[00:25:55] START. [Call to Order] [00:26:18] GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THE REGULAR SCHEDULED PARKS AND [00:26:23] SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEETING. IT'S DECEMBER 11TH, 2025. HAPPY HOLIDAYS. AND IF I [00:26:28] DON'T SEE YOU, MERRY CHRISTMAS NEXT WEEK. BUT THIS MEETING IS IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO KRS [00:26:36] 61.826 AND COUNCIL RULE FIVE A, WE'RE GOING TO GO A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER TODAY JUST TO KIND [00:26:42] OF BE ABLE TO RUN THROUGH THESE THINGS QUICKLY. WE'RE GOING TO START WITH COUNCILMAN LEONARD'S LEGISLATION OR RESOLUTION. I'M SORRY, I NEED A ROLL CALL. THANK YOU. SEE, THAT'S WHY I'LL [Roll Call] KEEP YOU OVER THERE. YEAH, IT'S. I'M COUNCILMAN KHALIL. I'M THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. I GOT MY VICE CHAIR, COUNCILWOMAN BETSY ROONEY. I'VE GOT VIRTUAL COUNCILWOMAN JOSIE RAYMOND IN THE CHAMBERS. WE HAVE COUNCILMAN JP LEININGER, COUNCILWOMAN MARILYN PARKER, COUNCILWOMAN CRYSTAL BASS, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. AND I'M GOING TO GET STARTED. WE'VE GOT RESOLUTION NUMBER R, DASH 142-25 URGING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE URBAN [3. R-142-25     A RESOLUTION URGING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE URBAN FOREST MASTER PLAN STRATEGIES/ACTIONS TO ENSURE LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT’S TREE CANOPY IS RESILIENT, PROTECTED, AND SUSTAINABLE. Action Required By: May 13, 2026 Sponsors: Jennifer Chappell (D-15), Betsy Ruhe (D-21), Ben Reno-Weber (D-8), Andrew Owen (D-9), JP Lyninger (D-6)] FOREST MASTER PLAN STRATEGIES ACTIONS TO ENSURE LOUISVILLE METRO JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT TREE CANOPY IS RESILIENT, PROTECTED AND SUSTAINABLE. ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK TO THAT OR A MOTION PLEASE? SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. HI. OKAY. WE'RE GOOD. GREAT. SPEAKING FOR IT, JASON. GOOD AFTERNOON, JASON FOWLER, ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY I AM NOT HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ISSUE DIRECTLY, BUT AM PREPARED FOR ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS THAT COME BEFORE THE THE COMMITTEE. I BELIEVE THE SPONSOR. I WILL TURN IT TO THE SPONSOR, COUNCILMAN LEONARD THEN. SURE. I'M A CO-SPONSOR OF THE PRIMARY SPONSOR IS COUNCILWOMAN CHAPEL, BUT I'M HAPPY TO SPEAK TO THIS. SO THE FINDINGS OF THE AND STRATEGIES OF THE TREE PLAN, WHICH WERE, YOU KNOW, ASKED FOR BY METRO GOVERNMENT, WERE PRESENTED TO PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY. THE MARCH 6TH, 2025 MEETING. AND SINCE, YOU KNOW, JANUARY OF 2024, LOUISVILLE TREE PLAN HAS BEEN. ACTIVE. SO THIS IS JUST A RESOLUTION WHERE THE AFFECTED TEXT IS THAT WE SUPPORT THE TREE PLAN STRATEGIES. WE URGE METRO AGENCIES MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LOUISVILLE TREE PLAN, AND THAT WE REQUEST THE THE ADMINISTRATION FOLLOW THE STRATEGIES OUTLINED. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN LEONARD, ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, I'M GOING TO COUNCILWOMAN BASS. OH, I THINK HE'S JUST HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. YEP. OKAY. COUNCILWOMAN BASS, SORRY. WHAT AGENCIES WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE TREE PLAN? I THINK IT'S GOING TO IMPACT MULTIPLE AGENCIES, BUT PRIMARILY PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS. GO AHEAD. DO WE HAVE LIKE, KIND OF WHAT THE ESTIMATES OF WHAT THAT PLAN WILL COST AS WELL AS I KNOW FOR AN EXAMPLE, WE HAVE SOME CONSTITUENTS IN MY AREA, LIKE PRIVATE HOMEOWNERS, WHERE THE TREES HAVE BEEN PLACED OVER THE [00:30:03] YEARS, AND THEN THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE UPKEEP COME TO THE HOMEOWNER TO HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT, EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T PLANT THAT TREE AND DON'T WANT THAT TREE. SO HOW HOW DO WE PLAN TO KIND OF HELP WITH THAT? DO YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT PART OF THE MASTER PLAN IS MOVING TOWARDS THE CITY, TAKING RESPONSIBILITY OF STREET TREES. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS MANDATED IN THIS PLAN. THAT'S SEPARATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD COME FORWARD BEFORE THE BODY. BUT THIS IS JUST, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD WITH CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE PLAN. OKAY. THANK YOU. DO I'M GOING TO COUNCILMAN, DO WE HAVE A OR MAYBE THIS QUESTION FOR JASON IS HAS THERE BEEN A FINANCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT REQUESTED FOR THIS? I'M NOT AWARE OF ONE. AND THE. THE FACT THAT IT'S A RESOLUTION WOULD PRECLUDE, I BELIEVE, THAT TYPE OF REQUEST. THE RESOLUTION TO IS IS TO TRY TO GET THE ADMINISTRATION TO IMPLEMENT THIS AND TAKE ON RESPONSIBILITY AND BUDGETARY NEEDS AND AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND WE HAVE A TON OF THINGS ON THAT. OUR MASTER PLANS AND PROPOSALS THAT ARE ON THE BOOKS THAT ARE NOT FULLY FUNDED YET. SO BEFORE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A FINANCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A SERIES OF QUESTIONS THAT WE PROBABLY ARE GOING TO BE COMING UP WITH. SO A FINANCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT BEFORE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS WOULD BE KIND OF IDEAL. CAN WE MAKE THAT A FORM OF A MOTION, PLEASE? THANK YOU. I'M LOOKING FOR A SECOND. SECOND. YEAH. GO AHEAD COUNCIL. CAN YOU TURN. WAIT MAY I SPEAK? YES. WE'VE ALREADY PAST THIS POINT. AM I CORRECT ABOUT THAT? THERE WAS A STUDY DONE IN AND PRESENTED IN. CORRECT ME FROM JANUARY. NO. MARCH. RIGHT. JP MARCH OF THIS YEAR. OKAY. SO THAT MASTER PLAN WAS DONE BY THE URBAN FOREST. SO THAT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS COME BEFORE COUNCIL. FOR FOR THE NEW MASTER PLAN, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, ALTHOUGH OBVIOUSLY I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE AS LONG AS SOME OF YOU ALL. WELL, I'M JUST FEELING LIKE JUST MY FIRST REACTION IS THAT THIS IS JUST A RESOLUTION. I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF REDUNDANT. I MEAN, LIKE, WE'VE ALREADY DONE THIS, I THINK. BUT THIS IS JUST SAYING WE WANT TO MAKE BRING IT TO LIGHT AND MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING IT. AND AM I OFF BASE WITH THAT? OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN RUBY HAS SOME PAST FUNDING TO HAVE THE STUDY DONE AND TO HAVE THE MASTER PLAN CREATED. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S COME BEFORE COUNCIL ALREADY. SO NOW THIS IS THE MASTER PLAN THAT HAS BEEN CREATED. AS WITH A RESOLUTION, ANY RESOLUTION. THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IMPLEMENTED. THIS IS NOT A MANDATE TO ANYBODY. RESOLUTIONS DON'T DO THAT. SO AT THIS POINT I THINK WE CAN WE CAN PASS THIS WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT AN IMPACT STATEMENT. IT'S NOT A BAD IDEA TO HAVE ONE, BUT WE CAN STILL PASS THIS RESOLUTION AS IT IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO SEE THIS ADOPTED, BUT WE CERTAINLY WANT TO BE AWARE OF HOW MUCH IT WILL COST. AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WILL BE AWARE OF THAT TOO. SO WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGET TIME, WE'LL JUST EITHER WE HAVE THE MONEY OR WE DON'T, SO WE CAN DO AS MUCH OR AS LITTLE OF IT AS WE HAVE THE DOLLARS FOR. YEAH, IT'S IT'S EXPECTED TO BE IMPLEMENTED A PIECE AT A TIME OVER A PERIOD OF 10 TO 20 YEARS. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE DIALOG ON THAT. I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO NOT MOVE IT UNTIL WE HAVE A FINANCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT. SO I MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE UNTIL WE CAN MAKE THE PROPER AUTHORITIES TO GET A FINANCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT ON THAT. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? I. SHOULD WE DO A ROLL CALL? YES, SIR. [00:35:02] ANYBODY OPPOSED? NO. OKAY. OPEN COMMITTEE MEMBER. RAYMOND. YEAH. OKAY. JERRY, YOU HAVE FOUR? YES AND TWO. NO. THANK YOU TO THIS. THERE WILL BE TABLED AND WE WILL WORK ON IT IN THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING. THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO RESOLUTION. ITEM NUMBER FOUR, RESOLUTION [4. R-160-25     A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR ON BEHALF OF METRO GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT THE DONATION OF A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON PROPERTY OWNED BY LCF PRESERVATION, LLC, LOCATED AT 3011 W. BUCKEYE LANE IN GOSHEN, OLDHAM COUNTY, KENTUCKY. Action Required By: June 4, 2026 Sponsors: Josie Raymond (D-10) ] AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT THE DONATION OF CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON PROPERTY OWNED BY THIS THING. LLC. PRESERVATION, LLC, LOCATED AT 3011 WEST BUCKEYE IN GOSHEN, OLDHAM COUNTY, KENTUCKY. WE HAVE TO SPEAK WITH KURT. KURT, MAKE SURE YOU MENTION EVERYTHING FOR YOUR FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. OKAY. SORRY. MOTION AND SECOND, MY HEAD'S IN THE CLOUDS TODAY. SORRY. AND WE ARE PREPARED FOR A SPEAKER. OKAY. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST COMING. BEFORE YOU PLEASE MENTION YOUR NAME AND TITLE. OH, SURE. AND THEN, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE HAVE TWO OTHER PRESENTATIONS ON THE AGENDA WE WANT TO GET THROUGH. SO WE CAN JUST NARROW IT DOWN AND GIVE IT ABOUT 5 OR 10 MINUTES ON THE PRESENTATION SIDE. OKAY. FOR QUESTIONS OKAY. SO MY NAME IS KURT MASON. I SERVE AS CHAIR OF THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST AND WITH WITH ME TODAY IS OUR LEGAL ATTORNEY. AND SCHULTZ FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, ALSO THE VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD, NOEL RUTH, AND THE MANAGING PARTNER OF LIMESTONE CLIFF FARM LLC, CHRISTOPHER KELLY. AND SO LET ME OKAY. SO, I MEAN, THE PURPOSE OF THE TRUST IS REALLY DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT, EXECUTION OF AND THE PROMOTION OF VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT'S ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT THE OPEN SPACE HERITAGE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE CURRENT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH IS CORNERSTONE 2040, AND THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE VOLUNTARY USE OF CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON PRIVATE LAND TO PROTECT THEM FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CITIZENS OF LOUISVILLE. WHAT THESE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS DO IS THEY THEY PROTECT A BUNDLE OF RIGHTS ON THOSE PROPERTIES THAT THE LANDOWNERS HAVE. AND IN EFFECT, WHAT THEY DO IS HELP TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, REDUCE FLOODING, MANAGE STORMWATER RUNOFF, PROTECT CRITICAL HABITAT, AND MAKE AVAILABLE IMPORTANT FARMLANDS THAT PROVIDE A BASIS FOR FRESH FOOD AND LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND THEY ALSO, FROM A SCENIC STANDPOINT, PROVIDE A TRANQUIL AND SCENIC SPACE THAT ALL THE PUBLIC ENJOYS. JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST BOARD IS COMPRISED OF NINE MEMBERS, FIVE OF WHICH ARE PRIVATE CITIZENS, AND THEN THREE METRO AGENCIES REPRESENTING THE DIRECTOR OF METRO PARKS, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, AND THE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF PLANNING. THE FOURTH SEAT ON THAT BOARD IS HELD BY THE LOUISVILLE MSD, WHO IS THE REGIONAL UTILITY RESPONSIBLE FOR WASTEWATER, STORMWATER AND FLOOD PROTECTION SERVICES IN THE REGION TO HELP ENSURE CLEAN WATER AND SAFE WATERWAYS IN THE COMMUNITY. THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST HAS A SUPPORT MECHANISM THAT INCLUDES OUR LEGAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, METRO AGENCY STAFFS FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE STANDPOINT, AND WE DO HAVE PRIVATE CITIZENS AND ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS THAT WORK ON BEHALF OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST, PROVIDING TECHNICAL ADVICE. AND THEY COME FROM NOT ONLY LOUISVILLE AND JEFFERSON COUNTY, BUT OTHER PLACES ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH. IT IS CRITICAL TO KNOW THAT LOUISVILLE AND JEFFERSON COUNTY HAS NINE DISTINCT WATERSHEDS. THREE OF THOSE WATERSHEDS. WE DO NOT HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OVER IN TERMS OF THE WATER WE RECEIVE OR THE WATER QUALITY, THOSE THREE WATERSHEDS THAT WE DON'T HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OVER ARE. HERITAGE CREEK, FLOYDS FORK, AND THE MINOR TRIBUTARIES OF THE OHIO RIVER. [00:40:03] THE OTHER SIX MAJOR WATERSHEDS ARE IN THE COMPLETE BOUNDARY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, EXCEPT WHERE THEY EXIT DOWNSTREAM OUT OF THE COUNTY. SO IN TERMS OF WATER QUALITY AND WATER QUALITY, THERE ARE THREE WATERSHEDS THAT IMPACT JEFFERSON COUNTY AND METRO LOUISVILLE. SUBSTANTIALLY THAT WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER, BUT THEY INFLUENCE A LOT. WHAT HAPPENS IN THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF WATER QUALITY AND WATER QUANTITY. THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, AGAIN, ARE VOLUNTARY LEGAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN A LANDOWNER AND A LAND TRUST THAT PERMANENTLY LIMITS THE USE OF THE LAND AND PROTECTS ITS CONSERVATION VALUES FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT AND FOR THE LANDOWNER. I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER ALL OF THOSE CONSERVATION VALUES, AS I WILL TALK ABOUT THOSE A LITTLE BIT IN OUR PRESENTATION. SO THE CONSERVATION VALUES THAT ARE MONITORED ON THESE EASEMENTS ARE DONE ONCE EACH YEAR. AND MOST OF THAT MONITORING IS DONE BY THE PRIVATE CITIZENS THAT ARE ON THE BOARD. THOSE FIVE MEMBERS THAT ARE NON-PAID BOARD MEMBERS AND THE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS. AND WE ALSO ALMOST EVERY MONITORING VISIT, HAVE THE PRESENCE OF ONE LOUISVILLE METRO EMPLOYEE THAT COMES OUT OF LOUISVILLE METRO PARKS. THAT'S ON THE NATURAL AREA STAFF AND THOSE MONITORING VISITS IN EFFECT FROM THE METRO GOVERNMENT SIDE, NOT FROM THE PRIVATE CITIZENS SIDE, TAKE ABOUT FOUR HOURS OR LESS OF METRO. METRO GOVERNMENT'S EMPLOYEES TIME TO DATE. LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST HAS 31 EASEMENTS. WE'VE BEEN IN EXISTENCE 31 YEARS. SO WITH THAT FIGURE, YOU CAN NOTE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A TON OF EASEMENTS, BUT WE HAVE A TON OF BENEFITS THAT COME OUT OF THAT LAND THAT IS HELD FOR ITS CONSERVATION VALUES. TODAY'S CONSERVATION EASEMENT REQUEST IS LIMESTONE CLIFF FARM, LLC. IT'S A 313 ACRE WORKING FARM LOCATED IN THE MINOR OHIO RIVER TRIBUTARY WATERSHED. THE OWNER, STEVE WILSON AND LAURA LEE BROWN, RESIDE IN LOUISVILLE, AND THE FARM IS LOCATED ON NORTH BUCKEYE LANE IN THE COMMUNITY OF GOSHEN, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY SEVEN RIVER MILES UPSTREAM OF THE B.E. PAYNE LOUISVILLE WATER COMPANY TREATMENT FACILITY AND NINE RIVER MILES FROM THE BUSINESS DISTRICT OF DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE. THE BUFFER ZONES ON THE FARM, AS WELL AS THE BUFFERS ALONG THE INTERMITTENT STREAMS, FILTER WATER AS IT FLOWS BACK TO THE OHIO RIVER, AND IT CAPTURES SEDIMENTS AND FLOOD WATERS AS THEY RECEDE BACK UP TO THE OHIO RIVER AGAIN. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF THOSE ARE LANDS THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE COUNTY THAT HEAVILY INFLUENCE THE QUALITY OF WATER IN THE OHIO, AND THE QUANTITY OF WATER THAT COMES DOWN THAT MAJOR WATERWAY, LIMESTONE CLIFF FARM CONSERVATION EASEMENT IS A GIFT TO THE PEOPLE OF LOUISVILLE AND JEFFERSON COUNTY. THIS GIFT IS AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE AS IT DEVALUES THE LAND'S POTENTIAL VALUE BY REMOVING ALL THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS ON THE PROPERTY, EXCEPT FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF THREE FUTURE RESIDENTIAL HOME SITES. IN EXCHANGE, WE GET THE BENEFIT OF FLOOD CONTROL, IMPROVE WATER QUALITY AND GROUNDWATER AQUIFER PROTECTION, ALONG WITH OTHER BENEFITS FOR LESS THAN 200 TO $300 OF IN-HOUSE METRO OUTLAY ANNUALLY. THE UPLAND TOPOGRAPHY IS KARST, MEANING THAT THERE IS A CONNECTION TO THE GROUNDWATER AQUIFER, AND THAT GROUNDWATER AQUIFER IS AN AQUIFER THAT PROVIDES WATER FOR THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE AND ITS INHABITANTS. THE SOIL BUFFERS AND THE UPLAND GEOLOGY PROVIDES A FILTER TO HELP ENSURE THE SYSTEM SUPPORTS A LEVEL OF PROTECTION TO THE GROUNDWATER REGIME. MSD'S CALCULATIONS SHOW THAT DURING A NORMAL RAINFALL EVENT, KEEPING JUST THE UPLAND PORTION OF THIS AREA PRESERVED AND UNDEVELOPED, REDUCES THE FLOW TO THE OHIO RIVER TO DOWNSTREAM LOUISVILLE BY 80,403,604 GALLONS. ADD TO THAT A 100 YEAR STORM EVENT THAT CAN ADD AN ADDITIONAL 5 MILLION GALLONS OF RUNOFF EVERY TIME WE HAVE A 100 YEAR STORM EVENT. THIS DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR THE ADDITIONAL VALUE OF FLOOD CONTROL AND STORAGE IN THE FLOODPLAIN, OR THE FACT THAT FLOODPLAINS CAN BE ALTERED AND LAYERED IN LATER YEARS TO SUPPORT HOUSING, AS ILLUSTRATED BY THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN THE FLOODPLAIN DOWNSTREAM. IN LOUISVILLE, WE HAVE MULTIPLE HUNDRED YEAR [00:45:06] STORM EVENTS. EACH YEAR. THE WATER RECHARGES FROM THE SPRINGS ON THE FARM, AS WELL AS SPRINGS ALONG ALL THOSE. SORRY, I DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF. I JUST WANT TO. CAN WE GET TO THE TO THE POINT OF IT? OR LIKE, I THINK WE WE KIND OF UNDERSTAND IT AND GET IT FOR THE RECORD. OKAY. SO BECAUSE I HAVE A FEW PEOPLE WHO'S GOT SOME QUESTIONS, I WANT TO KIND OF HAVE A LITTLE DISCUSSION ON THIS. AND I THINK WE HAVE JULIA WILLIAMS HERE WHO WANTS TO MAYBE SPEAK ON A FEW THINGS AS WELL. SO TO THE THE POINT OF IT IS THAT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IN A WATERSHED, ESPECIALLY AS THEY FEED INTO LOUISVILLE, JEFFERSON COUNTY, ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. AND THEY ARE A BARGAIN FOR THIS COMMUNITY, AS EVIDENCED BY THE STORM EVENTS THAT WE HAD IN 1937, 1948, AND 1997, AS WELL AS THE FLOODS THAT WE'VE HAD THIS YEAR IN THE SPRING AND IN THE SUMMER, WHERE THE PUBLIC HAS TO PAY A GREAT VALUE FOR EITHER FLOOD CONTROL, CLEANUP, WATER QUALITY. WE HAVE A SERIOUS INVESTMENT IN OUR WATER SYSTEM, IN THE BE PAYING SYSTEM. AND WHAT WATER COMES ALONG THE OHIO RIVER THAT WE DRAW FROM THOSE AQUIFERS BECOME VERY IMPORTANT TO THE LIVELIHOOD OF THIS COMMUNITY. PRIVATE HOMES AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURES, SUCH AS BE PAYING THE HISTORIC LOUISVILLE WATER COMPANY SITE AND NUMEROUS HOMES ALONG THE OHIO RIVER, AND ANY WATERSHED THAT FEEDS INTO INTO JEFFERSON COUNTY BECOMES VERY IMPORTANT TO US. SO FOR A VERY LITTLE OUTPUT IN TERMS OF FINANCIAL OUTPUT TO THIS COMMUNITY, WE GET THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF VALUE BECAUSE OF THE PROTECTION OF THE FARMLAND AND OPEN SPACES IN THESE WATERSHEDS. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO START OFF WITH TWO QUESTIONS. SURE. HOW MANY OF THESE EASEMENTS DO WE HOLD IN OUR BOOKS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF JEFFERSON COUNTY? WE HAVE IN TOTAL, WE HAVE SEVEN CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. WE HAVE EIGHT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON FIVE PARCELS. SO ONE OF THOSE PARCELS ADDED A ABOUT 100 AND SOME ODD ACRES OF CONSERVATION EASEMENT. AFTER THE ORIGINAL EASEMENT WAS PUT IN PLACE, AND THEN ANOTHER CONSERVATION EASEMENT ADDED THREE MORE EASEMENTS. AND THAT EASEMENT IS 30 ACRES IN SIZE IN TOTAL. BUT THEY ADDED THREE MORE PARCELS TO THEIR CONSERVATION EASEMENT. ARE THEY IN JEFFERSON COUNTY OR OUTSIDE? THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF JEFFERSON COUNTY. WHERE ARE THEY AT THE ONE THAT HAS THE EASEMENTS ON IT IS IN THE HERITAGE CREEK WATERSHED. THE ONE THERE'S ANOTHER ONE IN THE HERITAGE CREEK WATERSHED THAT'S 500 ACRES IN SIZE. THERE'S ANOTHER ONE IN HERITAGE CREEK WATERSHED THAT'S ABOUT 300 ACRES IN SIZE. AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER CONSERVATION EASEMENT THAT'S ROUGHLY THREE ACRES IN SIZE. THAT'S IN A MAJOR TRIBUTARY OF THE OHIO RIVER. ARE THESE IN OLDHAM COUNTY? YES. OKAY. CAN WE I UNDERSTAND WE CAN'T DEVELOP ON THESE PROPERTIES, BUT CAN WE DEVELOP MECHANISMS TO CONTROL FLOOD LIKE FLOOD MITIGATION MECHANISMS? CAN WE DEVELOP THOSE ON THESE PROPERTIES? YES. AND AND THE WAY THAT YOU'RE DOING THAT IS, AGAIN, IF I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH THAT PRESENTATION SLOWLY, THERE'S 200 ACRES ON THIS FARM THAT ACTS AS A SPONGE TO HOLD STORM WATER BECAUSE IT'S PRIME FARMLAND SOILS, THE DEPTH OF THOSE SOILS RUN ANYPLACE FROM 4 TO 8FT DEEP. AND EVERY TIME IT RAINS, THEY STORE WATER THAT OTHERWISE WOULD GO TO THE OHIO RIVER AND COME DOWNSTREAM. THE QUESTION I'M TRYING TO ALLUDE TO IS IF WE CHOSE TO GO BUILD A RETAINING WALL OR A FLOOD WALL THAT DIVERTS THE RAINWATER OR FLOOD WATER SOMEWHERE ELSE, ARE WE ALLOWED TO DO THAT? WELL, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT A FLOOD WALL THERE, THE FLOOD WALL WILL STILL DUMP WATER INTO THE OHIO RIVER. WE CAN'T TAKE. I'M JUST ASKING. I'M ASKING A YES OR NO QUESTION. CAN WE DEVELOP, EVEN IF WE WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP MECHANISMS TO TO DIVERT THE FLOOD WATER, COULD WE DO THAT ON THESE PROPERTIES? NO. COULD LOUISVILLE GO IN THERE AND DO THAT? NO, BECAUSE THE CONSERVATION VALUE IS INHERENT IN THE SOIL THAT DOES THE SAME THING. OKAY. COUNCILWOMAN BASS. WHERE DOES THE FUNDING COME FOR FOR ALL THIS? WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM? THE FUNDING. SO AGAIN, WHAT LOUISVILLE METRO PAYS FOR HOLDING THOSE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IS GENERALLY WHEN THERE'S A MONITORING, THERE'S ONE METRO [00:50:05] EMPLOYEE THAT COMES ON THAT SITE ONCE A YEAR, ONE TIME. AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO EQUATE THE VALUE OF THAT EMPLOYEE SALARY, WHICH. AND HERE I ESTIMATED MAYBE 2 TO $300 AT MOST. SO THOSE FIVE CITIZENS THAT ARE UNPAID, THAT ARE PEOPLE THAT SERVE ON THE BOARD, GIVE THEIR TIME TO DO THE MONITORING, AS WELL AS THE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS THAT HAVE BACKGROUNDS IN SOILS, GEOLOGY, WATER QUALITY. THEY ARE GIVING THEIR TIME TO DO THE MONITORING SO THAT IT'S IT'S NOT A THERE'S NOT AN EXPENSE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, EVERY CONSERVATION EASEMENT THAT WE HAVE, WE ASK FOR STEWARDSHIP DONATION. AND THAT'S THERE'S NO FUNDING THAT COMES FROM THE CITY FOR THIS PROGRAM OR TO IMPLEMENT ANYTHING THAT'S DONE ON THESE OTHER PROPERTIES. THE OTHER CITY OF LOUISVILLE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGEMENT OF THOSE PROPERTIES. THE LANDOWNER HAS TO MANAGE THOSE PROPERTIES TO PROTECT THE CONSERVATION VALUES. THEY HAVE TO DO THAT. AND IN EXCHANGE FOR THAT, WHAT THEY GET IS THE ASSURANCE THAT THAT PROPERTWILL BE HELD IN PERPETUITY FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE OF PRIME FARMLAND, FOR FOOD PRODUCTION, FOR WATER QUALITY REDUCTION, FOR WILDLIFE HABITAT, FOR ALL THOSE INTRINSIC VALUES, AND WHO GIVES THEM THAT GUARANTEE THE THE EASEMENT AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THAT EASEMENT THROUGH LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT. SO LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT PROMISES THESE LANDOWNERS AND OTHER COUNTIES THAT THEIR LAND WILL BE RESERVED FOR ALL OF THOSE NEEDS IN RETURN FOR ALLOWING US TO USE THAT FOR THESE PURPOSES. THAT ALLOWS YOU TO GET THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THAT LAND COVERED, TO REDUCE FLOODING, TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, TO IMPROVE WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND TO PROMOTE AND TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY. YES, COUNCILMAN PIACENTINI, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND I'M ASSUMING YOU ALREADY DISCUSSED THE THE JURISDICTIONAL THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE. NOT YET. OKAY, LET ME LET ME ASK A QUICK QUESTION THEN. CAN ANOTHER COUNTY HOLD DO THE SAME THING WE'RE DOING TO OLDHAM COUNTY? IF THEY HAVE A MECHANISM TO DO THAT. YES. SO BULLITT COUNTY COULD SEIZE LAND IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT SEIZING LAND. IT'S A IT'S A VOLUNTARY RIGHT OF THAT PRIVATE LANDOWNER, JUST LIKE IT'S A VOLUNTARY RIGHT OF A LANDOWNER TO DECIDE TO PUT 400 HOUSES ON THEIR PROPERTY. SO, YEAH. WELL, VOLUNTARY, BUT UNDER WHOSE LAW? THERE IS A, THERE IS A LAW THAT ALLOWS CONSERVATION EASEMENTS TO TAKE PLACE. YEAH, YEAH. AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE INTERPRETED TO BE WITHIN YOUR, YOUR LEGAL JURISDICTION. BUT MY QUESTION IS IF IF BULLITT COUNTY CREATED. A SIMILAR CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROGRAM AND STARTED CONVINCING LANDOWNERS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY TO GIVE IT TO THEIR CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROGRAM, THEN WE WOULD LOSE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THAT YOU KNOW, THAT PRIVATE LANDOWNER HAS GIVEN THAT LANDOWNER WHO HAS JURISDICTION OVER THAT LAND NOW, WELL, THE JURISDICTION PART OF THAT JURISDICTION DOESN'T CHANGE, OKAY? BECAUSE THAT LAND IS STILL LOCATED IN WHATEVER COUNTY THAT LAND IS. BUT THE BUNDLE OF RIGHTS THAT RESERVES IT NOT TO BE DEVELOPED, AND THE BUNDLE OF RIGHTS THAT HELPS TO SECURE GOOD WATER QUALITY, THE BUNDLE OF RIGHTS THAT HELPS TO SECURE GOOD AIR QUALITY IS STILL HELD BY THAT OTHER ENTITY. THEY ENFORCE IT. AND SO THERE ARE THERE ARE PRIVATE LAND TRUSTS THAT HOLD CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IN AREAS LIKE AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST. SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, I DON'T WANT TO MIX THINGS. PRIVATE IS DIFFERENT, RIGHT? THEY AREN'T GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. WE'RE A GOVERNMENT AGENCY. SO I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH NOT FOR PROFIT PRIVATE AGENCIES BUYING UP LAND OR GETTING LAND DONATED TO THEM ALL OVER GOD'S GREEN EARTH. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE LEGAL JURISDICTION OF THAT LAND IS STILL UNDER THE THAT PARTICULAR JURISDICTION, REGARDLESS OF THAT PRIVATE [00:55:03] ENTITY, THEY HAVE NO ABILITY TO ENFORCE LAW. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE LAW. SO THE QUESTION IS. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY THAT BULLITT COUNTY DIDN'T WANT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS TO OPERATE WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTION. OLDHAM COUNTY IN THIS CASE. SO THIS GETS RIDF OLDHAM COUNTY. SO LET'S JUST SAY OLDHAM COUNTY SAID, YOU KNOWPASSED AN ORDINANCE THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, THEY REJECT LAND BEING USED FOR CONSERVAON EEMEN ITHEI JURISDICTION. W HPE S TH'SD LEG QUESTION. TORNEY SUPPORT ANSWER THATNTY FOR YOU. HELLO, I'M ANN SCHULZ WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. SO IF THE LAND IS IN OLDHAM COUNTY, ALL OF THE OLDHAM COUNTY LAWS APPLY TO THAT LAND. THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT IS LIKE A CONTRACT WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST, WHICH IS METRO GOVERNMENT. AND IT'S IT'S A METRO GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO ENFORCE THE CONTRACTUAL RIGHT THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER GAVE, WHICH WAS THE GIVING UP OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE THAN THREE HOUSES. IT WAS, YOU KNOW, TO TO KEEP THE PROPERTY ESSENTIALLY OPEN. AND AS A WORKING FARM, IT DOESN'T TRUST METRO GOVERNMENT'S LAWS WOULD NOT AFFECT THAT PROPERTY. SO SO AGAIN, I COME BACK TO MY THEORETICAL, WHICH IS OLDHAM COUNTY PASSED AN ORDINANCE SAYING THEY DO NOT WANT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IN OLDHAM COUNTY. WHAT HAPPENS? WELL, WE HAVE A CONTRACTUAL RIGHT. AND THAT PROPERTY OWNER HAD ALREADY BARGAINED FOR THAT, RIGHT. SO I DON'T I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE A CONSTITUTIONAL ORDINANCE, FIRST OF ALL, BECAUSE THAT WOULD INTERFERE WITH THE PERSON'S RIGHT TO CONTRACT AND THE PERSON'S RIGHT TO HAVE THEIR PROPERTY AND DO WHAT THEY WANT WITH THEIR PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED UNDER LAW. BUT THE YOU KNOW, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THOUGH, HOW MANY, HOW MANY PAGES OF LAWS DO WE HAVE ON THE BOOKS RIGHT NOW THAT RESTRICT PEOPLE'S LAND USE? BUT WHEN YOU SAY YOU CAN'T SELL TO SOMEBODY ELSE, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. ARE THEY SELLING OR ARE THEY CONTRACTING? THEY'RE SELLING. RIGHT. THEY'RE DONATING. SO THEY'RE THEY ARE TRANSFERRING RIGHTS AND PROPERTY TO GOVERNMENT AGENCY. YES. IT'S SIMILAR TO LIKE A DEED RESTRICTION OR A, YOU KNOW, LIKE LIKE LOTS OF NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE THE DECLARATION OF RESTRICTIONS THAT SAY WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T DO. THAT IS ESSENTIALLY A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT. SURE. BUT HOW MANY OTHER CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS DOES THIS GOVERNMENT AGENCY HAVE OUTSIDE OF ITS LEGAL JURISDICTION? WELL, YOU KNOW, JEFFERSON MEMORIAL FOREST, PART OF THAT IS LOCATED IN BULLITT COUNTY. I'M NOT SURE WHO OWNS OTTER CREEK PARK, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IS JEFFERSON COUNTY OWNED PROPERTY THAT IS NOT IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. RIGHT. SO AND I DON'T HAVE THE RESEARCH WITH ME, I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT TO YOU. BUT COUNTIES CAN OWN REAL ESTATE FEE SIMPLE OR OR LESS THAN FEE SIMPLE INTEREST IN OTHER PLACES. YEAH. AND AND BUT THAT RELATIONSHIP WAS NEGOTIATED WITH THE OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY. CORRECT. IN OTHER WORDS, LONG RUN PARK BRACKETS. SHELBY COUNTY. IT'S IN MY DISTRICT. OKAY. SO BUT I WILL ASSUME THAT THAT THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT WITH THAT OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT WE HAVE CERTAIN MANAGEMENT AND JURISDICTION OVER THAT LAND. WE DIDN'T JUST DO IT WITH A PRIVATE PROPERTY HOLDER. THE GOVERNMENT ALSO GAVE PERMISSION. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED, BUT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT SPECIFIC SITUATION. SO COULD COULD WE BUY OLDHAM COUNTY? YEAH. IF YOU WANTED TO BUY WITH EVERY SINGLE PERSON OR ENTITY THAT OWNS PROPERTY IN OLDHAM COUNTY, YOU COULD BUY JEFFERSON COUNTY, COULD BUY OLDHAM COUNTY. OKAY. BUT I'M GOING TO DO A COUPLE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS REAL QUICK. JUST JUST SO WE CAN TOUCH ON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. RIGHT. SO JULIA, YOU MIND COMING UP AND KIND OF STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD IN YOUR POSITION AND, AND AND KIND OF LET US KNOW WHAT WORKED JEFFERSON COUNTY PUTS INTO THINGS OUTSIDE OF JEFFERSON COUNTY WHEN IT COMES TO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND MAYBE ESTABLISH ORDINANCE AND WE CAN AND CANNOT DO UNDER THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. THANK YOU. SURE. THIS IS JUAN JULIA WILLIAMS WITH THE OFFICE OF PLANNING. SO, YOU KNOW, OUR OFFICE DEALS WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. AND I THINK OUR CONCERN WITH ANYTHING [01:00:04] OUTSIDE OF JEFFERSON COUNTY IS THAT OUR COMP PLAN ISN'T TYPICALLY USED FOR LAND OUTSIDE OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, BECAUSE OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SPECIFICALLY SAYS THIS PLAN IS APPLICABLE TO JEFFERSON COUNTY. SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK STAFF'S ROLE IN ACQUIRING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IS. IT APPEARS TO BE MINIMAL AS FAR AS GOING OUT TO THE SITE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. WE DO A LOT OF MY OFFICE, THE OFFICE OF PLANNING, DOES A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE WORK. SO WITH THE WITH THE MEETINGS AND HOLDING THE MEETINGS AND GETTING THE MINUTES OUT AND. AGENDAS AND RECORDING THE MEETINGS AND PUTTING ALL THE DOCUMENTS TOGETHER. AND HOLDING THE DOCUMENTS. SO METRO GOVERNMENT HOLDS THE PHYSICAL DOCUMENTS. OKAY. THANK YOU JULIA. SO, SO WE HAVE AN EXPENSE AT THAT. AND AND I GUESS I'M JUST GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SAY IT HERE. RIGHT. AND THEN I GOT TWO MORE PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE. BUT I'M GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO VOTE. I'M GOING TO VOTE YES FOR THIS TODAY BECAUSE THE PLANNING STAFF HAS ALREADY DONE THE WORK. BUT I'M ALSO GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT WE COME BACK WITH SOME TYPE OF RECOMMENDATION OF WHAT POLICY OR ORDINANCE CHANGE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE, SO THAT WE ARE COMPENSATED ACCORDINGLY FOR THE PLANNING STAFF AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO. SO I'LL BE VOTING YES ON THIS CONSERVATION EASEMENT TODAY BEFORE US, BECAUSE THE WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE. IT'S BEEN COMPLETED, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO HONOR THAT COMMITMENT. HOWEVER, MOVING FORWARD, I WILL BE VOTING NO ON ANY CONSERVATION EASEMENTS OUTSIDE OF JEFFERSON COUNTY UNTIL RECEIVE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PLANNING STAFF ON WHAT CHANGES SHOULD BE MADE. WHAT WE ENSURE ARE THAT OUR DECISIONS ARE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE TO OUR TAXPAYERS, ALIGNED WITH JEFFERSON COUNTY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. I WANT TO BE CLEAR I FULLY SUPPORT THE MISSION OF LSAP, AND WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING THE OPEN SPACES, THE CULTURAL HERITAGE WITHIN JEFFERSON COUNTY, THAT'S WHAT THE ORDINANCE WAS DESIGNED FOR. AND THAT IS WHAT THE TAXPAYERS EXPECT. BUT I CANNOT I CANNOT SUPPORT EXTENDING THESE BENEFITS OUTSIDE JEFFERSON COUNTY WITHOUT COST SHARING. IF THE OTHER COUNTIES WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT FRAMEWORK, THEY SHOULD CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY. OTHERWISE, WE RISK JEFFERSON COUNTY RESIDENTS FOOTING THE BILL FOR THE LAND PRESERVATION THAT DOESN'T DIRECTLY SERVE THEM. CONSERVATION IS IMPORTANT EVERYWHERE, BUT FAIRNESS REQUIRES THAT EACH COUNTY INVEST ITS OWN IN ITS OWN PROPERTIES, RATHER THAN RELYING ON METRO GOVERNMENT RESOURCES. COLLABORATION IS DEFINITELY WELCOME, BUT AS IT MUST BE EQUITABLE, OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO STAY TRUE TO THE ORDINANCE, THE INTENT, THE TAXPAYERS AND FAIRNESS TO ENSURE THE LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY. THAT'S WHERE I'M AT WITH THAT. AND I WANT TO GO TO COUNCILMAN LEONARD. HE'S GOT A QUESTION. THANK YOU. JUST AS A FOLLOW UP TO COUNCILMAN ARGENTINA'S LINE OF QUESTIONING, IF THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF OLDHAM COUNTY WERE TO PASS SUCH AN ORDINANCE, BARRING THAT, THE TRANSFER OF THESE RIGHTS, YOU KNOW, WHICH, AS YOU POINTED OUT, ARE SIMILAR TO MINERAL RIGHTS OR OTHER THINGS BEYOND FEE SIMPLE. AND LET'S SAY THE COURT UPHELD THEN MOVING FORWARD, THERE WOULD NO LONGER BE THE ABILITY TO TRANSFER THESE. HOWEVER, THE PREVIOUSLY ENTERED CONTRACTS WOULD BE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT DISPUTE, AM I CORRECT? I WOULD THINK SO, BECAUSE GENERALLY THERE'S A PROHIBITION AGAINST A LAW APPLYING RETROACTIVELY. CORRECT. THANK YOU. WE HAVE, KURT, IN YOUR OPINION, A PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE RESULTS OF THIS CONSERVATION EASEMENT HERE TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE CITIZENS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. I HAVE I'VE SPENT YEARS WORKING ON CORNERSTONE 2020 AND ALSO 2040, AND WORKED WITH JUST ABOUT EVERY PRIVATE LANDOWNER THAT OWNS FARMS AND JEFFERSON, BULLITT, HENRY, SHELBY, OTHER COUNTIES. OKAY. SO THE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS ADVOCATED IS THAT WHAT WELL, I DON'T ADVOCATE WATER FLOWS DOWNSTREAM. OKAY. [01:05:02] WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE VALUE OF THAT 5 MILLION ACRES THAT ARE 5 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER THAT COMES DOWNSTREAM, THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF 16FT OF WATER ON A FOOTBALL FIELD THAT COMES DOWNSTREAM. WHATEVER POLLUTANTS ARE IN IT, WHATEVER FLASH FLOOD HAPPENS, IT IMPACTS, IN THIS CASE, MORE OF JEFFERSON COUNTY THAN IT DOES OF OLDHAM. IF MSD HAD TO BUILD RETENTION BASINS FOR ALL OF THAT, CITIZENS COULDN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE. THE FLOOD WALL THAT WAS BUILT IS A FLOOD WALL THAT HAS A HEIGHT TO IT, AND AT SOME PERIOD OF TIME WE'RE GOING TO EXCEED THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE INTENSE RAINSTORM EVENTS AT A HIGHER FREQUENCY. AT SOME POINT, THAT WATER IS GOING TO EXCEED THE FLOOD WALL, AND WHEN IT DOES, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE WHAT LAND IS UPSTREAM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE ALL THAT WATER CAME FROM. OKAY, SO IT DOES HAVE AN INTEREST AND A VALUE TO THE CITIZENS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, BECAUSE EVERY TIME THERE'S A FLOOD EVENT, I DON'T KNOW WHO PAYS FOR CLEANING UP THE MUD AND THE SEDIMENT FROM DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE. I DON'T KNOW WHO PAYS FOR CLEANING UP THE TRASH OFF THE GREAT LAWN. I DON'T KNOW WHO PAYS FOR THE IMPACT TO THOSE BUSINESSES, BUT IT COMES AROUND IN A CIRCLE THAT THE CITIZENS OF LOUISVILLE, JEFFERSON COUNTY PAY FOR THAT. SO IT MAKES SENSE TO USE A LOW COST, ECONOMIC, NATURAL SOLUTION THAT WE HAVE FROM AN INVESTMENT STANDPOINT, 2 OR $300 TO KEEP THE CITIZEN FROM PLAYING MILLIONS OVER THE YEARS, AND THE VALUE OF INFRASTRUCTURE WHEN IT'S BUILT BY MAN EVERY TIME, EVERY YEAR, IT PERFORMS LESS AND LESS AND IT COSTS MORE. NATURAL INFRASTRUCTURE GETS BETTER EVERY YEAR THAT IT'S IN PLACE, EVERY YEAR THAT IT'S IN PLACE. SO THE VALUE OF WHAT WE'RE GETTING IS ASTRONOMICAL IN TERMS OF ITS VALUE TO OUR OUTPUT. I GOTTA SAY, I'M I'M PRETTY COMPELLED BY THIS. 2 TO $300 A YEAR FOR THE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE OF LOUISVILLE. IF WE NEED TO SPLIT THAT COST WITH OLDHAM COUNTY, I MIGHT PASS THE HAT AND JUST KICK IT IN FOR THEM. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN RAY. THANK YOU. SO I'VE GOT A QUESTION. THEY'VE CHOSEN TO TURN THE RIGHTS FOR THE EASEMENT TO YOUR ORGANIZATION. IS THERE ANOTHER ORGANIZATION LOCALLY THEY COULD DO GIVE THAT TO OR ARE YOU THE SOLE ONE THAT WE HAVE IN THIS REGION? WE ARE NOT WE ARE NOT THE SOLE ONE, BUT WE'RE THE CHOICE. AND THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. SO ENTERING INTO A CONSERVATION EASEMENT IS A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LANDOWNER AND THE ENTITY. AND IT'S WHO THEY TRUST THAT WILL CARRY THROUGH AND MAKE SURE THAT COMMITMENT IS HELD, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY'RE STILL LIVING OR NOT. SO THERE'S THERE'S ENTITIES LIKE RIVER FIELDS THAT HOLDS CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. THERE'S ENTITIES LIKE AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST, WHICH AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST IS REALLY NOT INTERESTED IN THIS ONE. THERE'S ENTITIES LIKE PACE, THE PURCHASE OF AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, WHICH LANDOWNERS HAVE DECIDED NOT TO USE BECAUSE PACE HAS A CLAUSE THAT EXTINGUISHES, ALLOWS THAT EASEMENT TO BE EXTINGUISHED. AND THEY'RE NOT SURE THAT THAT WILL HOLD UP OVER TIME. SO WE HAVE A GOOD REPUTATION AS A LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST. WE'RE LOCAL. WE HAVE EYES ON THAT PROPERTY. THERE'S ANOTHER ENTITY CALLED BLUEGRASS CONSERVANCY OUT OF LEXINGTON, AND THEY CAN HOLD EASEMENTS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY'D LIKE TO BECAUSE THEY WOULD LIKE TO GET THE STEWARDSHIP FROM THOSE LANDOWNERS TO SUPPORT THEIR ORGANIZATION, TO DO EASEMENTS IN LEXINGTON. COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH. LOOK, JUST TO SUM UP HERE, I'M WITH COUNCILMAN, AND I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR IT. AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS ISN'T AN ATTACK ON THE EASEMENT. I'VE HAD PROPERTY IN MY OWN DISTRICT THAT WE'VE WE'VE ASKED TO GO IN THE EASEMENT. I FULLY SUPPORT IT. THE BY THE ARGUMENT OF ANYTHING THAT AFFECTS OUR WATERSHED NOW COULD POTENTIALLY COME INTO OUR [01:10:04] JURISDICTION. WE MIGHT AS WELL BUY UP THE ENTIRE OHIO RIVER VALLEY GOING NORTH. RIGHT? I MEAN, IT WOULD BE THE AMOUNT OF LAND THAT NOW OUR TAXPAYERS WOULD BE BURDENED TO POTENTIALLY DO SOMETHING WITH. AND BY THE WAY, ALTHOUGH I APPRECIATE THE ARGUMENT AND I'LL ACCEPT THE ARGUMENT, IT'S 200 BUCKS A YEAR MOVING FORWARD. BUT JUST IN THIS MEETING IT'S BEEN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, RIGHT? WE'RE PAYING A COUNTY ATTORNEY. WE'RE ALL GETTING PAID. THE CLERK'S GETTING PAID. THE PLANNING STAFF GOT PAID TO DO SOME WORK. IT WAS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO GET TO THIS MOMENT. RIGHT. SO AND THEN THERE'S LIABILITY MOVING FORWARD. ANY LAND YOU OWN, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS LAND THAT NEVER NEEDS TO BE TOUCHED AGAIN. THERE'S ALL KINDS OF ISSUES THAT COME UP DOWN THE ROAD. COULD BE FLOODING, COULD BE FIRES, COULD BE ALL KINDS OF, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT HAPPEN ON OPEN LAND THAT THE LAND OWNER NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND POTENTIALLY MITIGATE, ETC. SO THE POINT IS, I'M NOT I GET WHAT THE INTENTION IS AND I HAVE REACHED OUT TO MY STATE REPS PRIOR TO THIS, WHEN WE WERE DEBATING FLOYDS FORK THAT THE STATE AND WE SHOULD ADVOCATE WITH THE STATE TO DO MORE TO PROTECT UPSTREAM WATER ISSUES. RIGHT? WHEN WE START GETTING INTERCOUNTY, THE STATE SHOULD INTERVENE. WHEN WE GET INTERSTATE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD INTERVENE. BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO START THIS PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE NOW OPENED UP THE FLOODGATES, THAT WE'RE GOING TO START, START WHETHER IT'S DONATED OR HOWEVER WE'RE GETTING THIS LAND, BECAUSE DOWNSTREAM, IT MAY IMPACT US. THERE'S THERE'S ALMOST NO LIMIT TO HOW FAR OUR JURISDICTION GOES. AND NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SPENDING RESOURCES AND TIME WHEN, FRANKLY, WE'RE JEFFERSON COUNTY ORGANIZATION. WE SPEND RESOURCES AND TIME ON JEFFERSON COUNTY AND IMPROVING JEFFERSON COUNTY, MEANWHILE, ADVOCATING FOR AGENCIES THAT HAVE INTERCOUNTY AND THEN INTERSTATE GOVERNANCE THAT CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, CLEAN INTERSTATE WATERWAYS AND WATERWAYS THAT ARE WELL PRESERVED. RIGHT. SO IT'S IT'S I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT IT'S IT'S NOT AN DISAGREEMENT THAT I'M HAVING WITH THE INTENTION OR WITH THE EASEMENT, WHICH I THINK HAS A GREAT PURPOSE WITHIN JEFFERSON COUNTY. IT'S HOW FAR DOES THIS GO? AND IF OUR CONCERN IS GOING TO BE ANYTHING THAT COULD IMPACT US, WELL, HECK, FORESTRY MANAGEMENT IN CALIFORNIA IMPACTS US BECAUSE WHEN THEY HAVE WILDFIRES, THEY PUT PARTICULATES IN THE AIR. IT CREATES RAIN OVER HERE, RIGHT? I MEAN, HOW WHERE ARE WE GOING TO END IN THE IN THE POTENTIAL ACQUISITION OF LAND? BECAUSE WE COULD MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT, OKAY, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY IN CALIFORNIA SHOULD DONATE, YOU KNOW, LAND INTO THE EASEMENT. BUT I THINK WE SHOULD STICK TO JEFFERSON COUNTY WHILE ADVOCATING WITH STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES TO HELP WITH WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, WHICH I THINK IS RIGHT AND LAUDABLE. SO THANK YOU. MR. THANK YOU. WE ARE ON THE CLOCK. WE'VE GOT TWO MORE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. I'M GOING TO IS IT PERTINENT TO THIS OR CAN WE ESTABLISH IT LATER? I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD. OKAY. OKAY. SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY. SO THE PURPOSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST IS TO ENSURE THAT THE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT ARE FOLLOWED. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. SO YOU YOU DO NOT OWN THE PROPERTY. YOU'RE JUST ENSURING THAT SHOULD THEY THE CURRENT OWNERS WHO DO THAT PRETTY MUCH KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE AGREEMENT BECAUSE THEY AGREE TO THE AGREEMENT. THE FOLLOWING OWNERS ARE BUYING INTO IT. BUT WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THEY FOLLOW THE CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT. ALSO, BECAUSE THE CONTRACT FOLLOWS THE LAND AND FOR IN PERPETUITY. CORRECT. TRUE. THAT'S TRUE. OKAY. AND GO AHEAD. AND AGAIN, I MEAN THE LIVER LIVABILITY SECTION OF CORNERSTONE 2020 TALKS ABOUT WATER QUALITY, FLOOD CONTROL. NONE OF THAT STOPS AT THE COUNTY LINE. THAT WAS REALLY I MEAN, WHAT GETS PASSED DOWN TO US, IT IT BECOMES INCUMBENT ON, I THINK, US AS A COMMUNITY AND ALSO ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT INVESTED TIME IN CORNERSTONE 2020 THAT TALKS ABOUT CLEAN WATER AND STREAMS, PROTECTION OF SOURCE WATER, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT THOSE MEASURES THAT ARE DONE VERY INEXPENSIVELY ADDS A GREAT VALUE TO THIS COMMUNITY. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILMAN LEININGER, BUT I'M GOING TO TALK REAL QUICK IF IT'S OKAY ABOUT THE STEWARDSHIP DOLLARS. AND EVERY EASEMENT IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A $5,000 MINIMUM ON STEWARDSHIP DOLLARS, IS THAT CORRECT? NO. THERE'S A STEWARDSHIP CALCULATOR THAT WE USE. SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT 200 AND $300 EXPENSE, [01:15:08] THE STEWARDSHIP FEE THAT'S COMING OUT OF THIS CONSERVATION EASEMENT WILL PAY THAT FOR ABOUT 100 YEARS. THOSE STEWARDSHIP DOLLARS ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO BE USED IN THE EVENT OF A LAWSUIT OR SOMETHING ON THAT PROPERTY. CORRECT? NOT REALLY. NO IT DOES. IT DOES EQUATE TO USING SOME OF THOSE. IF WE NEED TO DEFEND THAT EASEMENT THROUGH DOLLARS. BUT IT ALSO GOES TO THE OVERALL GENERAL HEALTH OF THE LOUISVILLE-JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST TO HELP DO OTHER LAND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, PROMOTIONS, OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THOSE DOLLARS HAVE TO BE HELD FOR THE DEFENSE OF THAT CONSERVATION EASEMENT. IT'S REQUIRED FOR ACCREDITATION AS AN ACCREDITED LAND TRUST. NATIONALLY, COUNCILMAN LINDNER, JUST REAL QUICK, BEFORE I GET TO MY NEXT POINT, I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY THAT SOME PORTION OF THE STEWARDSHIP MONEY COMING FROM THIS PROPERTY IS GOING TO HELP SUPPORT THE GENERAL OPERATION OF OUR STEWARDSHIP THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY. ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S A NET POSITIVE. I LIKE THAT MY I JUST WANT TO CLEAR SOME THINGS UP, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONFUSION IN THE CHAMBER. WE WILL NOT OWN PHYSICAL PROPERTY IN OLDHAM COUNTY. YOU DO NOT OWN THE PROPERTY. IT'S A RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LANDOWNER TO PROTECT THAT CONSERVATION EASEMENT AND ITS VALUES. AND WHOEVER THAT LAND PASSES TO, IT'S ALSO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. EVERY TIME LAND CHANGES HANDS ON EVERY CONSERVATION EASEMENT. THIS LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST MEETS WITH THOSE LANDOWNERS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, EARLIER THIS MONTH ON ANOTHER CONSERVATION EASEMENT IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, WHERE THE LAND HAD CHANGED HANDS, I GOT A CALL FROM THREE LANDOWNERS THAT ARE BUYING PROPERTY, THAT PROPERTY, AND THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS REQUIRED IN THAT CONSERVATION EASEMENT. THEY ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND IT BEFORE THEY BUY IT. AND IS THERE ANY, YOU KNOW, CHAIN OF CHANGE OF PROPERTY THAT THIS IS GOING TO SOMEHOW END UP IN THE OWNERSHIP OF LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT? ONLY IF THE LANDOWNER DECIDES THEY WANT TO SELL IT TO PARKS OR SOMEPLACE. AND IF THEY DO, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS PARKS WILL BUY IT CHEAPER THAN THEY WILL FROM A LANDOWNER WITHOUT A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON IT. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT, COUNCILWOMAN PARKER. YEAH. CORRECT. YEAH. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. DO WE NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL ON THIS OR. ARE YOU. OH IS THERE THERE'S AN AMENDMENT WE NEEDED TO MAKE A MOTION ON. DOES ANYBODY MAKING A MOTION ON THE AMENDMENT? MR. JOE? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? A AND THEN. NOBODY WANTS TO SPEAK TO THE MOTION. WE ARE GOING TO RESOLUTION CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AND THE RESOLUTION PASSES. THANK YOU. WE ARE GOING TO JUMP INTO. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. LET'S GO TO NATHAN MAYWALD AND THE GOLF. AND IN THE SEASON REPORT NATHAN MAYWALD WILL LOUISVILLE RECS AND PARKS AND RECS. GOSH. THIS THIS PRESENTATION THAT YOU'RE USING. YEAH, YEAH. THE ONE I SAID. YEAH. THE ONE THAT'S JUST LIKE OH. THE OH SORRY. OKAY. THERE WE GO. OKAY. I KNOW THAT ONE HAD LIKE 75 PAGES. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE THAT ONE. THANK YOU. GOOD [1. ID 25-0711     GOLF END OF SEASON REPORT – Nathan Maiwald, Louisville Parks and Recreation] AFTERNOON. NATHAN MAYWALD, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH LOUISVILLE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. THE LAST TIME WE MET, WE WERE DISCUSSING SOME ISSUES THAT WE HAD BEEN DEALING WITH AT SOME OF OUR GOLF COURSES. AND THE GOOD NEWS [01:20:02] IS THAT WE'VE SEEN GREAT RECOVERY SINCE THAT TIME. SO I'LL GO INTO SOME DETAIL ON THAT LATER. AND I WON'T TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME. I JUST HAVE SOME SLIDES AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS. WE PUT TOGETHER A DETAILED PLAN FOR OUR GOLF COURSE, MAINTENANCE AND EXPECTATIONS. THIS PLAN OUTLINES STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AIMED AT IMPROVING TURF CONDITIONS ACROSS OUR TEN COURSES. WHILE THE PLAN COVERED EACH COURSE, FOUR OF OUR COURSES RECEIVED ENHANCED OVERSIGHT AND CUSTOMIZED PLANS TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC CHALLENGES RELATED TO OUR GREENS HEALTH. OUR AERIFICATION PLAN INCLUDED PULLING COURSE, WHICH IS THE MOST LABOR INTENSIVE STYLE OF VERIFICATION. THE PLAN WAS DETAILED WITH DATES SET IN ADVANCE, EQUIPMENT MOVEMENT, SHARED HELP FROM OTHER COURSES, AND I WOULD ADD THAT OUR SUPERINTENDENTS AND OUR GOLF PROS ALL FELT THAT IT WAS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AND EFFECTIVE AERIFICATION THAT WE'VE EVER HAD THAT THEY CAN RECALL. AERIFICATION WAS FOLLOWED BY POWER SEATING AT THE FOUR RECOVERING COURSES ON THE GREENS, AND THEN HAND SEEDING TO OTHERS, AND THEN OF COURSE, FERTILIZATION AND WATERING. AND OUR SUPERINTENDENTS ARE OFTEN HAVING TO COME BACK IN AND WATER AFTER HOURS OR WORK SPLIT SHIFTS WITH OTHER EMPLOYEES, ESPECIALLY DURING THE HOTTER MONTHS. THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUS FROM OUR RECOVERY. WE'RE WELL ON OUR WAY TO FULL RECOVERY OF THOSE DAMAGED GREENS AND OTHER TOPICS THAT WE COVERED IN OUR PLAN INCLUDED SITE VISIT SCHEDULES FOR OVERSIGHT BY OUR TEAM OF GOLF MANAGERS, OUR WINTER MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR 2526 DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND CAPITAL PROJECTS, PRE SPRING PREPARATION, ADMINISTRATOR'S EXPECTATIONS AND COMMUNICATION MEETINGS WITH OUR GOLF PROS AND SUPERINTENDENTS. SUPERINTENDENT EXPECTATIONS, OVERTIME PRACTICES AND THEN CONCLUDED WITH SUMMARY AND KEY TAKEAWAYS. SO HOW DO WE KEEP THIS MOMENTUM GOING FORWARD. SO WE'RE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE BEST POSSIBLE EXPERIENCE AND CONDITIONS TO ALL OF OUR GOLFERS. ONE WAY WE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS IS THE ADDITION OF A DEDICATED TURF LEADER TO HELP OVERSEE OUR TEN GOLF COURSES. OUR GOAL FOR THIS NEW POSITION IS TO OVERSEE MAINTENANCE ACROSS ALL TEN COURSES, ENSURING THAT CONSISTENT QUALITY AND HIGH STANDARDS ARE IN PLACE. THIS ROLE BRINGS SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE AND TURF CARE, RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES. BY CENTRALIZING AGRONOMIC LEADERSHIP, WE CAN IMPROVE COORDINATION, DRIVE INNOVATION AND MAINTAIN TOP TIER PLAYING CONDITIONS. ULTIMATELY, THIS REFLECTS OUR COMMITMENT TO DELIVERING EXCEPTIONAL GOLFER EXPERIENCES WHILE PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. SO THIS POSITION HAS BEEN CREATED, POSTED AND WE ARE CURRENTLY REVIEWING APPLICATIONS FOR INTERVIEWS. OUR VACANCY RATE WITH CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS IS DOWN TO TWO VACANCIES RIGHT NOW FOR OUR GOLF STAFF. ADJUSTED SALARIES FROM THE NEW UNION CONTRACT HAS GARNERED NEW INTEREST IN RECRUITMENT AND SHOULD HELP SUPPORT RETENTION. OUR NEW AGRONOMIST WILL ALSO ENSURE SUPERINTENDENTS AND GOLF WORKERS ARE RECEIVING UP TO DATE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR LONG TERM SUCCESS. SUCCESSION IS A BIG KEY RIGHT NOW. WE'VE HAVE SEVERAL SUPERINTENDENTS WHO ARE REALLY CLOSE TO RETIRING. WE JUST RETIRED OUR ONE OF OUR BELOVED SUPERINTENDENTS AT CRESCENT HILL, SO THAT TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR STAFF IS VITAL, AS WELL AS OUR COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING OUR PRODUCT AND CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT THAT INTERESTS KNOWLEDGEABLE AND EXPERIENCED SUPERINTENDENTS IN THE GOLF INDUSTRY. SO NOW WE'RE AT THE BENCHMARK STUDY, OUR BENCHMARK STUDY THAT YOU GUYS RECEIVED PROVIDED ALL KINDS OF USEFUL INFORMATION. I'M JUST GOING TO FOCUS ON A FEW OF THE KEY TAKEAWAYS RIGHT NOW. STRONG OVERALL FINANCIAL GROWTH WITH THE PRICING LAG. TWO FLAGSHIP COURSES THAT DRIVE THE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE, STAFFING LEVELS THAT ARE LEAN COMPARED TO INDUSTRY STANDARDS, AND SYSTEM WIDE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS. SO REVENUE THROUGH OUR REVENUE. SO I'M SORRY, EVEN THOUGH OUR REVENUE AND ROUNDS CONTINUE TO REMAIN AT VERY HIGH LEVELS, WE ARE STILL UNDERVALUING OUR PRODUCT. OUR LAST GREEN FEE INCREASE WAS 1920 2019, 2020, WITH AN INCREASE TO THE CURRENT CPI, WE COULD SEE OVERALL GAINS IN REVENUE FOR PARKS AND UPWARDS OF 500 $600,000 PER YEAR. THIS ADDITIONAL REVENUE WOULD ALLOW US TO ADDRESS HIGH PRIORITY PROJECTS AT COURSES THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM, WHICH WE WOULD IDENTIFY IN COLLABORATION WITH GOLF TEAM TO INCLUDE OUR NEW TURF LEADER SUPERINTENDENTS AND OUR GOLF PRO PARTNERS. SOME EXAMPLES OF THESE PROJECTS WOULD BE CONVERTING FAIRWAYS AT LONG RUN GOLF COURSES, WHILE REPLACING OR REPAIRING NEEDED IRRIGATION, AS WELL AS GREEN BANK RENOVATIONS AT CHARLIE VENTNOR AND BOOSTER PUMPS TO PROVIDE NECESSARY PRESSURE TO WATER THE COURSE MORE EFFICIENTLY. HIGH REVENUE FROM SENECA AND CHARLIE VENTNOR LEAD THE CHARGE WHEN COMPARING TO OTHER COURSES IN OUR REGION AND NATIONALLY. I WOULD ALSO PUT QUAIL CHASE UP THERE WITH THE FAIRWAY RENOVATIONS. OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE 27 HOLES HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO 18, SO I [01:25:03] FORESEE AN UPTICK MOVING FORWARD, WITH ALL 27 BEING OPEN FOR AN ENTIRE SEASON MOVING FORWARD, LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAXIMIZE OUR ROI AT THESE COURSES, SUCH AS SENECA AND QUAIL, WILL HELP GROW SURPLUS REVENUE TO ASSIST OPERATIONS AT OUR LOWER TIER COURSES. AND HAVING ENOUGH STAFF DURING THE BUSIEST SEASONS IS CRITICAL TO THE NEEDS OF ANY GOLF COURSE. WE'RE BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES PER COURSE. WHILE WE'RE ABLE TO MAINTAIN MOST DAY TO DAY OPERATIONAL TASKS, SOME THINGS DO GO BY THE WAYSIDE UNTIL WE GET AHEAD OR THROW ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AT THE COURSE. THESE COULD BE THINGS LIKE BUNKERS, IRRIGATION LEAKS, WEED TRIMMING, LANDSCAPING, AND SO ON. OUR SUPERINTENDENTS DO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY OF OFFERING OR UTILIZING OVERTIME BASED ON NEEDS. MOST OVERTIME IS USED DURING SPECIAL PROJECTS ON THE COURSE AERIFICATION AND SEASONAL WATERING, WHICH MEANS COMING BACK TO THE COURSE FOR WATERING DURING THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER. THIS IS SOMETHING OUR TEAM IS WORKING ON WITH OUR NEW. THIS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT OUR TEAM WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR NEW AGRONOMISTS THAT WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS COMING SEASON TO ENSURE MAXIMIZING THIS OPPORTUNITY AS WELL. WITH AGING IRRIGATION SYSTEMS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN PROPER WATERING OF OUR GREENS, FAIRWAYS AND TEES, MAINTAINING OUR COURSES AT A PEAK LEVEL IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO SO, WITH AN ESTIMATED $46 MILLION PLUS IN CRITICAL NEEDS, WE'RE CONSTANTLY HAVING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN WHAT CAN BE DONE VERSUS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. BUT AS OUR SURPLUS REVENUE GROWS, IT'S IMPORTANT WE PRIORITIZE SOME OF THESE CRITICAL PROJECTS AT HIGH PERFORMING COURSES, WHICH WILL IN TURN CONTINUE TO GROW THAT SURPLUS, ALLOWING FOR CRITICAL NEEDS AT MID-LEVEL AND LOWER TIER COURSES. SO OVERALL, FINANCIALLY, OUR SYSTEM OF COURSES ARE DOING VERY WELL. REVENUE IS UP, ROUNDS ARE UP, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY EXCEEDING OUR BANNER YEAR OF TWO YEARS AGO, WHERE WE BROKE THE $10 MILLION MARK FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. WE HAVE THE TOOLS AND PLANS IN PLACE TO CONTINUE ON THIS TRAJECTORY TO HAVE AN EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER 2026 SEASON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU NATHAN. AND WHILE I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WORK THAT'S WENT INTO THIS, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT IT STILL FALLS SHORT OF THE ORDINANCES INTENT. A REPORT SHOULD COMPARE JEFFERSON COUNTY TO OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, NOT JUST SUMMARIZE OUR OWN PARKS. WITHOUT COMPARISON, WE LOSE THE ABILITY TO MEASURE PROGRESS, IDENTIFY THE GAPS, AND ENSURE THAT WE'RE DELIVERING ON THE VALUE OF OUR TAXPAYERS. I'D LIKE TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT AND HOW WE CAN STRENGTHEN THAT PROCESS MOVING FORWARD. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'D LIKE TO REALLY JUST KIND OF TOUCH ON THE ORDINANCE ITSELF. AND 42.43 MANAGEMENT OF METRO OWNED PARKS AND GOLF COURSES. IT STATES EVERY FOUR YEARS, METRO PARKS SHALL COMPLY WITH THE BENCHMARK REPORT OF LOUISVILLE METRO OWNED GOLF COURSES FOR THE PURPOSE OF EQUIPPING LOUISVILLE METRO TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION REGARDING GOLF OPERATIONS. AND THEN I HIGHLIGHT THE REPORT SHOULD REVIEW THE EVALUATION OR EVALUATE 8 TO 12 OTHER MUNICIPAL GOLF OPERATIONS AND SEMIPUBLIC PRIVATE COURSES WITHIN MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE COMPARABLE TO METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA. MSA OF LOUISVILLE METRO. CAN. CAN WE TALK ABOUT WHY WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT PART OF IT? AS MUCH AS I APPRECIATE THAT WE ARE, WE'RE ON THE UPTICK AND WE'VE GOT SOME OF THE BEST COURSES WE'VE GOT. YOU KNOW KEVIN GREENWELL HERE WITH SENECA, HE'S KILLING IT OVER THERE. HE'S DOING A GREAT JOB. I WANT TO TOUCH ON. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS BENCHMARK REPORT HAS BEEN PRESENTED IN THE CHAMBER'S BASED ON THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS WRITTEN IN 2018. SO WE WENT OVER SIX YEARS WITHOUT THIS, AND IT STILL WASN'T DONE TO THE STANDARDS OF THE ORDINANCE. COUNCILMAN NICOLE PANG FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. THIS REPORT WAS BROUGHT TO ME FOR REVIEW TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT IT COMPLIED WITH THE ORDINANCE, AND IT WAS MY LEGAL ADVICE THAT IT DID. ONE OF THE ISSUES IS THE TERM THAT WAS USED IN THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE. AMENDMENT SHOULD REVIEW. IN LEGAL TERMS, SHOULD IS CONSIDERED AN AMBIGUOUS TERM AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR ORDINANCES, WHERE IT DISCUSSES GENERAL DEFINITIONS. THE COUNCIL HAD PLACED SHALL IN MAY AS THE PREFERRED TERMS. WHEN I REVIEWED THIS, BECAUSE THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY HAD PREPARED THIS REPORT, THEY HAD CONSULTED WITH AN ORGANIZATION AT A CONSIDERABLE COST THAT ADVISED THEM THAT THE 8 TO 12 MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES WAS NOT GOING TO GIVE THEM A REAL, ACCURATE BENCHMARK AS TO HOW LOUISVILLE WAS PERFORMING AGAINST OTHER AREAS. SO MY CONCERNS WERE THAT SHOULD [01:30:05] REVIEW WAS A RECOMMENDATION RATHER THAN MANDATORY. I DID GO AND REVIEW THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS WHEN THE AMENDMENT WAS MADE IN 2018, 2019, AND WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT WHEN THE COMMITTEE WAS CONSIDERING THE AMENDMENT, THE COUNCILWOMAN, CINDY FOWLER, WAS THE ONE WHO PRESENTED IT, AND SHE READ IT INTO THE RECORD. AND WHEN SHE GOT TO THE FIRST SENTENCE OF 42.43 AND READ THE FIRST SENTENCE ABOUT COMPILING A BENCHMARK REPORT, SHE SAID, THIS IS NOT WHAT WE WANTED. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. BUT WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE PRICING SCHEDULE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT. UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. EVERYBODY GOT WRAPPED UP IN TALKING ABOUT THE PRICING. THEY NEVER WENT BACK TO DISCUSS WHAT THE WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS REPORT WOULD BE. THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHEN IT WENT TO THE FULL COUNCIL MEETING. SHE READ THE AMENDMENT IN AND THEY NEVER TALKED ABOUT THE FIRST SENTENCE AGAIN. SO BECAUSE THERE WAS NO LEGISLATIVE INTENT APPARENT, I WENT DOWN AND READ FURTHER INTO THE AMENDMENT OR THE ORDINANCE. AND IF YOU LOOK AT LETTER F, IT TALKS ABOUT THE GOLF, THE MANDATORY REPORTS THAT THE GOLF PROS ARE REQUIRED TO PRESENT TO THIS COMMITTEE ON A QUARTERLY BASIS. AND BECAUSE COUNCIL DID SAY THAT THE PERSON OR ENTITY SHALL PROVIDE QUARTERLY REPORTS FOR EACH GOLF COURSES, EACH GOLF COURSE TO THE PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE OF THE METRO COUNCIL OR ITS SUCCESSOR. REPORTS SHALL, AT A MINIMUM, INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING. AND THEN IT LISTS EIGHT THINGS THAT ARE MANDATORY. MY ADVICE TO PARKS WAS THAT IF COUNCIL HAD MEANT TO MAKE THE REVIEW MANDATORY FOR 8 TO 12 MUNICIPAL GOLF OPERATIONS, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE SAID SHALL AT A MINIMUM THE SAME WAY THAT THEY HAD IN F. SO IF THERE'S ANY BLAME TO BE PLACED, IT'S ON ME, BECAUSE I ADVISED THEM THAT THIS WOULD MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ORDINANCE. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT OWNERSHIP, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. THAT MEANS A LOT. YOU KNOW, THE THE GOAL OF THIS IS, IS TO ESSENTIALLY UNDERSTAND THE SPECIFICS AND THE METRICS THAT WE'RE, THAT WE USE TO EVALUATE THE PARKS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY AND MAKING OUR COURSES THE BEST COURSES IN THE NATION. AND THAT'S THE GOAL. SO NATHAN AND PARKS TEAM, I WOULD. I'M GOING TO STATE THAT I'M GOING TO WORK ON AMENDING THIS ORDINANCE, GETTING IT TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE SO THAT WE HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD AND AND SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE OUR COURSES THE BEST. WHEN IS THE AGRONOMIST LOOKING TO START? HAVE WE HIRED SOMEBODY YET, OR ARE YOU STILL LOOKING TO INTERVIEWS? SO WE HAVE THE APPLICATIONS. SO WE'RE REVIEWING THOSE FOR AND WE'LL BE SETTING UP INTERVIEWS HERE SHORTLY OKAY. SO HOPEFULLY EARLY NEXT YEAR WE'LL HAVE SOMEBODY IN PLACE. SOUNDS GOOD. AND THEN WHAT WOULD BE A GOOD PER PROJECTED TIMELINE FOR PRODUCING A TRUE BENCHMARK REPORT IN THE WAY THE ORDINANCE IS DIRECTED? SO WITH THE NEXT TERM, 2028 OR 20 27 OR 20 2027 WOULD BE THE NEXT BENCHMARK STUDY. YEAH, THE CONTRACTS END IN 2028. SO. YEAH. YEAH. SO MOST OF OUR GOLF CONTRACTS AND THEY END IN 2028. SO THAT WE WE FEEL LIKE THE STUDY WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE IN 2027 OKAY. BUT THAT'S ALSO BASED ON, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT THE NEXT TERM FOR THE FOR THE ORDINANCE. WELL I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO KIND OF GO OUT OUT OF TURN HERE. RIGHT. AND I'M GOING TO SAY, CAN WE WORK ON SOMETHING REASONABLE WITHIN THIS COMING YEAR, DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE WAITED SIX YEARS TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, SO CAN WE DO SOMETHING TO KIND OF CATCH UP A LITTLE BIT? COUNCILMAN, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M MICHELLE KING, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LOUISVILLE PARKS AND RECREATION. AND WE WOULD WE WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU ON THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WOULD GO INTO THAT REVISED ORDINANCE. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ASK ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MAYWALD TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WENT INTO THE CURRENT STUDY THAT YOU ALL ALREADY HAVE, HOW MANY CITIES THAT CONSIDERED THE TYPES OF CITIES AND WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THAT? BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO SEE FEEDBACK BASED ON WHAT MORE THAT WE WOULD WANT TO SEE IN A REVISED VERSION. SO TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE [01:35:07] IN HAND AND WHAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PRODUCE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, BECAUSE THOSE BENCHMARK RESOURCES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE. YEAH. SO IN THE STUDY, THERE WAS OVER 200 GOLF COURSES THAT TOOK PLACE WITHIN THIS STUDY. THERE ARE EIGHT OR WELL OVER EIGHT CITIES THAT ARE MSA, TWO THAT MEET THE MSA OF LOUISVILLE IN IN THAT STUDY, ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GATHERING IS PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL. WELL, CONFIDENTIAL, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE ARE ARE PRIVATIZED, ARE PRIVATELY OWNED PUBLIC GOLF COURSES AND EVEN EVEN CITY GOLF COURSES. IT'S STILL CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION UNTIL IT'S, YOU KNOW, GATHERED THROUGH OPEN RECORDS REQUEST OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. SO WE HAVE A MORE DETAILED STUDY AS WELL. WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION. IT GOES ACTUALLY WAY MORE IN DEPTH. BUT AGAIN, THAT INFORMATION IN THERE IS PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL. SO WHEN THESE COURSES TAKE PART IN THIS STUDY, THEY DON'T THEY DON'T HAVE ISSUE WITH PROVIDING ALL OF THEIR FINANCIALS AND ALL OF THEIR KPIS, LIKE OPERATIONAL KPIS, BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT'S NOT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE SINGLED OUT IN THESE IN THESE STUDIES, BUT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO USE THE INFORMATION TO HELP MANAGE THEIR COURSES GOING FORWARD AND WHAT THE THINGS THEY CAN IMPROVE ON. OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN LEONARD. YEAH. AND PER YOUR THE ANSWER YOU JUST GAVE, THE ANSWER MIGHT BE WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. BUT IN ANY KIND OF BENCHMARK STUDY, I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE HOW WE'RE STACKING UP IN TERMS OF THE FUNDING THAT WE ARE DOING FOR OUR GOLF SYSTEM AND WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, PAYING FOR THE BEST GOLF SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES OF THE WORLD OR WHATEVER THE KNOWN GALAXY. UNDERSTOOD. YEAH. SO, YEAH. AND AND A COMPREHENSIVE IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THAT'S PER CAPITA OR, YOU KNOW, AS PERCENTAGE OF THE BUDGET PORTIONS OF PARKS, EVEN JUST RAW DOLLARS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE AN IDEA FINANCIALLY HOW WE STACK UP FOR OUR SUPPORT FOR GOLF, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE'RE PERFORMING. SO. AT THIS MOMENT, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS. AND I APPRECIATE YOU ALL AND YOUR TIME AND EFFORT ON THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND LAST [2. ID 25-0718     PARK RANGERS PROGRAM UPDATE – Chief Park Ranger James Brown and Bridget Frailley, Louisville Parks and Recreation] BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE ONE OTHER ITEM ON THE AGENDA. IT IS THE PARK RANGERS PROGRAM UPDATE WITH CHIEF PARK RANGER JAMES BROWN. AND UNFORTUNATELY, BRIDGET FRALEY CANNOT BE HERE DUE TO A FAMILY EMERGENCY. OH, SHE'S ON VIRTUAL WELL. WE ARE GLAD SHE IS HERE. THANK YOU BRIDGET, FOR FOR JOINING. SORRY WE HAD TO. SORRY YOU COULDN'T BE WITH US TODAY. SO, CHIEF, TAKE IT AWAY. ACTUALLY, BRIDGET, TAKE IT AWAY. I'M GOING TO. I'M GOING TO GET US STARTED. WE PREPARED A STUDY. I'M SORRY. WE PREPARED A POWERPOINT AND A PRESENTATION, BUT SINCE THINGS HAVE RUN OVER A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT LONGER, I WANTED TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED BEFORE WE GOT KICKED OFF ON THAT, JUST FOR TIME. TIME PURPOSES FOR THE COUNCIL, I GUESS I'LL START IT OFF AND I WANT TO SAY, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING. MY BIGGEST QUESTION IS WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR SUCCESS INTO THE COMING YEAR? ONE OF THE BIGGEST. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD CHIEF. THE BIGGEST ASPECT IS THE ABILITY TO ADD ADDITIONAL PEOPLE. AND I'M EXTREMELY HAPPY TO REPORT THAT AS OF YESTERDAY, WE WERE OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED BY THE KENTUCKY LAW ENFORCEMENT COUNCIL AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THE BIGGEST HURDLE THAT WE WERE WORKING THROUGH AND THE ASSISTANCE OF THE COUNCIL THROUGH THE ORDINANCE THAT WE REQUESTED AND WAS PASSED BACK IN OCTOBER. SO WITH THAT, IT'S TO ADD AT LEAST THE ADDITIONAL PERSON OF FULL TIME OR PART TIME PEOPLE SO THAT WE CAN EXPAND THE DATA THAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS PRESENTATION OF THE SUCCESS STORIES WITHIN INDIVIDUAL PARKS. TO BE ABLE TO BUILD UPON THAT AND FURTHER SHOW THE VALUE OF THE RANGER PROGRAM THAT IS THE POP CERTIFICATION, CORRECT? CORRECT. YES, SIR. AWESOME. GREAT. THANK YOU. AND YOU HAVE SOMEBODY ALREADY QUEUED UP TO START. WE'VE INTERVIEWED MULTIPLE PEOPLE, AND THERE IS AT LEAST ONE PERSON THAT WE WERE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ON THE HIRING PROCESS. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE YOU LOOKING TO HIRE NEXT YEAR? THE ORIGINAL FUNDING THAT'S IN FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR WOULD ALLOW, WE BELIEVE, THE ONE FULL TIME PERSON. OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILWOMAN BASS, I JUST ACTUALLY HAVE A COMMENT. I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU ARE DOING. I'VE BEEN KIND OF FOLLOWING ALONG WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND I'M EXCITED AND WELCOME THE EXPANSION INTO OUR 125 PARKS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. I WANT TO APOLOGIZE THAT WE HAVE WENT LONGER THAN WE SHOULD, AND I APPRECIATE YOU STICKING OUT. AND THANK YOU FOR COMING. BRIDGET, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO ADD? ACTUALLY, IF IF THE COUNCIL WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, 5 OR 10 MINUTES, I WOULD [01:40:04] APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CHIEF BROWN TO JUST KIND OF GO OVER SOME INDIVIDUAL SUCCESSES BECAUSE THEY DO HIGHLIGHT THE THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE PROGRAM. AND WE HAVE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS. AND IF WE COULD JUST HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THOSE AREAS AND A COUPLE AREAS OF TOWN, I THINK THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR FOR THE PROGRAM. I THINK WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN. I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE SUCCESS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THOSE ARE IN THE PRESENTATION. SO I'LL LET ME WE'LL JUST KIND OF KICK IT TO THE THE PRESENTATION THAT SAYS THE PARK RANGER ACTIVITY MAP. AND THEN I'LL IF WHOEVER'S KEYING UP THE PRESENTATION WOULD DO THAT FOR US. AND THEN I'LL JUST LET CHIEF KIND OF JUST BRIEFLY GO GO THROUGH. WE HIGHLIGHTED SOME SUCCESSES AND JUST SOME INDIVIDUAL PARKS. AND THOSE ARE ACROSS THE CITY. SO I REALLY SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TAKING THE TIME JUST TO LISTEN TO THOSE. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ABSOLUTELY. ONE OF THE FIRST ONES WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WAS PETERSBURG PARK. PRIOR TO MY HIRING, THERE WERE ISSUES WITH A KNOWN SEX OFFENDER UTILIZING THAT PARK, AND HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WITHIN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME OF THIS PROGRAM, STARTING BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS IT SPECIFICALLY, GIVE IT THE ATTENTION THAT IT NEEDED, AND THEN THAT INDIVIDUAL, AN ARREST WARRANT WAS OBTAINED FOR THEIR ACTIONS THAT WAS SERVED. AND SINCE THEN, WE HAVE NOT HAD ISSUES WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL WITHIN THE PARK, THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY CENTER. WE ALL REMEMBER THERE WERE THE NINE BREAK INS FROM FEBRUARY THROUGH AUGUST OF THIS YEAR THAT RESULTED IN ABOUT $19,000 WORTH OF THEFT AND DAMAGE, AND THIS WAS THE CORNERSTONE OF THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE PARK RANGER PROGRAM AND LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE WORKING TOGETHER, UTILIZING OBVIOUSLY, THEIR GREATER EXTENSIVE RESOURCES, BUT ENSURING THAT IT WAS GIVEN THE PROPER ATTENTION AND FOCUS THAT IT DESERVED, AND COORDINATING EFFORTS BETWEEN BOTH AGENCIES. WYANDOTTE PARK IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY VISITED PARKS FOR MYSELF SO FAR. EARLY ON, YOU CAN SEE THIS PICTURE. IT'S HARD TO TELL, BUT THAT BUNDLE IN THE LOWER LEFT IS RAZOR WIRE LIKE CONSTANTINE WIRE. SO IT WAS VERY COMMON WHEN I FIRST STARTED TO DEAL WITH MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS UTILIZING THAT SPACE. AND AGAIN, IF IT WAS EXPANDED OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE, THERE WERE ALSO A LOT OF CREEK ROCK UP UNDERNEATH THERE AND JUST, AGAIN, EXTENSIVELY MISUSED AND HAPPY TO REPORT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THAT. AGAIN, JUST BEING PRESENT WITH IT, WORKING ON OUTREACH WITH THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE THERE, REFERRING THE PEOPLE TO SERVICES, AND THEN GO TO THIS NEXT ONE. THIS WAS TAKEN FROM, YOU KNOW, VERY RECENTLY. SO YOU CAN SEE AGAIN, NOT BEING UTILIZED. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT CAMERA WAS IN FACT STOLEN BY AN INDIVIDUAL. BUT ONCE WE OBSERVED IT, WE WORKED IN CONJUNCTION WITH LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE TO HAVE THAT SUBJECT ARRESTED WITHIN ABOUT THREE HOURS OF US REALIZING THAT THAT CAMERA WAS MISSING, IDENTIFIED AND IN CUSTODY. ELLIOTT PARK AND WILLIAM BRITT PARK AGAIN WERE THE MOST HIGHLY VISITED. THIS PICTURE WAS KIND OF MIDSUMMER WHEN IT JUST BECAME EXTREMELY MIS UTILIZED. AND THEN WE WORKED WITH AGAIN TAKING THAT ROOT CAUSE APPROACH. THERE WAS A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT WERE THE PROBLEM. AS YOU CAN SEE, ALL THAT BRUSH, THIS IS KIND OF IN THE BACK CORNER WITH IT. SO WE WORKED WITH AGAIN WITH LMPD COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WORKING WITH PARK USERS AND NEIGHBORS AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE ROOT CAUSE AND THEN WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE MOST RECENTLY PRIOR TO THE LAST SNOW. BUT AGAIN, WE CLEARED OUT AREAS AND INCREASED PATROL INDIVIDUALS WORKING WITH THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE THERE AND TRYING TO GET THEM REFERRED TO THE SERVICES THEY NEED. IROQUOIS PARK AGAIN, LOTS OF VISITS TO THERE. IF WE GO TO KIND OF ANECDOTAL SUCCESS STORIES. LOCATED A MISSING JUVENILE THERE ONE MORNING, JUST AGAIN BEING THERE, HAVING GREATER ATTENTION TO IT THAN, AGAIN, SOMEONE WHO JUST RIDES THROUGH IT IS JUST ANOTHER ADDRESS ON THEIR BEAT. GOT OUT, SAT THERE AND TALKED TO HIM, REALIZED HE WAS A MISSING CHILD AND WAS ABLE TO GET HIM RETURNED TO HIS FAMILY. AND AGAIN, THIS IS A PICTURE FROM A WALK VERY EARLY ON WITH COUNCILMAN RUBY ATTENDING THE FARMERS MARKETS AND THEN WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE FRINGE GROUPS AS PART OF IT. AND THEN ONE THAT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW EXISTED, CULMER RESERVE, WHICH IS ALL THE WAY OUT DIXIE HIGHWAY, RIGHT AT THE ABOUT AS FAR SOUTHWEST AS YOU CAN GO. AND WE WERE GETTING COMPLAINTS FROM THE NEIGHBORS ABOUT PARK MISUSE AND DRUG ACTIVITY GOING ON WITH IT. AND THEN, IN COLLABORATION WITH LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE, LOCATING THE INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS THERE THAT THE NEIGHBORS WERE HAVING ISSUES WITH. AND AGAIN, THEY WERE UTILIZING AND UTILIZING NARCOTICS WITHIN THERE AS WELL. AND THEN GEORGE ROGERS CLARK PARK, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF, AGAIN, HAVING A SPECIFIC AGENCY THAT CAN GIVE IT ATTENTION, THAT GOES TO THAT ROOT CAUSE [01:45:04] ISSUE. THE YOUTH SPORTS THAT WE'RE UTILIZING IT WERE CAUSING LARGE COMPLAINTS FROM THE NEIGHBORS AROUND IT, JUST THE OVERUSE OF IT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE. SO, YOU KNOW, AS THE SEASON ENDED AND PRIOR TO THE GOING FROM SPRING SPORTS TO THE START OF FALL, GETTING WITH THE ORGANIZER OF IT AND SITTING DOWN AND USING, YOU KNOW, STRATEGIC PLANNING AS FAR AS HOW THEY MADE THEIR SCHEDULES, HOW WE COULD WORK TOGETHER TO, AGAIN, ALLOW THEM TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE PARK, BUT SPREAD OUT THAT USE TO LESSEN THE IMPACT ON THE NEIGHBORS. AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT CUT OUT ON THAT ONE, BUT THERE'S ABOUT FIVE CARS WIDE. AND WHAT SHOULD BE A22 CAR WIDE STREET. SO IT WAS THE ENFORCEMENT WAS NECESSARY FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE PARKING IN FIRE LANES, ON SIDEWALKS, OR INHIBITING THE LOCAL RESIDENTS FROM ACCESSING THEIR PROPERTY. THAT PARKING CITATIONS WERE ISSUED. AND THEN EVA BANDMAN, YOU CAN SEE THE PICTURE OF THE DAMAGE THERE FROM A VEHICLE THAT WAS DOING DONUTS. WE'RE ABLE TO LOCATE THAT INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS A JUVENILE, AND THEY WERE CITED FOR THAT DAMAGE TO IT. AND THEN ALGONQUIN PARK, WITH THE OPENING OF THE WATER PARK, SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF AMOUNT OF TIME THERE IN THE SUMMER, WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MAJOR MILLER FROM THE SECOND DIVISION. AND THIS PICTURE IS ACTUALLY SOMEONE WHO STOLE COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS'S TENT, SO I WAS ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THAT, LOCATE THAT INDIVIDUAL, AND THEN RETURN HER TENT TO HER UNHARMED. AND AGAIN, JUST HAVING THE ABILITY TO FOCUS ON THE PARK SPECIFIC AND PUTTING THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT WAS NECESSARY FOR THAT, THAT JUST WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THIS PROGRAM. AND THEN AT THE END OF IT, HOW TO REACH OUT TO US AGAIN WITH JUST THAT ONE PERSON AS WE START 911 FOR EMERGENCIES. IF IT'S A PARK MAINTENANCE ISSUE, THE 311, OR IF IT'S A NON-EMERGENCY THING THAT YOU HAVE A SAFETY CONCERN, OR YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM OR JUST HOW TO COMMUNICATE, CAN CALL THE 50257 FOR PARK OR EMAIL PARKS AT LOUISVILLE, KY.COM SHOULD BE I BELIEVE.GOV COM. YEAH SO IT SHOULD BE GOV AND THEN COULD PUT ATTENTION TO THE PARK RANGERS. WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH CHIEF BROWN. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK YOUR EFFORT. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR HELPING GET THIS GOING AND MAKING IT GREAT FOR OUR CITY AND A GREAT RESOURCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR PARKS. I'VE GOT TWO PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE FOR SOME QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. I GOT COUNCILWOMAN RUBY AND THEN COUNCILMAN LEONARD. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP TO THE MARKET REGULARLY BECAUSE YOUR PRESENCE IS NOTED AND IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE. I'VE GOT A QUESTION REGARDING PETERSBURG PARK BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND DURING THE SUMMER THERE WAS A FAMILY LIVING IN THE BANDSHELL. THEY WERE PUTTING UP THEIR AIR MATTRESS EVERY EVENING. ARE THEY STILL THERE? DID YOU FINALLY GET THEM OUT? NO, THEY ARE NOT. AND THAT WAS RIGHT AROUND. I THINK IT WAS LIKE NEWBURGH DAYS. YEAH. AND AGAIN, WHEN I WAS MADE AWARE OF IT, I DIDN'T OBSERVE IT SPECIFICALLY. I WENT THERE ONE OF THE NEWBURGH DAYS, AND IT WAS NOT OCCURRING AT THAT MOMENT. BUT NO, IT WAS RESOLVED DURING THE SUMMER. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. COUNCIL MEMBER LINENGER. THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. HEY, CHIEF. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. WHAT IS THE BREAKDOWN OF THE 22 CRIMINAL CITATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED? WHAT ARE WE WHAT ARE WE ISSUING CITATIONS FOR? DO WE HAVE THAT WITHIN THERE ON THAT ONE. SO THE CRIMINAL CRIMINAL CASE REPORT. SORRY. SO THAT IS A LOT OF THOSE ARE ACTUAL CRIMINAL OFFENSES TO THE PARK ITSELF. SO IT IS DAMAGE TO PARK PROPERTY. IT IS DAMAGE TO THE PARKS THEMSELVES. I DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFIC BREAKDOWNS, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM ARE. OR I WAS INVESTIGATING. THINGS WERE TAKING OR HAPPENING WITHIN THE PARKS THEMSELVES. OKAY. HOW MANY OF THOSE? BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT HALF OF THE, YOU KNOW, BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES IN THE REPORT RELATE TO HOUSELESS INDIVIDUALS. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE CRIMINAL CASE REPORTS WOULD YOU SAY RELATE TO HOMELESSNESS? VERY SMALL AMOUNT. OKAY. PICTURES THAT YOU SEE. THOSE WERE RESOLVED WITHOUT GENERALLY NO ONE WAS ARRESTED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PICTURE THAT YOU SAW. THEY WERE RESOLVED BY, LIKE I SAID, BEING THERE, BEING PRESENT, WORKING WITH THEM. JUST BASICALLY, FIRST OF ALL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT IF THAT MISUSE, IF IT WAS MISUSE, THAT THERE WOULD BE SOMEONE WHO WOULD CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS BEING USED CORRECTLY. BUT SIMULTANEOUSLY, WE TALKED ABOUT REFERRING THEM TO THE SERVICES WORKING TO THAT ROOT CAUSE OF WHY IS THIS INDIVIDUAL HERE? MOST RECENTLY, AN INDIVIDUAL WAS AT PETERSBURG, WORKED TO FIND WHO THEIR NEXT OF KIN WAS, PHYSICALLY WENT TO THEIR FAMILY'S HOUSE TO TALK TO THEM, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL AND IF THEY WERE AVAILABLE TO BE OF ASSISTANCE TO THEM. AND I TALKED TO THE REGULARS AT PETERSBURG AND SAID THAT A FAMILY MEMBER DID COME PICK THAT INDIVIDUAL UP AT THE END OF LAST WEEK. OKAY. THANK YOU. CHIEF. CHIEF, I HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION, AND IT PERTAINS TO CAMERAS, LIGHTING AND WI-FI IN THE PARKS. AND ARE ALL OF THE [01:50:03] PARKS EQUIPPED WITH CAMERAS YET AND LIGHTING AND WI-FI? NO. I KNOW, I JUST SAW AN EMAIL RECENTLY. I BELIEVE WE WERE CLOSE TO THE 100TH PARK WITH WI-FI. BUT NO, NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE CAMERAS. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE WORKING ON. AND BRIDGET IS WORKING AS WELL AS FAR AS IDENTIFYING WHICH ONES WE BELIEVE HAVE THE GREATEST NEED FOR IT, AND THEN TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ADDING ADDITIONAL ONES, AND ESPECIALLY AS NEW INFRASTRUCTURE COMES ON BOARD, ENSURING THAT THOSE NEW INFRASTRUCTURES HAVE THE NECESSARY CAMERA SYSTEMS. IF WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE TO PROTECT THE INVESTMENT OF METRO COUNCIL, AND WHENEVER THOSE CAMERAS ARE INSTALLED AND PUT INTO PLACE AND OR THE ONES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE, IS THERE A CENTRAL LOCATION THAT YOU CAN MONITOR? CORRECT. ALL OF THESE ARE WITHIN THE GENETEC SYSTEM, WHICH IS PART OF THE THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER HAS ACCESS TO THEM AND IS ABLE TO MONITOR THEM AS WELL. SOUNDS GOOD. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE. OH, SOMEBODY. YES. BRIDGET? BRIDGET. YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY ONE THING FOR THE COUNCIL. ANY ANY EFFORTS IN REGARDS TO UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS AND HOMELESSNESS. THAT IS A PART OF MY ROLE. NOT ONLY AM I THE EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY, BUT PART OF MY ROLE IS THE HOMELESS OUTREACH AS I AM A SOCIAL WORKER. THIS PROGRAM IS IS SOCIAL WORK LED. SO IN A CONSISTENT OUTREACH BASIS, CONSISTENT OUTREACH FIRST, CONSISTENT BASIS. SO ANY UNHOUSED PERSON, I WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION TO TRY TO GET THEM ANY KIND OF ASSISTANCE THAT THEY MIGHT NEED. SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT AS WELL. I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK WITH THAT. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. JOHN PILBEAM ACTUALLY JUST WALKED INTO THE ROOM. EVERYBODY SAY, HI, JOHN, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT AND I WILL CONCLUDE THE MEETING. [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.] AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE PARKS SUSTAINABILITY MEETING ON DECEMBER 11TH IS NOW ADJOURNED. THANK YOU SIR. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.