Since taking office in January 2015, I’ve held scores of meetings throughout District 9 to update you on issues and, most importantly, listen to your concerns and suggestions.  The next D9 Community Conversation is Wednesday, June 1, at the Peterson-Dumesnil House, 301 S. Peterson Avenue, beginning at 6:30 p.m. This meeting will focus on Louisville Metro’s FY 23 Operating and Capital Budgets, but I’ll be available for discussion of anything on your mind.

If you prefer to watch virtually, you can tune in live on the Councilman Bill Hollander Facebook page. You can also submit questions or comments ahead of time to my Legislative Assistant, Kyle Ethridge.

Please mark your calendar and join us – and bring along a friend or neighbor!

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer submitted his proposed FY 23 Operating and Capital Budgets on April 28 and Metro Council’s Budget Committee, which I chair, is deep into some thirty hearings on the budget.  You can find the recommended budgets on the Metro Council website. The “District Download” podcast has an extensive discussion of the budget process.

There are multiple ways for you to comment on the budget.

An online form for written budget comments is now available on the Metro Council website. Comments will be taken through June 3 at 5:00 p.m.

The Council’s Budget Committee has one more opportunity for three-minute public comments about the budget, in person or via WebEx.

• June 2, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.  (A link on the Metro Council website will be active on June 1 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. to sign up to speak on June 2)

A complete schedule of hearings, current as of today, is here.

The public may watch all committee meetings live on Metro TV, Spectrum Cable Channel 184, on UVERSE at Channel 99, or on Facebook. Proceedings may also be streamed live from the Metro Council Clerk’s Archived Media page.  

There will be no residential garbage, recycling, yard waste or bulky waste collection within the Louisville Metro Urban Services District (former Louisville city limits) on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30. Collection through the week will be delayed by one day because of the holiday. To receive automatic reminders of changes due to holidays, download the Recycle Coach app at the App Store or on Google Play. 

Waste and recycling pickup in St. Matthews will also be delayed because of the holiday.

Other District 9 residents who rely on private waste haulers for garbage, recycling and yard waste collection should consult those haulers about holiday collection schedules.

Also, Metro’s three staffed recycling drop-off locations, the Waste Reduction Center, and the Haz Bin hazardous waste disposal site, will be closed on Saturday, May 28, in recognition of the holiday and closed on Monday as usual. A map and complete list of the drop-off sites and regular operating hours can be found on the SWMS website.

School is out, summer is coming soon and it’s time to get out and get some exercise.  The Memorial Day Hike, Bike & Paddle begins from the Louisville Community Boathouse, 1325 River Road, on Monday, May 30.

This year's event will feature a 13-mile bike ride from the Waterfront Park Boathouse Lawn to Shawnee Park and back (my favorite of the various bike routes the event has taken), multiple length walk options in Waterfront Park and across the Big Four Bridge, and a paddle route up river to Beargrass Creek!

Beginning at 8 a.m., warm up for your hike, bike or paddle by taking part in Yoga, Zumba, or Tai Chi!

Hike, Bike & Paddle kicks off at 9 a.m. and is all about getting out, enjoying nature and our neighborhoods while participating in physical activity. This non-competitive family-friendly event will offer the first 2,000 attendees a free Hike, Bike & Paddle t-shirt.

For more information, please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/city-events/mayors-hike-bike-and-paddle.

The annual Crescent Hill Garden Tour is Saturday, June 4, from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The tour will feature private gardens in the Crescent Hill neighborhood as well as the grounds of the historic Peterson-Dumesnil House.

Tickets are $15 each and may be purchased in advance here. Tickets may also be purchased the day of the tour at the Peterson-Dumesnil House, 301 S. Peterson Avenue, where the tour begins.

Proceeds from the tour benefit local community organizations such as United Crescent Hill Ministries, Waterfront Botanical Gardens, Brightside, the Peterson-Dumesnil House Foundation and the Ann Lacy Fund at Highland Presbyterian Church Nursery and Weekday School. Tour proceeds also fund the Crescent Hill Garden Club’s annual Appalachian Redbud Tree Giveaway Project. For more information about the tour, visit www.crescenthillgardenclub.org.

This month, Uvalde and Buffalo joined the long list of cities suffering through the uniquely American carnage of gun violence. In Louisville, more than 200 people have been shot just this year, and that’s down from last year at this time.

We can end gun violence but it will take all of us to demand passage of the common sense legislation the vast majority of Americans support. The Moms Demand Action Louisville chapter will be recognizing Gun Violence Awareness Day and Wear Orange weekend June 3-5. The organization’s Facebook page is here.

Please join a Gun Violence Awareness Day peace walk and survivor remembrance on Saturday, June 4, from Noon – 2:00 p.m. at Trinity House Christian Childcare, 4106 Greenwood Avenue. Wear Orange and demand action!

Here’s another opportunity to get out and get some car-free exercise. CycLOUvia is coming to Downtown Louisville next week, to encourage people to come downtown and support local businesses and organizations following the global pandemic.

CycLOUvia Downtown will take place from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 5. During that time, Main Street, from Wenzel to 10th streets, will be closed to motorized vehicles, allowing people to bike, walk, or skate on the roadway,  enjoying vendors and activities along the way.

During the event, Repurposed will be transformed into a family-focused activity center presented by Humana, and the LouVelo bikeshare program will be offering free 2-hour rides from 1 to 7 p.m.

For more information, please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/advanced-planning-and-sustainability/cyclouvia.

The Louisville Free Public Library’s annual 10-week Summer Reading Program encourages children and teens to read for fun over the summer and helps them avoid summer learning loss.

School-aged children simply read ten books, teens read six books, and preschool-aged children and younger need to read, or have read to them, 20 books to complete the program. Studies have shown that children who participate in public library summer reading programs increase their enjoyment of reading, improve their reading skills, and return to school better prepared to learn.

The 2022 Cultural Pass offers individuals ages 0-21 in Greater Louisville access to arts and culture activities provided by 57 venues, free of charge, from June 1 through September 4, 2022. 

The Cultural Pass is designed to inspire, explore, and discover new experiences. This year’s Cultural Pass will offer both in-person and virtual opportunities so that every family can participate in a way that works for them! On the first Saturday of June, July, and August Cultural Pass participants can also attend Cultural Pass Days - click here to learn more. LFPL’s Summer Reading Program and Cultural Pass start June 1 and are FREE to all area youth. You can pre-register now for both programs online or by downloading the Beanstack Tracker app (for iOS or Android). Cultural Passes will be available for pickup June 1^st at LFPL libraries.

On Saturday, June 4 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., you can participate in Summer Reading Kickoff and Cultural Pass Day at the Main Library.  Enjoy FREE crafts and activities from the Library and Cultural Pass venues, as well as magic, face painting, and live performances from the Louisville Leopards, Flamenco Dance, and Redline Performing Arts. PLUS - food trucks will be available, so you can have lunch on site too.

It’s almost time to clean house and get ready for another large item collection if you live in the 9^th District Louisville Metro Urban Services District (USD). You may begin setting out your junk on Friday, June 10, in the afternoon. All junk must be set out by Monday, June 13, at 6:00 a.m. Some items (hazardous materials, construction debris, etc.) are not collected and these guidelines are being strictly followed. For collection guidelines, please click here.

To sign up for large item set out reminders by email and text, or to find out if you are in the collection area,  click here and enter your address. After selecting your address from the list of suggested addresses, you can view collection dates by month, or sign up for reminders.

The Crescent Hill 4^th of July Festival is scheduled for Sunday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Monday, July 4 from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. with fireworks on the 4^th at 10 p.m. There will also be live music, food & beer trucks, art fair, pet show, cake contest, cake wheel, kid zone, free inflatables, silent auction, and raffle.

Volunteers are needed to help make the festival a success! Do you have 3 hours to donate to the neighborhood?  There are lots of volunteer opportunities and some are great for families.  Also, this is a great opportunity for high school students needing service hours. Questions, please contact Melissa Mershon at 502-262-5284 or email Melissa.Mershon@gmail.com.

CLICK HERE for More Volunteer Information

CLICK HERE to VOLUNTEER

Testing is an essential tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Whether you’re preparing for travel, think you’ve been exposed, feel sick or have symptoms, get peace of mind with convenient at-home tests. If you test positive, you may be eligible for a variety of COVID-19 treatment options which are now available. Testing can be done at home, and every home in the U.S. is now eligible to order a 3rd round of free at-home tests. Order yours today. Order Free At-Home Tests

Need help placing an order for your at-⁠home tests? Call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489).

Iroquois Amphitheater, 1080 Amphitheater Road, will once again host FREE movies throughout the summer. For all the below movies, gates open at 7:30 p.m. and the movie will begin at 8:30 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact the box office at (502) 368-5865.

• Friday, May 27 – Jungle Cruise
• Monday, June 6 – Respect
• Monday, June 13 – Ghostbusters: Afterlife
• Monday, June 20 – Grease
• Monday, June 27 – Jaws

Louisville's Office for Women is seeking public input on the future Commission on Gender Equity to address issues impacting women. They want to hear your perspective on issues impacting women and gender equity across Louisville and Jefferson County.

Please fill out the Community Survey to share your thoughts on the greatest needs/issues of gender equity and women in Louisville.

The Charmoli Center Neighborhood Place, formerly located in the East Government Center, began providing services earlier this month at its new location, 9100 Marksfield Road. This new location is near the intersection of Hurstbourne Lane and Shelbyville Road.

Initially, what’s offered will be limited to rental assistance, utility assistance, and information and resources. A broader array of services will be available on site as partner agencies move in, the facility becomes fully staffed, etc. The number for the Charmoli Center is (502) 574-5787. For more information about available services or to schedule an appointment, visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/neighborhood-place/covid-assistance-programs.