Louisville Labor and Economic Development Committee Meeting - July 21, 2026
Labor and Economic Development Committee Meeting - July 21, 2026
The Louisville Metro Government Labor and Economic Development Committee met on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 3:04 p.m. in Council Chambers and via video teleconference. Chair Ben Reno-Weber (D-8) presided, and a quorum was present. The committee heard a special presentation from NAMI Louisville and took action on three pending items. The meeting adjourned at 3:58 p.m.
Special Discussion: NAMI Louisville
- Nancy Brooks, executive director of NAMI Louisville, said the organization is an independent 501(c)(3) affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She described all programs as peer-led, free, and focused on prevention, family support, youth education, workplace stigma reduction, and connections before crises occur.
- Brooks provided impact statistics: NAMI Louisville reaches over 10,000 people per year, delivered more than 100 presentations to workplaces and schools in the past year, has 45 workplace partners in its stigma-free workplace program, more than 3,000 people attended support groups and education classes, and about 1,000 people attend support groups each month.
- Mary Dossett, NAMI Louisville, shared the story of her son Alex, who experienced anxiety, depression, and ADHD. She said clinical care was essential but not enough, and that NAMI fills the space between appointments with understanding, connection, and hope. She asked the committee to give NAMI a seat at the table.
- Committee members asked how the city could help; Brooks said the main need is visibility, awareness, and connections to neighborhoods, businesses, and city agencies. Council Member McCraney asked whether NAMI would attend a neighborhood meeting, and Brooks said yes. Council Member Herndon shared his own experience with therapy and mental health treatment and expressed support for NAMI's message.
Pending Legislation: Landmark Building Development Area (O-187-26)
- Katie Littman, deputy director of Louisville Metro's Cabinet for Economic Development, presented the ordinance to create a tax increment financing (TIF) district for the Landmark Building conversion project at 310 West Liberty Street.
- The project involves two historic buildings constructed in 1853 and 1907, including the first U.S. Custom House west of the Allegheny Mountains. The developer, Landmark Landlord LLC, is tied to the Louisville-based Timba Walla Group.
- Littman reported a planned $74 million renovation into a 150-room Canopy by Hilton managed by Schulte Hospitality Group, with restaurant, bar, cafe, and meeting space. Significant lead paint and asbestos remediation is required.
- The requested incentive is a reimbursement-based, local-only TIF of $3,758,524 over 20 years, using growth in local property taxes (Metro and urban services district only; school district taxes are excluded). Metro would keep 20% of the new increment plus existing base revenue. Over 20 years, Metro is expected to earn more than $1.5 million, compared with about $610,000 if the property remained dormant.
- Sponsor Councilman Herndon called the building a missing tooth in downtown and supported the ordinance, despite saying he does not believe in TIFs everywhere.
- The motion carried 6-1, with Committee Member Lyninger casting the sole no vote; Committee Member McCraney was absent. The ordinance was sent to Old Business.
Pending Legislation: R.C. Bigelow, Inc. Incentives (R-081-26)
- Hayden Kandul, senior director of market development for One Louisville, said R.C. Bigelow, Inc. is requesting final approval of a Kentucky Business Investment incentive for its tea manufacturing and packaging facility at 2401 Constant Comment Place in District 11.
- The company received preliminary approval in August 2021 through the Kentucky Unified Economic Development Finance Authority (CUDFA) for a $53 million total investment and the creation of 31 new jobs on top of its existing 126 employees, with an average hourly wage of $21.65.
- The requested Louisville Metro incentive is 1% of the wage assessment. Kandul said the company complies with all program requirements established and monitored by the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.
- Council Member Kramer, the sponsor, spoke in support of the expansion, saying Bigelow considered other locations but chose to stay in Louisville. Committee Member Lyninger asked about the number of employees and average wage.
- The resolution was approved by voice vote and sent to the Consent Calendar.
Pending Legislation: NLCI Grant to Office of Social Services (R-085-26)
- Josh Swetman, co-director of the Office of Social Services, presented a resolution authorizing the Mayor to accept $25,000 from the National League of Cities Institute under the Building Economic Resilience in Communities Program.
- The grant will fund a pilot at South Central Neighborhood Place blending financial empowerment with housing stabilization and case management. It will expand financial counseling as a core service and support a data analysis project examining four years of financial empowerment and housing stabilization data to improve future services.
- The resolution was approved by voice vote and sent to the Consent Calendar.
Key Outcomes
- O-187-26 (Landmark Building Development Area): Approved by roll call vote, 6-1 (Reno-Weber, Bast, Purvis, Raymond, Hudson, and Batshon yes; Lyninger no; McCraney absent). Sent to Old Business.
- R-081-26 (R.C. Bigelow incentives): Approved by voice vote. Sent to the Consent Calendar.
- R-085-26 (NLCI grant): Approved by voice vote. Sent to the Consent Calendar.
- Items sent to the Consent Calendar or Old Business will be heard before the full Metro Council on July 30, 2026.
- Chair Reno-Weber adjourned the meeting at 3:58 p.m. without objection.
Meeting Transcript
Rental costs will go down, but in an environment where we had don't have the supply that we need, we need more units. And this is where you need to talk to the state individuals, uh, your elected officials, because if you uh don't do something about the cost of a rent going up, then they will truly be forced to a nursing home if you want to shoot your budget, shoot yourself in the foot with about the budget, try to hundred thousand dollars a year. I mean, you know, the federal government pays a lot of that, but still can take pays a lot. So you better take a long look at the long long haul picture of that because it could be very, very much more negatively uh impactful to your budget than trying to actually increase. And I understand landlords have to make a living, and I don't begrudge that, but to what extent is, you know, fair for those individuals. So uh it's something they really need to take a look at because if they don't have a roof over the head, they're gonna be going oh state custody or something like that. So it can be a lot more costly. For so long we've looked at this as like what can we afford to do? How much section eight can we afford? How many low-income housing tax credits can we afford? How much design change can we afford? And at some point the conversation has to be what can we afford not to do? Like what like what are we giving up if we don't do these things? And it's increased nursing homes, increased emergency room visits, increased homelessness, um, stagnating economies. The city of Austin took a different approach, and they built, built, built. And their rents are going down, down, down because they increased their supply. So that's something that we we all have to keep in mind. And that means not only do we need the funding streams and all of that, but people need to welcome housing into their neighborhood. We want people to experience our libraries, and one way to do that is through the library summer reading program. Last year, more than twenty-seven thousand kids and teens completed the program the most in nearly a decade. It's been around since nineteen twenty-nine. It's free, it's fun, it's interesting, and it gets kids so ready for the next chapter in their life indeed. Summer eating is the most exciting time in the library because we really get to stop and celebrate the sheer joy of reading. Kids get to read for no other reason than it's fun, right? Twenty-two years ago, Louisville's four largest institutions came together to form the partnership for a green city. Today, that partnership represents thirty thousand employees and reaches a hundred thirty-five thousand students each year. I'm sure some of those students were you. That's okay. As long as I got a quorum, I don't care. Metro TV, we'll get going in 37 seconds. I'm here. Let me go get my glasses. Hold on. Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. It is 303 Apple Time. This is the regular meeting of the Labor and Economic Development Committee for Tuesday, July 21st. I am Chair Councilman Ben Reno Weber. This meeting is being held pursuant to KRS six one dot eight two six in Council Rule 5A. I am joined today by Councilwoman Crystal Bast, uh Councilman Ken Herndon, Councilman JP Leninger, Councilman Khalil Batshawn, Councilman Hudson, Councilman Kramer, and online by the bespectacled Councilwoman Donna Purvis. Because of some uh scheduling needs, we are going to do this in uh slightly different order. So if we can start with item number three, Madam Clerk, will you read the title of the item? Um can I read the did you say that we were being conducted virtually? I did. I don't know. I can't remember. I did. Okay, here we go. A resolution approving the granting of local incentives to RC Bigelow, Inc. and any subsequent assignees or others uh approved affiliates, they are pursuant to KRS chapter 154 sub chapter 32, right in bull. Do I have a motion and a second?
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