By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
COVINGTON
Covington Commissioners said goodbye to their Economic Director Tom West, who has been instrumental at the city for the neighborhoods for the last eight-plus years. CAO Sharmili Reddy read a few of his many accomplishments, and everyone could not say enough to praise him, and tell him they didn’t want him to leave. They did accept his retirement as of August 1.
“This was my dream job,” West said. “Ever since I moved back in 1992, I fell in love with the community.”
Commissioners accepted an order promoting Engineer Jacob Westrich to the position of Lieutenant in the Fire Department and another order promoting firefighter Jonathan Krull to Engineer and firefighter Zack Williams to Engineer in the Fire Department.
An ordinance passed which amends the Covington Neighborhood Development Code to change the designation of an area at 2325 Madison Avenue from Semi-Urban Residential, SU, to Auto Urban Commercial, AUC.
CAO Reddy told the commissioners that there is a meeting for the Goebel Park Master plan on Tuesday, July 28, from 68 p.m. at the Hellman Center on Martin Luther King Boulevard in Covington.
CAMPBELL COUNTY
Campbell County commissioners passed the second reading of an ordinance putting stop signs at Clay Ridge and Hissam Road. This will make the intersection an all stop intersection.
A first reading of an ordinance was held which will put stop signs at Redstone and Southbrook roads, also making this crossing an all stop intersection.
Another first reading was held that will prohibit parking on one side of the street at Golden Eye. It is the habit of the court to grant the wish of homeowners on the street if they have a petition signed by over 50 percent of the residents, this time on Golden Eye. The parking will be prohibited on the side of the street with the fire hydrants, once the ordinance has a second reading.
A memorandum of agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for $362,000 for the Local Area Road Program was approved so they can resurface Poplar Thicket, from Kentucky 915 to the end of county maintenance, and Murnane Road from the beginning to US 27, a distance of 2.256 and 2.638 miles respectively.
A resolution passed which updated the Northern Kentucky Solid Waste Management Cooperative Partner Agreement between Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties.
Another resolution passed which updated the Campbell County Animal Services Operations Manual.
Two police officers were advanced. Six contracts for School Resource Officers to the area schools were approved.
Seven people were re-appointed to the Campbell County Economic Progress Authority Inc. and one person was appointed to the same committee for four year terms.
Commissioners listened to a resolution which allows for the issuance of General Obligation Public project bonds not to exceed $65 million, for two projects. The first is to pay for or reimburse a public safety complex and related improvements, and the second is all the improvements they are making in the park.
NEWPORT
Newport Commissioners passed an ordinance at a special meeting approving the purchase of 9 parcels of land in the 600 block of Monmouth street for a total purchase price of $3.8 million.
The acquisition of the properties consolidates the properties into a single publicly controlled redevelopment site that avoids the added cost, risk and uncertainty if the city had to purchase them all separately. The purchase price covers $50,000 in survey, environmental and legal costs. This allows the city to talk about underinvestment for that block and decide about redevelopment in accordance with the city’s economic development plan.