Oct 08, 2025 Public Safety Committee

[Call to Order]

[00:18:39]

WOOLRIDGE. AND MY COLLEAGUE. CHAIR. SCIENCE HAS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE, AND MY COLLEAGUE,

[Roll Call]

[00:18:48]

[00:18:57]

[00:19:11]

ANYBODY? ALRIGHT. CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE VIRTUAL MEETING LANGUAGE, PLEASE. THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO CRS 61.826 AND COUNCIL RULE FIVE, A READ IN FULL. ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU. CLERK. WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY. CLERK. PLEASE READ THE ITEM

[1. ID 25-0599     COMMUNITY VIOLENCE PREVENTION MEETING UPDATES: R.A.C.E – Norman Parker, Dr. Chauweda Smith, Ashlee Johnson, Lee’Vaughn Morris, Deshondre Smith, Demetrius McDowell, and Charles Barlow]

[00:20:01]

FROM THOSE CONVERSATIONS IS A GROUP OF US UNITED TO FORM RACE THE REAL ALTERNATIVE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT. AND WE'RE A COALITION DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING YOUTH, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES AND URBAN COMMUNITIES THROUGH CREDIBLE MESSENGERS, COMMUNITY LED HOLISTIC INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT. WE BRING TOGETHER INFLUENCERS, CREDIBLE MESSENGERS WITH REAL STORIES TO MOTIVATE CHANGE, PROVIDE PREVENTION AND REENTRY SUPPORT, AND DELIVER WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT UPLIFT AND ORGANIZE OUR COMMUNITIES BY FOCUSING ON MENTAL HEALTH, SPIRITUAL AND SOCIAL WELLNESS. WE CREATE AUTHENTIC ALTERNATIVES TO VIOLENCE AND PATHWAYS TOWARDS LASTING EMPOWERMENT. SO THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND. I GOT A QUESTION TO ASK YOU. WHAT MADE Y'ALL FEEL LIKE THAT? YOU WANTED TO DO THIS OFF THE BACK OF MY COMMUNITY MEETINGS? LIKE. WHAT, YOU KNOW, MADE YOU FEEL LIKE THAT. THAT YOU WERE THE CHOSEN ONE. WE LIKE I SAID, WE'VE BEEN OPERATING THESE SPACES AND PROVIDING SOME OF THE WORK, YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT WE SEE GOING ON. AND IT JUST WAS A CALL TO ACTION TO US, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING. AND WE JUST TOOK IT UPON OURSELVES TO COLLABORATE AND COME TOGETHER AND TRY TO FILL A SPACE THAT WE SEE NEEDED IN OUR COMMUNITIES. OKAY. SO I HAVE ANOTHER QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU. WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD DID YOU COME UP FROM? OR I KNOW YOU FROM? YOU KNOW, BEING OUTSIDE MYSELF, I'M OUTSIDE A LOT. AND WHAT AREA DID YOU IMPACT? ALRIGHT. I COME OUT OF THE CALIFORNIA NEIGHBORHOOD VICTORY PARK TO BE EXACT. AND SO YEAH, THAT'S WHERE I COME FROM. AND MY WITH ME, MY BACKGROUND IN THIS WORK COMES FROM I ACTUALLY USED TO BE ONE OF THE TRANSMITTERS OF VIOLENCE, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK WHAT WE SEEING TODAY, A LOT OF IT COMES FROM THE KIDS MIMICKING WHAT THEY SEEN US DO. AND ME, HONESTLY, I JUST FEEL YOU HAVE TO YOU HAVE TO COME FROM IT TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO IT. AND I THINK WITH A LOT OF DOG, IUST EL LIKE ITTY'S BEEN NES TO BE MORE CMUNITY LED THO THACOIT. A OW, WE COME TOGETHER AND ING TOGETHER PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND JUST MORE OF A COMMUNITY LED APPROACH. AND AS YOU CAN SEE WITH WITH THE TURNAROUND THAT'S BEEN DONE IN VICTORY PARK, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY BOUGHT INTO THE CHANGE THAT WAS LED BY ME. AND IT JUST COMES FROM REALLY WHEN I HAD MY KIDS, YOU KNOW, I STARTED LOOKING AT LIFE THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS AND, YOU KNOW, IT BECAME IT BECOMES, WHAT DO I WANT MY KIDS GROWING UP IN? YOU KNOW, HOW DO I WANT MY KIDS TO TO TO REMEMBER ME AND WHAT I'VE DONE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, FROM LOOKING AT THAT AND, YOU KNOW, WE GET TOGETHER WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE ELDERS, THE TEENAGERS, YOU KNOW, THEY ALL COME IN AND

[00:25:02]

THANK YOU NORMAN I'M HAPPY TO. WE ABSOLUTELY. CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME? MY APOLOGIES. MY NAME IS ASHLEY JOHNSON. I AM THE SECRETARY FOR THE RACE COLLECTIVE. WE ABSOLUTELY WORK WITH PARENTS TO KIND OF PIGGYBACK OFF OF NORMAN A LITTLE BIT. THE MEETING THAT YOU THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN HOSTING, THERE ARE MANY MORE PEOPLE WHO WOULD LOVE TO BE IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH OF THE CAPACITY TO DO THAT. WE WERE THE ONES WHO STAYED AFTER THE MEETING, AND WE HAD THE TIME TO DEDICATE TO BE THE GROUP THAT TOOK ACTION. OUT OF THAT, WE CONTINUOUSLY HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT'S WRONG IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHILE THE THAT EFFORT IS IS WELL PUT TOGETHER AND IT'S WE KNOW THAT IT COMES FROM A GOOD PLACE. WE NEED ACTION TO COME OUT OF IT. AND SO THAT IS WHERE RACE COLLECTIVE CAME FROM. SO YES, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL COMMITTEES AND I CAN PUT THAT ON THE SCREEN FOR YOU ALL TO VIOLENCE AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY COMMITTEE, THE PARENTING COMMITTEE, WHICH I'M ABOUT TO GO A LITTLE DEEPER INTO HOUSING SOLUTIONS, COMMUNITY BASED EMPLOYMENT SOLUTIONS, TRANSPORTATION, FOOD INSECURITY AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE PARENTING COMMITTEE, WE KNOW THAT PARENTS ARE THE GLUE FOR OUR CHILDREN. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A HEALTHY PARENT OR PARENTS IN THE HOUSEHOLD, THE CHILDREN ARE. THEY'RE ALREADY BEHIND BEFORE THEY EVEN GET STARTED. A LOT OF THE HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS OR YOUTH THAT WE SEE IN OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE PLENTY OF ACES ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES. THEY HAVE LOST A PARENT TO GUN VIOLENCE. THEY HAVE WITNESSED VIOLENCE IN THEIR HOMES. THEY HAVE LOST PARENTS TO INCARCERATION. AND SO PARENTING IS A HUGE PART OF THE RACE COLLECTIVE. AND JUST THE INITIATIVES THAT WILL COME OUT OF THE RACE COLLECTIVE, I WOULD LOVE TO. I'M GOING TO DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER INTO WHAT THE PARENTING COMMITTEE LOOKS LIKE AND HOW WE PUSH THAT WORK, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SHOW YOU ALL A REAL LIFE EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE FRE PARENTING SERVICES THAT WE OFFER THROUGH MY OWN ORGANIZATION. THAT'S A PART OF THE COLLECTIVE, THE STREET WIDOWS FOUNDATION. SO WHEN I FIRST FOUND STREET WIDOWS, ABOUT 2 TO 3 MONTHS AFTER MY HUSBAND, MY PARTNER AND FATHER OF HER CHILD HAD LIFE HAD BEEN STOLEN BY THE POLICE. GETTING THIS GRIEF SUPPORT HELPS ME TO BE AS BEST AS I CAN BE, AND IT HELPS ME GET THROUGH ANOTHER DAY. THOSE DAYS YOU FEEL LIKE I CAN'T EVEN MAKE IT THROUGH THIS DAY BECAUSE THE LOVE, CARE AND SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS ALREADY AUTOMATIC UNDERSTANDING IS ALREADY THERE AND IT'S MEANT EVERYTHING BECAUSE OTHER GRIEF SPACES JUST AREN'T SAFE. STREET WINDOWS IS JUST COMPLETELY DIFFERENT IN THAT, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE I JUST ALREADY FEEL HOME. I FEEL LIKE I'M WITH FAMILY. THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A SPACE TO WHERE THEY CAN TALK ABOUT THE GRIEF AND PAIN OF NOT HAVING THEIR DAD THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY. HEY, HOW OLD ARE YOU GUYS? HEY, HOW DO YOU LOVE YOUR MOMMY SO MUCH? BECAUSE HE'S THE ONLY PERSON I LOVE. BECAUSE MOMMY CAN'T GIVE ME VERY MUCH. I DIDN'T EVEN GIVE ME TO DRINK WATER TO BE HEALTHY. YEAH. THIS. I LOVE THAT VIDEO BECAUSE IT TRULY, I THINK IT'S. LET'S SEE.

OKAY. I LOVE THAT VIDEO BECAUSE IT SHOWS CHILDREN WHO BENEFIT FROM OUR SERVICES AND WHAT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT MOTHERS AND THEY CAN IN TURN PROPERLY SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN. SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE STREET WIDOWS FOUNDATION, WHICH IS A PART OF THE RACE COLLECTIVE, I AM THE FOUNDER OF STREET WIDOWS FOUNDATION. THE ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED AFTER I LOST MY HUSBAND TO GUN VIOLENCE FEBRUARY 19TH OF 2020, AND THERE WERE NOT A LOT OF RESOURCES FOR ME. I REALIZED THAT I SAT IN A SPACE OF PRIVILEGE IN WIDOWHOOD COMPARED TO MY PEERS. BECAUSE I AM COLLEGE EDUCATED, I DO HAVE A I DO HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE. I AM WAS GAINFULLY EMPLOYED, YOU KNOW, AM ABLE TO EASILY BECOME

[00:30:03]

HOW Y'ALL DOING THIS THIS AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DESHAWN WATERS. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH RACE. AND I'M ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR HOPE BY HOPE. MISS SHANKLIN OUR ORGANIZATION AND HOPE BY HOPE. WE'VE WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT WE KNOW AID IN VIOLENCE, INTERVENTION AND OR PREVENTION. SO WE DO ENGAGE OUR YOUTH. WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED OPPORTUNITIES FOR OPTIONS, WHICH IS A SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND A LIFESTYLE CHOICES PROGRAM. WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER PROGRAM CALLED AMATEUR THE PROS.

AMATEUR THE PROS IS A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, MENTORSHIP, CAREER READINESS AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT.

AND WE ALSO SERVE JUSTICE INVOLVED YOUTH WITH OUR B BOY PROGRAM, WHICH IS BRINGING BACK OUR YOUTH. SO OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS WE'VE BEEN IN EIGHT DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES IN 12 SCHOOLS, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY IN SIX WITH OUR PROGRAMS NOW. AND WHAT OUR PROGRAMS DO IS TRY TO HELP OUR YOUNG INDIVIDUALS FROM BEFORE THEY EVEN PICK UP THE GUNS AND ALSO INTERVENE IN VIOLENCE. YES, WE DO MEDIATION AND A LOT OF THOSE THINGS, BUT WE ALSO ENGAGE IN A LOT OF PROGRAMING TO KEEP THEM FROM BEING OUT INTO THE STREETS. WE DO BASKETBALL LEAGUES AND PROGRAMS. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE DIRT BOWL AS WELL AND THE THINGS THAT THEY DO. SO YES, MA'AM, WE DO. WE DO ENGAGE THE YOUTH AND WE DO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST CHILLING WITH THEM. THEY'RE LEARNING FROM BEING IN THESE PROGRAMS. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THEY'RE THEY'RE GAINING SKILLS, EMOTIONAL REGULATION, EMOTIONAL CONTROL AND ALSO THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED. OKAY. I WAS ASKING BECAUSE I HAVE A GROUP OF KIDS AND I'M BRINGING IN HERE ON THE 28TH. AND THE TEACHER CHILD, YOU GOTTA SHOW EM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIME YOU CAN'T JUST SIT AND TALK TO THEM OR HAVE MEETINGS. AND ON ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, I'VE ALREADY ASKED THE CHIEF, CAN YOU COME OVER AND SPEAK WITH THESE KIDS? THESE KIDS ARE FIFTH GRADERS. THEY'RE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN, I THINK. MISS WARD, HER HUSBAND, IS A SHERIFF. HE'S GOING TO BRING THE KIDS. I THINK WHEN THEY THAT AGE, YOUNG FIFTH GRADERS, YOU GOTTA GET THEM INVOLVED IN, YOU KNOW, OTHER THINGS, MAYBE EVEN BRING THEM.

ONE TIME I ACTUALLY BROUGHT SOME KIDS IN HERE TO BE COUNCIL PEOPLE, AND THEY FOUGHT BACK AND FORTH ON A SUBJECT WHICH IS THE DOG ORDINANCE, WHICH THEY'RE GOING TO DO TODAY. AND SO AND THEY GOT THAT EXPERIENCE. I'M JUST LOOKING AT HOW YOU CAN GET THESE KIDS ENGAGED INTO THE COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF WE, YOU KNOW, WE TALK TO THEM, PARENTS TALK TO THEM, BUT WE HAVE TO SHOW THEM DIFFERENT THINGS. AND AND, YOU KNOW, BASKETBALL AIN'T ALWAYS THE ONLY THING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET RICH OFF OF BASKETBALL. THERE'S VERY FEW. IT MIGHT BE ONE COME FROM HERE, MAYBE LAMAR JACKSON OR SOMEBODY, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT. BUT THAT'S WHAT THAT IS FOOTBALL. BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, A SPORT. WE JUST NEED TO TAKE THEM PLACES, SHOW THEM SOMETHING. AND THAT'S MY BIG CONCERN BECAUSE I HAVE GROUPS EVERYWHERE IN NEWBURGH. BUT IF

[00:35:02]

AND I CAN PULL IT UP. I'M LOOKING AT THE NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THAT'S IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE. WHAT YOU ALL CAN BE FOUND IN THAT. WERE YOU LOOKING FOR THAT? I JUST I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF THEY KNEW MAYBE WHEN THEY WHEN THEY SUBMITTED IT AND IT TRANSLATED INTO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. YEAH. OKAY. AND I'M HAPPY TO PULL THAT PAGE UP ON THE BIG SCREEN AS WELL.

17. THANK YOU. I GOT A QUICK QUESTION REAL QUICK WHILE SHE'S LOOKING OVER THAT PAGE, DO YOU ALL PLAN TO WORK WITH LMPD AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? I WANT TO PASS IT BACK TO NORMAN PLEASE. AND BEFORE NORMAN SPEAKS, MAYBE THERE WAS SOMETHING LOST IN TRANSLATION WITH THE VERSION THAT WAS SHARED WITH YOU ALL. THIS IS PAGE 17 OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT I'M HAPPY TO GO BACK TO THE EARLIER PAGES SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE DETAILS, THE LATER PAGES IN THE PRESENTATION GIVE YOU OUR NAME AND OUR CONTACT INFORMATION. SO WHILE NORMAN SPEAKS, I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION FOR YOU. GO AHEAD.

I'D LIKE TO. ALL RIGHT. AND YES. AND SO AS FAR AS WHEN IT COMES TO LMPD BEING INVOLVED, LIKE WE STICK TO THE CAUSE OF THIS BEING RACIST COMMUNITY LED. RIGHT. SO WE FEEL THAT WE ARE FIRST RESPONDERS WHEN IT COMES TO BALANCE BEING PERPETRATED INSIDE THESE COMMUNITIES. WE ARE THE FIRST TO SEE IT, THE FIRST TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH IT. AND THEN IT TAKES MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO DIAL OUT TO 911. SO US ACTING AS FIRST RESPONDERS, WE THERE, YOU KNOW, IN PREVENTIVE MEASURES. AND WHEN IT DOES COME TIME TO DIAL 911 AND REACH OUT FOR THOSE SERVICES. SO YES, WE WE INTEND TO WORK WITH LMPD, BUT LIKE I SAY WE. LET ME ASK YOU THIS REAL QUICK. WHAT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY CENTERS? THE COMMUNITY CENTERS, THE PARKS.

YEAH. LIKE LIKE RACE IS A COLLABORATIVE. SO WE'RE OPEN TO AND WE KNOW THAT WE NEED ALL OF THESE INSTITUTIONS TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY. RIGHT. SO WE WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING INTO REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY CENTERS, THE YMCAS, THE LIBRARIES, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE INSIDE THESE COMMUNITIES. BECAUSE ONE THING WE NOTICED IS THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US. NOBODY CAN DO IT ALONE, LIKE WE'RE IT'S GOING TO TAKE

[00:40:02]

THAT'S JUST WE NEED THE HARRIS, THE SHOOTERS. YES, MA'AM. AND I CAN SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE I WAS AN EX-GANG MEMBER. X SHOOTER. HOW YOU DOING, MISS SHANKLIN? WITH THAT, I GO THROUGH THE COURTHOUSE, I DEAL WITH PROSECUTORS AND JUDGES. I WAS RECENTLY JUST CONTRACT WITH JPS TO RECEIVE JUVENILE JUSTICE. INVOLVED YOUTH TO PROVIDE PROGRAMING WITH THEM. AND WITH THIS INDICTMENT WITH ON ALL OF THESE JUVENILES IS WHERE WE NEED TO START. WELL, STOP ARRESTING THE PROBLEM AND HAVE MORE PROGRAM THAT STOPS RECIDIVISM. AND WE CATER TOWARDS SOCIAL MEDIA, MAKING SURE THAT WE INTERVENE IN THE PROBLEMS. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, OUR CREDIBLE MESSENGERS AND INFLUENCERS ARE THE ONES WHO ARE FIRST RESPONDERS. AND WITH THAT, WE INTERVENE AND PREVENT VIOLENCE THAT WAY. BUT MOST OF OUR HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS WE GET FROM THE COURTHOUSE, CDW WORKERS OR PROSECUTORS. SO KIDS ALSO NEED THERAPY. DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY THERAPY? YES, MA'AM. I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO OUR THERAPIST IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK WITH HER. SHE'S OUR SHE'S JUSTICE INVOLVED THERAPIST. SHE USED TO WORK FOR JC. YES. AND OKAY, I DON'T I DON'T NEED YOU TO GIVE HER RESUME. OKAY. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, SHALL WE TO SMITH? YES. HELLO, EVERYONE. I'M DOCTOR SHARITA SMITH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, ALSO OWNER OF TOTAL LIFE COUNSELING. COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES. I WAS THE COMMUNITY DIRECTOR AT THE DIRECTOR AT JCC BEFORE THEY SHUT DOWN. I WAS A PROBATION OFFICER FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE GOING INTO MENTAL HEALTH. SO THAT'S MY BACKGROUND. WORKING WITH JUSTICE INVOLVED YOUTH. SO WE PROVIDE COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES, WERE CONTRACTED WITH JC SCHOOLS. WE STILL GO IN THE HOMES BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT. WE HAVE IN OFFICE THERAPY. WE'RE LOCATED RIGHT NOW INSIDE OF THE YMCA ON BROADWAY. AND I'M I'M ALSO A BOARD MEMBER THERE TOO. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT FAMILY ENGAGEMENT INTO THAT COMMUNITY THAT INVOLVES THE WHOLE FAMILY. SO THAT WAY WE HAVE PARENTING PROGRAMS. WE HAVE YOUTH PROGRAMS. OF COURSE. I WORK WITH DEMETRIUS TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS FOR JUSTICE INVOLVED YOUTH. WE'RE ALSO CONTRACTED WITH JJ. SO OUR PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE TRAUMA INFORMED CARE.

AND ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF VIOLENCE. MOST OF THESE KIDS COME FROM GENERATIONAL TRAUMA.

I WAS ONE OF THOSE KIDS. I'M FROM THE WEST END OF LOUISVILLE, CALIFORNIA NEIGHBORHOOD, SO I CAME. I TOO CAME FROM TRAUMA AND AND WAS ABLE TO OVERCOME THAT WITH EDUCATION AND MORE SUPPORT. AND I FEEL THAT THE MORE SUPPORT THAT THESE KIDS HAVE, THE BETTER THE OUTCOMES WILL BE. AND AS A COLLECTIVE, WE'RE ALL COMING TOGETHER TO PROVIDE THOSE RESOURCES. MISS SHANKLIN, YOU HAD MENTIONED PROVIDING THINGS FOR THE KIDS TO DO. RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT. WELL, I HAVE IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS, WELLNESS PROGRAMS. I DO NUTRITION CLASSES, FITNESS CLASSES, AND I DO THAT NOT ONLY FOR THE KIDS, BUT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY AS WELL. SO I TRY TO TO ENGAGE EVERYBODY AS A WHOLE AND TRY TO PROMOTE MORE COMMUNITY LED ACTIVITIES. AND AS A COLLECTIVE, THAT'S WHAT WE PLAN

[00:45:07]

SO AS A COLLECTIVE, WE ALL BECOME TOGETHER. OKAY. MY COLLEAGUE. COUNCILWOMAN JENNY WOOLDRIDGE, SHE HAS A QUESTION, I BELIEVE. YES. THANK YOU. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS I HEARD THAT THERE RIGHT NOW IN, I THINK, EIGHT NEIGHBORHOODS AND 12 SCHOOLS AND THINGS. WHAT AND I SAW SOME OF THE ZIP CODES AROUND LIKE I'M IN THE OKOLONA AREA. SO PRESTON HIGHWAY, OUTER LOOP AND I KNOW THAT'S AN UP AND COMING JUVENILE CRIME AREA. AND WE LIKE WE I DON'T HAVE A PLACE FOR THOSE KIDS TO GO AFTER SCHOOL. I DON'T HAVE A CHURCH. WE DON'T HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER. SO I'M LOOKING FOR WAYS TO GET THESE KIDS INVOLVED, GET THEM OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS. RIGHT. SO IS THAT A PLACE THAT YOU'D BE WILLING TO OPEN UP TO TO GO? ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY. WE ALL SERVICE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, BUT COLLECTIVELY WE CAN COME TOGETHER TO SERVICE OUR COMMUNITIES. AS FAR AS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, WE DO SERVICE KIDS IN THAT AREA AS WELL AS THE WEST END. YEAH, I KNOW THAT. AND WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT A FEW HOURS AGO, RIGHT, ABOUT THE FACT OF OUR AREA IS SEEING A LOT MORE OF THE YOUTH VIOLENCE, AND WE WANT TO FIND A WAY TO STOP THAT AND PREVENT IT BEFORE IT BECOMES AN EVEN HIGHER NUMBER. AND THERE ARE SEVERAL SCHOOLS, TOO, THAT ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH US AND COLLABORATE WITH US TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE KIDS, TOO, IN OUR AREAS. OKAY. AND I WOULD LIKE TO IF I COULD, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SUPPLEMENT SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION. THE STREET WIDOWS FOUNDATION, WHICH IS PART OF THE COLLECTIVE, ONE OF OUR ONE OF MY MY, ONE OF MY FAVORITE WIDOWS WHO WE SERVE ACTUALLY LIVES IN THE OKOLONA AREA. ONE THING ABOUT STREET WIDOWS IS THAT WE SERVE WOMEN WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED PARTNER LOSS TO ANY TYPE OF TRAUMATIC OR UNJUST CAUSE. HER HUSBAND OR HER FIANCE WAS LOST IN THE JUVENILE PLANT EXPLOSION, BUT SHE LIVES IN THE OKOLONA AREA, AND SHE IDENTIFIED WITH US BECAUSE IT WAS AN UNJUST CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF HIS LIFE. AND SO SHE CAME TO THE FOUNDATION. WE HAVE BEEN SERVING HER IN ALL THREE OF HER CHILDREN SINCE. SO EVEN IF IT'S NOT PARTICULARLY YOUTH INVOLVED, WE KNOW THAT PARENT ENGAGEMENT SUPPORTS YOUTH DIRECTLY. AND I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK THAT ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTICIPANTS LIVES IN YOUR AREA. AND LIKE AS SHE SAID EARLIER, WE HAVE TO START WITH THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY, THE PARENTS, AND NOT ONLY THE MOMS, THE FATHERS AS WELL, AND TRY TO GET THEM MORE INVOLVED BECAUSE I SEE THAT THAT'S A HUGE TREND. MOST OF THESE KIDS LACK FATHERS IN THE HOME, SO THAT'S OUR GOAL TOO, IS TO BRING THEM, YOU KNOW, IN THE PICTURE MORE. OKAY, WE HAVE COUNCILWOMAN SHAMIKA WRIGHT HAS A QUESTION. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'VE BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING. EXCITED I'M IN DC FOR WORK, BUT I DEFINITELY WOULD BE THERE WITH YOU ALL. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY IT WAS SO GOOD TO SEE NORMAN PARKER AND DEMETRIUS MCDOWELL.

I KNOW THE WORK THAT YOU ALL BEEN DOING AND THIS IS SUCH A WELL ROUNDED PRESENTATION. CUT OFF. COUNCIL. WHAT AM I BACK ON? I'M SORRY THAT IT CUT ME OFF AGAIN. YOU ALL DON'T KNOW THE STUFF I GO THROUGH TO TRY TO GET CONNECTED, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IT'S SO WELL ROUNDED AND FROM THE WORKING WITH THE PARENTS, I WANTED TO KNOW I MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT FROM THE BEGINNING. I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS. I KNOW PAVE IS DOING

[00:50:03]

AND I'M LOOKING AT THAT AUDIENCE AND I SEE A BUNCH OF SURVIVORS. I THINK WE NEED MORE, AND I WANT TO SEE THIS WORK ALL OVER JEFFERSON COUNTY AND HOW WE AS COUNCIL PEOPLE CAN SUPPORT YOU, BECAUSE YES, THE FOCUS IS ON OUR YOUNG BLACK MALES THAT THAT ARE IN THE CERTAIN ZIP CODES. BUT THIS VIOLENCE WITH YOUTH, EVEN WITH OUR IMMIGRANT YOUTH, IS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE COUNTY. IT ISN'T JUST ISOLATED TO THERE, BUT OURS IS IS DISPROPORTIONATELY REPRESENTED. AND SO WHILE PEOPLE ARE FOCUSING ON OPENING UP A NEW JUVENILE JAIL, WE KNOW THAT THAT IS A TEMPORARY THING. PEOPLE WILL RECIDIVATE THAT IS A TEMPORARY THING AS THEY NAVIGATE THE JUDICIAL PROCESS. WHAT SOLVES VIOLENCE IS IF THOSE PEOPLE ARE CONNECTED TO ONGOING SUPPORT, CARE, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES THAT HELPS THEM RISE ABOVE IT. SO I'M VERY IMPRESSED TO SEE ALL OF YOU. YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THE ARMS ARE CONNECTED TO THE FAITH AND OTHER GROUPS LIKE PAVE AND OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE DOING SIMILAR WORK, BUT NEED TO BE CONNECTED TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THEN IF I COULD JUST TO TOUCH ON THE FAITH ASPECT OF IT. ALL RIGHT.

LIKE THERE'S SO MANY LIVES THAT'S BEEN LOST IN THESE COMMUNITIES, RIGHT. TO WHERE FAITH IS GOING TO BE A BIG PART OF IT. BECAUSE A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS RETALIATORY, RETALIATORY VIOLENCE. AND SO YOU HAVE TO GO IN AND AND REALLY GET DEEP AND START, YOU KNOW, THE TOPIC IS GOING TO COME UP ABOUT FORGIVING DEATH. SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO IN AND, YOU KNOW, FORGIVE THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE, A BROTHER OR SISTER, A PARENT, YOU KNOW, JUST TO MOVE PAST THE VIOLENCE. AND SO JUST TOUCHING ON THAT, AND I SPEAK ON IT BECAUSE I'VE, I'VE DEALT WITH IT AND COME FROM IT AND IT'S, AND IT'S A AND IT'S A HARD PILL TO SWALLOW.

BUT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT LEADING A COMMUNITY FORWARD AND LEADING YOUR PEOPLE FORWARD, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU, YOU PULL BACK FROM, FROM SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO DO, AND YOU START LOOKING AT IT AS A WHOLE AND HOW TO BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE COMMUNITY, YOUR FAMILY, AND THE LOSS OF THE LOVED ONES. AND SO THE FAITH ASPECT OF IT IS GOING TO BE A BIG PART IN IT. AND WE WE LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING ON THAT CHALLENGE AS WELL. AND I'D LIKE TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF THAT. THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING PAVE. PAVE IS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS, OUR CHAIR OF THE OR CO-CHAIR OF THE PARENTING COMMITTEE IS A EMPLOYEE OF PAVE. THEY DO AMAZING WORK WHEN WE ESTABLISH THE PARENTING COMMITTEE AND WHO WE WOULD COLLABORATE TO REACH OUR PARENTS. PAVE WAS NUMBER ONE AT THE TOP OF OUR LIST. I'D ALSO LIKE TO DEFER TO LEVI MORRIS BECAUSE HE COULD SPEAK MORE TO WHAT YOU JUST BROUGHT UP AS WELL. HEY, HOW Y'ALL DOING? CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE? YES, I'M. I'M LEVI MORRIS. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF HOPE BY HOPE. AND I JUST KIND OF WANT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF KIND OF LIKE WHAT YOU ALL WAS TALKING ABOUT. SO MORE HIGH SCHOOL AND NEWBURGH ARE ACTUALLY TWO OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY IN DOING IN-SCHOOL PROGRAMING RIGHT NOW. AND ACTUALLY TO TO YOUR POINT, ABOUT 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO WHEN COVID HIT, WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MOBILIZE OUR PROGRAMING.

AND SO PRETTY MUCH WHEREVER WE SEE THE NEED OR SOMEONE WAS CALLING SAYING THEY NEEDED US TO COME DO HELP WITH THE WORK, I KIND OF COME HELP MENTOR THEIR YOUTH. WE WAS COMING, SO WE MOBILIZED OUR PROGRAMING JUST TO ACTUALLY COME FIT FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOU, WHERE IF YOU, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN EMAIL OR CONTACT INFORMATION WHERE YOU CAN REACH OUT AND WE'LL COME, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? LIKE WHATEVER IT IS YOU NEED TO COME DO, WHETHER IT'S RUNNING SMALL GROUPS, WHETHER IT'S JUST A MEDIATION, WHETHER IT'S JUST A ONE ON ONE, JUST A QUICK MENTOR SESSION. WE OFFER THOSE 24 OVER SEVEN LIKE OUR PHONES DON'T STOP RINGING. LIKE IF IT'S SOMEBODY CALLING IN 2 OR 3 IN THE MORNING, WE'RE GETTING UP TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE SITUATIONS HAPPEN. WE MIGHT CALL WHATEVER RELATIONSHIPS WE DO HAVE. MAYBE SOMETIMES SOME OF US CALL COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS ALL THE TIME AND TRY TO SEE, HEY, SOMETHING'S GOING ON. AND SO IT BE US. IT'S NOT HER. IT'S THE PEOPLE CALLING HER TO TRY TO

[00:55:04]

SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. CLERK, CAN YOU READ ITEM TWO INTO THE RECORD

[2. R-112-25     A RESOLUTION CALLING ON THE KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO CREATE “KIDS OVER GUNS” COMMONSENSE GUN LEGISLATION IN THE JURISDICTION AND TERRITORY OF LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT. 9/17/25 Public Safety Committee  Held Action Required By: March 11, 2026 Sponsors: Ken Herndon (D-4) Tammy Hawkins (D-1), Barbara Shanklin (D-2), Shameka Parrish-Wright (D-3), Betsy Ruhe (D-21)]

I WILL BRIEF STATEMENT AND THEN A WHILE BACK, AS WE WERE DISCUSSING COUNCILWOMAN SHANKLIN'S RESOLUTION THAT ASKED PARENTS AND GUARDIANS TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN, I ASKED MYSELF, IF WE ARE ASKING THEM TO DO THIS, WHY ARE WE NOT ASKING OURSELVES AS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO DO THE SAME? AND I BEGAN TO MAKE NOTES THAT NIGHT THAT LED TO THIS RESOLUTION. THERE IS NO SINGLE EASY ANSWER TO ADDRESS GUN VIOLENCE, AND NO PART OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT IS IMMUNE. DISTRICT FOUR HAS RECENTLY HAD MORE THAN ITS SHARE, BUT EVERY CHILD AND EVERY SCHOOL AND EVERY DISTRICT SUFFERS THE INCALCULABLE CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILLS. AND THEIR PARENTS KNOW IT. WE OWE THEIR CHILDREN WHO ACTUALLY ARE OUR CHILDREN, EVERY EFFORT WE CAN MUSTER WITH EVERY TOOL AT OUR DISPOSAL TO TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. ONE TOOL THAT WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM US IN 2012 BY OUR STATE LEGISLATURE WAS THE ABILITY FOR ANY KENTUCKY CITY TO PASS ANY LOCAL COMMON SENSE GUN LAWS OF ANY KIND. MY RESOLUTION IS A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO ADDRESS THIS BY ASKING FRANKFORT FOR A CARVE

[01:00:04]

IT'S A NATURAL HUMAN CONDITION THAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY ADDRESSED IN OTHER CITIES AND OTHER STATES ACROSS OUR COUNTRY. THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK SHOOTER, FOR EXAMPLE, LEFT HIS ROOMMATE A NOTE THAT UNFORTUNATELY, THE ROOMMATE FOUND TOO LATE. BUT WITH THAT NOTE, THE SHOOTER EXHIBITED SOME TREPIDATION. HAD THERE BEEN A SIMPLE WAITING PERIOD CURRENTLY NOT ALLOWED BY STATE LAW, THOSE FIVE PEOPLE MIGHT STILL BE ALIVE. AND THAT POLICE OFFICER WHO COURAGEOUSLY CHARGED THE BUILDING THAT DAY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN GRAVELY WOUNDED. SURELY WE CAN AGREE ON A FEW SIMPLE MEASURES THAT BETTER PROTECT US ALL, ESPECIALLY OUR CHILDREN. BUT THE LEGISLATURE HAS TO ALLOW US THAT OPPORTUNITY. THEY HAVE PASSED JEFFERSON COUNTY SPECIFIC LEGISLATION BEFORE, AND THEY CAN DO IT AGAIN, THIS TIME TO OUR BENEFIT AND TO THE BENEFIT OF OUR CHILDREN. AT THE END OF THE DAY, FOR ME, THE CHOICE IS CLEAR IT'S KIDS OR GUNS, AND I CHOOSE KIDS, AND I HOPE YOU WILL AS WELL. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONVERSATIONS.

I'VE HAD MANY THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATIONS WITH THOUGHTFUL, SERIOUS COLLEAGUES BEFORE. TWO TODAY AS WELL. I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THOSE CONVERSATIONS IN THE NEXT EIGHT DAYS, BEFORE WE HAVE A FULL BLOWN DISCUSSION AND DEBATE ON THIS ISSUE ON THE 16TH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. RIGHT. DOES ANYBODY ON THE QUEUE BECAUSE I DON'T I AM OH, I CAN REFER TO MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILWOMAN JENNY MURRAY WOOLRIDGE. THANK YOU CHAIR. AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HERNDON FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I CHOOSE KIDS AS WELL. I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH THAT. I CAN SAY THAT THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD RIGHT ON THIS MEASURE, THERE ARE A FEW THINGS IN HERE THAT THAT I JUST CAN'T, CAN'T AGREE UPON. AND THE KIND OF CALLS ME SOME ANGST. AND AGAIN, WE'VE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS. I CAN SAY THE SECTION ONE ACTING, THE ASKING THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WITH URGENCY TO ADDRESS COMMON SENSE GUN LEGISLATION. I WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH THEM ON THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THEM WHAT THEY THINK OF SOME OF THESE, AND HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS BEFORE PUTTING IT FORWARD, NOT KNOWING HOW IT WOULD EVER COME ACROSS THE SECTION TWO IN REGARD TO OF SEGREGATING US. THAT CONCERNS ME OF JUST TAILORING OUT A SECTION OF LOUISVILLE METRO AND MAKING US THE THE UNIQUE, OUR UNIQUE, YES, IN MANY WAYS, BUT CREATING SEPARATION AND STANDARD FOR LOCAL JURISDICTION IS CONCERNING. SECOND, FOR THE SECTION THREE, THE REALLOCATION OF THE FUNDS. SO WHAT WE DO RIGHT NOW WITH, WITH THE FACT OF OF THE REMOVING THE PROHIBITION CONCERNING DISPOSITION OF FIREARMS, NOT ONLY THE DISPOSITION OF THOSE, BUT WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE SELLING OF THOSE. SO WHAT SOME MAY NOT BE AWARE OF WHEN THOSE GUNS ARE SOLD, THEY ARE SOLD IN A BULK. BUT THE FUNDS OF THOSE ACTUALLY SOME OF THOSE FUNDS GO TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. AND THOSE WHAT THOSE FUNDS DO IS HELP SUPPORT THINGS SUCH AS BULLETPROOF VESTS, SHIELDS AND OTHER PROTECTIVE GEAR FOR DEPARTMENTS LIKE GEORGETOWN OR AIRPORT POLICE. OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, MIDDLETOWN. BUT REDIRECTING THOSE COULD COMPROMISE OUR OFFICER SAFETY AS WELL AS OFFER OPERATIONAL READINESS. SO I HAVE THOSE CONCERNS. WE CAN CONTINUE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. I'M FINE WITH THAT. AGAIN, SECTION ONE TOTALLY FINE WITH, BUT WOULD WANT TO CONTINUE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOURSELF AS WELL AS WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE WITH THE LEGISLATION. THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO IT. YES, MADAM CHAIR, I TRIED TO BE IN THE QUEUE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SEE IT. OKAY. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I, I THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD FAITH EFFORT ON. 000. I PROMISE. I DON'T BELIEVE IN CONSPIRACY THEORIES, BUT I HAVE FIVE BARS ON 5G AND IT ALWAYS HANGS UP. BUT ANYWAY, I THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD FAITH EFFORT ON COUNCILMAN HERNDON. I'M SURE IT'S SOME KIND OF, LIKE INSURANCE AND WHATNOT, BUT THEY DON'T JUST LET ANYBODY. ALRIGHT, SO I DON'T SEE ANY MORE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. I'M JUST SAYING, OKAY, AM I BACK? COME ON, MR. TERRIBLE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, I WANT TO I SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT COUNCILMAN HERNDON IS TRYING TO DO WHAT HE CAN. THIS IS A RESOLUTION. IT IS IMPORTANT TO URGE OUR STATE GOVERNMENT TO DO RIGHT BY OUR COUNTY, WHICH IS THE ECONOMIC GENERATOR FOR THE STATE, AND WE NEED TO BE INFORMING STATE LEGISLATORS AND LAWMAKERS OF WHAT WORKS HERE, WHAT WE NEED,

[01:05:05]

ALRIGHT, SO I DON'T SEE ANY ELSE. ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE. RIGHT. OKAY. SO HEARING NONE, THIS IS A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A VOICE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE AYE AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. THE ITEM PASSES AND WE'LL BE MOVED TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. CLERK,

[3. O-229-25     AN ORDINANCE AMENDING LOUISVILLE METRO CODE OF ORDINANCES CHAPTER 91 REQUIRING MICROCHIPPING OF DOGS AND CATS. 9/17/25 Public Safety Committee  Tabled Action Required By: March 11, 2026 Sponsors: Andrew Owen (D-9), Donna L. Purvis (D-5)]

COULD I COULD I JUST TEE IT UP FOR DIRECTOR MCCLINTON? SINCE COUNCILWOMAN. OH, SURE. SURE, SURE. I'LL I'LL REFER TO YOU. ADAM HAMILTON, LOUISVILLE METRO. OKAY, OKAY. YOU WANT TO STAND UP AND. ALRIGHT, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, IT'S ANDREW MCCLINTON. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF METRO ANIMAL SERVICES. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO REFER TO MY COUNCILMAN ANDREW OWENS. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. CHAIR. SO WE TALKED ABOUT THIS THE LAST MEETING. I JUST WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE OF A COUPLE THINGS. LIKE I SAID PREVIOUSLY, THIS CAME OUT OF THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAME FROM METRO COUNCIL. AND WE'RE TRYING TO DICTATE DOWN TO THE PEOPLE. IT KIND OF ROSE UP OUT OF PRIMARILY THE ANIMAL WELFARE COMMUNITY. THEY REACHED OUT TO, TO US AND SAID, WHAT CAN WE DO TO TRY TO HELP LMAS WITH THEIR SITUATION? THAT'S PRIMARILY OVERCROWDING OF THE SHELTERS AND THEREFORE RESULTING IN EUTHANASIA OF OTHERWISE ADOPTABLE AND HEALTHY ANIMALS, WHICH IS JUST VERY DIFFICULT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING ME, TO, TO GET OUR ARMS AROUND. SO THAT'S WHERE THIS STARTED.

AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR FOR OVER A YEAR. COUNCILWOMAN PURVIS IS A SPONSOR AS WELL, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH DIRECTOR MCCLINTON, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING THAT WASN'T CAPABLE OF IMPLEMENTING AND ENFORCING. AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH DIRECTOR MCCLINTON AND AND ADAM BEFORE THAT, WHEN HE WAS THE INTERIM TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID THAT. BUT BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR MCCLINTON, HE'S JUST KIND OF GOING TO SPEAK TO THAT AND TALK ABOUT HOW THIS WILL WORK AND HOW THEY'LL BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT AND ENFORCE. I DO WANT TO JUST GO BACK QUICKLY AND AND SAY THE WHEREAS CLAUSES IN THIS ORDINANCE REALLY DO DESCRIBE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE. AND I'LL JUST READ A COUPLE OF THEM. ONE, WHEREAS JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED MANDATORY MICROCHIPPING HAVE SEEN MEASURABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN RETURN TO OWNER RATES, REDUCTIONS IN SHELTER INTAKE AND DECREASED EUTHANASIA RATES. THAT RIGHT THERE IS A BIG, BIG THING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS. SO ANYONE WHO IS AN ANIMAL LOVER AND CARES ABOUT ANIMAL WELFARE SHOULD BE IN SUPPORT OF THIS ORDINANCE. THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS IS ANYONE WHO WORRIES ABOUT STRAY DOGS AND CATS WANDERING YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND CREATING AN ISSUE WITH PEOPLE, OR OR SPREADING FEAR OR OR THAT SORT OF THING SHOULD ALSO BE IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE, BECAUSE THIS HELPS REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS ON THE STREET AND GET MORE ANIMALS BACK TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS. IN ADDITION TO REDUCING THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS IN THE SHELTER. SO THOSE ARE REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO TO ACCOMPLISH HERE. I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF YOU BETWEEN THE LAST MEETING AND NOW, AND REALLY WHAT I HEARD BACK FROM PEOPLE, THE ONLY

[01:10:02]

THANK YOU. YEAH, I THINK THE PROBABLY I BELIEVE IT WAS COUNCILMAN JOSEPH THAT LAST TIME I WAS HERE ASKED ABOUT SOME STATS. AND I THINK THAT THESE WILL KIND OF TELL THE I'LL GO THROUGH THESE QUICKLY AND THEN GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF KIND OF THE PROCESS, BECAUSE THERE WAS A FEW QUESTIONS I WAS ASKED. SO I'LL START WITH THOSE AND THEN GIVE YOU A QUICK PROCESS IF I CAN INTERVENE BECAUSE WE'RE SHORT ON TIME. YES. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OKAY. SO COUNCILWOMAN BLAS AND THEN COUNCILWOMAN MARIE WOOLDRIDGE, BEFORE YOU DO THAT, BECAUSE THE QUESTIONS ARE MOST IMPORTANT, IT DEPENDS ON THE VOTE. I'VE KIND OF TALKED A LITTLE BIT JUST REAL QUICK. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IN THIS HOW HOW IS THIS GOING TO AFFECT AND WILL THE COMMUNITY CAT ORDINANCE FALL UNDER THIS. LIKE HOW CATS ARE ALLOWED TO RUN FREE. THEY'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR COMMUNITY THAT A LOT OF FERAL CATS COME OUT OF THAT. SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO INTERTWINE THAT INTO SOLVING THE PROBLEM THERE? ALSO THAT HASN'T THAT REALLY DIDN'T COME UP IN OUR DISCUSSIONS AS FAR AS THE COMMUNITY CATS, BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY AN ORDINANCE THAT ADDRESSES AND DEALS WITH THOSE.

BUT THESE THIS IS MORE OF IF THEY'RE OWNED, IF THIS WOULD BE FOR AN OWNED PET, THEN THAT WOULD WHERE THE MANDATORY MICROCHIPPING WOULD BE IS FOR AN OWNED. BUT I'D BE GLAD TO LOOK INTO IT. WELL, THAT'S KIND OF MY MY PROBLEM. LIKE WE'RE SPLITTING HAIRS BECAUSE COMMUNITY CATS ARE ALLOWED TO JUST ROAM FREE AND WILD AND HAVE THEIR OWN HOMES, AND FERAL CATS CAUSE A LOT OF ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY. AND IF WE'RE GOING TO PENALIZE A HOMEOWNER OVER THEIR CAT OR DOG, THEN WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE THAT ORDINANCE AS WELL. AS FAR AS THE CATS BEING ABLE TO ROAM FREE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MY QUESTION IS, SO WHAT IS THE COST OF THE CHIPPING TO THE COMMUNITY AND WHO DOES IT? OKAY, SO THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY IMPORTANT PART. SO ADAM HAS WAS ABLE TO COME UP WITH KIND OF A AND THIS TRUST ME, THIS IS JUST AN ESTIMATE BASED OFF ADAM'S FORMULA. AND JUST LOOKING AT SOME OTHER OTHER DATA. SO WE ESTIMATE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ROUGHLY THE FIRST YEAR ABOUT 25,000 PETS. THAT'S DOGS AND CATS. AND AT OUR COST FOR A MICROCHIP IS $10. SO OBVIOUSLY THAT'S $250,000. WE DON'T HAVE THAT. I DON'T HAVE THAT IN MY BUDGET. BUT JUST THE WAYS I THINK THE WAYS I THINK YOU THIS PLAYS OUT ARE WE WORK WITH IT IS I THINK YOU HAVE TO TREAT IT KIND OF LIKE THE RABIES VACCINATION. THAT LAW WAS PASSED. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG AGO. AND PET OWNERS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY REGISTER, GET THEIR LICENSE, THEY HAVE TO GET THEY HAVE TO SHOW PROOF OF VACCINATION, RABIES VACCINATION. I THINK IDEALLY PET OWNERS WOULD GO TO THEIR VET THAT THEY USE, GET THEIR RABIES, AND THEN THEY WOULD GET THE MICROCHIP INSERTED. OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SECTIONS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT CANNOT AFFORD. SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE OPTIONS FOR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT CAN'T AFFORD THE CHIP. SO I WOULD LOOK AT 4 OR 5 DIFFERENT THINGS TO HELP OFFSET, YOU KNOW, THE COST FOR LOW INCOME. WE ALREADY DO A LOT OF THESE THINGS, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO EXPAND THAT AND I'LL BE GLAD TO GO INTO MORE DETAIL. BUT IT'S WE ALREADY DO RABIES CLINICS WITH YOU. WITH COUNCIL YOU HAVE TO EXPAND THOSE. WE WOULD HAVE IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A IN MY OPINION, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ABOUT A YEAR, SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR OF GRACE PERIOD WHERE YOU'VE GOT TO ALLOW PEOPLE, I CAN'T HAVE 20,000 PEOPLE COME TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER. I DON'T HAVE THE IT CAN'T DO IT. SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPREAD IT OUT OVER 6 TO 12 MONTHS, I WOULD SAY A YEAR. AND THEN WE WOULD SET UP A DESIGNATED DAY ONCE A MONTH, WHERE WE WOULD OFFER THE MICROCHIPS AT THE $10 SO PEOPLE COULD COME IN. AND THEN WE WE DO THAT WITH YOU ALL THROUGHOUT ALL THE AREAS. A BIG PART OF THIS YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO, WE KNOW 5 OR 6 OF THE ZIP CODES WHERE WE GET THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF STRAYS, WHERE WE TAKE IN THE MOST STRAYS. THIS IS WHERE I WOULD NEED COUNSEL. I WOULD NEED COMMUNITY PARTNERS. WE WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES AND SET UP CLINICS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES AND OFFER THEM AT $10, OR IF WE CAN GET SPONSORS TO OFFER IT FOR FREE.

BUT THAT THAT'LL BE A BIG PART, AS WELL AS ACTUALLY GOING MOBILE, GOING INTO THE COMMUNITIES. AND THAT'S WHY I THINK YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT PEOPLE A YEAR GRACE PERIOD TO

[01:15:05]

OKAY. REAL QUICK. SO AS FOR THE MAKEUP OF THE LICENSING FEES, AS THE LICENSING IS NOW GOING TO BE A LONGEVITY OR LIFETIME, HOW DO WE MAKE UP FOR THOSE FEES? I KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE COST NOW THAT $250,000 THAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT. AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE MAYBE COULD OFFSET WITH FEES IN THE IN THE FUTURE, IN THE PAST. SO WE I HOPE I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GET THE LIFETIME FEE, BECAUSE I THINK THE $25 IS IT'S A GREAT IT'S A GREAT INCENTIVE. IT'S A GREAT DEAL. THE MORE PEOPLE THAT WE GET TO GET SIGNED UP, TO, GET REGISTERED, TO GET LICENSED, THAT WILL I THINK THAT'LL INCREASE OUR REVENUE, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE MORE PEOPLE GETTING SIGNED UP. THERE WILL BE AN OFFSET BECAUSE THE $25 FEE, OBVIOUSLY THAT'LL HELP US ON THE FRONT END. BUT THREE, FIVE YEARS FROM NOW. YEAH, THAT COULD THAT THAT IS GOING TO AFFECT THE BUDGET. SOME THEY'LL STILL HAVE TO DO THE RABIES VACCINATIONS.

THEY'LL STILL HAVE TO GET THAT DONE AND SHOW PROOF OF THAT. BUT THE WHOLE GOAL WOULD BE TO GET MORE PEOPLE REGISTERED, TO GET MORE PEOPLE LICENSED. AND THAT KIND OF GOES ALONG WITH DOCTOR PET. BUT NO, IT WOULD AFFECT IT. BUT WE'RE HOPING THE $25 INITIAL FEE WILL, YOU KNOW, WILL HELP, AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE, HOPEFULLY NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT TO DO IT BECAUSE OF THE SPAY AND NEUTER FOR OTHER REASONS. SO I STILL THINK WE'LL HAVE, IN THE UNALTERED LICENSE FEE, WENT UP AS A WAY TO HOPEFULLY OFFSET THAT AS WELL. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILWOMAN PARKER. YES. THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT MY OFFICE, IN CONJUNCTION WITH SOME OTHER OFFICES, WE DO THESE LOW COST VACCINE CLINICS ABOUT THREE TIMES A YEAR. I'D LIKE TO DO MORE IF WE COULD GET IT DONE, BUT. AND IT'S VERY LOW COST. AND SO I'M ENVISIONING PEOPLE NOT GOING JUST TO GET A MICROCHIP, BUT IF THEY HAVE A REASON TO GO AND GET, YOU KNOW, RABIES AND DISTEMPER FOR 10 OR $20, THEN THEY'RE NOT GOING TO MIND DOING THE MICROCHIP. SO ANYWAY, I ONE QUESTION IS THE HIGH RISK ZIP CODES ARE YOUR ARE THOSE COUNCIL PEOPLE DOING THESE LOW COST VACCINE CLINICS BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT REALLY NEED TO DO IT? YES. I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT LIST, BUT YES, WE'RE IN WE ARE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES. OKAY. AND THEN STATISTICALLY YOU SAID THAT IT DOES REDUCE INTAKE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE PERCENTAGE OF THAT IS IN OTHER CITIES THAT THAT THE REDUCTION OF INTAKE HAS BEEN IF THEY'VE MANDATED MICROCHIPPING? I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE OTHER. I CAN JUST KIND OF TELL YOU WHAT OUR NUMBERS ARE VERY QUICKLY. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT COUNCIL YOU CAN SEND THEM TO. OKAY, OKAY. IT REDUCES IT A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT. OKAY. AND THEN ONE OTHER QUESTION ARE HOW WILL ALL THE VETERINARIANS AND THE CITY, THEY NEED TO BE MADE AWARE THAT IT'S MANDATORY. SO ARE YOU GOING TO SEND A LETTER TO THEM. YES. WE WE HAVE EMAILED THREE LETTERS. WE'RE IN CONTACT WITH THEM. SO YES, THEY WILL ALL GET UPDATED. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN JJ YES, SIR. I KNOW YOU TO BE A GOOD MAN, A GOOD LEADER WITH GOOD DATA. CAN YOU GIVE ME A COUPLE OF THE DATA POINTS THAT YOU THAT YOU THINK ARE RELEVANT FOR THIS? YES. JUST I'LL JUST GIVE YOU 20, 24. SO YOU ASK, WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF DOGS THAT ARE NOT MICROCHIPPED WHO MAKE THEIR WAY BACK HOME? SO WE HAD 5857 STRAYS COME IN WITHOUT MICROCHIPS, 769 WENT BACK TO THEIR OWNER. THAT'S 13%. WE HAD 964 STRAYS COME IN WITH CHIPS, WITH CHIPS, 469 LEFT WITH THEIR OWNERS. THAT'S 49%. SO IF THEY'RE MICROCHIPPED AND THE MICROCHIP IS UPDATED, IT'S A MASSIVE JUMP. OKAY, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. SO WHO'S POLICING THIS. BECAUSE WE ALREADY IT'S HARD FOR US TO POLICE PEOPLE. I'M JUST CONCERNED HOW WE'RE GOING TO POLICE ANIMALS. WELL IT'S KIND OF THE SAME WAY WE DO WITH THE RABIES VACCINATIONS AND IF PEOPLE ARE LICENSED. SO IF ONE OF MY OFFICERS IS SENT ON A VICIOUS DOG OR A STRAY DOG AND THEY COME IN CONTACT WITH THE OWNER, THEN THEY WILL LOOK AND SEE IF THEIR LICENSE, IF THEY HAVE RABIES, AND NOW THEY'LL LOOK AND SEE IF THEIR MICROCHIP.

OKAY, I'M GOING TO REFER TO LAST QUESTION AND THAT IS DOCTOR SHANKLIN. THANK YOU.

WELL, WE ALL KNOW THAT METRO GOVERNMENT IS KNOWN FOR WRITING ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS THAT CAN'T BE ENFORCED. AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS BE ANOTHER ONE THAT WE'VE WRITTEN THAT YOU

[01:20:06]

AND WE'VE BEEN DOG ORDINANCES. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME WE'VE HAD A DOG ORDINANCE AND NONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN ENFORCEABLE. SO I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE ANOTHER DOG ORDINANCE THAT'S NOT ENFORCEABLE, BUT JUST TO MAKE MONEY. AND SO AND AS YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE MONEY, HOW MUCH YOU CAN MAKE AND ALL OF THAT, I WANT TO SEE SOME ACTION. AND IF IT AIN'T NO ACTION, WE DON'T NEED TO KEEP BRINGING THESE DOG ORDINANCES UP, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE 20 YEARS, AND IN 20 YEARS THERE'S BEEN THREE DIFFERENT ORDINANCES ON DOGS, AND NONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN ENFORCED. WE WILL BE ABLE TO ENFORCE IT. AND THE REASON I WANT TO DO THIS, AND THIS STARTED WELL BEFORE ME, IS I HAVE TO FREE UP STAFF AND I HAVE TO FREE UP MY OFFICERS. I HAVE TO FREE UP. THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER 10,000 THIS YEAR AND INTAKE.

THAT IS GOING TO BE A RECORD, A GOOD WAY TO DO THAT, TO LESSEN THE INTAKE. AND THAT'S MY MAIN GOAL. I COULD YOU KNOW, THE MONEY PART IS THE MONEY PART. BUT I NEED TO LESSEN THE AMOUNT OF ANIMALS IN THAT SHELTER. AND THE MICROCHIPPING MANDATORY MICROCHIPPING WILL DO THAT. ALL RIGHT. AND THE ENFORCEMENT PART IS WHAT I SAID EARLIER. IF WE RESPOND AND THEY'RE NOT MICROCHIPPED AND IT'S THEN WE WILL, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL HAVE AN EXTRA AMOUNT OF TIME TO TO GET IN COMPLIANCE. THEY GET CITED AND THEY GO BEFORE THE COURT. I WILL SUPPORT THIS. THANK YOU.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME ACTION. I AGREE, AND I'M GOING TO CHECK TO SEE IF THERE'S ACTION BEEN DONE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE HEARING NONE.

THIS IS ORDINANCE COLUMN FOR ROLL CALL VOTE CLERK. WILL YOU PLEASE OPEN THE VOTING? COUNCILWOMAN? PIERCE. RIGHT. YES. I CAN'T GIVE HER CLERK. COUNCILWOMAN SHANKLIN, I LOST THAT. YES. VICE CHAIR HAWKINS, YOU HAVE SEVEN YES VOTES. ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. THIS ITEM IS PAST AND WILL BE MOVED TO THE OLD BUSINESS. VICE CHAIR HAWKINS, POINT OF ORDER, CAN I.

OH, OKAY. IT'LL BE GOING TO CONSENT. SORRY. I'D LIKE TO SAY IF I CAN RECORD MY VOTE AS PRESENT FOR ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO. THIS IS THE CLERK. HE'S ASKING THE ITEM TO BE RECONSIDERED SO THAT WE COULD DO A ROLL CALL. VOTE, MA'AM? YEAH, THAT'S IT. OKAY. AMY, WILL YOU. ITEM NUMBER TWO. A RESOLUTION CALLING ON KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO CREATE KIDS OVER GUNS, COMMON SENSE GUN LEGISLATION IN THE JURISDICTION AND TERRITORY OF LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT. READ IN FULL. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS REAL QUICK? BECAUSE I HAVE THE SPONSOR WANTING TO KNOW WHY WE'RE DOING THIS. SO WE'RE GOING TO DO JUST A FEW VOTES. FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE GOING TO DO A VOTE TO RECONSIDER THE ITEM, JUST SO THAT I KNOW THAT COUNCILWOMAN MULVEY WOULD. SHE SAID. SHE SAID, NO, WE DIDN'T HEAR HER, BUT SHE MY CLERKS HEARD HER, AND HE WANTS TO VOTE PRESENT AND TO BE ABLE TO RECORD THAT WE NEED IT TO BE ROLL CALL RATHER THAN A VOICE VOTE. OKAY.

SO ALL RIGHT. SO THE FIRST VOTE WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IS WILL WE RECONSIDER IT. SO IF YOU'LL ASK FOR A VOTE FOR THAT ALRIGHT A VOICE VOTE. CAN I HAVE A VOICE VOTE TO RECONSIDER A MOTION.

OKAY. ALRIGHT. CAN I HEAR A VOICE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT. OKAY.

ANY OTHER? ALL RIGHT. AT THIS POINT. COUNCILWOMAN PIERCE. RIGHT. WHAT IS THIS PART FOR? THIS IS FOR ITEM TWO. YES. YES, MA'AM. NO. SO THIS IS YES TO A YES VOTE YES OR NO VOTE TO PASS

[01:25:05]

VICE CHAIR HAWKINS, YOU HAVE FIVE YES VOTES, ONE NO VOTE AND ONE PRESENT VOTE. ALL RIGHT.

THE ITEM PASSES. IT WILL BE MOVED TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. OLD BUSINESS. ALRIGHT. THE LAST ONE. CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ ITEM FOUR INTO THE RECORD, PLEASE? ALRIGHT. COUNCILWOMAN CHAPEL, VICE CHAIR, CAN YOU PLEASE JUST GIVE US A FEW MORE MINUTES? WE'RE RUNNING OVER.

THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ ITEM FOUR INTO THE RECORD, PLEASE? AN

[4. O-243-25     AN ORDINANCE CREATING A NEW SECTION OF CHAPTER 36 OF THE LOUISVILLE METRO CODE OF ORDINANCES TO ESTABLISH THE LOUISVILLE PARKS POLICE. Action Required By: March 25, 2026 Sponsors: Dan Seum, Jr. (R-13), Tammy Hawkins (D-1)]

BRIDGET FRALEY, I'M THE EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR OF PARK SAFETY. THIS IS JAMES BROWN, THE CHIEF PARK RANGER FOR LOUISVILLE PARKS AND RECREATION. ALRIGHT. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? HEY. NO QUESTIONS. RIGHT. I DON'T SEE ANY SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE HEARING NONE. THIS IS AN ORDINANCE COLUMN FOR ROLL CALL VOTE. COMMITTEE MEMBER PERISH. RIGHT. PRESENT. I CAN DO THAT. YES YES YES. VICE CHAIR HAWKINS, YOU HAVE SIX YES VOTES AND ONE PRESENT VOTE. ALL RIGHT. ITEM WILL BE PASSED AND MOVED TO OLD BUSINESS. HEARING. NONE. OUR NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULED PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING WILL BE HELD FRIDAY, OCTOBER THE 22ND, 2025 AT 4 P.M. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. SORRY ABOUT THAT, PARKS. WHAT UP? GET GOING. I THINK WE

[Adjournment Note: Agendas are followed at the discretion of the Chair. While an item may be listed, it does not mean all items will be heard and/or acted upon by the Committee.]