The Metro Council’s Budget Committee, which I chair, is deep into the process of reviewing the FY21 Budget. We’ve had twelve meetings so far, including two public hearings, all conducted entirely virtually.   

All Metro Council meetings are carried live on Metro TV, Spectrum Cable Channel 184 and UVERSE Channel 99. The meetings are also available online on the Metro TV website by clicking on the “Gavel to Gavel” button. A schedule of budget hearings and a way to comment on the budget are here.

Hard decisions about what services we can continue to provide, given declining tax revenues, will need to be made in the next few weeks. 

A lot of those answers will come from Washington. Federal funds appropriated to Louisville so far can only be used for coronavirus-related expenses, not to replace lost revenue. Last week, a Republican Senator from Louisiana tried to change that, saying giving local governments the flexibility to do maximum good for their communities – with money they already have from the federal government – is a “no brainer”.  Unfortunately, the effort was blocked by another Senator.   Meanwhile, Democrats in the House of Representatives are working on a bill to give more relief to state and local governments.

I hope Congress gets back to bipartisan achievements.  It just makes sense for Congress to pass legislation protecting the paychecks of the local government workers who police streets, fight fires, look after the public health, pick up trash, fill potholes and everything else, just as it has passed paycheck protections for many private sector workers and businesses.  My view on this was published by the Courier-Journal last month.  You can read it here.

As Congress continues to talk, please contact your federal representatives by email at these links or telephone, and tell them that Louisville and other cities need help now:

Senator Mitch McConnell
(502) 582-6304

Senator Rand Paul
(202) 224-4343

Congressman John Yarmuth
(502) 582-5129

Lexington Road has been closed to through traffic for a long time, for major Louisville Water Company main work.  We had hoped it would be open by May 1. 

Unfortunately, as the work on the 42- inch water main was completed and the road was resurfaced, Louisville Water detected a leak in a 24-inch water main next to the 48-inch main it repaired.  That required more work near the intersection of Lexington Road and Garden Drive, and it has forced the continued closure of the road.

Louisville Water now expects that work to be completed and the road reopened in the week beginning May 18. We’ll happily announce that opening on our blog and social media pages - see “Stay Connected in D9”.  

Lanes have been reconfigured on the road, with two driving lanes, a center turning lane and multi-use lanes, for bicyclists and for pedestrians and joggers where sidewalks do not exist.  The goal is to increase safety for all users of the road, including motorists.

The first step in voting is getting registered and time is running out for registering to vote in the June 23 Kentucky Primary.  Register, change your registration or just check to make sure you are still correctly registered at this site. 

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, everyone is being encouraged to vote by mail-in absentee ballot.  For the first time, you will not need an excuse to vote absentee.   

In the near future, voters may request mail-in ballots in a portal on the State Board of Elections website.  We’ll post information about that in future editions of the eNews and on our social media pages (more information about ways to stay informed is in the “Stay Connected in D9” article).

In the meantime, you can request a ballot through the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office. 

• If you are a registered voter in Jefferson County, go to jeffersoncountyclerk.org/AbsAppRequest to apply for a mail-in absentee ballot application or call 502.574.6100. If you choose that route, you will receive an absentee application in the mail, which you will need to return to the Clerk’s Office to receive a ballot. 
• While Kentucky is a closed primary state and only registered voters of the Democratic or Republican Parties are eligible to vote in their party’s primary, there is an important Special Election in Kentucky’s 26th Senatorial district, which includes much of D9, to fill an unexpired term. Areas in yellow on this map are in Senate District 26.

The Centers for Disease Control has a wealth of information about COVID-19, including the latest guidance, like the recommendation to wear a cloth face covering in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies). The website is here. 

Earlier this week, I joined a group of volunteers at St. Matthews Area Ministries delivering food and cleaning supplies to residents at Masonic Homes.  More and more people are needing emergency assistance to help them through this period and Louisville’s community ministries are stepping up to assist them. You can help by contributing and volunteering.

St. Matthews Area Ministries is at (502)-893-0205 or http://stmam.com/.  United Crescent Hill Ministries can be reached at (502) 893-0346 or https://www.uchmlouky.org/. Both sites have information about ways to volunteer, donate or seek help.

Legal Aid Society continues to accept new applications for service. To apply for its services, call (502) 584-1254 or (800) 292-1862 or apply online. Information for renters, survivors of domestic violence, and applicants for unemployment or stimulus payments is here.

A special website has been developed about community and agency actions taken to assist our most vulnerable residents.  Among other things, it includes information about emergency feeding sites for children 18 years old or younger established by JCPS, including sites at Breckinridge-Franklin Elementary and St. Matthews Elementary.  JCPS sites have delivered over 750,000 meals since the pandemic began.

Support local businesses as they reopen. The Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA) has developed an online resource and is sharing recommendations to help the community keep our local businesses in mind as we stay safe. Visit  www.KeepLouisvilleWeird.com.

Here’s a good way to help local businesses, even before some reopen.  Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA) is hosting a virtual Buy Local Fair for 24 hours this Sunday, May 17 from Noon until Monday, May 18 at 11:59 AM. Support all your favorite locals in one place by purchasing gift cards in the amounts of $25 each. For more information, please visit LIBA’s Facebook Page or on the www.keeplouisvilleweird.com/VirtualBLF website.

The Louisville Asset Building Coalition (LABC) that normally prepares taxes in-person has switched to a virtual tax preparation model. The service is free if you earned $66,000 Adjusted Gross Income or less in 2019, or if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit. Clients can make appointments by visiting https://labcservices.org/. You may also click here to view a flyer that fully describes the process. LABC understands that not everyone will be comfortable with this new method, LABC plans to operate in-person tax sites once it’s safe to do so. More information will be provided in the D9 eNews when it’s available. The tax filing deadline has been extended to July 15, 2020.

PLEASE go online and complete the census. It’s a very simple procedure.  You can also call 1-844-330-2020 to complete the survey over the phone as soon as you receive the invitation. The best way to avoid a visit from a census taker is to fill out the 2020 Census questionnaire online, by phone, or by mail as soon as you receive your invitation to participate.  We urge you to do so now, to limit person-to-person contact as the coronavirus continues to spread. The census website is here.

You can see how many people in your county, state and neighborhood have completed the census at this site. On March 28, 32.2 % of the neighbors in my census tract had responded.  On Tuesday, it was 70.0%. That’s just a little better than Jefferson County’s overall 65.8% and better than Kentucky’s 62.3%.

The U.S. Census Bureau, in coordination with federal, state and local health officials, has begun to drop off 2020 Census questionnaire packets at front doors of households in Kentucky. This is done in areas where the majority of households do not receive mail at their physical address.

Temporary field staff have been trained to observe all social distancing protocols and will wear official government-provided personal protective equipment for their safety and the safety of the public. This operation is contactless and follows the most current federal health and safety guidelines.

The health and safety of Census Bureau staff and the public is always a top priority.

The Census Bureau will deliver 2020 Census invitations and paper questionnaires at the front doors of roughly 5.1 million stateside households and 78,500 households in Kentucky. This operation is crucial to ensure a complete and accurate count of all communities, which helps guide hundreds of billions of dollars in public and private sector spending per year.

People are strongly encouraged to respond promptly to the 2020 Census using the ID number included in the questionnaire packet. Responding with a census ID or the paper questionnaire helps ensure the best count of their community. People can respond online, by phone or by using the paper form in the packet.

For more information, please visit the 2020 Census COVID-19 operational adjustments page.

Below, please find an Alcoholic Beverage License memo and Courier Journal Legal announcement for an NQ2 Retail Drink and 2 a.m. Extended Hours license(s) being applied for, located at 2354 Frankfort Avenue (Seven Louisville).  The ad ran in The Courier Journal Wednesday, May 6, 2020.

• GoDelivery Courier Journal Ad
• new location or ownership change

Any person, association, corporation, or body politic may protest the granting of the license by writing the Dept. of Alcoholic Beverage Control, 1003 Twilight Trail, Frankfort, KY 40601-8400, within 30 days of the date of this legal publication.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services, as part of the Community Action Agency network in Kentucky, is now taking applications for an added spring open enrollment period for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Applications will be accepted through June 30, 2020, or until designated funds are depleted on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The Spring LIHEAP program, which is designed to help low-income households offset home energy costs, has increased income eligibility requirements to 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.  Income eligible residents can apply regardless of the status of their utility bills.

The benefit amount awarded is based on an individual’s income and primary fuel type. Benefits are paid directly to the primary fuel vendor in the form of a voucher.

Jefferson County residents wishing to apply must schedule an appointment utilizing the automated appointment system.  Appointments can be scheduled by phone by calling 502-991-8391 or online at louisvilleky.cascheduler.com. The toll-free service is currently open and is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Modified service delivery for LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)
All six LIHEAP offices remain closed for walk-in clients in an effort to help stem the spread of COVID-19.  Residents can still apply for LIHEAP by utilizing secure drop boxes in front of the six LIHEAP offices.

To learn more about the program, how to apply and the guidelines, please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/LIHEAP.

Unfortunately, the D9 office had to cancel the Annual Responsible Recycling event for the health and safety of residents, volunteers and staff. Since spring cleaning is happening all around, I wanted to share some information on where you can dispose of household items. 

Haz Bin, 7501 Grade Lane, is still operating under normal business hours of Tuesday – Saturday 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM. Residents of Louisville can drop off unwanted household hazardous materials at this location. For a complete list of items accepted, please click here.

The Waste Reduction Center, 636 Meriwether Avenue, is still closed for maintenance, but during the closure you can still drop off up to three electronic items for recycling. For a map of where to go, please click here. For a list of acceptable electronics, please click here.

If you live in the Urban Service District, curbside large item collection is done three times per year.  In most of D9, the next set-out date is June 12, with all items set out by June 14. You can find your collection dates by entering your address here. Guidelines for the large item collection are here.

The St. Matthews Farmers Market reopened last week, and will continue to be open with new rules and a slightly different location every Saturday morning. 

The market is operating at 4124 Shelbyville Rd., two doors down from the normal Beargrass Christian Church campus location, and with many new procedures in view of the pandemic. It’s a transaction-based, IN & OUT market, from 9am-Noon. Full details are here.

WLKY reported on the opening this week.  You can see that story here.

Did you know in Louisville we trash over 85,000 tons of food every year? By weight, that’s the most prevalent type of waste going to our landfill. Out of everything that goes to our local landfill every year, 26% could have been composted instead, industrially or even in our own backyards. The statistics may be daunting but starting a backyard compost system is not! There are a wide variety of design options, homemade or purchased. Pick a location in your yard that is convenient with plenty of space and get started! You should compost “green materials” (vegetable and fruit scraps, grass clippings, coffee grounds) and “brown materials” (newspaper, twigs, dry leaves, eggshells). Try to keep it balanced with twice as much “brown” than “green.” Do NOT compost meat and bones, grease/oil/fat, dairy products, diseased plants, or weed seeds. Read more about composting and find out how to purchase a compost bin from Louisville Metro’s Solid Waste office (limited supply) on our website.