[00:09:44]
          SECONDS. ARE YOU READY? ALRIGHT. THE SPECIAL LOUISVILLE METRO COUNCIL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING 
          [Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance]
          [00:10:10]
OF JANUARY THE 8TH, 2025 WILL PLEASE COME TO ORDER. THE TIME IS CURRENTLY A LITTLE AFTER 430. 
          [00:10:18]
PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD, PURSUED TO CRS 6182 SIX AND COUNCIL RULE FIVE 
          [Member Roll Call]
A MADAM CLERK, A ROLL CALL, PLEASE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. PRO TEM HAWKINS, PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. SHANKLIN PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. PERISH. RIGHT. 
          PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. HEARNDON PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. PERVIS PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER. MCCRANIE COUNCIL MEMBER. RINO WEBER PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER OWEN HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAYMOND HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. KRAMER HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JOSEPH HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SYME HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. BASS HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. CHAPPELL HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. REED HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WINKLER HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. PARKER HERE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. PIACENTINI HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. BENSON, PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. RUIZ HERE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. BRATCHER HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. HUDSON HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MULVEY. 
          WOOLDRIDGE HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. VACHON HERE. PRESIDENT. ACKERSON. PRESENT AND COUNCIL MEMBER. MCCRANIE HERE. MADAM PRESIDENT PRO TEM, YOU HAVE 26 AND A QUORUM. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES. PLEASE JOIN ME TONIGHT IN REMEMBERING THE LIFE OF ONE OF OUR OWN MISS MARA. 
          FRIEND ELLIS, LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT. A FORMER COUNCILWOMAN, SHERRY BRIAN HAMILTON, PASSED AWAY ON DECEMBER THE 22ND. MARA LIVED A LIFE ROOTED IN SERVICE, STABILITY AND MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS. SHE DEVOTED HER LIFE TO SOCIAL SERVICES AND WAS A MENTOR TO MANY, ESPECIALLY THOSE ENTERING POLITICAL AND COMMUNITY BASED WORK. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN REMEMBRANCE OF HER SERVICE TO LOUISVILLE. THANK YOU. OUR 
          [Election of 2026 Metro Council President]
FIRST FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE ELECTION OF THE METRO COUNCIL PRESIDENT. IN JUST A MOMENT, I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR NOMINATIONS. NOMINATIONS DO NOT REQUIRE A SECOND. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE NOMINATED TO RECEIVE A VOTE. ONCE NOMINATIONS ARE CLOSED, THE CLERK WILL CONDUCT A VOICE ROLL CALL VOTE. PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE BY STATING THE NAME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER YOU ARE VOTING FOR. THE FIRST CANDIDATE TO WIN A SIMPLE MAJORITY. 14 VOTES WILL BE OUR 2026 METRO COUNCIL PRESIDENT. IN THE EVENT NO CANDIDATE RECEIVES THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF VOTES, WE WILL REOPEN THE NOMINATIONS AND CONTINUE TO VOTE UNTIL ONE CANDIDATE HAS RECEIVED THE MINIMUM OF 14 VOTES. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NOMINATIONS ARE NOW IN ORDER. 
          MR. PRESIDENT, I NOMINATE BRANT ATKINSON. MADAM PRESIDENT PRO TEM. I NOMINATE BETSY RUBY. ARE THERE ANY MORE NOMINATIONS? HEARING? NONE. WITHOUT OBJECTION. THE NOMINATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED. MADAM CHAIR, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. COUNCILMEMBER HUCKER, PRESIDENT PRO TEM HAWKINS, BRANT ANDERSON. COUNCILMEMBER. SHANKLIN. BRIAN ATKINSON, COUNCILMEMBER. PARIS, RIGHT. COUNCILOR BETSY ROUX, COUNCILMEMBER. HERNDON. BRANT. AKERSON, COUNCILMEMBER. PURVIS, BRANT ATKINSON, COUNCILMEMBER. LEININGER, COUNCILWOMAN BETSY RUIZ, COUNCILMEMBER MCCRANEY. 
          BRANT AKERSON, COUNCILMEMBER. RENO. WEBER. BRANT. AKERSON, COUNCILMEMBER. OWEN BRANT 
          [00:15:02]
AKERSON, COUNCILMEMBER RAYMOND BETSY RUIZ, COUNCILMEMBER. KRAMER, BRANT. AKERSON. 
          COUNCILMEMBER JOSEPH BRANT AKERSON, COUNCILMEMBER. SON BRANT AKERSON, COUNCILMEMBER. 
          BASS BRANT AKERSON, COUNCILMEMBER. CHAPPELL, RUY. COUNCILMEMBER. REID, PRESIDENT BRANT AKERSON, COUNCILMEMBER. WINKLER. COUNCILMEMBER. AKERSON. COUNCILMEMBER. PARKER. 
          COUNCILMEMBER. BRANT. AKERSON. COUNCILMEMBER. BENSON. BRANT. AKERSON. COUNCILMEMBER. ROE, BETSY. ROONEY. COUNCILMEMBER. BRATCHER, ACTRESS. COUNCILMEMBER. HUDSON, PRESIDENT. AKERSON. COUNCILMEMBER. MULVEY, WOOLRIDGE. BRANT AKERSON, COUNCILMEMBER. BACHON, BRANT AKERSON AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT. AKERSON. COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE. I VOTE FOR MYSELF ALSO. MADAM PRESIDENT PRO TEM, YOU HAVE 21 VOTES FOR BRANT AKERSON AND FIVE VOTES FOR COUNCILWOMAN RUBY. ALL RIGHT. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. BRANT AKERSON, OUR 2026 METRO COUNCIL PRESIDENT. ROUND OF APPLAUSE. I AND COUNCILMAN. AND THE MAJORITY CAUCUS CHAIR MYSELF AS THE MAJORITY AND THE MINORITY CAUCUS CHAIR AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS MEETING, WILL GO OVER TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND ALERT HIM. THE METRO COUNCIL HAS BEEN ORGANIZED AND IS IN SESSION FOR 2026. OUR NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE ELECTION OF THE METRO COUNCIL CLERK. 
          [Election and Swearing In of 2026 Metro Council Clerk]
NOMINATIONS CAN BE MADE FROM THE FLOOR AND DID NOT REQUIRE A SECOND. ONCE NOMINATIONS ARE CLOSED, THE CLERK WILL CONDUCT A VOICE VOTE. THE FIRST CANDIDATE TO WIN A SIMPLE MAJORITY, 14 WILL BE OVER OUR 2026 METRO COUNCIL CLERK. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NOMINATIONS ARE IN ORDER. MADAM PRESIDENT PRO TEM, IT IS MY HONOR AND DISTINCT PLEASURE TO NOMINATE SONIA HOWARD TO CONTINUE AS OUR CLERK FOR THE LOUISVILLE METRO COUNCIL. ARE THERE ANY FURTHER NOMINATIONS? COUNCILMAN? YOU HAD YOUR UP. HAND OKAY, ALRIGHT. HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTIONS. THE NOMINATIONS ARE CLOSED. WITH ONLY ONE NOMINATION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR FOR MISS SONIA HOWARD SERVING AS THE 2026 METRO COUNCIL CLERK, PLEASE SAY I. 
          ALRIGHT, ROUND OF APPLAUSE. CONGRATULATIONS, MISS SONIA. ALL RIGHT. SONIA, PLEASE COME FORWARD TO BE SWORN IN BY THE ASSISTANT OF JEFFERSON COUNTY CLERK. COUNTY ATTORNEY. HELLO. 
          PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. DO YOU, SONIA HOWARD, SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT YOU WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THIS COMMONWEALTH AND THE ORDINANCES OF THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT, AND BE FAITHFUL AND TRUE TO THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY, SO LONG AS YOU CONTINUE A CITIZEN THEREOF, AND THAT YOU WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITIES. THE OFFICE OF CLERK OF THE LOUISVILLE METRO COUNCIL, ACCORDING TO LAW AND ORDINANCE. AND DO YOU FURTHER SOLEMNLY AFFIRM THAT SINCE THE ADOPTION OF THE PRESENT CONSTITUTION, YOU, BEING A CITIZEN OF THIS COMMONWEALTH, HAVE NOT FOUGHT A DUEL WITH DEADLY WEAPONS WITHIN THIS COMMONWEALTH, NOR OUT OF IT, NOR HAVE YOU SENT OR ACCEPTED A CHALLENGE TO FIGHT A DUEL WITH DEADLY WEAPONS. NOR HAVE YOU ACTED AS A SECOND IN CARRYING A CHALLENGE, NOR AIDED OR ASSISTED ANY PERSON THUS OFFENDING. AND DO YOU FURTHER SOLEMNLY AFFIRM THAT YOU HAVE THE QUALIFICATIONS AND ARE FREE OF THE DISQUALIFICATIONS PRESCRIBED IN SECTION 67.143 OF THE KENTUCKY REVISED STATUTES? THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOUR METRO COUNCIL CLERK. NEXT, WE HAVE OUR APPROVAL OF THE 
          [Council Minutes]
COUNCIL MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF DECEMBER THE 16TH, 2025. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR DELETIONS? MAY I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? ALRIGHT. THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN 
          [00:20:03]
PROPERLY MOVED. AND SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? THE EYES HAVE IT. SO NEXT WE 
          [Committee Minutes]
HAVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE COMMITTEE MEETING. REGULAR COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE WHOLE DECEMBER 16TH, 2025. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR DELETIONS? MOTION SECOND. ALRIGHT. THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN PROPERLY MOVED. AND SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT. THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS NEW BUSINESS. AS YOU LEAVE THE CHAMBERS, PLEASE 
          [New Business]
DO SO QUIETLY. SO THE CLERK MAY READ THE NEW BUSINESS. I WOULD ASK THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WISH TO MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS. PLEASE REMAIN IN THE CHAMBERS AND REQUEST TO SPEAK ON YOUR SYSTEM UNDER ANNOUNCEMENTS. NEW BUSINESS COMPRISED ITEM THREE THROUGH TEN. WILL THE CLERK READ THOSE ITEMS AND THEIR ASSIGNMENTS TO THE COMMITTEES? OKAY. THE FOLLOWING LEGISLATION WAS FORWARDED FROM THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE ITEM OR FORWARDED ASSIGNED TO THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE. SORRY. ITEM THREE AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $60,000 FOR NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT FUNDS IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER $40,000 FROM DISTRICT 23 AND $20,000 FROM DISTRICT 24 TO METRO PARKS FOR PRODUCTION COSTS OF THE 2026 FRIDAY FEST AND HIGHVIEW PARK CONCERT SERIES, THE FOLLOWING LEGISLATION WAS FORWARDED OR ASSIGNED TO THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. ITEM FOUR AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 141, SERIES 2011 RELATING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2011 2012. CAPITAL BUDGET ORDINANCE NUMBER 102, SERIES 2016 RELATING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2016 2017. CAPITAL BUDGET AND ORDINANCE NUMBER 084, SERIES 2022 RELATING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 2023 CAPITAL BUDGET BY TRANSFERRING $75,000 BETWEEN PROJECTS. ITEM FIVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 080, SERIES 2023 RELATING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 2024. CAPITAL BUDGET AND ORDINANCE NUMBER 88, SERIES 2021 RELATING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 2022 CAPITAL BUDGET BY TRANSFERRING $40,000 $40,900.21 FROM DISTRICT 22 FERNDALE ROAD SIDEWALK CONNECTION PROJECT TWO, DISTRICT 22 FERN CREEK PARK IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT ITEM SIX AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 092. SERIES 2025, AN ORDINANCE NUMBER 091. SERIES 2025 RELATING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 2026. CAPITAL BUDGET AND FISCAL YEAR 2025 2026 OPERATING BUDGET, RESPECTIVELY, BY TRANSFERRING $50,000 FROM DISTRICT FOUR CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUND TO THE DISTRICT FOUR NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT FUND. ITEM SEVEN AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 0901, SERIES 2025 RELATING TO FISCAL YEAR 2025 2026 OPERATING BUDGET BY TRANSFERRING $46,500 FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT FUND DISTRICT FOUR TO THE LOUISVILLE METRO COUNCIL GENERAL OPERATIONS DISTRICT FOR THE FOLLOWING LEGISLATION WAS ASSIGNED TO THE EQUITY, COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, HOUSING, HEALTH AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE. 
          ITEM EIGHT A RESOLUTION HONORING MR. RAYMOND O. PARK SENIOR BY NAMING THE CORNER OF 26TH STREET AND HALE STREET AS RAYMOND PARK SENIOR WAY IN HIS HONOR. THE FOLLOWING LEGISLATION WAS ASSIGNED TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE. ITEM NINE AN ORDINANCE CREATING A NEW SECTION OF CHAPTER 115 OF ORDINANCES REGARDING RECOVERY RESIDENCES. ITEM TEN, AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE DETAILED DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 6803 BEULAH CHURCH ROAD, CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 18.3 ACRES AND BEING LOUISVILLE METRO CASE NUMBER 25 0079, READ IN FULL. ALL RIGHT. ALRIGHT, NOW WE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM COUNCILWOMAN PARISH. RIGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I AM EXCITED. WE'RE INTO ANOTHER YEAR AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE METRO GOVERNMENT CLERKS AGAIN TO RAISE AWARENESS TO PEOPLE IN NEED BY DONATING GENTLY USED CLOTHES AND ITEMS NEEDED FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, POVERTY AND LEAVING OUR JAIL. OUR LOCAL JAIL. THERE IS A BIN. IT'S LOCATED ON THE FIRST FLOOR RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE METRO CLERK'S OFFICE, WHERE YOU CAN DROP THOSE GENTLY USED ITEMS. START YOUR NEW YEAR OFF RIGHT BY CLEANING OUT YOUR CLOSET AND GETTING RID OF SOME OF THOSE THINGS YOU KNOW YOU WILL NEVER WEAR BECAUSE SOMEBODY ELSE CAN MAKE GOOD USE OF THEM. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR MEETING. OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY THE 29TH, 2026 AT 6 P.M. WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO DISCUSS WITHOUT OBJECTIONS, WE STAND TO ADJOURN. 
          [Adjournment]
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.