LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Jefferson County Soil Water and Conservation District’s funding was saved in the city’s final budget. 

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg originally proposed cutting the district’s budget by over 73%

What You Need To Know

  • The Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District's funding was fully restored

  •  Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg proposed slashing its budget by over 73% which would force it to stop operating

  •  The Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District wants a millage tax so it can get permanent funding

  • With the fundiing it must now give Metro Council quarterly updates

Blackacre Conservancy uses Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District programs to pay for some of its projects on its 300 acres of land.

“The funding through these programs allows us to maintain and keep the property here so we can have cows and horses and goats and community gardens here at Blackacre,” said Dennis Craig, executive director of Blackacre Conservancy.

One of the district’s programs provided free high tunnels that Blackacre has in its community garden. 

“It allows the gardeners to extend their growing season so they can start a lot earlier and go longer throughout the end of the season,” Craig said.

Mayor Craig Greenberg’s proposed budget slashed the district’s budget from $113,200 to $30,000 which would have forced it to close its doors. The final budget restored all its funding after community pushback. 

“The conservation district has historically been underfunded. The $113,000 that we get from metro council, to be honest, isn't really sufficient for all the work that we that we do and want to do, but, you know, it's much better than $ 30,000 that was in the mayor's original proposal,” said Austin Clark, supervisor on the board of supervisors for the Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District.

The district said it wants more permanent funding through a millage tax like conservation districts in other Kentucky counties. 

“It comes off of your property taxes, so property taxes have already been you know as they get assessed and gets broken into different services and, we are just asking for a piece of the pie, that’s all we are asking for,” said Sarah Beth Sammons, supervisor and chair of the board for Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District.

For now, Blackacre, can continue using the conservation district’s programs.

“I was certainly glad to hear that they did get the budget issues addressed, and get the conservation district funded,” Craig said.

With the funding, the district now must give quarterly updates to metro council.

The Jefferson County Cooperative Extension was also facing a large budget cut in the mayor’s proposal. Some of that money was restored bringing them over $182,000. That’s still over a 40% decrease from last year. 

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