By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
EDGEWOOD
Edgewood city council approved the second reading of an ordinance setting the tax rates for the city for the new fiscal year. The new rate for real estate taxes is $.185 per $100 of assessed value, and the rate for personal property is $.173 per $100 of assessed value.
Another ordinance had the second reading which was an amendment to the Alcohol Beverage hours. When the new Kroger store was opened, the owners wanted to be able to compete with other liquor stores for Sunday sales. The new hours for package sales or drinks are changed to 8 a.m. on Sundays, and the rest of the week the hours will stay at 6 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.
Trick or treat hours in Edgewood will be Friday October 31 from 6-8 p.m.
INDEPENDENCE
Several firefighters and police officers were given the life-saving award Monday night for their actions in responding to an accident on July 25 of this year. Dispatcher Lena Hargett, Officer Nathan Beikman, Officer Whitney Buerger, Officer Hunter Ransdell, Sergeant Joshua Salyers, and Firefighter/paramedic Mason O’Brien, Captain Kenny Harney, Captain Brian Strole, Firefighter/EMT Bryson Reiskamp, and firefighter/EMT Doug Stewart were all recognized for their efforts on that day. They were all given challenge coins in addition to the certificate and were greeted with a round of applause. Nathan Beikman also received the Lifesaver pin for arriving first and starting CPR until Paramedics could arrive.
PDS Executive Director Josh Wice was introduced to council and gave a brief explanation of what his organization does, and how he hopes to serve the cities in Kenton County.
An ordinance had a second reading which changed the title of Parks and Recreation Facilitator to Parks and Recreation Director. This particularly affects Arron Cope, who mayor Chris Reinersman said is doing a great job. Council voted unanimously on the change.
Another ordinance which had a first reading and some discussion was a map amendment which changes the zoning in the Freedom Park Development from R-CVS to R-CPS which allows there to be 124 units instead of 116. There are 43.25 acres in the development, and approximately 40 of the units will be patio homes aimed at people 55 and up.
An ordinance which establishes which zones accessory dwelling units, or ADU’s can be established received some discussion and then the ordinance was read for the first time. These dwellings can now only be a conditional use in the R-LLS zone, and people who want one in that zone will still have to go to the Board of Adjustments to get a conditional use permit.
Mayor Reinersman congratulated council member Chris Vogelpohl for achieving the level 3 Master of Government certificate from the KLC. He also pointed out that the city won the Parks and Recreation department of the year award from the Kentucky Parks and Recreation Society for the second year in a row. He said the city’s Christmas program won the Program of the year, and Holland One was recognized for special support for the city’s programs.
KENTON COUNTY
The Fiscal Court meeting began with a report from Kenton County Animal Services Director Kelly Sauer about an incident that began on September 25 and eventually ended with the death of a dog. She explained how her team went strictly by the rules on a case with two pitbulls who were undernourished, and one was sick. Since the person who had them was not the owner, they couldn’t be as aggressive in getting the dogs into care as if the owner was on premises. They had found a caregiver for the dogs, but had to wait until the caregiver could take them, and during that time the sick dog died.
Everyone was sad about that, and Sauer said all the techs are going over the rules and regulations to make sure something like this didn’t happen again.
After she talked, another resident stood up and said he and his mom had been calling about a mean dog that roamed their neighborhood, and repeated calls to the animal control were ignored. Finally when he called the main fiscal court, people came out and cited the owner, but the dog was out roaming the neighborhood the next day. He was not happy with that.
Another lady stood up to complain, but Judge Executive Kris Knochelman stopped her, saying what she was saying against the animal control was not true.
One of the items on the agenda was reorganizing the police department but County Administrator Joe Shriver said they are only reorganizing the part where the police navigators are placed under a certain supervisor.
Judge Knochelman told everyone that the November 12 meeting will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the government center in Covington.
FLORENCE
Mayor Julie Aubuchon began the caucus meeting Tuesday night by reading a proclamation establishing government week.
Clyde Jamison, Social Service Clinician II and Casey Bushelman, Social Service Worker II came to the meeting to explain how social services work and to ask if they can put informational material at the events for the city on how to become foster parents. They told council they really need foster families, and they want to get the information out to people.
Kevin Vogelpohl, CEM, CKEM, Boone County Emergency Management Director, came to talk to council about joining in with the Kentucky State Mutual Aid agreement. Many of the Kenton County cities have already agreed to it, and Vogelpohl said there are more positives and very few negatives about entering into the agreement.
Clean up week for the city of Florence is October 13 through October 19.
TAYLOR MILL
Taylor Mill Commissioners voted on a resolution to join the statewide Emergency Management Mutual Aid and Assistance agreement. Many other cities in the county have also joined.
An update was given on the sidewalk project, which was a project for which the city received $880,000 in federal funds, funneled through the state, but the entire work on the project has taken a long time, starting in 2018. Mayor Daniel Bell held up a sheaf of papers outlining the work done on the project, starting in 2018, and said that it was the engineer’s monthly progress report. He said in the beginning the sidewalk project only took up a paragraph but now there are 5 ½ pages describing the amount of work and hoops they have to jump through. He mentioned that the city could possibly go out for bid next spring, but it could drag out longer, pointing up the delay of waiting for the state and federal regulations.
“We want this done!” he said emphatically.
The first reading of an ordinance was held, amending the street parking on several streets in the city. The police chief and the fire chief drove around the city, determining how easily emergency vehicles can navigate any given street. After they were finished, they made changes as to which side of the street people can park on and other changes. Once the second reading of the ordinance is accomplished, signs will go up denoting the changes.
Commissioners discussed what to do with the two homes the city acquired on South Mason. They have to be torn down, and the city has had one offer of $24,000 from AFM to demolish both houses. Commissioner Rose Merritt brought up the fact that the houses may have asbestos, so commissioners agreed to look into possible health hazards before they assign the demolition project. City Administrator Brian Haney said he would talk to the company who gave them a verbal bid, and another company to get two written bids for the demolition, although Public Works Director Jerry Jump said his department demolished the two houses next to the city building that had to be torn down to make way for the new firehouse, and they could do the other two houses.
Commissioners also discussed the 70th anniversary of Taylor Mill which coincides with the 250th birthday of the United States. Commissioners had talked about this during the caucus meeting, and during the interval between the caucus and the regular meeting, City Clerk Kristi Webb drew up lists of the costs associated with the one day celebration, so commissioners studied those lists. The main conflict is the cost with fireworks as opposed to the cost without fireworks. Commissioners ultimately decided to budget for $33,823 which would be the cost without fireworks, and to see if they can get donations and sponsorships to fund the fireworks. The day they picked out for the festival is July 10, 2026, but the hours are not yet set.
Commissioners decided to add a small section of Howard Road onto the road repair list, but they aren’t sure when the street can be done.
Mike Blackburn came to the meeting to say that when the construction took down poles on his street, they also took down the speed limit signs, and the result is that cars are now speeding on Forest. City Administrator Brian Haney said he would look into it.
Halloween hours in the city will be October 31, from 6 to 8 p.m.
CAMPBELL COUNTY
Campbell County Commissioners and Judge Executive Steve Pendery honored Greg Buckler for being named Kentucky Deputy Director of the Year. This is through the Emergency Management department. Pendery said Buckler is known for his unmatched technical expertise, operational leadership, and unwavering commitment to public service. He added that Buckler’s expertise extends well beyond Campbell County, and he commented that Buckler embodied the spirit of the award.
Andrew Noyes was sworn in as Captain in the Campbell County Police Force and Adam Latham was sworn in as Police Sergeant.
An ordinance was read for the first time which will put stop signs on Clay Ridge road and Pleasant Ridge road, which will make the intersection an all-way stop.
A resolution passed which updates the Chief Selection process for the Police department.
Commissioners voted to apply for a project grant from the UK Cooperative for recycling e-cigarettes and vapes on the school campuses. The county does this every year.