By Andy Furman
NKyTribune staff writer
She is one heckuva salesperson, and she told her passionate story to the Covington Rotary Club at their weekly meeting this week.
Sharmili Reddy, who will celebrate her one-year anniversary as Covington’s City Manager this month, oversees the city’s operations, including a $70-million-plus budget and over 400 employees.
“I always enjoyed public service,” she told the Northern Kentucky Tribune, “It is my passion.”
In short, she guides the city’s strategic initiatives and development efforts. And she’s no stranger to the task.
“I was the Executive Director of Planning and Development Services (PDS) of Kenton County,” she recalled, where she oversaw a multidisciplinary organization that provides comprehensive services – including planning, community development, zoning, code enforcement, building inspection, engineering, and GTS – to 20 jurisdictions in Kenton County.
In Covington, however, she claims there is one thing – and perhaps THE one thing on her mind at the moment — The Bridge Project.
“We want,” she says, “to make this vision a reality.”
The two bridges that connect the City of Covington to downtown Cincinnati, are, to say the least – in construction – and certainly causing traffic, as well as potential business headaches.
We’re talking about the Fourth Street Bridge and, of course the the new Brent Spence Bridge.
“The Fourth Street project should be complected in the summer of 2028,” Reddy said, “and the new Brent Spence in five to seven years.”
In the meantime, she admits, they are projects that are challenging to the community, simply because they are being done concurrently.
“What we have done,” she continued, “is work with the project managers to figure out advance communication that we may relay to the public.”
Reddy calls it Bridging the Gap – How to help our local businesses survive through the project and the turmoil.
“First,” she said, “we need to market our region better; and I mean from Covington to Hyde Park, to Anderson Township and Edgewood. Let everyone know Covington is open for business.”
She talked of a marketing campaign, with more visual signage.
“I will say, our businesses are pretty strong now; and honestly, that just goes to show just how powerful Covington is.
“We are doing things here to sustain as well as grow our business climate.”
Reddy, who has a master’s degree in planning from the University of Cincinnati, says people, in general are resilient. “And so is our community.”
The housing market was another area discussed by the City Manager.
“The base cost for starter home is around $250,000,” she said, “and for a first-time home owner this is steep.
“The city is in the process of building two homes on Pleasant Street for about $200,000 each. Housing is like a pipeline. When someone moves from a starter home to a more expensive residence, that opens the market for a newcomer to upscale.”
She says the city owns about 200 vacant lots now, and looking to see if they will be purchased for building sites.
“A potential site,” she said, “is Covington City Heights, and I know the cost of housing is difficult now.”
Pointing towards the future, Reddy mentioned Covington’s new Mayor/Council form of government which makes its debut in January.
A Mayor/Council form of government is a local municipal system where power is divided between a separately elected mayor who serves as the chief executive and an elected city council that acts as the legislative body. It is one of the most common structures for cities and towns in the United States.
The Mayor: Acts as the executive head, responsible for daily city operations, enforcing laws, supervising departments, and managing personnel.
The City Council: Acts as the legislative body, responsible for passing local ordinances, setting broad policy goals, and approving the municipal budget.
Reddy says her title shifts from City Manager to City Administrator in January.
“The new system” she said, “allows us in government to move things along a little quicker.”
If only she could make the bridge project do the same.