EDGEWOOD
Edgewood Council member Dr. Scott Spille started a conversation during the regular council meeting this week about traffic on Dudley Road. He specifically mentioned the intersections of Dudley and Winterborne, Dudley and Winding Trails and Dudley and Woodrun, explaining that when he tries to pull out onto Dudley the cars coming from either direction seem to be traveling at excessive speeds, especially when he takes his kids to school in the morning and when they come home from school. He asked Police Chief Jimmy Kreinest if there had been a speed study done there, and if there was a possibility of putting a speed sign there to let people know how fast they are going, and collect data at the same time.
Kreinest said they have a few of those signs in the city and City Administrative Officer Brian Dehner said they could move one to that intersection. Dehner said if they can put the signs up and then add enforcement by the police, word will spread that they received a ticket, and hopefully that will encourage other people to slow down.
Dehner said they had a question from the public about the license plate reader cameras that the city has, and he asked Chief Kreinest to give a report on them. Three of the four cameras have been installed, according to Kreinest, at Dudley and Turkeyfoot, Dudley and Route 17, and Thomas More Parkway and Horsebranch, and they are getting licenses on incoming traffic. The fourth camera is going to be installed at Meadowlark and Turkeyfoot, as soon as they get an okay from the state. One of the camera’s purposes is to be investigative. Kreinest said they have had three stolen cars in the past 12 months, and eight hit and run accidents in the last two months so the cameras can be used to identify suspected cars involved in the incidents. They also work with the dispatch center for identifying missing persons, or stolen vehicles, or a vehicle involved in a felony, if those are identified with a license plate, then the cars can be singled out. He said just on Monday a license plate was identified in Fort Mitchell as being associated with someone who was wanted for homicide in Tennessee. They are connected with other cameras in other cities in Northern Kentucky, which is why Edgewood went with the Flock camera system. In response to a question from Dr Spille, Kreinest said they are only used in response, they are not proactive and can’t be used for giving tickets. They are also not used for facial recognition, just license plate recognition.
FLORENCE
Chris Vogelpohl, manager of EMS Outreach Coordination at St Elizabeth Hospital, came to the Florence Caucus meeting to present an award for the Emergency Crew of the Quarter. Captain Chris Fuhrmann and Paramedic Lauren Goldfuss were giving mutual aid to the city of Elsmere when a mother went into labor and a baby was born, but both the mother and the baby were in critical condition. While the Elsmere crew took the baby, the Florence team took the mother, who had postpartum hemorrhaging, to St Elizabeth Edgewood, where she stayed for a few days, recuperating. Vogelpohl said that the critical patient care that Fuhrmann and Goldfuss provided showed a strong dedication to the patient.
“Thank you,” said Vice Mayor Diane Whalen, who was presiding over the caucus meeting. “This shows that you have the best absolute care Florence can provide. Proud to have you here.”
LAKESIDE PARK
The city of Lakeside Park moved their November meeting from the second week to this week, but they did not have a quorum with only three council members present, so they had an informational meeting only.
Mayor Paul Markgraf read a proclamation for Christopher Cate, Executive Minister at Immanuel Church in Lakeside Park. Cate is leaving to go to a church in Florida, and the proclamation thanked him for all the work he has done in the city.
Markgraf also gave council member Mary Ann Thaman an award from the Kentucky League of Cities for completing her Level one certificate for governmental achievement.
COVINGTON
Tom West, Economic Development Director for the city of Covington, gave a presentation on the Small Business Incentive program. Statistics show that Covington is outperforming the national average on several items that indicate success. Commissioner Tim Downing told West he thought the team should be proud.
City Manager Sharmili Reddy announced that for the fourth year Covington had a perfect score for the 2025 Municipal Equality Index.
An ordinance passed which removes the term Sober Living Home, or Sober Living Facility from 7 zones, TUR, TUMU, RR, SR, SU, DTC, and AUC. The new term will be Recovery Residence.
Another ordinance passed which referred to the issuance of bonds for the CCR site in Covington in the amount of $29,395.000, and a variance of $2,940,000 in possible increase or decrease in the project.
Commissioner James Toebbe asked for an order to put the CCA initiative on a priority list for the city, but Commissioner Downing felt that the staff has too much to do with the items on the priority list already. Mayor Ron Washington voted for the new initiative, but agreed with Downing that the city is understaffed and might have problems prioritizing issues.
BOONE COUNTY
Boone County Commissioners did not agree Tuesday night on the resolution to reappoint Robert Schwenke to the Boone County Planning Commission. Commissioner Chet Hand began by saying he had called Schwenke and had a conversation with him, but since he has served six four year terms already on the Planning Commission, Hand felt that they should get a fresh face on the commission. He contends that the court should limit the number of terms a person can have to 2- to-3 four year terms. Commissioner Cathy Flaig was leaning toward approving the reappointment, although she had previously agreed with the fact that new faces are needed on the Planning Commission. Commissioner Jesse Brewer could see both sides. He said he would like to table the issue so that they could talk to Schwenke and find out if he was willing to compromise on the issue, and possibly only serve one year of the four year term in order to finish the comprehensive plan he is working on. But he definitely agreed that the Commission needs new people. Judge Executive Gary Moore was totally in favor of the reappointment.
In the end, they all voted to table the issue to discuss it further.
A resolution that was tabled at the last meeting about the bid for a backhoe loader for Public Works was brought back, and it was decided to reject all the bids received, and to put the entire issue up for bids again.
A resolution was read declaring this week Hunger and Homeless awareness week, and given to Beth McIntire, Executive Director at GO Pantry, Frank Hadden, Director of Regional Services at Welcome House, and Karen McNay Kerans, Youth Service Coordinator at Brighton Center.
Another bid for banking lockbox services was awarded to Heritage Bank. Four bids were received and the lowest bid was from Heritage bank for $62,164. This is so that people who pay taxes can have a local address for the payments.
A public hearing was held to vacate a 20 foot stub of lane off Maverick Boulevard, and with no opposition, commissioners passed a resolution to vacate that stub of street, with conditions, and have it split and dedicated to the two homeowners on either side of it.
Another resolution awarded the RFP for the Boone County Public Works Campus
Master Plan study to Verdantas, LLC, for a cost of $52,600.
A resolution passed which renews the lease agreement for two years with Commonwealth of Kentucky for property located at 2995 Washington Street in Burlington.
A resolution passed which waived the right of first refusal for two parcels of land, totaling
3 acres located on Meiman Road in Union.
A final resolution passed which awarded the RFP for the Community Development Block
Grant Recovery Kentucky program for consultation services to Atkins-Elrod and Associates.
A report on chickens, rabbits and bees was given to commissioners to review for possible expansion of zones where people can have these animals and pets.
CAMPBELL COUNTY
Campbell County Commissioners passed a resolution for an interlocal agreement with four cities for animal shelter services. County Administrator Matt Elberfeld told commissioners that of the 15 cities in the county, 10 already have contracted for animal services, four just want the use of the animal shelter, and one doesn’t want the services.
Two Orders of Affiliation passed, one with the Campbell County LandSAR team whose job is to locate missing and lost people, and the other with the Northern Kentucky Technical Rescue group, who specializes in difficult rescues in high or small spaces.
A motion passed to advance Police Officer Daniel Bailey to Police Officer 7. Another order adopted the 2026 holiday schedule for employees of the fiscal court.
A resolution authorized Judge Executive Steve Pendery to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Northern Kentucky Water District for the Racetrack Road Fill Station project. It was explained that this was a reimbursement not to exceed the cost of $180,400.
Commissioners approved awarding the bid for the upgrade of the jail main security system project to Securitas Technology for the cost of $838,965 and an additional five percent for upgrades and equipment.