'Is this a ... joke???' Louisville councilwoman slams choice for Animal Services director

A Louisville Metro Council member apologized after publicly criticizing the city's decision to eventually move Ozzy Gibson into the role of permanent director of Metro Animal Services.

Specifically, Councilwoman Jennifer Chappell said she's sorry for the language she used. But she maintains her concern about the hiring process.

"Is this a f------ joke???" she wrote in a series of posts on her official Instagram account Wednesday, just hours after the city announced the pending move.

Gibson has previously held the LMAS role. But, he is currently the interim director of the Transit Authority of River City (TARC) and the interim executive director of Louisville Metro Parks. Metro Government is seeking a replacement for him in those two positions, and his return to LMAS is contingent on when those hirings occur.

In the meantime, Adam Hamilton, a longtime employee of LMAS, will be the interim director of the agency. He was appointed to that role Wednesday.

Chappell, D-15th District, who represents parts of central and southwest Louisville, made it clear in her original post that she likes Gibson and thinks "he is good at implementing processes across various departments." But she said that in a city with over 700,000 people and a country with about 332 million people, she was surprised the city couldn't find anyone else for the roles, given he was already in two others.

While she maintains her feelings of frustration due to a "lack of transparency from the Mayor's Administration," she said in a statement Thursday morning that she wishes she had expressed those feelings differently.

"As an elected official, it’s my duty to represent the interests of our community faithfully and honorably," she said. "Regrettably, I have fallen short of the standards I have set for myself, and that my constituents expect of me."

Still, Chappell emphasized her continued concern with the process — a sentiment she and other council members have expressed for other appointments, such as for boards and commissions.

"As a member of the Metro Council, I was given no advanced notice or input into this permanent decision," she said. "On a daily basis I receive phone calls and emails from concerned constituents and residents in Louisville regarding animal rights issues and concerns. My colleagues and I have been advocating with the Administration for positive change at LMAS, and to be completely left in the dark about such a big decision was disappointing."

She called on the city to do a national search for the position to ensure the best candidate is maintaining the welfare and well-being of Louisville's animals.

"If the national search comes up empty, or if Mr. Gibson is determined to be the most qualified candidate, I will wholeheartedly support that decision," she said. "Louisville citizens should demand a national search and full transparency by the Administration during this process. I believe the long-term benefits will have a lasting effect on the community for years to come.”

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Gibson served as the LMAS director from 2016 to 2019. During that time, he "increased the shelter’s live release rate to 90% and oversaw the transition into a new, state of the art facility which opened in 2019," according to a release provided by the mayor's office.

Kevin Trager, a spokesman for Mayor Craig Greenberg, referred to these results in a statement to The Courier Journal on Thursday.

"Ozzy Gibson is the best person to lead Louisville Metro Animal Services (LMAS)," he said. "The LMAS team is excited for Ozzy’s return once he transitions out of his role at TARC later this year."

After Gibson's first stint at LMAS, he became interim chief of public safety. In Gibson's time in city government, he has served in "Metro Animal Services, Public Health, Public Works, Fleet & Facilities, and Louisville Parks and Recreation," according to the mayor's office.

He is known among the Metro Government as a "fixer" and has led several departments during transitions. Prior to joining Metro Government, Gibson was a Louisville Metro Police officer and left the force in 2016.

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Trager also referred The Courier Journal on Wednesday night to the mayor's previous statement about the announcement.

“I am excited for Adam and Ozzy to continue building on the great work happening at Louisville Metro Animal Services over the past few years,” Greenberg said. “These two leaders have a combined 50 years of experience working in city government, and most importantly, they care deeply about the LMAS team and the wellbeing of the animals at our shelter.”

Reach reporter Eleanor McCrary at EMcCrary@courier-journal.com or at @ellie_mccrary on X, formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Ozzy Gibson's move to Louisville Metro Animal Services slammed