT LIMITED TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, BUT RECOGNIZING ALL OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. I MEAN, HONESTLY, IT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS I ASKED THE QUESTION TONIGHT OF THE METCO FOLKS. YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A PERSON ON THE METCO BOARD WHO IS APPLYING FOR METCO LOAN, IT DOESN'T SEEM APPROPRIATE TO ME THAT IF METCO OFFERS FORGIVABLE LOANS, THAT A PERSON ON THE METRO BOARD SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO, YOU KNOW, SIT THERE AND GIVE AN AFFORDABLE LOAN TO HIS OWN COMPANY AND THEN HAVE BE FORGIVABLE. NOW, AGAIN, YOU HEARD THEM TESTIFY. THEY DON'T DO THAT ANYWAY, SO IT'S NOT AN ISSUE. BUT I, I WOULD THINK THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE LOOKING AT AMENDING COUNCILWOMAN PURVIS ORDINANCE TO BROADEN IT TO ALL OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, BASED ON WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW IS TRUE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S COMING. AND EVEN IF WE CAN'T DO IT LIKE THIS WEEK OR NEXT WEEK, I DEFINITELY DON'T FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO HEAR FROM ALL THE FIRE BOARDS BEFORE WE START THAT

[01:05:04]

IT'S JUST AN HOUR. SO AGAIN, I THINK THE I REALLY WANT TO BE AT THAT OCTOBER 22ND MEETING, BUT THERE'S TWO OF THEM IN THERE. I REALLY WANT TO BE AT. SO PLEASE, I THINK COUNCILMAN BRADSHAW'S POINT, I DON'T KNOW THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M IT'S 6:00 IS A LATE NIGHT ALREADY.

WHEN YOU WERE AT SCHOOL AT SEVEN. THAT'S IN FAIRNESS. BUT I'M NOT OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN BRADSHAW, TO YOUR POINT, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO ADDING 1 OR 2, YOU KNOW, EACH EVENING. I DON'T WANT TO. I DON'T KNOW IF I'D CALL THAT A MARATHON SESSION, BUT INSTEAD OF ENDING AND WE'VE BEEN ENDING AFTER SIX ANYWAY, TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO FINISH BY TEN AFTER, WHICH IS NOT TOO BAD. I DON'T SEE WHERE GOING TO 630 OR 6:45 IS A PROBLEM. I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE US GET TO WHERE WE'RE GOING TILL 8:00, SO I SO 1 OR 2 EXTRA, I BELIEVE. COUNCILWOMAN PURVIS'S ORDINANCE NEEDS A LOT OF WORK AND TO TO TO GIVE IT THE SCOPE THAT I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT IT NEEDS. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE COUNTY, I THINK NEEDS TO GO BACK TO COUNTY ATTORNEY, NEEDS TO HAVE INPUT FROM MORE PEOPLE THAN JUST COUNCILMAN PURVIS AND COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SERIOUS PIECE OF LEGISLATION HERE, AND ALL THE MORE REASON TO START TALKING ABOUT IT SOON. WELL, THAT'S MY POINT, RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S MY POINT. YEAH. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO ADD ON THOSE BOARDS SO WE CAN HAVE A FEW THAT ARE HERE AND THERE. BUT OUR LAST MEETING IS ON DECEMBER 10TH. THAT IS A WEDNESDAY. AND THEN OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING THIS YEAR IS ACTUALLY ON A TUESDAY, NOT ON A THURSDAY. SO I CAN ADD THOSE IN. AND IF WE WANTED TO CHANGE OUR SPEAKERS FOR THE 22ND, MAYBE WE COULD HAVE SWITCH THOSE OUT WITH ANOTHER DATE. I'D LIKE TO, I CAN'T REMEMBER, DO WE HAVE A LIST OF WHO WE HAVE? ON OCTOBER 22ND? I REALLY DON'T WANT TO. I WOULD BE AMENABLE TO JUST CHANGING THE SCHEDULE. OKAY. AND WE'VE GOT ON OCTOBER 22ND, WE'VE GOT THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT REVIEW OVERLAY BOARD, DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, LOUISVILLE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, AND LOUISVILLE ARENA AUTHORITY. SO IF YOU AND COUNCILMAN BRADSHAW DIDN'T MIND GETTING TOGETHER AND REARRANGING THAT SCHEDULE SO THAT ON THE 22ND, WE MIGHT HEAR FROM SOME FOLKS THAT COUNCILMAN BRADSHAW FEELS LIKE. I MEAN, I KNOW ALL OF THEM ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU, COUNCILMAN, BUT I'M HEARING YOU SAY THAT THERE ARE SOME THAT YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO MISS AND OTHERS THAT YOU WOULD BE OKAY READING THE MINUTES FOR. SO IF THE TWO OF YOU WERE ABLE TO GET TOGETHER, I THINK THAT WOULD BE FINE WITH I'LL SPEAK FOR ME. I CAN'T SPEAK FOR COUNCILMAN REID. SURE.

AND JUST KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE ARE LIKE PACKING ALL OF THESE IN AND HAVING THAT ROBUST CONVERSATION ON WHAT WE WANT TO COME OUT OF THIS MEETING, MAYBE WE SHOULD CONSIDER ALSO MEETING AGAIN, HAVING A SPECIAL COMMITTEE MEETING. OR MAYBE WE COULD, I DON'T KNOW, MEET.

RIGHT. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY GOING TO THE BUZZER. IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE HAD A COUPLE MORE MONTHS OF CUSHION, BUT I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT. SO JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND, COUNCILMAN. SO I'VE ALREADY I'M ON RECORD AT THE LAST MEETING.

EXCUSE ME. SUGGESTING TO COUNCILWOMAN PURVIS THAT I WOULD WORK WITH HER ON THIS ON A ON AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD BE BROADER IN SCOPE. AND I'M HAPPY TO GET, I THINK, TO COUNCILMAN REID'S POINT, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO HERE. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES WORK OUTSIDE OF THESE CHAMBERS. IT'S THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. IT'S IT'S A BUNCH OF CONVERSATIONS

[01:10:02]

AND IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WHERE WE HAVE TO UPDATE EVERY SINGLE CODE, YOU KN, ORDINANCE FOR EVERY SINGLE BOARD VERY SPECIFICALLY. AND NICOLE, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANTED TO ADD? I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF, PLEASE. NICOLE PENG, COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT COMMITTEE HAS NOT MET YET. THEY JUST HAD ALL OF THEIR MEMBERS PUT INTO PLACE. AND THEY HAVE. I'M MEETING WITH THEIR STAFF ON FRIDAY TO DISCUSS WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THEIR FIRST MEETING, SO THEY MAY NOT HAVE EVEN MET BY OCTOBER 22ND OR SO. THEY MAY NOT EVEN BE READY TO COME BEFORE YOU TO DISCUSS WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BECAUSE THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE THEIR BYLAWS IN PLACE YET. SO I JUST WANTED TO LET U KN THAT. AND TO COUNCILMAN KRAMER, I'M THE OR HELPED COUNCILWOMAN PURVIS WITH HER LEGISLATI. LE KNOWTHE GROUP TOREATEOU METHING THAT IS MORE SUITABLE. BUT THOSE WERE THE PARAMETERS THAT WERE GIVEN TO ME. SO THAT'S WHY IT WAS CRAFTED THAT WAY. GREAT. I AND I APPRECIATE THAT WE ARE WHERE WE ARE AND NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN READ INTO THE RECORD. IT'S BEFORE US. IT'S ACTUALLY IN THIS COMMITTEE. MY HOPE, AND THIS IS JUST A HOPE, IS THAT WE CAN USE THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU'VE ALREADY CRAFTED AND JUST AMEND THAT TO, TO DO WHAT WE ARE HOPING TO DO WITH ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. RIGHT. IF YOU WANT TO, CAN WE DO THAT IF THAT'S THE WILL? YEAH. WE CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT. I JUST DON'T WANT I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO START OVER. RIGHT. AND IT FEELS TO ME LIKE SINCE WE HAVE IT, THIS WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EITHER AMEND IT, AMEND THE ONE THAT'S THERE, OR AMEND IT BY SUBSTITUTION AND DO WHAT WE WANT WITHOUT HAVING TO START OVER. AND I WAS BECAUSE I STAFF THE COMMITTEE, I WAS THERE FOR THE WHOLE PROCEDURE WHEN THAT PARTICULAR PERSON WAS NOMINATED FOR THE POSITION. SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH WHAT HAPPENED. SO I'LL ALSO LOOK TO SEE WHAT, IF ANYTHING, OR WHAT EFFECT THAT LETTER HAS. AND IF SHE CHOOSES TO RESCIND IT OR STATES THAT SHE'S NOT GOING TO ABIDE BY IT, WHAT, IF ANY, RECOURSE THERE IS OR, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T TELL YOU OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO RESEARCH THAT FOR YOU. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT.

[01:15:03]