By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
PARK HILLS
No legislation was enacted at the regular meeting of Park Hills city council Monday night but several things were discussed. Police Chief Cody Stanley included information about a new drone program in his monthly report and council asked him several questions about the program. Stanley said due to the expense of the program it won’t happen until next year but some of the officers have been starting some training in preparation. The drones will be used in crime prevention as well as search and rescue.
Mike Conway, who is working with the infrastructure committee, came to the meeting to recommend that the city change the street lighting on Old State road from what they have now to a more energy saving light. The city leases the lights from Duke Energy, and though these lights will cost a bit more, they will make a difference in energy savings. The city is currently paying $1952.64 for the lights and the new lights will be $3874.08, but the energy savings is predicted to be $669.70. Since council seemed to be favorably impressed and voted to proceed on that issue, it was also recommended that the city change the bulbs on a street light on Jackson from 5,000 Kelvin to 3,000 Kelvin wattage.
Council member Sarah Froelich started the discussion on the city of Ft Mitchell’s new legislation on e-bikes and scooters by saying she didn’t feel like it had enough teeth for enforcement purposes. Council member Pam Spoor agreed, and said that the city of Alexandria just proposed new legislation for ebikes and scooters, and their legislation seems to have more rules for enforcement. Council agreed to take a look at other legislation and bring it up at their caucus meeting.
Traffic calming measures were considered to be installed at Amsterdam and Altavia in the form of a table which is a speed hump with a flatter top.
LAKESIDE PARK
Lakeside Park initiated their own tailored version of an ordinance regulating ebikes and scooters. Among the many rules in this ordinance is a mandatory helmet rule if the child is under 18, a rule that not more than one person per seat can be on the bike, and a rule saying the person on the bike or scooter has to yield right of way to pedestrians, as well as giving an audible signal to the pedestrian. Another rule is that the ebikes cannot exceed 15 MPH, and no ebike can be attached to another vehicle in the road, nor shall it have any other vehicle attached to it. Ebikes and scooters can’t operate in a park except on the roadways or parking lots, and ebikes and scooters can’t be parked or left standing anywhere that obstructs or interferes with the use of a sidewalk, or driveway or crosswalk.
There is an entire section for mopeds and Class 3 ebikes and emotos, which starts with the fact that they cannot be operated on sidewalks. All vehicles shall have at least one and possibly two headlamps that will be used from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise. The vehicles shall be equipped with a horn or bell or other device to warn of their approach. None of this applies to a wheelchair or mobility scooter used for medical purposes by a disabled person.
The ordinance has penalties listed also. The first offense will be a warning to be signed by the parents of the child operating the bike, and the warning will be filed with the police. The second offense will cost $50 plus any related court costs. The third offense will cost $100 plus any court costs. This was the first reading of the ordinance.
Council passed an ordinance about the tax rates. The ad valorem rate for real property will be $.24 percent per $100 of assessed value, and personal property will be $1.418 percent per $100 of assessed value. Motor vehicles have a rate of $27.69 percent per $100 of assessed value. Another ordinance passed which added the garbage fee to the things that are the financial responsibility of the residents.
An ordinance passed which prohibits parking on certain parts of Cahill Court, Hudson, Della Way, Evergreen Court, and Gilmore Avenue.
A resident of Colony South, Steve Combs, came to ask council if they would consider putting a street light on Colony South. He said there is only one street light currently on the street and that is closer to the post office side of the street, while the other end is pretty dark.
Mayor Paul Markgraf said they will take that request under consideration.
FORT MITCHELL
Fort Mitchell city council listened to the first reading of an ordinance which will amend the brand new ordinance dealing with ebikes and scooters. This part calls for a ‘Walk your Wheels’ zone which will be created on Beechwood road between Dixie Highway and Seville. Mayor Greg Pohlgeers said that this will be a fluid thing, and if they try it and it doesn’t work they will take it down.
The zone will be from 45 minutes before school and 45 minutes after school, during the busy time when students are being dropped off and picked up from school.
Pohlgeers said he talked to Superintendent Justin Kaiser who is onboard with the restriction.
A municipal order passed which declared four random items as surplus and they will be sold on govdeals.
FLORENCE
The city of Florence honored the Daughters of the American Revolution at the regular caucus meeting this week by reading a proclamation declaring September 17 to 23 as Constitution Week in the city. Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution were present to receive the proclamation.
Douglas Bosworth was officially sworn in as a Florence Police Officer by Mayor Julie Aubuchon. Bosworth has begun the online phase of the police academy.
Public Works Director Eric Hall explained the changes in the new sanitary rules and regulations. He also talked about the updated fee charts, saying Florence is still much cheaper than Boone County.
Florence resident and candidate for Florence Council Joe Berkshire came to talk to council members about three things he thinks should be taken care of by the city, and also should be brought to public attention.
The first is the problem of the door opener at the Senior Center on US 42. He said it took five months to fix the door, and he reminded council that some of the people who come to the senior center are on walkers or canes. He physically demonstrated the difficulties of those people negotiating the automatic doors. He said the company that came to fix the doors were from New York, and he wondered if the city could have gotten a company that was more local.
The second is parking at the senior center. He stated that 7 handicapped parking spots are not cutting it, and they need more. He admitted he has talked to Public Works Director Eric Hall, and Hall reminded him that the solution lies in asking for funding for more parking at the budget retreat.
Berkshire also mentioned the Boone County Public Library, saying the Florence branch is still not open on Sunday, and he asked City Administrator Josh Hunt if there was any news about where they will locate a new Florence branch.