By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
INDEPENDENCE
Independence Mayor Christopher Reinersman honored members of the Simon Kenton Swim and Dive team with two proclamations. One was for Senior Isaiah Reinhart, who was featured as the 2026 KHSAA Athlete of the Year for Swim and Dive, and because his career has been so meteoric, the city gave him March 3 as his own personal day in the city.
Four other team members were honored. Junior Parker Davis, who brought home a Regional Championship in the 50 freestyle, Sophomore Evan Iles, with records in the 200 Individual Medley, and the 100 backstroke, and sophomores Owen Isles and Nathan McCrory, who excelled in 200 medleys and 200 free relays were all honored at the council meeting.
Council listened to the first reading of an ordinance which will annex the property at 957 Mt Zion Road. Mayor Reinersman clarified that it is the Mason farm, and it will be a consensual annexation. Attorney Jack Gatlin explained that it will take two months, and maybe three, to get to a second reading on the ordinance.
Council agreed to enter into an agreement for the regional SWAT team. The city received four bids to resurface Dana Harvey road and the job was given to Riegler blacktop. Two bids were received for the splash pad, and the job was awarded to Civil Solutions. Mayor Reinersman said they have over $1.2 million in the splash pad now, and may have more before it is through.
EDGEWOOD
Edgewood Fire Chief Tom Dickman honored several firefighters for their years of service at the regular council meeting Monday night. Assistant Chief Chris Amon and Firefighter Greg Burk both have 35 years in the department, Firefighter/medic Corey Deye has 30 years, as has Doug Talbert, and Recruitment Coordinator Todd Wyatt. Firefighter Medic Jason Bowling has 25 years, Firefighter/EMT Dan Richman has 20 years, Firefighter/Medic Ben Meiners has 10 years, as does Firefighter/Medic Jacob Shafer, and Firefighter/medic Cole Deupree, Firefighter/EMT Kirby Eckel, firefighter/Medic Landon Meyer and firefighter/medic Kevin Schutte all have 5 years.
Long time residents Karen and Dale Henson came to the meeting, because they have a project they would like the city to establish in Presidents’ Park. Dale had served on council for many years and he and Karen were instrumental in establishing the baby box at the firehouse. This time, Karen gave a short presentation on having a splash pad, and she described exactly where she thought it should be located in Presidents’ Park. She had talked to the City Administrator in Wilder, where they have a splash pad, and she had also talked to the city of Independence, where they are getting ready to install a splash pad. Mayor John Link said that City Administrator Brian Dehner will do some investigating himself, to come up with numbers and a plan, and bring that information back to the council.
CAO Dehner talked about legislation in Frankfort that allows cities to hire retired firefighters, but not have to pay the full 36 percent into the CERS system for a retired firefighter. He said it passed the house, and is currently in front of the Senate. He also said that Representative Stephanie Dietz personally ushered the bill through the process, and he thanked her.
Council member Bridget Grady Spears talked about the fact that signs have been placed in people’s yards on Charter Oak without any communication to the residents. Public works director Rick Lunneman said it is the first part of the design program for the road, where companies are preparing to locate utilities and other preliminary items.
Council passed a resolution authorizing project submission for Z21 zoning. They also passed a resolution agreeing to be part of the Northern Kentucky SWAT team.
The March 16 council meeting will be canceled due to the Mayor and CAO being out of town.
ERLANGER
Erlanger City Council listened to several residents around the Narrows road area who came to the regular council meeting to voice their concerns about the speed limit and the sidewalk project. There had been a public meeting, and people still wanted to have their voice heard. Most of the residents were in favor of dropping the speed limit from 35 to 25 MPH, and most were in favor of the sidewalks.
The business spotlight was on Boone Kenton Lumber, but it was on pause because there was an emergency and they couldn’t make it to the meeting.
City Administrator Mark Collier talked about SB237, which was formerly HB495, and he said that this bill is not a good deal for the city of Erlanger and he recommended they not support the bill. He also said that the general air of the bills before the legislature seem to have an anti-home rule flavor, which is not a good thing for cities, and there may have to be a call to action. The Kentucky League of cities is characterizing this session as extremely hostile to cities. He stated that a record 1200 bills have been introduced this session.
The legislation to deal with a future mayoral pay increase was tabled so it can be discussed further.
The second reading of an ordinance establishing a moratorium on certain tax for people who do a complete demolition on their property.
Council also agreed to join into an agreement with the Northern Kentucky Swat team.
FORT WRIGHT
Fort Wright city council listened to Kenton County Judge Executive Kris Knochelmann give an update to the city on the things happening in the county. He mentioned the consolidated dispatch system and how well it is running, and said they have adopted the CAD system, which will be adopted by both Campbell County and Boone County in the near future.
He talked about the park that will be made on the grounds of the old golf course, and said it should be finished in June of 2028.
John Chamberlain, from Chamberlain, Owen and Company, gave a positive report on the audit.
Fire Chief Steve Schewe gave his report on the year ending in 2025. He said they had 1,261 calls, and he said that they get 10 EMS calls for every fire call. The report is posted on the website.
Council passed six resolutions which oppose bills that are before the general assembly right now. They oppose HB 189, HB 333, HB 132, HB 612, HB 75 and HB 589.
City Administrator Jill Cain Bailey gave a report on the progress of putting the city’s own salt storage facility on their property, largely due to the location of the state salt center. She said after investigation, it was decided that the best place for the facility is the Tot Lot in back of the firehouse. They asked for a proposal from the city engineer and the price tag for design is $64,075. She recommended that Council go with Verdantas on the project. She said it would take approximately 10 weeks to complete, and the city then would have their own supply of salt for next winter easily accessible for their trucks.
Mayor Dave Hatter talked about the project where Jeff Wyler has bought three companies in For Wright, including the Days Inn property that has been a problem for the police for years. Hatter said that from 2013 to now, they had 4,705 calls, which even sout to one call a day for years, and that is 2.4 percent of all the calls received by the police. Police Chief Jonathon Colwell said that when they went into the property, they found a dresser containing over 200 legitimate state ID’s and passports. The ID’s were confiscated.