Tuesday October 14, 2025
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By a vote 21 to 3, the Louisville Metro Council has approved the Fiscal Year 2018- 2019 Operating Budget for Metro Government. By a vote of 20 to 4, the Council gave its approval to the Capital Budget for the coming year.
“The approved budget continues to heavily fund public safety and infrastructure, including paving and sidewalks. It increases funding for the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, which is helping to reduce crime in ways proven to work around the country. It maintains historically high funding for affordable housing. The Council has increased appropriations to the Library, to the Living Room project, which diverts people from the jail and emergency rooms, and to Dare to Care and New Roots, to address Louisville’s food insecurity issues. The budget also funds personnel and equipment to double the City’s graffiti abatement program,” says Councilman Bill Hollander (D-9) chair of the Budget Committee. “Budgets require compromise – and the results aren’t exactly what anyone wants. I thank the scores of people who appeared before Council to express their opinions on spending priorities, and Council members and staff who worked hard over the last two months to produce a budget that will continue to move Louisville forward.”
“This budget addresses many of the concerns that I and many of my colleagues had expressed regarding the Mayor’s proposed budget. Our amendments increased oversight and accountability in areas where additional scrutiny is needed and continues to push for a much needed new police headquarters and government building that will better help us serve the community” said Councilman Kevin Kramer (District 11), Vice Chair of the Budget Committee. “There were many areas of change that I would have liked to have seen incorporated into the final proposal, but I do believe that the budget that was passed tonight does continue to move our community forward.”
Aside from maintaining the operations and needs of Louisville Metro Government, the budget also highlights the following areas:
Preserves jobs at the Main Library and funds full staffing at the new Northeast Regional Library and the expansion of the St. Matthews Library. Requires Budget Committee approval of proposed renovations to the Main Library, including any changes to space utilization, staffing and services. ($265,000 increase in proposed budget to LFPL).
Focuses on food insecurity issues by doubling proposed funding to Dare to Care for general operations to a total of $200,000, and more than tripling proposed funding to New Roots to $70,000 (an increase of $100,000 for Dare to Care and $50,000 to New Roots).
Funds the Living Room program, diverting individuals from the jail and emergency rooms, at $1,000,000 and requires monthly reporting by Centerstone on usage and outcomes. ($350,000 increase in proposed budget).
Doubles Metro’s graffiti abatement program run by Codes and Regulation, providing for additional vehicles and personnel to operate them, beginning in February 2019.
Increases funding for the development of the new YMCA at 18th & Broadway by $50,000, bringing the total to $300,000.
Provides additional funding for Parks: $200,000 for Phase III of Charlie Vettiner Park; $75,000 to be matched by the Louisville Parks Foundation for soccer fields at William Harrison and Wyandotte Parks; and $50,000 for Quail Chase Golf Course.
Increases funding for Waterfront Development Corporation by $50,000, bringing Metro’s contribution to Waterfront Park to $1,037,000, to address an operating deficit and to provide for increased restroom cleaning in the park.
Allocates $1,000,000 for improvements at the Impound Lot (a reduction of $1,000,000 in the proposed amount due to timing issues on the need for the funds).
Maintains other recommended funding for paving, sidewalk repair and construction, LMPD, the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, Heritage West, Parks, the Zoo and other projects and services.
Funds increased pension and healthcare costs, with no layoffs of Metro employees and no increase in taxes.
Mayor Greg Fischer today joined Sadiqa Reynolds, President and CEO of Louisville Urban League, and community leaders to announce that Louisville Metro Government (LMG) has entered into a development agreement with the Louisville Urban League (LUL) for the redevelopment of the Heritage West site, a 24-acre acre property in the Russell neighborhood. LUL’s master plan is centered on a 4,000-seat indoor and outdoor track and field facility and will feature community green space and outdoor event space.
“It’s an exciting time to be in west Louisville as it is experiencing nearly $1 billion in investment right now, and we are thrilled to add this sports and education complex to the list,” said the Mayor. “This project will activate a vacant lot, bring investment and jobs to the Russell neighborhood and serve as a healthy outlet for youth and adults from across our country. I applaud Sadiqa and her team at Louisville Urban League for their vision to bring a state-of-the-art sports facility to west Louisville.”
The development agreement states that, pending Metro Council approval, LMG will provide $10 million toward construction costs of the track. Construction is expected to begin in early 2019.
“There is no silver bullet in community revitalization and while sports may be part of an answer, track is not now, nor has it ever been the entire answer. While we can’t ignore the cries of our local track teams to ‘build this facility,’ this project is about more than sports. It is about economic opportunity, families traveling into our community with disposable income and the jobs and organic growth that will happen as a result of this catalytic project. It is truly about the need for a facility like this in our community and since it is to be built, why not right here in Russell,” said Sadiqa Reynolds, President and CEO of Louisville Urban League. “I am thrilled about the work we are about to do and the support this project has garnered, not just from the local community but from partners like the National Development Council (NDC), a national not-for-profit economic development agency that has been working to increase the flow of private capital into underserved areas for almost fifty years.”
The complex will be designed to host a variety of sporting events supported by organizations such as USA Track and Field, and the NCAA, our local and regional public and private schools and local track teams. The facility also will feature retail space and related amenities and will be owned and operated by the LUL. Browne Engineering & Construction has been selected as the Project Manager and Moody Nolan has been selected as the architect.
“NDC is delighted to have the opportunity to be working with the Louisville Urban League and its first rate committee on this mixed-use recreation facility that will be a catalyst for future development opportunities and lead to a substantial community impact in the Russell neighborhood for years to come,” said Kevin Gremse, Senior Director of National Development Council.
Heritage West is located on the western border of the Russell neighborhood, which is currently seeing an influx of investment, including the $29.5 million mixed-income, mixed-use redevelopment of Beecher Terrace, a project expected to leverage at least $200 million in new investment; Waterfront Park Phase Four expansion; relocation of Passport Health Plan’s headquarters; construction of a new YMCA at 18th and Broadway; and the city’s first Bus Rapid Transit Line.
“I am excited that this project is continuing to move forward with a $10 million commitment, pending Metro Council approval, from Louisville Metro Government to help make this dream a reality. The west Louisville community participated in discussions and sessions to make this sports complex project a priority for our community, and it will certainly be a destination spot for Louisvillians and visitors to the city alike,” said Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton, D-5. “This project will help change a 24-acre vacant lot into a positive vision of hope and a productive use which will generate other positive effects for our neighborhood. Thank you to Sadiqa Reynolds and everyone at the Louisville Urban Louisville for their belief and dedication to this project, and let’s do all we can to help make this dream a reality.”
The selection of the Louisville Urban League’s development plan was announced in late 2017 after an extensive community engagement process that included multiple public meetings to hear the concerns and values of people from the Russell neighborhood. More than 125 public comments were received on the four development proposals that were submitted after the SOI was released.
An evaluation panel of both LMG staff and members of the community was formed to review all four proposals submitted and to make a recommendation to Louisville Forward. The evaluation panel used scoresheets to review each proposal.
In the evaluations panel Bonnie Cole, Bill Gatewood, Vanessa Lackey and Gary Watrous represented the community and Jeana Dunlap (Director of Redevelopment Strategies), Laura Grabowski (Director of Vacant and Public Property Administration), Scott Herrmann (Director of Economic Development), Aaron Jackson (Director of Finance) and Allison Smith (Brownsfields Program Manager) represented LMG.
LUL will now, like all development projects, formalize their plans and submit them to Louisville Metro Planning & Design Services for review by staff, the Planning Commission and, if a rezoning or street closure is needed, Metro Council.
For the latest updates on the development, follow @LouisvilleUL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or visit www.lul.org.
To view the development agreement, evaluation panel scoresheets and more please visit
https://louisvilleky.gov/government/advanced-planning/heritage-west
Since March 2018, nine businesses have been approved for loans totaling nearly $1 million by the Louisville Metro Departments of Economic Development and Resilience and Community Services. The loans will leverage a total investment of more than $9 million and will assist the businesses to open, expand services or rehabilitate properties.
METCO business loans, administered through Department of Economic Development, have been awarded to the following businesses:
- $600,000 Go Green loan has been approved for Steve Smith on behalf of Two Stone Inc., the holding company for Stoneware & Co., for properties located at 711 and 731 Brent Street in the Paristown neighborhood. The loan will allow Smith to go green by replacing the current HVAC units and windows with new energy efficient systems and windows. This project is part of the $28 million Paristown development that will feature a total renovation and expansion of iconic Louisville Stoneware & Co., which traces its roots back to 1815. The project also will be home to a new $12 million satellite location of The Kentucky Center for the Arts, which will be the anchor for the neighborhood development.
- $108,270 façade loan has been approved for MMCS Properties, LLC for the property located at 1003 Logan Street. The loan will allow the owners Mike and Medora Safai to install windows, cedar siding and specialty barn doors to the exterior of the existing warehouse in the Shelby Park neighborhood. Once complete, the warehouse will be transformed into a public market featuring locally-grown vegetables, fruits and dairy, a micro-brewery, and event space.
- $184,000 gap loan and $16,000 accessibility loan were approved for LOP Properties, the property holding company for the facilities leased and inhabited by the Ladies of Promise, for its buildings at 2131 – 2133 W. Market Street in the Russell neighborhood. The gap loan will allow business partners Kristie Eliason and Aileen Wales to renovate the building, and will supply working capital as the Ladies of Promise convert their organization to a Behavioral Health Service Organization (BHSO). The accessibility loan will allow them to bring the building into ADA compliance. Currently, the Ladies of Promise has capacity for fifty women in a safe, clean and sober environment including sleeping, food, clothes storage and shower capacity. Once the renovations and conversion to a BHSO are complete, the facility will add a variety of medical services and will serve food, which they currently do not do.
- $30,000 business loan has been approved for BBHPS, LLC dba Flavour, a restaurant which will operate at 1767 Bardstown Road in the heart of the Highlands neighborhood. The loan will allow the partner group (Doug Bibby, Eliott Horne, Clarence Benboe and William Pennington) to finance upfront costs of new signage, purchase additional equipment and electronics and supply working capital for the first three months. The restaurant opened in May and features ethnic cuisines and cocktails in an upscale setting.
- In addition, the METCO Board approved amending the Business Accelerator Loan which is available for small business owners in the nine neighborhoods of west Louisville (Algonquin, California, Chickasaw, Park DuValle, Park Hill, Parkland, Portland, Russell, Shawnee). Changes include:
- Extending the repayment period to seven years instead of five years
- Lowering the interest rate to 8% from 12%
- Adding six hours of requisite training to be completed through courses offered through Louisville Free Public Library’s Lynda.com
Microbusiness Development Program loans, administered through the Office of Resilience and Community Services, have been awarded to the following businesses:
- $5,000 loan to Baskets & More, located in downtown at 609 W. Main Street, to assist owner Kimberly Starks with rent, insurance and supplies.
- $7,500 loan to Manslick Learning Academy, LLC to assist owner Aquanette Knox with equipment, supplies, rent and insurance. Knox is a certified Child Development Associate who located her business at 4441 Manslick Road.
- $15,000 loan to People Power Personal Training, LLC to assist owner Angela Carter-Lanon with rent, insurance and supplies. Located at 909 Barret Avenue, People Power Personal Training offers individual and group wellness and health training. Carter-Lanon is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach who has a Master’s of Science Degree in Exercise Physiology and a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, both from the University of Louisville.
- $15,000 loan to The Kentucky TACO Company to assist owners Carl Steve Higdon and Charles Leon Neal with rent, business insurance and inventory supplies. This expansion will include delivery and store front service. They will be located at 502 Warnock Street.
- $15,000 loan to Tristaca Loves Cooking, LLC to assist owner Tristaca Brown with new equipment, insurance and food supplies. The loan will assist Brown in catering as well as working to expand the food truck business.
Louisville businesses and residents affected by the severe storms and heavy flooding from Feb. 21 through March 21, 2018, can apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, officials announced Wednesday.
The loans were made available after the state of Kentucky on May 1 requested a disaster declaration by the SBA, which covered Jefferson, Hardin, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Grayson, Hart, LaRue, Meade, Nelson, Oldham, Shelby and Spencer counties in Kentucky, and Clark, Floyd and Harrison counties in Indiana.
In Jefferson County, SBA’s representatives will be available at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center set up at T.J. Middle School’s First Neighborhood Place, 1503 Rangeland Road, to answer questions about the disaster loan program and help individuals complete their applications. The center will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 24, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. (Closed on Memorial Day weekend). The Center will close on May 31st.
Businesses and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets, according to SBA Kentucky District Director Ralph E. Ross.
For homeowners, loans up to $200,000 are available to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters also are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, according to the SBA.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.
Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase up to 20 percent of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA for mitigation purposes. Interest rates are as low as 3.58 percent for businesses, 2.5 percent for nonprofit organizations, and 1.8 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amount and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoan.sba.gov. Businesses and individuals may also obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing), or by emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded at sba.gov. Completed applications should be returned to the center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is July 23, 2018. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Feb. 22, 2019.
Photo: Louisville Forward
In celebration of National Economic Development Week, Mayor Greg Fischer and Kent Oyler, president and CEO of Greater Louisville Inc., today announced that Louisville Forward, the city’s economic development organization, and Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI), the region’s chamber of commerce, have been jointly recognized as a Top U.S. Economic Development Group for 2017 by Site Selection magazine. This is a back-to-back win for the two organizations.
Working together in 2017, with partners in two states and 15 counties, these two groups have helped the Greater Louisville region attract 62 projects, representing more than $1.7 billion in investment and nearly 6,000 jobs. GLI attracts leads looking at the region and transitions projects to the local economic development organization after the company has narrowed its search.
“This back-to-back achievement is further proof that our strategic partnership with GLI and our region is helping fuel Louisville’s tremendous economic momentum,” said the Mayor. “We are honored to be among the nation’s top regions as Louisville continues to punch above its weight.”
As the economic hub for the region, Louisville Forward had a banner year in 2017, locating 57 projects in Jefferson County, representing $1.68 billion in investment, and 5,096 new jobs. Louisville Forward also celebrated Passport Health Plan’s $130 million expansion and relocation of its headquarters to west Louisville, Ford’s continued commitment to the city with a $900 million investment at its Kentucky Truck Plant, and Diversified Consultants Inc.’s initial location and expansion into the Louisville market with a double-down on investment totaling nearly $20 million and creating 1,000 new jobs.
“For the second year in a row, GLI is proud to share this prestigious award with our regional partners and Louisville Forward. We are clearly making an impact with our collaborative efforts around economic development. The future looks bright for our region and we will continue working together to attract even more employers to our 15-county region,” said Oyler.
In 2017, GLI assisted its partners in locating 12 projects for the 15-country region, resulting in projects representing $73.4 million in investment, and creating 809 jobs with an additional 25 referrals that resulted in seven locations, 556 jobs, and $21 million in investment. The region also hosted its first ever Familiarization Tour for 10 national site selectors with the assistance of the Advance Greater Louisville Regional Partners.
Louisville Forward was formed in July 2014 to unite economic development efforts and built environment functions, allowing business owners to go from concept to permit in one streamlined agency. To achieve its goals of raising the median wage across the city and growing the number of jobs, the Louisville Forward team focuses on five strategic business categories that are historic and contemporary areas of strength to Louisville: Advanced Manufacturing, Food and Beverage, Lifelong Wellness and Aging Care, Logistics and eCommerce, and Business Services.
Since its creation, Louisville Forward has helped businesses create nearly 22,000 new jobs in Louisville, representing an investment of $5.2 billion dollars. This award marks the fourth straight year that Louisville Forward has been recognized by Site Selection magazine.
GLI is focused on growing the regional economy. As the region’s largest convener of business leadership, GLI leads global economic and outreach strategies focused on business attraction; nurtures the entrepreneurial eco-system; and champions the development of the community’s talent base. As the voice of Greater Louisville’s business community, GLI advocates for a pro-business environment and facilitates businesses engagement on issues that impact regional competitiveness.
Site Selection magazine’s recognition is based on six criteria – total projects, total investment associated with those projects and total jobs associated with those projects; and those same three numbers calculated per capita for the metro area.
“Greater Louisville’s economic development success comes from a sense of all-for-one and one-for-all that transcends jurisdictional and organizational boundaries. Companies and institutions collaborate, corporations and startups convene, cities and even whole states cooperate and converge on challenges and opportunities as they arise,” said Adam Bruns, Managing Editor, Site Selection magazine.
Top projects for the groups that are featured in the May issue of Site Selection magazine include:
Ford Motor Company – continuing its commitment to Louisville, is investing $900 million in upgrades to the Kentucky Truck Plant to prepare it to manufacture the new Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. This investment is in addition to the $1.3 billion investment and creation of 2,000 jobs announced in 2015.
Aravato Bertelsmann – is quadrupling its logistics capacities with a $5 million investment, creating 250 new jobs.
ResCare – founded in Louisville in 1974, this leading health and human services provider is building its $34 million headquarters at the Shelbyhurst Office and Research Park, creating 200 new jobs.
W.W. Grainger – a Fortune 500 company, is investing $273 million for a large distribution center in south central Louisville. The company plans to grow 500 new jobs with this attraction project.
For more information about Louisville Forward, visit http://louisvilleky.gov/louisvilleforward.
For more information about GLI, visit http://www.greaterlouisville.com.
The 2018 USCCA Concealed Carry Expo opens today at the Kentucky Exposition Center. The Expo is open to the public and free for USCCA members and children under the age of 18 to attend (admission for non-members can be purchased at the door). Memberships can be purchased on-site. The event is scheduled for the entire weekend and will feature everything needed for one to safely and comfortably conceal carry a weapon in any situation.
Attendees will be able to walk the exhibit floor that will feature everything from ammunition to concealed carry shape wear for women, as well as the opportunity to test fire the latest handguns at the live-fire range. In addition to the exhibits, there will be a variety of demonstrations and seminars that will discuss everything from revolver techniques to tourniquet application and many legal aspects of concealed carry. New this year is a separate area that will focus on the products and seminar discussions that have been designed specifically for women shooters.
The show opened with seminars only this morning and the exhibit hall opens later this afternoon at 3:00 PM. The show continues all weekend with doors opening at 9:00 AM on Saturday and 10:00 AM on Sunday. Parking at the Expositions Center is $8 for cars and is not included in the price of admission. If you are currently licensed or looking for more information about concealed carry, this is the show to find everything that is needed.
Photo: AT&T Kentucky
AT&T is continuing efforts to drive economic development and investment in Kentucky. AT&T and local officials today announced that the Louisville & Jefferson County Riverport Authority, more commonly known as Riverport Industrial Park, has been designated AT&T Fiber Ready.
The AT&T Fiber Ready designation helps economic development leaders more effectively position their communities for site selection by emphasizing the availability of high-speed, fiber-based services.
In today’s world, connectivity is vital to new employers and businesses of every type.
“It is always encouraging when the business community comes alongside local leadership and provides a resource like this designation to highlight what our community brings to the table, when companies are making the important decisions on where they have the best chance to succeed,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “Our community has many wonderful aspects to attract businesses looking to locate or move, and having the ‘Fiber Ready’ designation is a key tool in the toolbox to emphasize that we are ready to face the challenges of a modern economy.”
“The AT&T Fiber Ready designation provides a clear stamp to tell the business community that we have the fiber-optic infrastructure in place to meet the needs of businesses,” said Kent Oyler, president & CEO, Greater Louisville Inc. “I am grateful for the leadership of our elected officials here in the city and in our state legislature who have created a more positive, pro-investment environment in the Commonwealth.”
AT&T has been deploying high-speed, fiber-optic infrastructure across Kentucky for years, totaling nearly 980,000 strand miles of fiber-optics to date, and the AT&T Fiber Ready designation is a tool for economic development leaders to highlight the assets available in their facilities.
“For years, AT&T has invested in Kentucky to deliver high-speed Internet in urban and rural areas all across the Commonwealth using the latest wired and wireless technologies, and this announcement offers an opportunity to highlight AT&T’s fiber infrastructure in the Riverport Industrial Park – infrastructure that is helping local businesses drive job creation,” said Hood Harris, president, AT&T Kentucky. “AT&T Kentucky’s employees are working hard every day to deploy our fiber-based network that delivers the high-speed Internet access that Kentuckians want and need, and the fiber optic connectivity that is available in the Riverport Industrial Park is in place to meet the communications needs of businesses of all sizes.”