Council president says Louisville mayor isn't being transparent in negotiations with police union

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The leader of Louisville Metro Council says Mayor Greg Fischer isn't practicing the transparency he preaches.

As Fischer's administration negotiates with the River City FOP Lodge 614 to produce a new collective bargaining agreement for many Louisville Metro Police officers, Councilman David James on Tuesday called for more transparency and oversight in that process.

James, D-6, wants a member of Metro Council to have a seat at the table during those negotiations — which are closed to the public and press. James says the mayor has, so far, refused his request.

Frustrations boiled over in November 2020 as Metro Council voted to ratify the current contract for LMPD officers and sergeants. While most council members agreed those officers deserved better pay to bolster retention and recruitment, some said the contract dangerously avoided reforms that would lead to more police accountability.

"Vote 'No' to the FOP!" protesters shouted outside City Hall on Nov. 5, the night the contract was ultimately ratified by council in a 16 to 10 vote.

Months ago, a group known as the 490 Project formed and lobbied the mayor to seat ordinary people in the negotiating room beside the FOP and officials from the mayor's office.

"We would want members of the community on the mayor's negotiating team with the power to negotiate with the mayor's team," a member said in April. "Silent observers would be, you know, the second best thing."

Despite a petition, that effort has failed to gain traction so far.

According to agreed upon negotiation ground rules, the contract negotiations are "closed to the press and public." A spokesperson for Fischer, Jean Porter, has said opening the negotiations to members of the public up might be complicated.

James, though, believes placing a council member in the negotiating room would serve as an effective compromise.

"Having a representative of the citizens in the form of a council member is that space in the middle," James said Tuesday. "By allowing one of our council members to sit in with those negotiations, I think it's very important towards the end goal, which is transparency, oversight and an ability to get our police officers a pay raise that they so deserve."

James says he's asked the mayor to allow one of two council members into the negotiating room: Councilman Bill Hollander, who chairs the Budget Committee, or Councilwoman Keisha Dorsey, who chairs the Labor and Economic Development Committee.

As of Tuesday evening, James said the mayor's office has refused his request.

"They are 'No' to that idea. They have discussed providing quarterly updates to the citizens, but that's just — that's just lip service," James said.

Porter said Fischer's administration is "in talks" with the union and tow council members about how James' idea might work.

"For now our primary focus is realizing reforms in a contract that also provides a competitive rate of compensation," she added.

The 490 Project, meanwhile, said it welcomes changes "that would bring about increased transparency to this historically opaque process" after it says its push for more transparency was met by "skepticism and resistance" by the mayor's office.

"We have to wonder why members of council are getting more traction with this idea than we as 'regular' community members were able to," the group wrote.

Councilman Anthony Piagentini, R-19, however, is opposed to the idea of placing a council member in the negotiating room. He said it wouldn't be right for council to inject itself into a two-way negotiation without serving the same function in other negotiations for other city departments.

"LMPD should not be singled out," he said. "And that is coming from somebody who wants the negotiations to succeed."

Piagentini said council should remove the mayor from office if it feels his leadership in the contract negotiations is inadequate. 

Related Stories: 

• Despite protest, Metro Council approves new contract, raises for LMPD officers
• As mayor negotiates new LMPD union contract, group says transparency is lacking

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