Ethics complaints against Greenberg and Purvis move forward

Two ethics complaints against Louisville city officials were referred to hearing officers following ethics commission votes Thursday.

This likely means that both cases of alleged Code of Ethics violations will be subject to a public hearing, something that has not happened since the complaint against Councilor Anthony Piagentini in 2023.

The first complaint was filed against Mayor Craig Greenberg, former Deputy Mayor Pat Mulloy and Jeff O’Brien, executive director of the city’s economic development firm, by former employee Terri Hathaway. She has since added Deputy Economic Development Director Joshua McKee to the complaint.

Hathaway claims to have witnessed a pattern of “behavior that allowed Metro to apply different standards of access, engagement and due diligence to economic development incentives,” in which some private interests were not not required to follow the same processes as others.

She said that resulted in the new Louisville Economic Development Alliance, or LEDA. The creation of LEDA unduly reduces “the flow of economic development incentives and the granting of unwarranted privileges through the appointment of carefully selected individuals with close relationships to members of the Greenberg administration,” she said. declared.

However, Greenberg previously said the nonprofit entity was meant to emulate similar organizations in other cities, which he called a “national best practice.” He hopes it will have a positive impact on affordable housing efforts and revitalize downtown and neighborhoods.

More: Other cities have increased their development by partnering with business leaders. Can Louisville?

Hathaway also claims there was an “inappropriate allocation” of funds to a business by the administration, interference with the autonomy of the Metropolitan Business Development Corporation, and retaliation against her for filing a complaint. Hathaway was fired in June.

“These allegations are baseless,” Greenberg spokesman Kevin Trager said in a statement. “We remain focused on implementing a strong, much-needed economic development strategy that will move Louisville in a new direction and create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs.”

Hathway stands by his decision to file a complaint.

“We deserve public officials who act with integrity and in the best interest of all Louisvillians,” Hathaway said in a statement to the Courier Journal. “Holding these Metro officers accountable comes at a personal cost, but it’s a good thing. Our community deserves better.”

The second complaint concerns City Councilwoman Donna Purvis, who represents the northwest corner of Jefferson County, around the Shawnee and Portland neighborhoods. Michael Allen, who filed the ethics complaint, claims Purvis installed speed bumps on a street where she owns property or lives, rather than on her street, which he says needs them more.

The complaint says traffic studies show his street, Varble Avenue, posed a greater risk. The complaint also states that Purvis Street “does not conclusively indicate” that it presents the greatest speed danger.

“This action by (Purvis) demonstrated that she acted inappropriately in the performance of her official duties when she had a financial or private interest that either interfered with her objectivity of judgment or reasonably created that appearance.” , Allen’s amended complaint states.

The complaint also references a lawsuit filed against Purvis by his former legislative aide for defamation, claiming his actions caused taxpayers in District 5 and metro Louisville to pay, in part, his legal fees.

Purvis declined to comment.

Contact journalist Eleanor McCrary at [email protected] or @ellie_mccrary on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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