River Fields Inc.

“Robert griffith and meme sweets runyon have a family relationship.”

“The 990 is prepared by the organization's accounting firm from information provided by the executive director. Once the form 990 is prepared it is reviewed in detail by the treasurer and the ceo and president and then sent to the governing body.”

“The board of trustees reviews annually and discusses the conflict of interest policy. Each trustee is required to sign the policy annually and submit it to the governance committee chairman. Additionally, this policy is discussed in governance committee meetings. If a trustee knows of a conflict, this conflict is brought to the attention of the chairman, ceo and president and governance chairman. At that time the trustee is advised concerning appropriate actions, the conflict is discussed specifically at the governance committee and if necessary, at the board level. It has been regular practice for trustees to be required to both write letters stating their conflict and to leave the room, and certainly not to vote if the subject of the conflict is discussed or if there is a vote concerning the issue.”

“The executive director's salary was established based on a board review by an independent professional salary and benefits firm which used national comparability data and contemporaneous substantiation of the deliberation and the decision. The only changes in salary since that process has been an increase in some years, not in all years, based on only cost of living adjustments. No other directors, officers, or key employees are paid.”

“The articles are available to anyone from the kentucky secretary of state's office. The original bylaws are similarly available but amended and restated bylaws are not. The organization has no constitution. Its financial statements are not made available to the general public. The conflict of interest policy is made available upon request.”

“Our mission is to protect, preserve and enhance the natural and cultural resources, including agricultural and scenic resources, on both sides of the ohio river between westport and west point, kentucky, for the benefit of the public. We accomplish this mission through a three pronged programmatic approach of land conservation, advocacy, and education. We now protect 2200 acres of forest, farm, meadow and other cultural landscapes in from development, and we steward 65 fragile and beautiful acres open to the public 365 days a year. In 2024 we will celebrate 65 years of advocating, protecting, and educating for the river, its lands, and the people who depend upon them. In 2023, we led multiple public programs on protected lands to explore native wildflower populations and historic buildings, and we also provided education for the public with a newsletter reaching all 2000 of our members. We reached the final stages of executing a critical new easement on more than 100 acres of pristine woods in a highly threatened and densely developed part of the county.”

“Land conservation: this core program area focuses on the permanent protection of natural and cultural resources, including scenic and agricultural ones, through conservation easements or the purchase of land in fee simple. We work directly with landowners and citizens to assist them in either executing conservation easements or donating their land in fee simple. We also serve as an information clearinghouse for landowners concerned with the future of their lands who want to know what solutions exist. With nearly 2,200 acres of conservation easements on cultural landscapes including farmland, wetlands, forest, meadows, and other valuable and fragile properties now protected forever from harmful development practices, river fields protects an area of land three times the size of new york's central park and adds significantly to the metro area's tree canopy and climate resiliency. We hold easements in three counties and own 65 acres outright in jefferson county. We maintain our lands that we own outright with ecologically-sound practices that prioritize protecting biodiversity and flood resilience, and we keep them open and available to the public 365 days a year. Protecting these easements from legal challenges and monitoring their conditions to ensure that they are being appropriately protected from harm is a significant part of our work. As of the end of 2023, we are close to finalizing a new easement in a highly developed and threatened area of southwest jefferson county, adding more than 100 acres of pristine forest to our holdings.”

“Education: we believe in encouraging and empowering all citizens to protect the river and its surrounding lands. We do this through several channels, including our website, social media, newsletter, and other avenues to communicate with the public and empower them with information. We also host educational programming - on protected properties that are not usually open to the public - on topics such as ecology, plant identification, architectural heritage, and other topics designed for all ages and abilities. We are regularly invited speakers at many area clubs and organizations who want to know more about the natural and cultural assets that river fields protects. We also make frequent appearances on local media to provide thoughtful educational content to the general public about the critical importance of protecting and cherishing the river and its natural landscapes. River fields is often looked to as a trusted and informed voice when it comes to educating the public on topics including sustainable planning practices, the critical importance of protecting cultural landscapes, and the irreplaceable treasure that is our ohio river landscape.”

“Advocacy: river fields takes positions based on the facts and the law, seeking creative solutions that promote protection and enhancement of natural, scenic historic and agricultural resources and open spaces. We promote planned development practices and growth management, advocating for density and the protection of historic urban fabric as solutions. We also advocate for good urban design, rational transportation decisions, and greater public access to our natural and cultural assets that the river offers. We are proud of the reputation we enjoy as a willing negotiator in the efforts to ensure natural and historic conservation and preservation of fragile and vulnerable cultural and natural treasures. We advocate for sensitive land and water use. We always work towards the protection of clean air, soil, water, and historic neighborhoods. We have for years advocated for the preservation of important black settlements in the louisville metro area that have historically been ignored by others. Our advocacy efforts have shaped the preservation of various historic homes on river road, the historically black jacob school neighborhood, and other cultural landscapes whose loss would have been devastating and irrevocable to our common heritage.”