Many District 7 residents have reached out to my office in the last couple of weeks to express their support for a $1 Million matching grant for the expansion of the St. Matthews Eline Library. The St. Matthews Library has the highest circulation of any library in the Louisville Free Public Library system. The City of St. Matthews has agreed to fund the remaining portion of the project, which is estimated at $3.5 million. This is a great partnership for the City of Louisville and our St. Matthews Library.  Like many of you, I too am supportive of this funding for the St. Matthews Library. I am looking forward to the budget committee meeting this coming Thursday where I will continue to support funding for the critical expansion of the St. Matthews Library.

The Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD)  is seeking high school students to participate in the 3rd session of Chief Conrad’s Youth Police Advisory Council (YPAC). Applications were distributed to every high school within Metro Louisville, and we’d like to invite your assistance in furthering the interest.

About the Program:
YPAC members meet every other month with Chief Conrad to discuss crime, safety, and the LMPD.  The exact dates for this session are listed on the applications.  Chief Conrad hosts the council meetings with a hot meal and agenda packed with stimulating discussion points to get input from the youth regarding their perceptions.  This information often leads to new initiatives, policy considerations, and educational outreach efforts for teens throughout the city.  Students are invited on optional tours to see how LMPD operates behind the scenes, including Churchill Downs, the Firearms Training Center, Metro Safe, and other areas.

 Applicant Qualifications: 

· High school students who reside or attend school in Louisville

· Well-mannered and respectful, with a willingness to state opinions and responsible objections in a group environment

· Self-motivated and able to accomplish tasks without supervision

· Community oriented

·  Able to attend at least five of the six required meetings over 12 months

Student Benefits:
In addition to the explanation above, students will benefit from interaction with Chief Conrad and other LMPD executives.  Individual and group accomplishments will be publicly acknowledged.  The meeting times and other optional activities can count as service hours for schools.  Active participants can receive letters of recommendation from Chief Conrad for colleges, or other requested purposes. YPAC members overwhelming enjoy the program and cite examples of other opportunities they were exposed to because of this experience.

We are seeking a diverse pool of great applicants who come from various backgrounds, regardless of their knowledge or involvement with Metro Government. About 30 members will be accepted. The application deadline is February 26, however an extension may be granted if they simply call or email me.  Submission instructions are on the application.  

Over the next eight weeks, Councilwoman Madonna Flood and the community will collect toiletries, snacks and other items to send to our military overseas.  Simple items such as soap, eye drops, bug repellent, candy, and other personal items make a huge impact for troops serving in remote locations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

If you cannot donate items and wish to make a cash contribution to help cover the cost of shipping, Republic Bank continues its partnership by setting up an account to accept all monetary donations to cover postage for the items going overseas.  Every package costs $16.75 to send.  Make sure to note on the check “From the Heart” account.

Here is a list of items needed that can be dropped off at a “Doing Our Part” location:

• Chewing Gum/Mints/Lifesavers                         
• Deodorant
• Lotion                                                             
• Foot Powder
• Razors                                                            
• Body Wash
• Band-Aids                                                       
• Q-Tips
• Bug Repellant with DEET                                  
• Eye Drops
• Hand Sanitizer                                                 
• Wet Ones
• Kool-aide or Gatorade individual packs               
• Peanut Butter
• Individual snacks, chips, nuts, pretzels              
• Neosporin
• Candy that will not melt                                     
• Sun Block                                                        
• After Sun lotion                                                  
• Nasal Spray                                             
• Tylenol/Pain Relievers

Here are the drop-off locations for the 2016 Doing Our Part from the Heart Campaign:

Republic Bank
“From the Heart Account” at all Republic Banks 

Scheller’s Fitness & Cycling
8323 Preston Highway, Louisville
11520 Shelbyville Road, Louisville
1000 Veterans Parkway, Clarksville 

Jackson-Hewitt Tax Preparers
All Locations in Louisville and Southern Indiana  

City Hall
601 West Jefferson, Louisville (enter from Jefferson entrance)

For more information about the 2016 “Doing Our Part from the Heart” Campaign, contact Councilwoman Flood’s office at 574-1124.  You can visit “Doing our Part from the Heart” on Facebook.