By David Rotenstein
NKyTribune reporter
Roger Berger returned to the Florence City Council chambers March 3 to follow up on a request he made at the Feb. business meeting. “I’m going to review the February 10 meeting of the city council when I asked them to pass an ordinance that would prohibit ICE and Homeland Security from buying or leasing any facility within the city which would become an interment or concentration facility,” Berger told the NKY Tribune before the March 3 meeting.
After its Feb. 10 meeting, Mayor Julie Metzger Aubuchon suggested that Berger write to the city with his request regarding potential immigration enforcement facilities (Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE) facilities inside the city limits. Berger subsequently emailed Florence City Administrator Joshua Hunt. Berger’s appearance brought the issue full circle, with no commitment from the city and indifferent responses from individual council members.
“I request the City Council pass a resolution that would advise warehouse owners, landowners and Realtors not to sell or lease such to ICE, Homeland Security or another Federal Agency for the purpose of having an internment/concentration facility to keep US Citizens and non- US Citizens detained without due process,” Berger wrote in a Feb. 17 email to Hunt.
Hunt replied Feb. 20. “Historically, Florence City Council has not entertained resolutions addressing geopolitical, partisan, or federal policy matters that fall outside the scope of municipal authority.,” Hunt wrote. “As a local governing body operating under Kentucky law, the City’s responsibility is to administer and legislate matters directly tied to municipal operations, public safety, local services, and land use regulation. Matters involving federal immigration enforcement agencies are governed by federal and state law, and local legislative bodies do not have authority to regulate, direct, or otherwise influence federal enforcement decisions.”
Hunt also informed Berger that his email would be included, along with Hunt’s answer, in the council’s packet for the Feb. 24 business meeting. “Whether to place any matter on a future Council agenda is ultimately a decision for the elected Council members in accordance with their established procedures,” Hunt wrote.
Berger’s communications and Hunt’s reply were not taken up during the Feb. 24 council meeting.
At the March 3 meeting, Berger, who is 84 years old and uses a walker, slowly made his way to the speaker’s podium. He reviewed his earlier statements and the communications he had with Hunt.
“I am very, very proud of this city,” Berger said. “I’d like to be engaged in things that are going on within the city.”
After quoting polls taken before the Feb. 24 State of the Union address that described President Donald Trump as erratic, Berger returned to his original request: “All I want from you as a council is to give your opinion, so that your voters and the Boone County Fiscal Court can hear you,” he pleaded.
Berger then addressed individual council members.
“Mr. Winn, if you could give us your opinion on this,” Berger asked council member Gary Winn.
“Interesting topic. Hot topic. I’ll leave it at that,” Winn replied.
Berger exchanged comments with several council members. He asked them at the end, “Why is it so painful for you all to render an opinion?”
Aubuchon declined to comment on the point Berger made about other cities and counties taking stands against having ICE facilities in their communities.
“This is a national issue. I don’t believe it’s an issue that cities should get involved in,” Aubuchon told the NKy Tribune after the meeting adjourned. “This is not something that we typically as a city would get involved with. We don’t want to be in divisive, hot button national issues.”
But isn’t all politics local?
“Roads, streets, ambulances and fire. That’s what we are concerned about,” Aubuchon replied.