UNHAPPINESS AT POLICE DEPARTMENT REFLECTED IN SURVEY

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by Michael Monks 

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An internal survey of the Covington Police Department indicates that a majority of its officers suffered low morale with many also citing difficulties with the department's leadership. Management Partners, the Cincinnati-based consulting firm that was contracted to review each department within the City of Covington, conducted the survey. Two-thirds of the department's employees responded with nearly sixty-percent of the response coming from patrol officers.  When offered the statement, "I like my job", sixty percent responded that they agree or strongly agree, but more than sixty-five percent also said that they disagree or strongly disagree that "politics are kept to a minimum".

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More than half also disagreed or strongly disagreed that employees are rewarded for improving work processes, that if additional training is needed that it is easy to get, and that managers and supervisors make it easy for employees to do their work well. Overwhelming pluralities also disagreed that different departments within the agency cooperate with each other and that they have the equipment they need to do their work well.

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"Management pays careful attention to employee suggestions" received the strongest rebuke in the survey with sixty-five percent disagreeing or strongly disagreeing while only five percent agreed or strongly agreed. "I can trust what management tells me" was also rebuked with nearly sixty percent disagreeing or strongly disagreeing while more than fifty-five percent disagreed or strongly disagreed that there is a "spirit of teamwork" in the department. Nearly half did not believe that managers or supervisors seek to recognize employees for the good work they perform while only twenty percent agreed that they do.

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Lee Russo

Former Police Chief Lee Russo, who resigned his position while the Management Partners audit was still in the process of being conducted, was an upopular figure with the rank-and-file of the department. The Fraternal Order of Police nearly unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in the chief just a few years ago, half-way through Russo's five years with the department. In accepting his resignation, the Covington City Commission agreed to a non-disparagement clause with Russo disallowing any of the City's elected or appointed leadership to comment on whether the Management Partners audit played a role in his exit. He was replaced by Assistant Chief Spike Jones.

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The survey results did not entirely spell out a gloom and doom scenario within the department, however. More than fifty-five percent responded that they are proud to be a Covington Police officer while only seven percent disagreed with that statement. But the issue of low morale weighed more heavily in the survey results. The City's financial crisis, which neary half of the respondents believe the City is facing, and which prompted the Management Partners review, has also taken its toll. Sixty-five percent agreed or strongly agreed that health care changes accepted in the spring affected morale negatively and more than sixty percent agreed or strongly agreed that the City's financial health has also negatively affected their morale. 

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ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM MANAGEMENT PARTNERS REGARDING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT:

Noting that eleven percent of the department's employees hold a management position, Management Partners suggesting moving toward reducing that percentage to seven percent. The firm recommends the elimination of the rank of Captain and the addition of a second assistant chief of police. Three lieutenants would each be given supervisory command over one of the three shifts, while another lieutenant would oversee investigations and another would supervise support staff. 

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Management Partners recommends Covington Police Department implement the CompStat model of managing its operations.  The CompStat model is an information-driven, multi-faceted approach to police service which originated in the New York City Police Department in the 1990s. It is characterized by continuous analysis of operational results aimed at realizing targeted outcomes and adjusting tactics and deployment based on success and failure.   

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OTHERS:

-Close Covington's 911 emergency dispatch center

-Receive 911 emergency dispatch services from Kenton County

-Eliminate the Sergeant's position in the records division

-Hire part-time clerical workers for the records division with the savings from the elimination of the sergeant's position

-Disband community outreach program and implement its mission into the patrol bureau; Transfer community outreach personal into patrol bureau; reclassify sergeant in community outreach program to patrol officer

-Adopt a command staff code of behavior

The report concludes:

"This organization review of the Covington Police Department makes recommendations for improving effectiveness while reducing the cost of service.  The primary recommendation included in this report has already been acted on by the Covington City Commission when it decided to eliminate its own E-911 Center and obtain service from Kenton County.  This action will save Covington in excess of $1,000,000 annually and will improve customer service in many jurisdictions currently served by Kenton County E-911 by providing a state-of-the-art records management system for the Kenton County E‐911 Center.

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A reorganization of the command and management staff will provide a leaner management structure and reduce costs by nearly $500,000 a year. At the same time, the department will be better positioned to implement a CompStat model of police service that has proven to be effective in crime control.

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While overall personnel resources are adequate in number, redeployment and repositioning of those resources as recommended in this report will more appropriately match street strength to demand."

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Read the full report from Management Partners: Click Here (PDF)

COMMISSION RECAP: 29 MAY - PART ONE

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by Michael Monks 

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One of the longest city commission agendas in recent memory included the termination of the police chief, another step toward a methadone clinic opening in Midtown, and the first moves in acting on the Center City Action Plan. Additionally, streets are crumbling at the City Heights housing project and a plan to salvage them appears to have evaporated in another apparent communication lapse between the City and the Housing Authority of Covington. The two-and-a-half hour, dry, and sometimes emotional meeting at City Hall Tuesday evening was dominated, however, by talk of necessary layoffs in the coming weeks as the City of Covington attempts to balance another lean budget. 

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BUDGET REDUCTIONS WILL LIKELY RESULT IN LAYOFFS

More than $1.5 million must be cut from public safety while another $700,000 must be cut from other city departments according to the city manager and finance director. That likely means layoffs are coming to Covington. Click the link for the full story. 

Long Night at City Hall Includes More Talk of Layoffs 

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RUSSO OUT, JONES IN AS INTERIM POLICE CHIEF

"It was no easy task to move he and his family here from halfway across the country, but we're glad that he did," said Spike Jones of outgoing Covington Police Chief Lee Russo, whose termination was accepted unanimously (4-0, because Commissioner Shawn Masters is out of town). Jones was unanimously named interim chief. "Over the past five years public safety had improved," said Mayor Chuck Scheper. "We are a very safe city and we have Chief Russo in part to thank for that." The commission approved an exit agreement with Russo that was not publicly explained but it is possible that the full results of an internal review of the police department by an outside firm will not be fully accessible to the public. 

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As for Jones, who hopes to become chief permanently, he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve as interim chief once again. "I can think of no other (police department) finer than the one we have in Covington," he said. 

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ALSO: One of Jones's first acts as interim chief also came Tuesday night at City Hall as he recommended Justin Schmidt to be hired as a new police officer. The commission approved the hire unanimously. Schmidt is currently employed at the Kenton County Police Department and is a 2003 graduate of Simon Kenton High School. 

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Newly named interim Police Chief Spike Jones (R)
introduces newly hired police officer Justin Schmidt

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STREETS OF CITY HEIGHTS ARE CRUMBLING, BUT WHO'S RESPONSIBLE?

Following a presentation by Covington's engineering department that detailed which city streets are slated to be repaved and resurfaced this summer, City Heights resident Melissa Sherill expressed her surprise and disappointment that no streets that surround the housing project made the list. Sherill lamented that City Heights streets are practically undriveable with gaping potholes littered throughout. It turns out that those streets were originally included on the list of resurface projects but removed following a resolution passed in December that would turn those streets into private ones managed by the Housing Authority of Covington. The goal of that move was to ensure that HAC could keep out undesirable or criminal people from the crime-plagued neighborhood, something that could not happen were the streets to remain publicly owned. In the agreement, Covington agreed to resurface the streets one more time before HAC took full control. 

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After Sherill's remarks, however, City Manager Larry Klein noted that HAC has since applied for a federal grant that would allow for the redevelopment of the City Heights site and that the organization is rethinking private ownership of the streets if they are going to be removed in the near future. The City operates its street resurfacing plans on a three-year cycle in which the city is divided into three areas with one of those areas being treated each year. City Heights is not in this year's area. 

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"To take them off the list for another year, that's absurd," said Eastisde resident Michelle Williams to the city commission. Williams works for OASIS, Inc, an Eastside social service agency and is also a candidate for the city commission, finishing second in last week's primary election. "It's not fair. People living in public housing are being pushed aside. Those streets are not driveable now." Klein and the city commission voiced their agreement with Williams while City Commissioner Sherry Carran said she hopes for a joint meeting between the City and HAC soon. 

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Streets to be resurfaced with funds from community development block grant (CDBG)

A bid of $301,312.40 was awarded to Eaton Asphalt to resurface the streets listed on the slide below (click to enlarge):

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Streets to be resurfaced with capital improvement funds (directly from the City's budget)
A bid of $319,926.30 was awarded to Bluegrass Paving, Inc to resurface the streets listed on the slide below (click to enlarge):

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Conditions of roads continue to be worry for commission

"We don't have enough funds," said Commissioner Steve Frank as part of his familiar lament that the City of Covington spent years balancing its budget by not investing in its infrastructure needs. "This is a band-aid, a much-needed band-aid." Frank asked assistant city engineer Mike Yeager if this work is enough. 

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"I'd like to bring some kind of preventive maintenance to all the streets," Yeager replied.
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"We've kicked that can down the road and now the roads are eroding," said Mayor Scheper. We need to find a way to accelerate that funding." Covington's street are repaired and maintained through funding from the state gas tax and federal dollars. 

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"Both of which are shrinking and will continue to," Frank barked, noting that four-fifths of gas tax funds go to rural areas and that the increase in cars with better gas mileage are lessening the gas tax funds. "Fuel-efficient vehicles do not eliminate road miles. What we have today is totally inadequate."

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One positive infrastructure development

The long-awaited reconstruction of West Southern Avenue and the Caroline Underpass (that railroad underpass that motorists use to escape delays on Decoursey caused by passing trains) in Latonia is now closer than ever. Commissioner Carran noted that the City has applied for a grant from the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana (OKI) regional council of governments and Yeager noted that applicants for such grants were less than the amount of money that will be awarded. "We have design plans for both," Yeager said. "We are very optimistic." The grants would be an eighty percent match while the city's cost would be just twenty percent of the entire project.

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PART TWO OF THE COMMISSION RECAP

Coming up later... The police department needs new radios as the current ones are from 1998 and obsolete (the manufacturer no longer produces them, and there's not enough to go around in the department). Also, the City takes its first steps to adopting parts of the Center City Action Plan with the exploration of new zoning that could allow for micro-distilleries, vintage clothing stores, mobile food trucks, and more. But that decision did not come without a little heated debate. Plus, an emotional goodbye to a member of the city staff. Part two of the recap will be posted here later this morning at The River City News - More Covington News Than Any Other Source.

NEWS ROUND-UP -- TUESDAY MORNING 29 MAY

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THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

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by Michael Monks 

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TONIGHT: ONE OF THE BUSIEST, MOST IMPORTANT COMMISSION MEETINGS

It has been quite a while since the Covington City Commission faced an agenda with as many significant and controversial items as the one for tonight's meeting, its first since May 8 and the first since last week's primary election pitted two of the commissioners against each other in the race for mayor. Not only will City Manager Larry Klein and finance director Bob Due present another lean budget for next year, but the City will officially vote to terminate its relationship with police chief Lee Russo and will appoint assistant chief Spike Jones as interim head of the police department. 

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Additional items:

• An order/resolution authorizing a memorandum of agreement between the City and NKY Med, LLC (the partnership that hopes to open its long-planned methadone clinic inside the former Save-A-Lot location on Madison Avenue) related to the enforcement of laws regarding the operation of a narcotic treatment program
• Zoning changes will be requested from the Kenton County Planning Commission to allow for community gardens in all residential zoning districts, to allow fences to be installed on certain vacant properties, to allow for micro-distilleries in the commercial district, to allow for secondhand and vintage clothing stores in the central business district, to allow for mobile food vending services 
• The City will sell properties located at 315, 317, and 325 Orchard Street for $1 (one dollar) to the Center for Great Neighborhoods
• The timetable for completion of the West Covington fire station will likely be extended to June 30, 2013
• The City will enter into a memorandum of agreement with Covington Independent Public Schools, forming a partnership for the Covington summer youth program
• Two separate bids will be awarded for street resurfacing and paving
• City Manager Larry Klein's executive assistant Angela Cook is resigning

The lengthy agenda has many more lesser items and as always,The River City News will be inside City Hall for the meeting and will have the most comprehensive coverage afterwards. 

 

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CITY MAY NEED TO MAINTAIN DISPATCH CENTER UNTIL END OF YEAR

As Kenton County prepares to take over Covington's emergency dispatch services, Judge-Executive Steve Arlinghaus says it may need more time: 

“We’d like to say that we’ll be able to take over (Covington’s dispatch service) by Sept. 1, but the reality is we may not be able to take over until the end of the year,” said Kenton Judge-executive Steve Arlinghaus. “I would hope that Covington would provide dispatch service until the end of the year, if we need more time.”

A public forum is set for Wednesday evening at Notre Dame Academy in Park Hills at which the county will ask residents how they want to pay for a unified dispatch center. Full story with more details at the link. 

Cincinnati Enquirer/Cindy Schroeder 

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WITNESS: SUSPECT TASED IN MAINSTRASSE ARREST

Multiple police cruisers responded to Ninth Street between Main and Bakewell late Friday afternoon for what police dispatchers tell The River City News was a call of drug activity. A witness on the scene tells The RC News that the suspect, who had fled the scene on foot, was tased by police officers when he refused to cooperate. Arrested was Daniel Key, 30, who faces charges of trafficking a controlled substance, tampering with physical evidence, 2nd degree disorderly conduct, fleeing/evading, and resisting arrest. Key is being held on $10,000 bond in the Kenton County Jail and is expected to appear in court Tuesday morning. 

Daniel Key

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BABYSITTER BLAMES 1-YEAR OLD'S DEATH ON ACCIDENTAL FALL

The only person arrested in the death of 1-year old William Cunningham, the child who was reported missing in City Heights Friday before being found dead in Cincinnati, claims that the boy fell down some steps and that she gave him ibuprofen and found him dead the next morning. Click the link for details. 

The River City News 

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QUICKIES

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Kentucky hail storm costs $175 million in losses Herald-Leader 

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Kentucky mine operators owe $29 million in unpaid fines State-Journal 

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State Auditor Adam Edelen says he will audit private Medicare providers this year WFPL 

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Construction barge sinking in the Tennessee River in western Kentucky Herald-Leader 

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Letter to Editor: Cincinnati Enquirer had biased coverage of NKY Congressional race Cincinnati Enquirer 

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Scott High School makes changes to physical education classes Cincinnati Enquirer 

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COMPETITION FUELS NEW NKU PRESIDENT

Former federal prosecutor Geoffrey Mearns will take the reins from Dr. Jim Votruba at Northern Kentucky University in two months. The Cincinnati Enquirer has a lengthy piece on the new face of the university: 

“As a trial lawyer, you understand process,” he says. “You don’t just bring a case and see what happens. There’s a process. I was a lawyer who was rooted in process. On the one hand, I respect process, but I also expect results. At the end of a trial, there’s a result. Increasingly (at universities), there are expectations for results.”
For Cleveland State and for NKU, that means constant improvement in retention and graduation rates and in the number of degrees awarded, Mearns says.
“There will be a metric,” he says. 

Cincinnati Enquirer/Cliff Peale  

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WONDERFUL MEMORIAL DAY PARADE THROUGH COVINGTON

Weaving through midtown Covington from Holmes High School along Madison Avenue, across the bridge at Nineteenth Street, and down Holman Avenue to Linden Grove Cemetery, hundreds watched the city's annual Memorial Day parade. Following the parade, a short ceremony was held at the cemetery in honor of the military veterans. It was announced that Covington philanthropists Oakley and Eva Farris have donated money to build a new monument honoring veterans of the Korean War. 

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Check out photos from the Covington Memorial Day parade at the link below!

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PHOTOS: A Memorial Day Parade Through Covington 

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SEE ALSO: Independence Memorial Day Parade photos Facebook 

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SEE ALSO: Covington Police photos from parade Facebook 

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BOTANY HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD LANDSCAPES TRAFFIC ISLANDS

From Botany Hills resident and Baker-Hunt Executive Director Ray Kingsbury: 

Botany Hills Neighborhood Association members, including Commissioner Sherry Carran, braved the heat to landscape the Traffisc Islands at 4th and Crescent this wekend. Soon they will look similar to 3rd & Crescent that they did a couple of years ago.

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FORMER KY STUDENT LEADERS ARE NOW BIG TIME AUTHORS

That's the title of a Huffington Post piece that features locally-based author Rick Robinson and noted Republican who is described as having represented - gasp! - Jimmy Carter in a student debate!

The "debate" grew more and more raucous each passing round. As moderator, I lost control of the room and it started to resemble a professional wrestling match.
In the final round, Dollar knocked over the podium and gave an impassioned, from the heart, speech about how the country had lost its focus under Carter and needed new leadership.
Robinson responded by singing "God Bless America".  

A very charming piece at the link. 
Huffington Post/Don McNay  
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DID YOU MISS MONDAY'S HEADLINES?
What other schools can learn from Covington Independent; A Hollywood film set to shoot in Covington is delayed; Plus, not one, but two plays featuring foul-mouthed puppets are set to open on Covington stages. Those stories and more at the link! 
The RC News: Monday Round-Up 
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ROCK BAND EVE 6 MAKES SURPRISE STOP AT PIKE STREET LOUNGE
While in town for a concert at the Madison Theater over the weekend, Eve 6 surprised the folks at Pike Street Lounge with an unannounced pop-in for some pre-show coffee. This photo is from the Lounge's co-owner, Katie Meyer. 

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Want to read about an amazing dog born with deformed hind legs that is still looking for its forever home in the area? Of course you do. Click Here 

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       welcome back to work, covington!

POLICE CHIEF LEE RUSSO, CITY TO PART WAYS

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THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

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by Michael Monks 

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Covington Police Chief
Lee Russo

Police Chief Lee Russo and the City of Covington have decided to part ways, reaching a reportedly amicable agreement to separate earlier this week. Russo has been chief since 2007 and was re-signed as an at-will employee in December following the expiration of his initial five-year contract. That December vote by the Mayor and City Commission was 3 - 2 in favor, with City Commissioners Shawn Masters and Steve Frank voting against, and City Commissioners Steve Casper and Sherry Carran along with Mayor Chuck Scheper voting in favor. A provision in the new agreement called for Russo to receive a six-month severance package should he be relieved of his duties without cause, a provision that will be in effect following this decision. 

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"I appreciate the opportunity that I was given to serve as police chief," Russo, 47, said in a statement. "I want to express my appreciation to the city commission and citizens for their trust and support. Most of all I want to thank the men and women of the Covington Police Department for their support without which most of the accomplishments that we have achieved in the last five years would not have been possible. I am proud to have served with you and encourage each of you to continue on the path that we have forged together."
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Hired from the Baltimore County Police Department in Maryland in 2007, Russo was the first chief hired from outside the Covington Police Department. While noticeably popular in many parts of the community his reign was marked by contention and low morale among the rank and file within the department. In 2009, the Fraternal Order of Police approved a vote of no confidence in the chief by a 94% to 6% margin. 

Russo (L) and Spike Jones (R) at Friday morning's
ceremony at the NKY Police Memorial

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The news of Russo's impending departure which will formally take place in the coming weeks was whispered throughout the past week but became official following the solemn annual ceremony at the Northern Kentucky Police Memorial in Covington Friday morning. City Manager Larry Klein told The River City News that the separation was amicable. "This is not meant in any way to diminish what he has done," Klein said, adding that Russo was hired to be an agent of change within the department. In a release from the City of Covington, Klein highlighted Russo's record of community policing and noted that there were continued reductions in both major and violent crimes. 

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In the release, Mayor Scheper said that he reviewed statistics that indicate a twenty-five percent drop in major and violent crimes over Russo's tenure. "Chief Russo has made a concentrated effort to take steps to reduce crime, record and use data in a strategic manner, and he has emphasized community policing," Scheper said. "I wish him well and thank him for his service."

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Assistant Police Chief Spike Jones, a Covington Police employee for twenty-four years, will take over as acting chief as the city prepares its search for a permanent replacement. Klein told The River City News that it is likely that the city will hire an executive search firm to find Covington's next chief, a search that will likely be national in scope. Russo has agreed to assist the city in its transition of leadership. 

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Russo's departure also follows an internal review that will encompass each department within the City of Covington. Klein said that the recommendations from the Management Partners report on the police department, which was reviewed first along with the fire department, are still in the draft stage and that no single event led to the amicable separation. 

EMOTIONAL MEETING AS COVINGTON SETS TO END 911 DISPATCH SERVICES

by Michael Monks 

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Mayor Chuck Scheper holds up a list of reasons
to get rid of Covington's dispatch center

Covington Mayor Chuck Scheper and the city commission voted 5-0 to end 911 dispatch services and eliminate the jobs of sixteen employees on or around September 1. The high cost of maintaining the service and the shrinking amount of revenue sources to support it were the points argued by the unified commission leading up to its unanimous vote. Between the reading of Tuesday's resolution and the actual vote was more than an hour of quietly emotional statements from commissioners, city administrators, labor leaders, and several of the sixteen highly qualified dispatchers who, at summer's end, will lose their jobs and their union. 

Dispatchers slated to lose their jobs stand at
Tuesday night's city commission meeting

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"Ten have college degrees or EMT training ranging from two communication degrees, a law enforcement degree, a nursing degree, a forensic science degree, a business degree, and a geology degree," said Jim Gardner, a veteran Covington dispatch supervisor and board member of AFSCME Local 237, the union representing Covington's 911 operators. "These people are not just anyone off the street."

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But the quality of the employees was never in doubt, Mayor Scheper and the commissioners pointed out repeatedly. "Why aren't we all working to bring the combined dispatch center here to the big city where the most need is and the most crime occurs," asked dispatcher Angelia Wallace. 

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The reason, Commissioners Shawn Masters argued, is that other municipalities were not willing to merge with Covington and as the mayor stated repeatedly, the dispatch center costs $2 million a year to support while only $800,000 of revenue is coming in to keep it. Plus, agreed Fire Chief Chuck Norris and Police Chief Lee Russo, public safety would be better served by a county dispatch. "This is an investment in the region and a positive step forward for or county and ultimately all three (NKY) counties," Russo said.
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"Stating it is going to be safer when we don't even have a clear idea how this is going to be set up or operated is a bit premature," Gardner said. "It also gives the impression that we are not safe now which isn't the case." Veiled suggestions of union busting all emerged during the meeting. 

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"There are people who will not agree to consolidate here (in Covington) because they don't want a union involved," said Jim Cole of the Northern Kentucky Labor Council. Covington's dispatchers are the only ones in Kentucky to belong to a union.

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But, "we have a four to five million dollar a year problem to solve," Mayor Scheper said, again warning of a possible $22 million general budget shortfall in the city by 2017. "If we don't take this action it means sixteen other faces will be facing (layoffs)." By the time the vote arrived each commissioner offered their empathy to the affected employees along with their vote approving the end of the center, even Masters who was confronted during the meeting by Angelia Wallace for promising in campaign material never to vote to consolidate dispatch. Masters called the vote the hardest in his political life. 

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"I commend this mayor and commission for making this decision," said City Manager Larry Klein. "Everyone up here is anguished over it." Attempts were made to alleviate the worry of the dispatchers slated to lost their jobs. Though no one could say for sure, it was suggested that each Covington dispatcher could end up employed by the county, though for less money and without union representation. 

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"I ask you to consider to go to work for the county," Klein said. "The county needs you and Covington needs you.

CITY RELEASES STATEMENT ON ENDING DISPATCH CENTER

by Michael Monks 

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The City of Covington has issued a press release on ending the city's dispatch center and terminating its sixteen employees. This is an update to the story that was first reported by The River City News. To see the original report, click the link below:

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The RC News: Letter from City Offers Severance Package to Dispatchers 

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Here is the release from City Hall:

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The City of Covington is getting out of the police and fire dispatching business.

The Covington Board of City Commissioners is expected to approve an order/resolution at its meeting on Tuesday night directing the City Manager to shut down its dispatch center in the Covington Police Department.

Over the past 13 years, three independent studies have concluded that a county-wide consolidated dispatch center will save the city millions of dollars while improving public safety.

Consolidation of emergency dispatch services is occurring on a regional and national basis. Kenton County is the only county in the state with three dispatch centers (Covington, Erlanger, and Kenton County). Both Campbell County and Boone County have combined dispatch service. Owensboro, a city roughly the size of Covington, has combined service with Davies County.

Changes in telephone technology are another reason behind the decision, Mayor Chuck Scheper said. "With the majority of 911 calls now coming from cell phones today, having multiple dispatch centers in close proximity to each other causes many of these calls to go to the wrong center because of location and topography," he said.

"Approximately one-fourth of all emergency calls are 'hand-offs' to other dispatch centers, which can add up to two more minutes in response time for first responders. In emergencies, time is of the essence and that extra two minutes can mean the difference between life and death."

Management Partners, a consulting firm hired by the city to study the issue, has indicated that centralization will not only improve public safety but will allow for greater cooperation among emergency services.

Nine different fire districts surround Covington and 19 different police forces operate in the county. Every member of the city's management staff interviewed by the consulting firm, including both the police chief and fire chief, agreed that a consolidated dispatch center would improve public safety, Mayor Scheper said.

"This will allow emergency first-responders to work more closely together and eliminate sending multiple agencies to the same incident, which sometimes now happens due to multiple dispatch centers in the county," said Covington Fire Chief Chuck Norris.

"Merged dispatch will provide better service to the community, enhance communications and cooperation between agencies, reduce redundant hardware and software, and enhance the long-range sustainability of the dispatch system," Norris said.

In addition to saving money and improving safety, Covington Police Chief Lee Russo said a merged dispatch system will provide valuable data for crime analysis and emergency planning.

"Information related to service demand and crime can be standardized across jurisdictions and will allow for analysis of crime and emergency service needs on a broader, more regionalized level," Russo said. "That will allow for better preparation for local jurisdictions to respond to current needs while planning for the future."

Mayor Scheper said that consolidated dispatching services will save the city about $1.2 million a year. The Covington dispatch center costs the city about $2 million a year to operate. 911 fees on landlines bring in about $670,000 and cell-phone fees bring in about $165,000 annually, resulting in a net deficit to the general fund of about $1.2 million, an amount that keeps on increasing because more people are eliminated land lines in favor of cell phones, Mayor Scheper said.

The 16 employees currently working at the Covington Dispatch Center will be offered a severance package. Some, if not all employees, will likely be offered employment with the consolidated dispatch center with comparable pay and benefits. Some may also choose to remain with the city under a "bumping rights" provision of collective bargaining agreement.

ISSUES IN MAINSTRASSE LINGER FROM WEEKEND TO CITY HALL

by Michael Monks 

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Mainstrasse's reputation as the region's destination for partying was solidified again on Saint Patrick's Day when thousands of revelers were lured to the neighborhood from early in the morning to early in the next morning. Parking along the residential streets was difficult to come by and the party poured out of the bars and restaurants to the sidewalks. The rare combination of unseasonably warm weather and the holiday falling on a Saturday was credited for causing this year's Saint Patrick's Day to be a larger event than usual. The next morning after the party crowd went home, an inordinate amount of post-holiday trash littered the blocks of Mainstrasse. 

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"The result of that day in Mainstrasse was less than desirable, and as a group we are committed to figuring out a way that it doesn't ever repeat," said Commissioner Steve Casper at Tuesday night's city commission meeting. The closing discussion at City Hall centered around the mess left behind and the seeming lack of preparedness by the businesses and by the City that led to the litter. Additionally, there were ten arrests including one that followed an alleged assault that left one man hospitalized. 

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"We made recommendations (to the businesses) to hire off-duty police officers," said police chief Lee Russo. "We authorized officers to come in on overtime and we had eight other officers working in addition to these resources. Unfortunately when the bars began to close we had the mass exodus, there was a little chaos and we had some fighting." 

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Commissioner Shawn Masters, who triggered conversation about the day-after condition of Mainstrasse on Sunday, reiterated his displeasure. "This is a quality of life issue," Masters said. "The fact that this happened this year is an embarrassment and someone needs to be held accountable. The excuses I got the next day were unacceptable. This commission needs to be committed to doing something and it's not just a slap on the wrist going forward. If we need to revoke 2:30AM liquor licenses we're going to do it. I'm not going to accept those excuses anymore."

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A resident of Mutter Gottes adjacent to Mainstrasse who is known to address parking concerns for her neighborhood at City Hall was back to lament the inconveniences the area's residents felt on Saint Patrick's Day. "My neighbors could not park the other night when they got home, the traffic was ridiculous," she said. "We have some rights as taxpayers, as residents and we should not have to be at the mercy of these bars and restaurants and the people that patronize them in an irresponsible manner." 

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Staff from City Hall and the police department will be meeting with the Mainstrasse Village Association's executive director Kim Blank as well as owners of the neighborhood's bars and restaurants to work out better plans for future events. "We want to follow up to see what we can to prevent this from happening again," Chief Russo said.

It should be noted that this was not a MSVA-sanctioned event, but rather a holiday that simply attracted crowds to Mainstrasse. 

NEWS ROUND-UP -- WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON 18 JAN

by Michael Monks 
NEW ADDRESS: Email Michael

Find us on Facebook: The River City News @ Facebook

@theRCnews on Twitter  

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THREE EVENTS TO ATTEND IN COVINGTON THIS EVENING

Church Street Meeting

If you wish to weigh in on the change of Church Street to a one-way street around Holy Cross High School, head to the Latonia school's cafeteria for a public meeting at 6:00PM.

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Police Chief Community Forum

Chief Lee Russo hosts his monthly community forum tonight at 7:00PM inside police headquarters at 20th & Madison. If you have questions about crime statistics, or possibly about the two teen boys charged with murdering another teen boy, head there tonight.

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Preview a newly rehabbed Mainstrasse building

This building at 9th & Main Streets was long vacant and in such disrepair that it did not even have any floors. It was just an empty shell. That is no longer the case:

It is now the latest success story of Covington's revitalization and today you can get a preview. Orleans Development invites you to preview its three new apartments inside (2 are already leased!) today from 5:30 - 7:00PM. See you there!

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FRANKFORT NOW FIGHTING OVER REDISTRICTING IN SENATE

First, the Republicans said the Democrats were playing politics when new House Districts were drawn. Now the Democrats say the Republicans are playing politics with the new Senate Districts. Don't you just love Frankfort?

Under the new map, Sen. Dorsey Ridley, D-Henderson, and Sen. Jerry Rhoads, D-Madisonville, would be in the 6th District. The 4th District — which is what Ridley represented — is now the number of the Lexington district Stein lives in, replacing the 13th District. Sen. Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said Ridley would represent the Lexington district for the next two years until it comes up again, but Stein would have to move to the new 13th district in northeast Kentucky in order to keep her seat this year.

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The Senate map shows that Covington and northern Kenton County will still be represented by one senator:

Covington's senate seat is open this year.

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REP. DENNIS KEENE HAPPY WITH HIS NEW DISTRICT

After weeks of news that the Wilder Democrat would be ceded several Covington precincts, Dennis Keene instead saw his district moved to include Melbourne and Silver Grove in Campbell County joining the larger river cities of Newport, Bellevue and Dayton. Here's Keene's response:

When the plan is finalized by the entire General Assembly, House District 67 will be the largest district representing river cities in the Commonwealth. Newport, Bellevue, Dayton, Ft. Thomas, Silver Grove and Melbourne are along the Ohio River in Campbell County. Keene will continue to represent the suburban cities of Southgate, Wilder, Woodlawn and Highland Heights. Representative Joe Fischer will represent the remaining suburban Campbell County precincts as well as southern Campbell County.

Keene is very passionate about the needs of the river cities, including Covington.
Dennis Keene  
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REP. YARMUTH INTRODUCES MUHAMMAD ALI LEGACY ACT IN DC
Louisville Democrat John Yarmuth introduced a bill in Congress that would build upon "Ali’s humanitarian work by establishing a federal grant program to promote global respect, understanding, and communication – values that Ali has advocated for and realized throughout his life."

“Muhammad Ali is a champion in every sense of the word,” Yarmuth said. “He is a champion for civil rights, equal rights, and human rights. Through his humanitarian work and that of the Ali Center, Muhammad promotes peace and justice. He reminds us that compassion and outreach are part of our obligation as global citizens, and I want to make sure that message endures.”

John Yarmuth 

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KENTUCKY COUPLE GUILTY IN FAKE CAVIAR CASE

Imagine spending a ton of money on caviar only to find out that it was not caviar at all and that it came from the Ohio River. Mmmmm.... fishy!

The Justice Department says Steve Kinder and his wife, Cornelia Joyce Kinder, both of Owenton, owned and operated Kinder Caviar Inc. and Black Star Caviar Co., which both exported paddlefish eggs as caviar to foreign customers.
Paddlefish are protected by federal and Ohio law.

AP via Local 12 
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CONGRATULATIONS COVINGTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS STUDENTS!
From the District:

Congratulations to Covington Independent Public Schools students who took first place in the writing and oratory contests at the annual Northern Kentucky Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Convene for the Dream celebration. Writing contest winners were Alaria Long, a student at Holmes Middle School and Deja Johnson, a student at Ninth District Elementary School. Santonio Juarez-Long, a student at Glenn O. Swing, won the oratory contest in his division. Superintendent Lynda Jackson also recognized the top academic students at Holmes High School. The students were honored Monday during the regional "Convene for the Dream'' celebration at the Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center.

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in case you missed...
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THE CITY AS A START-UP BUSINESS
"...the best mayors are the ones who are looking at their cities in much the same way as entrepreneurs look at the companies they have founded." With the launch of UpTech, the retention of Tier 1, and a new effort to reach out to existing businesses, is Covington now positioned to redefine itself in the new century? Click the link.

The River City News 

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THIS MORNING'S NEWS

Focus group being sought to weigh in on new home construction in Covington; Public meeting set for tonight on Church Street's one-way status; Jeff Ruby's got new competition coming in the local steak wars; Plus, a Bengal heads to trial this morning. Those stories and more at the link!
The River City News 
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WHAT'S KILLING MILLIONS OF BATS, INCLUDING SOME IN KENTUCKY?
Something called white nose has killed 5.7 million bats:

White nose is caused by a fungus that prompts bats to wake from their winter hibernation and die after they fly into the cold air in a doomed search for insects. First detected in a cave west of Albany in 2006, federal authorities say infected bats have been found in 16 states from the Northeast to the South and as far west as Indiana and Kentucky. It also has been detected in four Canadian provinces.

AP via Herald-Leader  
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KENTUCKY KINGDOM AMUSEMENT PARK MAY REOPEN
There's renewed interest anyway, and it's coming from the folks that run Holiday World in Indiana:

In a statement to WAVE 3, Paula Werne, director of communications for Holiday World and Splashin' Safari, said the Koch family has explored a lot of ways to grow their business over the years, including recently Kentucky Kingdom. The statement goes on to say that things are still in what the company calls a fact-finding stage and the Koch family hasn't made any decisions about whether to move forward in pursuing an opportunity to run the theme park.

WAVE 3  
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KROGER PAYS UP TO UK STUDENT THAT HIT HALF COURT SHOT
There was some controversy after UK freshman Vincent Swope hit a half court shot during a Kroger promotion at a UK game. The shot was worth $10,000 but Kroger officials said that since Swope's toes crossed the half court line... they wouldn't pay. That resulted in an internet uproar. Check the video:

Following the uproar, Kroger decided to pay up and sent out this photo today as proof.

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NKU INTERN REFLECTS ON ONE WEEK AT NKY EMERGENCY SHELTER

Josh Klosterman is a social work student at NKU and is interning with the only emergency shelter in NKY. Here's what he has to say:

What came as a true surprise to me was the quality of people that make up our guest population. Everyone has some preconceived notion about the homeless; whether that opinion is born out of ignorance, the work of statisticians, or some combination of the two. The men and women at our shelter simply do not fit into any generalized category of “troubled individuals.” They share a similar, collective condition: homelessness; but, are as varied in their personal strengths and weaknesses as any group of people you or I are likely to meet.

Read the whole thing.
Emergency Shelter of NKY  
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BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE CARNEGIE'S 'THE KING & I'
The concert performance of the classic show opens Friday and features veterans of Broadway. Check out the video:

The Carnegie has really raised Covington up with its high level productions. Go see this.

The Carnegie 

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FX'S 'JUSTIFIED' IS POPULAR IN HARLAN, ALSO HAS DETRACTORS

The cable drama set in Harlan, KY gets rave reviews from the actual residents of that hard-knocks town:

"You'll find that most people here like it," said Jackie Cornett, who hosts the Crow in the Morning Show on WTUK radio in Harlan.
To be sure, some people wish the show would include more positive images of the county. The county has more good, moral, educated people than the show makes it appear, said Bobbie Gothard, director of Tri-Cities Heritage, which works for civic improvement in Cumberland and the nearby historical mining towns of Benham and Lynch. Gothard said she felt discouraged after watching the show's debut in 2010. She is not a regular viewer.
"Please don't leave the audience thinking we are dumb, uneducated and alcoholics," she said.

Herald-Leader/Bill Estep 

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ART PROJECT SENDS POLITICAL MESSAGES AT I-75 REST STOPS

Details:

For the past few years, I've been creating what I call "art of social conscience:" tv spots, viral emails, paintings and posters, but none of it has engaged viewers as much as this series of "historical" markers, each one a small story containing a discrete point of view. The types of people who stop to read them are collectively defined more by their curiosity about the world around them than they are by any shared ideological leanings, which makes them a perfect audience for a carefully crafted message. And unlike most artworks on social or political themes, these markers don’t merely speak to the small group of viewers that seek out such work in galleries and museums; instead, they gently insert themselves into the public realm.

More examples at the link. 

Funism 

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SUPREME COURT OVERTURNS RIGHT V. WRONG

LOL:

Striking down the judicial precedent that established the legal supremacy of right over wrong more than two centuries ago, the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned Right v. Wrong. The landmark reversal—a bitterly contested 5-4 decision that has been widely praised by murderers, rapists, bigots, usurers, and pro-wrong advocates nationwide—nullifies all previously lawful forms of right and makes it very difficult for Americans to make ethical decisions or be generally decent human beings without facing criminal charges.

The Onion