By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
INDEPENDENCE
Independence city council passed the second reading of an ordinance amending parking violations. The vote was unanimous. Council has been working on this legislation for a few months.
Council turned down the request by Brandicorp for the map amendment and the concept development plan for 40 acres on its second reading.
Council members voted to accept the bid of Eaton Asphalt for the 2026 resurfacing project. City Administrator Chris Moriconi said that the bid was about $150,000 under budget.
The mill and overlay project is set to begin on November 15.
Mayor Chris Reinersman told everyone that the survey for speed humps on Hogrefe Road passed the criteria needed to install the traffic calming devices.
Reinersman also announced that there will be a special meeting in two weeks on August 17 at 7 p.m. specifically to discuss the Flock cameras, although the first reading of the tax rate may be on the agenda also.
EDGEWOOD
Edgewood city council passed a second reading of an ordinance allowing a budget amendment for insurance changes, and a second reading of an ordinance for codification of ordinances.
CAO Brian Dehner had several issues that he had to explain to council. The first one was an update on the flood in the city building that he said is the result of corrosion in pipes, where the hard water sits for a time in the low point of the pipes, and at some point causes the pipes to burst. The disaster is almost put to rights, and now the city has to decide on a strategy to try and prevent it from happening again.
Another issue is the Dudley road update, and Dehner said the work will soon begin to mill and overlay from the city building to Dixie Highway. Attention will be paid to the turning lanes at Dudley and Turkeyfoot.
A third issue is the painting of the clock tower at Presidents Park. Dehner said he has an estimate of $6,790 to paint it black, and council approved the project.
The intersection of Dudley Road and Madison Pike came under scrutiny and Dehner said they met with Bob Yeager at KYTC and told him their concerns about not being informed. Dehner said he was apologetic, and told them they won’t ask for construction money on the project until 2030 or 2031, so the project is a few years off in the future.
Council then again discussed the issue of ebikes and scooters. Children were seen riding in the street, because they cannot ride on the sidewalk, and that is a problem, too. Dehner said there isn’t a community who isn’t dealing with the issue right now. He said they want the Kentucky League of Cities to promote precise definitions of ebikes and scooters so that cities have a better chance of drafting legislation to regulate the vehicles. Police Chief Jimmy Kreinest said they will continue to promote education in schools.
ERLANGER
Erlanger’s business spotlight was on Gary Williams Martial Arts which has been in existence for 28 years. His motto is to ‘change lives in a positive way’, and he says he tries to do that everyday. A short video was shown. Mayor Jessica Fette told him that he is such a pillar to the community.
The Eons Park memorandum of understanding was removed from the agenda at the request of Council member Jennifer Jasper-Lucas so they could discuss it further at the caucus meeting.
Former council member Corine Pitts came to the meeting to ask about the two new stop signs on Narrows Road. These, in addition to the new speed limit of 25, has residents upset, and wanting answers, so Pitts had received several phone calls and decided to come to the meeting and ask them. Mayor Fette explained that the city asked for advice from Viox and Viox, and a traffic study was done. The results of the study were two stop signs and a reduced speed limit.
Another resident, Scott Berger, wanted the city to look at his neighborhood of Sherborne so that they can identify how widespread the speeding problem is and try to make the neighborhood safer.
The second reading of an ordinance codifying the year’s ordinances passed.
An ordinance had a first reading which sets the new pay rate for the mayor and council. The mayor will be earning $22,000 a year, up from $15,000, an increase of 46.67 percent. Council pay will go to $4,800 a year, up from $4,468.20, a raise of 7.43 percent. The new pay will be starting in January of 2031.
A municipal order passed which specifies certain rules and regulations for meetings such as when and where they are held, and the order of business, as well as manner of voting and general conduct.
A resolution passed which accepts a memorandum of understanding with the Kentucky Transportation Department to accept a grant in the sum of $35,000 for the repairs on Skye Drive. City Administrator Mark Collier gave credit to public works member Pierce Turner for acquiring the grant.
Erlanger Government had two special guests who sat in with their parents. Max Fette sat in with his mother, the mayor, and Ava Farmer sat in with her dad, council member Chris Farmer.
FT. WRIGHT
Ft. Wright Mayor Dave Hatter read a proclamation at the regular council meeting honoring City Administrator Jill Cain Bailey for her years of public service, since this meeting was her last official meeting. It also declared that her last day in the job, August 31, would be Jill Cain Bailey day in the city. Bailey was presented with gifts, and her family and council members posed for a picture together.
Each council member talked about Bailey and how she changed the city for the better with her professionalism and years of experience. Council member Bernie Wessels said Bailey was the best CAO they have ever had, and stated that she took the city to the next level. Mayor Hatter echoed that sentiment, and added to it, saying she is a walking encyclopedia of knowledge for the city. But most of all, everyone thanked her for her friendship. Bailey, in turn, thanked each of them for their friendship, and how they all supported her when she was sick, and how she loved working with them.
Shane Dever and Kevin Atwell from the Lexus Corporation gave an update on the Lexus Development expansion project. Council members had some questions that they answered.
The first reading of an ordinance which dealt with the revocation of business licenses for non-payment of taxes. Another ordinance had a second reading was about the installation of stop signs.
A municipal order passed regarding a penny rounding policy for residents who pay in cash if pennies are not available.
Marty Hellmann from Verdantas reported on the curbs that were left in bad shape after Pickett drive was blacktopped. Research will be done to see if the curbs were supposed to be done, but if they were not in the contract, council approved $18,700 to make the curbs look correct.
He then talked about the salt storage shed, a project which council had started working on last year when the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet started telling the city that they were going to charge more money to store the city’s salt. Mayor Hatter said they had met with KYTC recently, and now the cabinet is saying the city cannot store their salt in the state’s storage at all. Hatter applauded council for getting ahead of the problem, in finding a place and putting the project out to bid. However, the single bid they received for the second phase of the project, which is the building itself, was over budget, so Hellmann tried to get the bid down by asking where they could cut costs. In the end, council thought the city should have a building that was like other buildings in the city, and voted to go with the original design.
A resolution passed which had to do with participation in the LEN program, which is the Law Enforcement Navigator Program, and council voted to take part for two years to see if they are in favor of the program, subject to the county’s agreement and a fee for taking part in the program.
A resolution passed which released the mortgage of Devou Lofts.
LUDLOW
A public hearing was held at the beginning of the special council meeting for the purpose of any feedback on the increase in ad valorem tax rate which will be put on the ballot in November. Mayor Sarah Thompson held the hearing open for about 15 minutes but no one wanted to talk.
Council then discussed the raise in the ad valorem tax rate from the current rate of $.1750 per $100 of assessed value for real estate and $.20 per $100 of assessed value for mixed property to $20 per $100.
Council voted on the first reading of an ordinance which would raise the ad valorem tax to $.20 on each $100 of assessed value, and to put that raise on the ballot in November. The money raised from that tax rate increase would all go completely to the Fire Department.
A resolution passed which allows the mayor to enter into a contract with Infinite Hills Production to coordinate and produce Ludlow Rail Sessions.
Council decided to wait on another resolution which allows the mayor to enter into a contract with the Kentucky League of Cities to develop a strategic plan for the city for $7,000.
Council wanted to wait until after the election and the after the first of the year to implement a five year strategic plan, so they tabled the resolution.