By Patricia Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
FORT MITCHELL
Lori Evans of Pleasant Ridge Avenue, came to the meeting to find out why the sidewalks are being widened when 11 years ago a similar project was defeated by the residents. Mayor Greg Pohlgeers said that that was 11 years ago, and this is a recent project, with a very specific grant for widening the sidewalks.
He said the small block portion was completed to show people what the widening would look like, so that walkers and scooters and ebike riders can share the sidewalk without someone being in the grass. He said if phase two is ready to start they will have public hearings, because the sidewalk is due to be widened all the way down Dixie Highway to Beechwood Road. Evans said she would like to see sidewalks all over the city, but did not like the widened sidewalks.
An ordinance was read for the first time which amends chapter 34 to comply with state statutory changes and opinions, specifically involving 15 or 16 sections public record policies involving open record requests and puts the onus on the mayor for these sections.
Another ordinance had a first reading which updates parking violations, putting them into a 30, 60 and 90-day penalty schedule.
A resolution passed which approved the interlocal agreement for the opioid settlement agreement.
INDEPENDENCE
Anna Brown from Van Trust talked to council about the Park 536 which has two buildings that were built on a speculative basis and a third that hasn’t been filled yet.A resolution passed which was about the development agreement. The first reading of an ordinance addressed the zone change for the area.
Mayor Christopher Reinersman gave his final budget address outlining the goals the city has achieved. He touted the fact that the city has reduced the property tax rate, and as a result, for the first time, revenue from payroll taxes were higher than the revenue from property taxes, and that is expected to continue.
He said that the budget contains a negative cash flow, and said that is intentional because he decided to use reserve money to pay for some of the items like the splash pad, another police officer, five new flock cameras and a playground instead of levying a tax on people to pay for them.
He said he is proud of what they have accomplished, expanded services, lowered tax rates, and approval of the city’s financial stability.
“The state of the city is strong, and the financial state is sound,” he pronounced clearly.
An ordinance was given a first reading that amended last year’s budget, and another first reading accepted this year’s budget.
Another first reading updated the pay classifications for the personnel in the city.
An ordinance amending the parking classifications for the city.
A resolution passed which agrees to the Municipal Road Aid agreement, ensuring that the money they will receive from the gas tax is $549,750.54.
A municipal order passed that put two 2013 Dodge Chargers on the surplus list to be put on govdeals.com.
BOONE COUNTY
In an unusual move for the Boone County Fiscal Court, commissioners chose to read an ordinance that overturns the Boone County Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation for a car wash on the site of the old Big Boy restaurant off Patrick Drive, at 1731 Jones Circle. The commissioners rarely overturn the Planning and Zoning’s recommendation even though it is even more rare for the Planning and Zoning Commission to not recommend a project. It is not easy for the Fiscal Court commissioners to overturn a recommendation; there has to be a specific majority of votes, plus finding of facts to make the move to overturn.
At the last meeting, quite a few people came to protest the car wash project, and the court listened to the community, and then did their own deep dive into the project, with County Attorney Jordan Dallas Turner and County Administrator Matthew Webster heading the effort. They came up with several “findings of fact” for the overturning of the recommendation, and that was all given to the commissioners, in addition to putting two opposing first readings of an ordinance for commissioners to choose between.
Commissioners chose the first reading that specifically overturns the recommendation. Erin McMacken, from Stonefield Engineering, gave a presentation on why the project should go ahead, and a few members of the community restated their opposition. If the second reading is approved, the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning commission will be overturned. Commissioner Chet Hand objected to one of the findings of fact, which basically condemned the project for locating in an area already “saturated with commercial” because he said the area is zoned commercial and no matter what, there will be commercial establishments in the area. That part of the findings of fact was struck from the report, but there were enough other findings of fact against the recommendation that the effort proceeded.
Judge Executive Gary Moore read a proclamation declaring May 17-23 as National Public Works week.
The second reading of an ordinance that concerns truck parking in unincorporated parts of Boone County passed.
Another second reading which changes the zoning of a 30-acre parcel of land at 6597 Utz Lane in Boone County from Agricultural to SR-1 also passed.
A resolution passed which accepts the agreement with the state Transportation Department for Road aid in the amount of $778,493.91, which is down from last year’s allotment of $949,000, and down 25 percent from the 2014 allotment of $1.167 million for the roads. Commissioners also agreed to put aside 3 percent of the money for emergency repairs.
A report was given on the annual audit done by the state Auditor Allison Ball and her team and commissioner accepted the report.
EDGEWOOD
Stephanie Huhn, from Bramel and Ackley, PSC, gave a report on the annual audit for the city. She said that the financial position for the city for June 30, 2026 is very strong.
Council passed the second reading of an ordinance which repeals and replaces a zoning map for the city with a new zoning map.
Council also passed a resolution which authorizes Mayor John Link to sign the contractual agreement with the Kentucky Transportation department for the road aid fund for the city.
FORT WRIGHT
Fort Wright city council studied several renditions of playground equipment to find a piece that they want to put at the Ft Wright Civic Club. This playground is meant to be a replacement of sorts for the Tot Lot in back of the city building which was pressed into service as a place to store road salt.
Ross Vocke from the company Motzscapes was present at the regular council meeting to answer questions from the council members, who looked at pictures of different playground equipment and finally decided on a multilevel fort type piece of equipment with several activities.
Council member Bernie Wessels pushed for a contractual agreement immediately, due to the fact that the city is looking at not being able to install equipment for the entire summer. He asked Vocke if they could do a contract could he make it happen to get the equipment in by the middle of August. Vocke said he would try his best but he couldn’t promise absolutely. However, council authorized Mayor Dave Hatter to sign a contract agreeing to purchase the equipment for no more than $211,362, to be installed by August 12, which is Wessel’s birthday.
Mayor Hatter read a proclamation for National Public Works week, from May 17-May 23.
Council approved a Municipal Road Aid Cooperative Agreement with the state for the amount of $112,170.12.
Council passed the second reading of an ordinance setting regulations for quality manufactured homes.
They approved an engineering firm from an RFQ for the Dixie Highway project and the Highland Avenue paving project.
There is a project called the Wright’s Point development, which the city has Industrial Revenue Bonds for, making the city the temporary owner. Duke Energy wants to do some work in the area, and the city has to sign off on the work since they are the current owner, and Town Properties, which is the future owners, want the city to sign off on the easement agreement.
CAO Jill Cain Bailey advised Council that due to HB 757 pennies will soon be eliminated in cash transactions, and she wants the city to make that mandatory in transactions starting in July.