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The Center for Digital Government released its national rankings today for city government websites, placing Louisvilleky.gov first in the Center’s Government Experience Awards.
The awards “recognize the achievements and best practices of states, cities and counties that have gone to the web and beyond to radically improve the experience of government and push the boundaries of how citizen services are delivered,” according to the center.
“State and local governments are responding to citizen wants and needs with increasingly sophisticated online experiences,” said Dustin Haisler, chief innovation officer for the Center for Digital Government. “This year’s Government Experience Awards winners have well-designed websites and innovative channels that provide citizens meaningful information and services, robust data integration and an exceptional user experience.”
Mayor Fischer’s work to improve citizen interaction and transparency is part of his strategic plan to “…annually expand our digital offerings and presence as well as increasing transparency, availability and usability of information and data.” You can see the Mayor’s entire strategic plan here: https://louisvilleky.gov/sites/default/files/mayors_office/pdf_files/strategicplanjuly2018.pdf
“This award is a testament to the tremendous work our team has done to improve digital access to services and information for all of our citizens,” Mayor Fischer said. “I encourage everyone to visit Louisvilleky.gov when they need get things done or learn about our city service offerings.”
Louisvilleky.gov was just recently updated to improve the smart phone experience and to highlight the most popular services more prominently on the city’s homepage. Some of those services include:
- MyLousville: Map Services by Address: https://louisvilleky.gov/city-services/mylouisville
- City Services Lookup: http://louisvilleky.gov/city-services/services
- City Events Calendar: http://louisvilleky.gov/events
- City News: http://louisvilleky.gov/news
- Online Maps: http://louisvilleky.gov/city-services/maps
- Report an issue: http://louisvilleky.gov/city-services/report
- Open Data Portal: https://data.louisvilleky.gov
- Map Crime: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/police/services/crime-maps
- Permits & Licensing Search: http://portal.louisvilleky.gov/codesandregs/mainsearch
- Get a Permit: http://louisvilleky.gov/government/get-permit
- Get a License: http://louisvilleky.gov/government/get-license
A popular feature is live chat with Metro311, located on every page of our site. The Metro311 team sends constant chat feedback to the web content team, ensuring that our site content is always up-to-date.
In addition to Louisvilleky.gov, Louisville Metro is working to offer services in other innovative ways. We’re a partner with IFTTT (https://ifttt.com/), a web and mobile platform that allows visitors to customize their digital experience with such tools as Twitter, Google, and Amazon Echo. And the city is beginning to offer services through the new digital kiosks being installed in and around downtown.
All that helped Louisville rank first among the 2018 government experience award winners in the city category. The full list follows:
2018 GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE AWARD WINNERS
Overall City Government Experience Winners:
- City of Louisville, KY
- City of Los Angeles, CA
- City of Tuscaloosa, AL
- City of San Diego, CA
- City of Baton Rouge, LA
- City and County of Denver, CO
The surest way to create more and better jobs in Greater Louisville is for those of us who live and work here to buy locally whenever possible. To be clear, Louisville (like every region) is at its best when its local businesses are thriving and providing good jobs. The impact of local people patronizing locally-owned businesses simply can’t be overstated.
Studies indicate that independent and locally owned retailers and restaurants return about 55 percent of all their revenue to the local economy. Research by business data company Civic Economics suggests the large big-box chain stores recirculate only about 13 percent of their revenue within the local markets that host its stores. While local independent businesses are usually easy to identify, it is important to remember that many of the smaller nationally-branded chains are actually operated by locally-based franchisees and appreciate your support.
Of course, most of our locally owned businesses are also small businesses. There are about 57,000 businesses in the Louisville MSA with the vast majority locally-owned small businesses and proprietorships. These local small business owners and their employees are our neighbors, community volunteers and youth league coaches.
Though a shopper may occasionally save money by purchasing from big national chains, there are tradeoffs to consider. Consider the added cost placed on the environment when we purchase items that are produced faraway, then transported to this area. Food shipped cross-country carries a much greater environmental impact than food grown on a nearby farm. And who could ever argue against the taste of locally grown farm products when compared to canned goods or produce shipped in from the coasts? Continue reading
Declaration waives certain commercial motor carrier regulations for operators providing relief to affected areas
In anticipation of Hurricane Florence and its potential to cause damage to the southeastern United States, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Greg Thomas has waived certain regulations on commercial motor carriers involved in the relief effort.
Secretary Thomas issued the emergency declaration that provides temporary regulatory relief for crews heading to the affected areas to deliver goods, restore utilities and remove debris.
“Lifting these restrictions allows crews to assist with the relief effort as quickly as possible,” Secretary Thomas
said.
The order exempts a driver’s hours of service limitation and weigh station stoppage, suspends registration requirements and waives permit fees for overweight/over-dimensional vehicles. All other safety requirements will remain in effect for drivers.
The declaration expires on Oct. 11.
Additional information is available here http://transportation.ky.gov/
Celebrating the organization’s 5th anniversary, U.S. Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers and Governor Matt Bevin welcomed more than 1,100 attendees to the annual summit at the East Kentucky Exposition Center in Pikeville, applauding federal, state and local leaders for overcoming early challenges to drive successful efforts inspired by Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR).
“Five years ago, the future of Kentucky’s Appalachian region seemed daunting. However, with approximately 12,000 coal miners left without jobs in the wake of the war on coal, more than 1,200 people from across Eastern Kentucky rallied together under the united mission of SOAR to reimagine our future, improve quality of life and diversify our struggling economy,” said Rogers. “Progress may seem slow at times, but we have made great strides against the heavy burden of the war on coal and we won’t stop pulling together federal, state and local resources to overcome our challenges and recruit new innovative opportunties to our region. The horizon is brighter than ever before with hundreds of new jobs opening soon, a new federal prison approved for construction and broadband access on the way to every county. Our best days are ahead!”
Congressman Rogers and Governor Bevin inspired local leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs to continue working together toward a better future for Eastern Kentucky.
“This year’s SOAR summit showcases the unlimited potential that exists in Eastern Kentucky,” said Gov. Bevin. “Kentucky’s Appalachian region is home to entrepreneurs, business leaders, innovators, and change-makers that are committed to making a difference in their local communities, and they are putting their ideas into action. We are committed to coming alongside the local communities to identify resources and new opportunities to encourage further economic growth and development. The determination and drive in this region of our Commonwealth ensures that the future of Appalachia will be bright.”
Keynote speakers included USDA Rural Development Assistant to the Secretary Anne Hazlett; Tim Thomas, Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC); Chris Thomlinson, owner of SilverLiner in Pikeville; Bob Schena, CEO of Rajant Corporation in Morehead; and Major General (Retired) Vinny Boles, who led logistics for the U.S. Army following the tragic events on September 11, 2001.
Hazlett and Thomas joined Rogers and Bevin to make several funding announcements for the region, including:
- A $100,000 grant from the ARC for SOAR operations;
- A $1.2 million grant from Kentucky ARC for development of a 30-acre industrial site in Perry County;
- $625,390 in grant funding from USDA Rural Development for several projects in the SOAR region, including a new national pilot program for transitional housing related to the opioid epidemic in Rockcastle County;
- $30,000 private investment from Toyota Tsusho to launch an Advanced Manufacturing Makerspace at the Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College’s Middlesboro Campus; and
- $10.5 million for two new Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Pilot Projects in Letcher County and Pike County.
For more information about the ongoing work related to SOAR, visit soar-ky.org.
About the SOAR initiative
The SOAR initiative was launched in 2013, after a stunning downturn in the coal market exacerbated historic challenges in Eastern Kentucky related to unemployment and poverty. SOAR is intended to help the region develop and put into action new locally oriented strategies to attack those persistent challenges.
Gov. Matt Bevin today announced Walmart will invest $41 million and create 400 full-time jobs at a new facility in Bullitt County dedicated to fulfilling online orders from Walmart.com and Walmart subsidiary Jet.com.
“We are excited to welcome Walmart and Jet.com’s distribution facility to Bullitt County and the commonwealth,” Gov. Bevin said. “This is a major new venture for the company that will bring significant investment and hundreds of jobs to the region. It is further confirmation that Kentucky is the established leader for logistics and distribution in the United States.”
Walmart will lease a 720,000-square-foot building in the Velocity 65 trade center on Velocity Way off of I-65. In addition to full-time permanent workers, the facility will eventually employ several hundred temporary workers, including seasonal employees. Company leaders plan to open the center later this fall.
“This new facility will soon be serving even more Walmart.com and Jet.com customers with fast shipping in two-days or less, and we’re thrilled we found a home for it in Bullitt County,” said Nate Faust, senior vice president of supply chain, Walmart eCommerce U.S. “We look forward to opening for business and to a long relationship with the people of Kentucky and Shepherdsville.” Continue reading
Cuddle Clones, an award-winning Louisville company that specializes in creating the highest quality custom products made to look like people’s pets, announced its inclusion in the prestigious 2018 Inc. 5000, Inc. Magazine’s annual ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. Cuddle Clones’ three-year growth of 583% ranked 1st in the state of Kentucky and 66th in their category of Consumer Products, which placed them alongside previous brands as Timberland and Zappos, and 862nd overall in the United States.“Cuddle Clones perfectly encapsulates the success we strive help Kentucky startups achieve,” said Vivek Sarin, co-leader of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development. “This company began as a small operation in Louisville just eight years ago, so its announcement in February of a substantial $1.3 million expansion that will create 50 jobs is truly remarkable. Cuddle Clones is a prime example of what Kentucky-grown businesses are capable of, and I strongly suspect we have not yet seen the company’s full potential.”
Cuddle Clones growth is primarily a result of investing in new technology for their ecommerce platform, digital properties, and innovating new products. “We couldn’t have achieved this growth without the contributions from our team that include superb customer service and manufacturing the highest quality products for our customers” said Cuddle Clones CEO Brennen Lawrence.
Cuddle Clones expects to be on the list again next year as the first half of 2018 has exceeded expectations. Lawrence continued “We’ve performed very well in the first half of 2018 and will release several new, exciting custom pet products prior to Q’4 that we expect to further enhance our growth.”
This newest accolade comes on the heels of being named Louisville’s fastest growing company in 2017 by Business First. “It’s always exciting when a local company receives national attention for its fast-growth expansion in a global market,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. “Cuddle Clones’ success exemplifies Louisville’s robust business climate that encourages new start-ups and facilitates quick scale-up of business operations. We are proud to be the home of Cuddle Clones and we look forward to its continued success.”
Photo: Louisville Forward
Mayor Greg Fischer announced that Louisville Forward’s Small Business Development team is accepting applications for the second cohort of the city’s Entrée-preneurship Series, a free program designed to foster the development of new restaurateurs and food entrepreneurs.
The interactive 10-class series, originally called the Food Entrepreneurship Series, will run from Sept. 8 to Dec. 1, and will be taught by local industry-leading professionals. All classes will meet at Chef Space, 1812 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., on Saturdays from 8:30 – 11 a.m.
“Our first group of graduates showed passion and knowledge about the food industry. Whether they were starting a new business, operating an existing business or just sharpening their skills, this free program gave them the boost they needed to take the next steps in defining their own success,” said Mayor Fischer. “With the outpouring of interest, I’m pleased that we are able to continue this program and support our food entrepreneurs who are setting the stage for our city’s continued momentum in the food and beverage sector.”
The inaugural Food Entrepreneurship Series launched earlier this year and graduated nine entrepreneurs with skills needed to start or grow their businesses in Louisville’s food industry.
“This Series not only helped me further develop my business plan, it gave me the tools, resources and connections to help me fulfill my purpose as a recipe creator and healthy living educator,” said Jessica Taylor, a graduate of the inaugural series and founder of Jessica Taylor New Living (@VeganNewLiving on Instagram).
Registration is open, but space is limited. To participate, individuals must be over 18 years of age, attend 9 of the 10 classes and be a Louisville resident. There is no fee to participate in the series. Upon completion of the program, participants will receive continued assistance and connections to resources from Louisville Forward’s small business development team.
To apply for the Entrée-preneurship Series , visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/louisville-forward/entree-preneurship-series
Schedule and class descriptions are listed below:
- September 8, 2018: Customer Service – During this session participants will be instructed in ways the physical space and staff can go above and beyond the call of duty to create a welcoming, and pleasurable environment that customers want to come back to.
- September 15, 2018: Employee Orientation and Training – In this course, participants will come away with a better understanding of how to navigate employment laws and regulations related to running a restaurant. Additional Human Resources best practices and policies for on-boarding and managing employees also will be covered.
- September 22, 2018: Kitchen Set-Up and Menu Development – This course will cover the importance of proper and efficient kitchen set-up to help minimize ticket times and ensure quality and safe food preparation, as well as highlight the basic types of equipment available and its proper use. Participants will learn the basics of menu development, focusing on such things as ingredients and sourcing, food cost, authenticity of cuisine, cross utilization, and concepts of proper pricing.
- October 6, 2018: Purchasing and Managing Food Cost – Knowing food costs is integral to understanding a restaurant’s full budget. Participants will learn tips for managing food costs, through purchasing habits, tracking inventory, ands tools to help track and calculate.
- October 13, 2018: Health and Safety Regulations – This course will cover the basics of proper food handling, inspections and placarding, review of common reasons restaurants fail inspections and how to keep from failing. The course also will cover the top five ways a customer becomes ill and things to consider when changing the type of food service you offer.
- October 20, 2018: Auxiliary Food Services – This course is a new addition to the Series and will focus on food services outside of a traditional restaurant. The information covered in this course will be specific to food trucks, catering and prepared meals, and the specific intricacies that are unique to these operations.
- November 3, 2018: Management Training – From staff management and scheduling to creating a culture for your restaurant, this session will cover day-to-day restaurant management skills, including staff training to promote from within.
- November 10, 2018: Marketing and Branding – Participants will learn how to market their concept and themselves as a brand, by reviewing the various mediums of marketing from websites, social media and traditional methods such as flyers and brochures.
- November 17, 2018: Accounting and Cash Handling – This course will cover steps a food entrepreneur should take to ensure their accounting system is properly set up, including budgeting, cash flow, expense management, tax payments/filings, options of bookkeeping software, and what you should know for tax preparation.
- December 1, 2018: Safety: Inside and Outside – This course will review safety best practices to maintain a safe environment for customers and employees, including proper lighting, opening and closing procedures, signs of suspicious activity, how to handle disruptive incidents inside and outside of your establishment, and suggestions of how to strengthen the street block.
