By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
EDGEWOOD
Edgewood City Administrator Brian Dehner introduced the continuing saga of the kids on motorized vehicles going very fast on the sidewalks at their regular council meeting. He said he saw four kids up by St. Pius racing up the street on their vehicles.
“And they aren’t going along at a slow speed,” he stated. “Those little dirt bikes, they’re hammering it coming up through there.”
Dehner said at 7 p.m. on a Friday night there are a lot of people out walking, so there is a danger to people when kids are racing each other and going too fast on the sidewalk. He said there is an ordinance on the books, but it is very hard to enforce it because the offenders are juveniles, so he suggested to council that they have Attorney Frank Wichmann look at the ordinance to see if they can strengthen the ordinance to make it more enforceable.
“Maybe in the penalties we could put confiscation of the vehicle so that the owner of the vehicle, which would be the parents, comes and gets the vehicle,” he said. “We could send the message that every time we see it we’re going to stop it.”
He said he thought they could also put a limit on the miles per hour, and when a council member asked how they would determine speed on a vehicle like that, Dehner said he was driving along at 30 mph, and there was a kid on a bike pacing him, so he knew the child was doing at least 30 mph. But he said officers can usually tell when the bike was going too fast.
Another council member said they would prefer education, but Dehner said they have been doing education in the schools, trying to get the message across to the kids that they are engaging in dangerous behavior and they have to share the sidewalks, but it isn’t working.
“I wish it worked,” Dehner said. “And I wish the education would be why would you buy your kid who looks like 12 a dirt bike to ride on the sidewalks in Edgewood? I don’t think that’s going to work until the police find a way to get them off the sidewalks. It’s a big safety issue.”
“The enforcement is definitely going to be a challenge, and it is a misdemeanor statute,” said Police Chief Jimmy Kreinest. “We have had officers stop them the last few weeks and try to get the message across to them. We want to make sure the sidewalks are safe, and the kids are safe. At the same time, we don’t want to be putting 20-30-40 vehicles in our sally port, holding them hostage.”
A council member asked if the current ordinance would have the power to impound the vehicles, and Attorney Wichmann said he thinks the answer is yes, because it is a vehicle used in the commission of an offense. But he is not so sure the officer could charge the person driving the vehicle, and that is where the gray area is, but that is what the council member wants to be crystal clear.
“This is the number one complaint in the city right now,” said Dehner. “There is not a day that goes by that someone isn’t in the lobby complaining about the scooters, the motor bikes, the ebikes. And it is going to get worse, because the vehicles are more powerful and plentiful. We have to make the penalty something where the police can stop it right then.”
He likened it to the golf cart issue, where kids were driving the golf cart to the swim club, and people wanted that stopped, so the city stopped that, and he said this is a similar issue.
NEWPORT
Senator Shelley Funke Frommeyer gave the Newport Commission a legislative update at their meeting, praising the city for their commitment to the Purple People Bridge. She told about the seven committees she is on and that the legislation on short term rentals may come back because the speaker of the house was the one who brought it up. Commissioner Ken Rechtin told her to keep in mind that they are a home rule city and the best government is the one closest to the people. Frommeyer also talked about pollution on the river, and said they were going to try and reduce taxes more.
Jennifer Williams gave a presentation on Historic Preservation in Newport.
Another presentation was given about Read Ready Newport and how they intend to reach more children ages 0-5.
Nathan Bieber was appointed as Firefighter/EMT in the Newport Fire Department.
The second reading of an ordinance passed which provides for a credit of occupational license fee for new employees as part of an economic development project by PL Marketing Inc.
The first reading of an ordinance was held which closes and vacates part of 11th Street in Newport.
An order passed which approves the purchase of Industrial Revenue Bonds not to exceed $100,000,000 which shall be used to finance the acquisition, construction, installation and improvements to be leased to Christopher Apartments.
Another order passed which allows city manager John Hayden to enter into and execute a memorandum of understanding with local 286 American Federation of state, county, and municipal employees regarding salaries.
An order passed which authorized the city manager to buy 30 self-contained breathing apparatuses and one Air Cen 2 for the Fire/EMS department.
ERLANGER
Erlanger Mayor Jessica Fette read a proclamation declaring May 20 to be Mike Zang day in Erlanger. He retired from Skyline Chili last December and turned the business over to his son.
Another proclamation was read declaring May 21 as K9 Keno day in the city. Keno is retiring from active duty.
Attorney Jack Gatlin held the second reading of an ordinance approving the annual budget. Mayor Fette spoke about all the positive things that have happened in the city since last year, a type of state of the city report.
Council member Jennifer Jasper-Lucas read a statement saying she disagreed with the amount of money dedicated to the Eons park, and said she thought they should have a contract between the city and the park, but she voted for the budget.
Another ordinance passed which dealt with the city’s pay scales.
A third ordinance passed, solidifying a public safety restricted fund balance.