By Patricia Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
EDGEWOOD
The new councilmembers in the city of Edgewood were sworn in last week by Kentucky Representative Stephanie Dietz while family members looked on. The new members include incumbents Ben Barlage, Jeff Schreiver, Rob Thelen, Joe Messmer, and Dr. Scott Spille, and they were joined by newcomers Jamie Ruehl and Bridget Spears.
Current council members were given drawings of the fence that they want to put around the playground at Freedom Park. Councilman Spille asked if they could push the fence back a little, and CAO Brian Dehner said one side of the small park has a sizable storm sewer, which dictates where that side of the fence needs to go.
The decision to put the fence around the playground was initiated by council because the playground is very near the parking lot as well as the street, and they believe a fence will help keep the children safer.
Dehner already searched out a price for the fencing alone, which would be, $7,500, and said it would probably cost about $1500 to $2500 to install it, but the public works would install it. Council agreed that one side, by the Liberty Hall, would stay open, but they discussed possibly only having a fence along the side with the parking lot and the side with the street. The fencing, according to Dehner, would look like the fencing around the playground in President’s Park.
INDEPENDENCE
Police officer Ryan Jones was given a lifesaving award Monday night for an incident in Independence that Mayor Chris Reinerman said could have had a bad ending if not for officer Jones. The little girl he helped, Addi Harris, was at the meeting and gave him a big hug. The award was from the Police Hall of Fame. Other members of the police and fire were also mentioned.
Parks and Recreation Coordinator Arron Cope and Diana Kloeker, member of the Independence Business Association received awards from the state. Mayor Reinersman called Cope’s year-long management ‘amazing.’ Kloeker, from Jude’s Custom Exhaust and Repair, received the award from the state, and also the key to the city.
Mayor Reinersman also gave the key to the city to Council member Dave Shafer, who will be leaving council, to thank him for his years of service to the city.
John Chamberlin gave a brief slide presentation on the audit of the city.
Attorney Jack Gatlin read an ordinance for the first time restricting box trucks over 11,000 pounds on Stephens road. After Council discussed the issue, the first reading was amended to exclude emergency vehicles, school buses and garbage trucks, and proposed that any truck that needed to be on the street would have to get a permit to be on the road. The second reading may have some changes to the wording also. Initial fines were set at $500 for the first offense and $750 for the second. After the second reading, signs will be posted.
An executive order appointed Chris Barbour to the Kenton County Joint Code Enforcement Board.
Another executive order appointed Mayor Reinersman to PDS for the city, with Council member Carol Franzen as an alternate.
FLORENCE
Florence council held a special meeting on Wednesday to pass the second reading of an ordinance which annexed 18.84 acres of land located on the east side of Gunpowder road.
They also passed an interlocal agreement with the city of Covington which acknowledges the Housing Authority of Covington as the coordinator of the section 8 housing.
Several items were up for discussion before they will reappear next week in the form of legislation. One item concerns a rule passed by the state legislature which recommends certain zoning regulations for EV charging stations. The zoning regulations have been set by the Boone County Planning Commission and they would like Florence as well as the other cities in Boone County, to adopt these regulations.
CAO Josh Hunt said that basically these charging units can be anywhere a gas station can be located, and vice versa. It could present a problem on Houston Road where there is a ban on gas stations due to being in the path of planes.
FT. WRIGHT
Ft. Wright city council passed the second reading of an ordinance granting a non-exclusive contract to Level 3 Telecom of Kentucky LLC for a term of 5 years with an option to renew by mutual agreement for the construction, placement, maintenance and operation of facilities for the transmission, delivery, provision, and sale of services in the city’s right of way.
Council also approved councilmember Bernie Wessels as the representative to PDS and Jason Collins as the alternate.
COVINGTON
Covington commissioners passed an order creating a ‘committee on form of government transition’ Tuesday night and directed the regular staff members to assist the committee in all its duties. Voters in November’s election approved the decision to change Covington’s form of government from a City Manager/commission form of government to a Mayor/council form of government, so the committee is a primary step in that process.
An ordinance had a first reading which amends a section of the Covington code of ordinances in order to enhance communications between the Administration department and the board of commissioners to increase government efficiency.
A first reading of an ordinance was held which creates a licensing structure for medical marijuana businesses as directed by a Kentucky Revised Statute.
Another order passed which authorized 100 percent in matching TIF funds to complete the Madison and Rivercenter crosswalks infrastructure repair project.
Mayor Joe Meyer asked about the status of the Christmas decorations and was told that they are in storage. He mentioned that the decorations at Mainstrasse were going up, but he said the businesses usually do that, and he wanted to see some more decorations throughout the city.