ORDINANCE NO. _________SERIES 2022
TITLE
AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE JUNETEENTH JUBILEE COMMISSION.
BODY
SPONSORED BY: COUNCIL MEMBERS PAULA MCCRANEY, JECOREY ARTHUR, KEISHA DORSEY, BARBARA SHANKLIN, DONNA PURVIS,
AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT JAMES
WHEREAS, the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, established that all enslaved people in Confederate States then in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free;” and
WHEREAS, the Emancipation Proclamation did not instantly free all enslaved people in America, but applied only to places under Confederate control and not to slave-holding border states or rebel areas already under Union control; and
WHEREAS, it is important for all Americans to recognize that for many enslaved Black Americans, freedom did not come until years later; and
WHEREAS, on June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas and announced that 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were freed by executive order and the day became known as “Juneteenth” by the newly freed people of Texas; and
WHEREAS, in Kentucky, slavery did not officially end until December 18, 1865, with the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment, which was not ratified by the Commonwealth of Kentucky until the 1976 Bicentennial year; and
WHEREAS, Juneteenth is the oldest known holiday commemorating the final communication of the abolition of slavery in the United States; and
WHEREAS, an inaugural Juneteenth Jubilee Commission, established February 1, 2021 by Mayoral Executive Order and including a broad cross section of community representation, successfully created a series of events to celebrate Juneteenth and educate residents regarding the profound significance of the occasion; and
WHEREAS, establishing a framework through which community awareness of and participation in recognition of Juneteenth on an annual basis will broaden our mutual understandings of one another; and.
WHEREAS, pursuant to a 2021 Act of Congress passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, June 19 was designated as a US federal holiday to be known as Juneteenth National Independence Day.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF THE LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT (“COUNCIL”) AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I: The following new sections of Chapter 32 of the Louisville Metro Code of Ordinances is hereby enacted to establish and implement the Juneteenth Jubilee Commission:
§ 32.XX. ESTABLISHMENT AND MISSION.
There is hereby created the Juneteenth Jubilee Commission, whose general purpose and mission shall be to facilitate the creation of an annual series of educational, cultural, and community-wide events for the purpose of increasing community awareness of the significance of Juneteenth.
§ 32.XX. MEMBERSHIP.
(A) The business, activities and affairs of the Juneteenth Jubilee Commission (or “Commission”) shall be managed by its members. To insure a cross section of the community is represented, the board shall be composed of no less than 15 nor more than 21 appointed voting members, as provided in subsection (C), in addition to the officio individuals serving as ex officio non-voting members, as provided in subsection (B).
(B) The following shall serve as ex officio and non-voting members of the Commission:
(1) The Mayor or their designee;
(2) A member of Metro Council appointed by the President of the Council;
(3) The President of Waterfront Development Corporation or their designee.
(C) In addition to the ex officio and non-voting members provided for in subsection (B) of this section, voting members of the Commission shall be appointed as follows:
(1) At least 15 residents shall be appointed as voting members of the Commission by the Mayor with the approval of Metro Council. Members shall include at least one resident from each of the following categories:
(a) residents who are engaged in the field of education;
(b) residents who are leaders in the financial community;
(c) residents who are leaders in the field of public health;
(d) residents who are leaders in the arts community;
(e) residents who are leaders in the civic and business community;
(f) residents who are engaged in the media industry;
(g) residents who are engaged in work surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion.
(2) In addition to the 15 voting members provided for in subsection (c)(1) of this section, up to six additional residents may be appointed as voting members by the Mayor with the approval of Metro Council. In considering additional appointments pursuant to this subsection, the Mayor shall insure that the total voting membership of the Commission remains an odd number.
§ 32.XX. TERMS OF SERVICE; VACANCIES.
(A) Terms of ex officio non-voting members. Terms of ex officio non-voting members listed in § 32.XX(B) shall be coterminous with the term of office or position of the member who holds the seat on the Commission or who designates the member to hold the seat on the Commission.
(B) Terms of appointed voting members.
(1) Initial terms of service for members appointed pursuant to § 32.XX(C) shall be staggered as follows:
(a) One-third (1/3) of the members shall be appointed to serve a term of one year;
(b) One-third (1/3) of the members shall be appointed to serve a term of two years;
(c) One-third (1/3) of the members shall be appointed to serve a term of three years.
(d) If the number of members appointed to the initial terms of the Commission is not evenly divisible by 3, appointments shall be allocated as evenly as possible among one, two, and three-year terms.
(e) At the expiration of any initial term, all subsequent appointments shall be for a term of three years.
(f) Members may serve two consecutive terms. Any initial Commission members may be reappointed to one consecutive term of three years.
(g) Members of the initial Commission or subsequent members who have rotated off the Commission may be considered for reappointment no sooner than three years from the expiration of their final consecutive term, and may only serve one additional three-year term upon reappointment.
(h) When a vacancy is created by an expired term, or by the removal, resignation, or death of an appointed member:
(i) The seat shall be vacated immediately and shall remain vacant until a new appointment is made;
(ii) The vacancy shall be filled as provided in § 32.XX (C) and (D). The Mayor shall appoint a person to serve for remainder of the unexpired term.
§ 32.XX. OFFICERS.
(A) The Commission shall elect by majority vote one member who shall serve as chairperson for a one-year term and may be reappointed for two successive one-year terms.
(B) The Commission shall elect a vice-chair by majority vote one member who shall serve for a one-year term and may be reappointed for two successive one-year terms.
(C) The initial chair and vice-chair shall be elected at the first meeting of the Commission or as soon thereafter as possible.
§ 32.XX BYLAWS; ADDITIONAL OFFICERS; COMMITTEES; STAFFING.
(A) The Commission shall adopt bylaws and any other rules as it deems necessary for its organization and proceedings consistent with the laws, ordinances and resolutions of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government.
(B) Staff assistance to Commission shall be provided by the -------Office of Equity or that office’s successor. The Office of Equity or that officer’s successor shall serve as the fiscal agent for the Commission.
§ 32.XX FUNDING.
The Commission shall explore all possible means to fund the annual celebration, including but not limited to sponsorships, donations, and grants. Louisville Metro Government may provide funding toward the annual celebration.
SECTION II. This Ordinance shall take effect upon its passage or approval or otherwise becoming law.
|
_______________________________ Sonya Harward Metro Council Clerk |
_____________________________ David James President of the Council |
|
_____________________________ Greg Fischer Mayor |
_____________________________ Approval Date |
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
Michael J. O’Connell
Jefferson County Attorney
BY: ____________________________
O-029-22 -Juneteenth Commission - hh 1-28-22 v.1