By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
FORT MITCHELL
Fort Mitchell city council listened to the second reading of an ordinance adopting the payscale for July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2026.
A first reading was held setting the tax rate for the park tax. The rate has been the same since 1975, and it is .02 cents per $100 of assessed value.
Another first reading confirmed the rate for waste, trash, garbage, and recycling
collection. With a few more extensions of the original contract price, residents will continue to pay $216.36 per unit per year.
A third first reading intends to cut through extra red tape for residents who either want a speed hump or are protesting a speed hump on their respective streets. It also makes it less problematic for council members to take steps for or against a speed hump.
FLORENCE
Florence city Council again discussed the medical cannabis issue. City Administrator Josh Hunt explained that the last time council talked about the issue they decided the best thing would be to put it on the ballot in November. There was a resolution on the agenda pertaining to the exact language that the state has suggested to put on the ballot so that all cities who have the issue on the ballot can be the same, and voters will be less confused. Since not all the council members were present, there was not a quorum, so council could not vote on anything.
The language is “Are you in favor of the sale of medicinal cannabis in a licensed dispensary and the operation of other cannabis businesses in Florence, Kentucky? Yes or No.”
The second reading of an ordinance approving the current Boone County Comprehensive Plan 2040 had to be postponed although council members were asked if they had any questions.
The first reading of an ordinance adopting and approving a concept development plan was read with the purpose of developing a density bonus in the form of a 7 acre site for a previously approved hotel that would provide for an outlot for future development.The hotel is the Drury hotel and it is still under construction at the corner of Dixie Highway and Industrial Road.
Two promotions were conducted for the police department. Nathan Rettig was promoted to Police Captain, and Mike Geis was promoted to Police Lieutenant while their proud families looked on.
Naomi Liebson, who lives on Utz Drive, came to the meeting to ask council to seriously consider a Community Center and told council members that she had someone who could come and talk to them about how to know where to put a community center and what to put in it.
Lana Brueggeman, who lives on Center Street, came to complain about a neighbor who has ten foot tall bushes very close to the street making it impossible for her and her husband to see if it is safe to pull out of their driveway. She said she almost hit a mother pushing a baby in a carriage, and that prompted her to bring the matter to council. Public Services Director Eric Hall took her information and her pictures and promised he would look into it.
KENTON COUNTY
Amanda Peters from the Office of Drug Control Policy gave Kenton County Commissioners an update about drug use and overdose rates in the three counties. Commissioner Jon Draud told Peters he was shocked that although Peters said the numbers of overdose deaths between 2022 and 2023 had virtually remained the same, the numbers were so much higher in Kenton County. He said he thought Kenton County spent more than the other counties on trying to fix the drug problem.
“There must not be a correlation between money spent and a decrease in overdose cases,” he said.
Peters said all the counties are spending significant money.
“We just can’t get ahead of it,” she said. “The numbers holding steady is positive news.”
Commissioner Joe Nienaber said he thought a big problem is the mental health crisis, and the ever increasing lack of mental health care, no matter how much care is available. He said he believed the numbers were shooting at the wrong target.
Commissioner Beth Sewell said she was grateful for the resources they do have in the county and mentioned that it could be worse.
Peters said that they hoped to have a regional dashboard showing more statistics by December.
Sheriff Chuck Korzenborn presented four Life Saving awards, and one merit award for excellent arrest to deputies of the Kenton County Sheriff’s Department.
BOONE COUNTY
Boone County Commissioners listened to a presentation from TANK General Manager Gina Douthat. TANK does not directly collect tax dollars, instead they present a budget to the Fiscal Courts of the three counties. The board has nine members, three from each county.
Douthat said they are experimenting with a Ride Share-type of micro-transit which she said is a bit pricey, at $5 a ride, but she said it is unique. She also said that ridership tanked during the pandemic but it is coming back. They are paying a lot of attention to airport service and also to the Dixie Highway route.
Communications Senior Manager Elaine Zeinner gave a report on how well she has
done with communications in the county since she started last September. She has improved on the direct mailing and increased social media participation 15.1 percent.
The first reading of an ordinance rejecting the recommendation for a zoning map amendment for Jake’s Farm. But it is not over yet. The second reading won’t be until August 20 at the 5:30 p.m. meeting, not at the next meeting which is an 8:30 a.m. meeting. A few people spoke against the project, one saying the company keeps changing their plan to make it acceptable to the fiscal court members in order to push the project through the approval process. The owner, Paul Darpel, asked to have the findings of fact sent to him.
A second reading of an ordinance providing a credit for the occupational license fee for new employees of Skilcraft LLC, under the Kentucky Business Investment Program passed.
The first reading of an ordinance approving the Boone County Comprehensive plan 2040 which is now plan 2045 with the amendments and changes was read.
An Executive Session yielded a resolution authorizing execution of settlement
participation forms relating to the national opioid litigation involving the Kroger Company.