PUBLIC WEIGHS IN ON CODE ENFORCEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

| 

FACEBOOK: The River City News

@theRCnews on Twitter  

|

by Michael Monks 

Email Michael

|

The review of most of the departments at City Hall is now complete and as of last night the public discussion portion of the Management Partners report has also concluded. Thursday, the Cincinnati-based consulting firm recapped its twenty-five recommendations for code enforcement, community development, and housing at a packed public meeting inside Commission Chambers. 

|
SEE PREVIOUSLY: Redeveloping Covington Will Take Public/Private Partnership 

|

SEE PREVIOUSLY: Report: Create a Housing Strategy & Change Code Enforcement 

|

For the most part, residents want more code enforcement, not less and even though the Management Partners recommendations include decreasing the department to part-time status or outsourcing to an entity such as the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission, it promises that code enforcement will be more productive. Most residents did not buy it.

|
Nancy Ray of South Covington complained of what she called "dirtbags" taking over vacant and foreclosed buildings, warning that more foreclosures are likely on the way. James Berg of Helentown said that outsourcing the service to NKAPC would be a bad idea. "Covington code enforcement is far more in tune to Covington's needs than anything NKAPC will be able to come up with," he said. Berg also raised concerns about the efforts of the Northern Kentucky tea party and the Home Builders Association to put NKAPC on the ballot for elimination.

|
Dennis Fangman of Austinburg, a member of the City's code enforcement board, thinks the decision to rid the City of the department has already been made. "I have a feeling that what's going to happen has already been decided," he said. "We keep losing more and more people because people don't want to live next to boarded up properties that aren't taken care of. Code enforcement needs more tools and the code enforcement board needs more to get things moving instead of spinning our wheels so much."
|
"I don't want to see code enforcement outsourced to area planning or some private company. It needs to remain in the City where the citizens can have contact. We need code enforcement desperately. We can't do away with it."
|
"Blight and code enforcement is always on top of the list of concerns," said Bill Wells of his meetings with various neighborhood groups. Wells, of South Covington, is the president of the Covington Neighborhood Collaborative. "We depend on code enforcement to keep our property value as high as it can be."
|
Maurice Burden, another member of the code enforcement board, asked how the City can be more effective with fewer employees. "I spoke to code enforcement in Newport," he said of Covington's neighbor which uses part-time code enforcement officers. "I asked about the restructure. The answer I got was, 'It's different'. Not that it's working, not that it's not working. 'It's different.'"

|

Another code enforcement board member also spoke. "I have grave concerns about the near future of what will happen," said Fritz Kuhlman of Kenton Hills. "Code enforcement should be toughened, more aggressive."
|
But not everyone spoke highly of the department. "There is a house at 226 West Fifth that has been vacant for twenty of the twenty-one years I've lived there and no one seems to want to take care of it," said Carolyn Parker of Mutter Gottes. "It seems like I shouldn't be calling after twenty years but these properties have to be addressed."
|
"We're trying to rebuild this city. We need to clean this city up and we won't clean this city up without more aggressive code enforcement," said Terry Simpson of Levassor Park. "It's not working and I don't think it's going to work. I know I won't be very popular when I leave this stand but truth is truth and truth hurts."
|
SEE ALSO: Cracks emerge in unified commission at special meeting about code enforcement 

|
One of the biggest offenders in the arena of blighted properties is the City of Covington which owns 288 parcels of land. Mayor Chuck Scheper said that is being addressed. He toured the city with employees from the code enforcement department. "Blighted buildings can be an opportunity for us," the mayor said. "I saw it as blight and challenging but I also saw it as an opportunity to cluster and do something. Let's cure the patient instead of just putting Band-Aids on it."
|
"There are nineteen to twenty developers interested in investing in Covington but they want to know what kind of tools we have in our toolbox (in the form of tax breaks, etc). How do we monetize the value of 288 properties?"
|
City Commissioner Steve Casper said that no decision has been made on the future of code enforcement, at least not yet on his end. "I've not made up my mind," he said. "We're going to listen to the department and we are open to what the resolves are."

CRACKS EMERGE IN UNIFIED COMMISSION DURING SPECIAL MEETING

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

| 

FACEBOOK: The River City News

@theRCnews on Twitter  

|

by Michael Monks 

Email Michael

|

Round two of the public meetings at City Hall to discuss its reorganization plan as recommended by Cincinnati-based consulting firm Management Partners was mostly like the first one that focused on the police and fire departments. This one, with an emphasis on code enforcement, housing, and community development, started with a presentation by the firm's Wayne Chapman who recapped some of its recommendations followed by many comments from the public, mainly in support of strengthening code enforcement, not outsourcing it as recommended. 

|
But then the City Commissioners weighed in. "A huge number of people are afraid of retaliation and that's why they are not here," said Commissioner Sherry Carran, triggering gasps and outbursts from the packed Commission Chambers. "That's not easy to say but what my personal experience has been." Carran noted that she and her husband have made substantial investments in their Botany Hills neighborhood having torn down eleven troubled properties. "Outside of where we're investing not much is happening (in terms of blight in the neighborhood)." Much of Carran's ire was focused at developer Wes Bitlinger whose had a colorful exchange online with Commissioner Steve Frank who posted photos of several of Bitlinger's properties online.
|
Commissioner Shawn Masters was not happy with Carran's remarks. "I want to say I am sorry to the employees who were questioned for retaliation. That pisses me off," Masters said. "I think we have some of the finest staff." He accused the City Manager and others of already having their minds made up about what to do with code enforcement. When the code enforcement director was told to cut $500,000 from his department's budget, "That by God tells you something."

|
The tense turn the meeting took contrasted greatly with most meetings since Mayor Chuck Scheper was appointed to take over for Denny Bowman who resigned last September. A common refrain at commission meetings and other civic engagements is that this city commission is unified, often voting unanimously on most of the pressing issues facing Covington. That changed during Thursday night's special meeting.
|
"For five years I have lived next to some of the biggest hell holes around and guess who owns them? The City of Covington!" Masters, who lives in Covington's Westside, spoke passionately for several minutes about the blighted properties and other issues. "Until we take care of our problem, how can we hold others accountable?"

|
"I am offended that a city commissioner would say that our own employees would retaliate," Masters continued. "There has been a lack of communication and respect between certain people on this dais and code enforcement." The two-term, commissioner who is not seeking reelection, said that union employees were brought to the table to discuss changes in their departments but that that has not been the case for code enforcement. "If we do away with code enforcement this will be a death blow to this city."
|
Masters moved on from code enforcement but was not finished with his remarks, many of which were met with applause. "While I was on vacation there were across the board raises given to every single non-union employee. Raises of $80,000 to $100,000 (total) backdated to last January." The heated words were followed with a warning. "I'm going to be letting people know exactly what is going on."
|
City Manager Larry Klein explained the raises, saying these employees had gone without pay increases for three and a half years and that the 1.5% increase for one year may not even be repeated next year. "(These employees') health care plan saved the City money for a long period of time," Klein said, adding that the employees do not get overtime and are not even paid extra for their work at commission meetings. 

|
"Show me someone who requested a raise," Masters barked.
|
"One employee in public improvements came up a couple weeks ago and thanked me for their seventeen cents-a-week raise," Carran answered.

|
Masters shot back arguing, "We can't give a merit raise because the City Manager hasn't given any evaluations yet!"

|
Between the arguing on the dais and the unsolicited outbursts from the audience the room was at a tipping point of becoming out of control. Mayor Chuck Scheper began to wind the meeting with a calm conclusion. "Everyone in this room cares about this city," the mayor said. "I wish we could have a resolution soon. This is a terrible situation for folks in this world of not knowing what's going to happen."

|
Asked after the meeting to elaborate on her position that code enforcement employees could potentially retaliate against those who spoke against them, Carran said she has heard of more code citations being written against targeted residents and on other occasions code enforcement breaches confidentially by revealing the sources of code complaints to the people who are cited. Former president of the Covington Neighborhood Collaborative, Terry Simpson, backed up Carran saying that he personally had been revealed as the source of a code enforcement complaint on one of his neighbors.  

|
NOTE: More on the substance of the meeting will be detailed in a separate article.

PHOTOS & VIDEOS: DAY ONE AT OLD TIMERS IN COVINGTON'S EASTSIDE

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

| 

FACEBOOK: The River City News

@theRCnews on Twitter  

|

The twenty-sixth annual Old Timers picnic kicked off in Covington's Eastside neighborhood Friday evening with a proclamation presented by Mayor Chuck Scheper and a performance by The Kingsmen. Check out the photos and videos below:

|

|

More photos below, just click the link!

|

PUBLIC WEIGHS IN ON PROPOSED POLICE & FIRE CUTS

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

| 

FACEBOOK: The River City News

@theRCnews on Twitter  

|

by Michael Monks 

Email Michael

|

Mayor Chuck Scheper

Two and a half hours were spent inside Covington City Hall Tuesday evening to present an abridged encore of the Management Partners recommendations for cutting the cost of police and fire services, and the public response to the proposal. There was not a whole of new information to be learned during the meeting which brought an above-average sized crowd to the Commission Chambers, including many firefighters who lined the back of the room. 

|

"We're not here to make decisions tonight," Mayor Chuck Scheper said, establishing the expectation for the discussion. The mayor continued, adding that he has already met with firefighters three times and the police twice to discuss the best way to implement needed changes to the departments. "This is a high level summary of where we are and what we hope to accomplish."
|
Scheper then took to the podium and offered his now familiar refrains of Covington's high payroll tax and its effect on attracting business, the looming threat of losing more businesses to Cincinnati, that police and fire account for two-thirds of the city's budget, that Covington is paying 37% more than cities its size for public safety and 44% than the average of larger cities in the region while spending 13% less on everything else. These numbers are not sustainable, the mayor said, adding that he hopes some of the answers are found inside the Management Partners report.

|
Wayne Chapman of Management Partners then presented his abridged report, explaining that in the review of the police and fire departments his firm brought in experts in the fields to lead the questioning. "Both departments from our perspective are very professional," Chapman said. "We didn't come in expecting to find agencies in disarray and we were not disappointed." Chapman, whose firm was previously hired by Covington and Kenton County several years ago to study the feasibility of a consolidated emergency dispatch center, explained that recommended changes in the police department would save a lot of money and give a better organizational structure to the department.

|
*********************

SEE ALSO: For the full report on Management Partners' recommendations for the police department, click here.

*********************

|

With the police recommendations of improved street strength and a leaner chain of command, including the elimination of the rank of captain, the department could save upwards of $437,000 annually for the City. "This is an extremely professional department, quite capable," Chapman bragged. "What we encountered was not so much an opportunity to improve efficiency, it was cost-driven. Covington (Police) didn't need to be tuned up."

|
As for the fire department the cuts would be deeper and more easily noticed by the public. "The current service model of twenty-seven on-duty firefighters per day is not financially sustainable at the current tax rates," Chapman warned. He explained that in order to reach that twenty-seven firefighters on-duty benchmark, 4.2 people must be hired to staff one position in order to have someone on duty. In class 2 cities like Covington, firefighters are required by state law to work 24-hour shifts and to receive hazardous duty pension pay, which is twice the cost of the regular public pension.

|
Chapman's findings attempt to make the case that Covington doesn't need as many firefighters as it has, that structure fires have decreased by 32% on annual basis since 2009, that Taylor Mill, Independence, and other neighboring municipalities could offer mutual aid more often, and that two firehouses should be closed with a new, consolidated one built near the central business district. The privatization of EMS ambulance services, as encouraged by Management Partners, would save Covington up to $1.5 million annually, he predicted.

|
********************

SEE ALSO: For the full report on Management Partners' recommendations for the fire department, click here.

********************

|

To counter the claims, Chris Black, president of the local firefighters union, introduced a representative from the national union in Washington, DC. "I'm not here to get in a political debate or to throw any political darts," Black said before referencing the adage, "if it's not broke, don't fix it." "This is like, it's not broken, but let's break it." Black cited recent health care concessions in the union contract and before that the reduction of daily staffing from thirty to twenty-seven as offering significant savings to the City. 

|
"At the outset my folks are concerned with the safety of firefighters and (Management Partners)'s focus was to save money, so we use two different microscopes," said Jonathan Moore, of the IAFF in DC. Moore took exception to the work painted by Management Partners that implied that the bulk of fire runs don't involve actual structure fires. "How many of these non-structure fires started out as small fires that were successfully put out before becoming larger," he asked. 

|
Moore also predicted that outsourcing ambulance services would increase response time to nine minutes while falling short of the $1.5 million in projected savings. While admitting that he was still reviewing the full report, Moore does not believe the fire department would be able to operate safely and effectively with the recommended changes.

|
His views were backed up during public comments by retiring firefighter Allen Terry, who argued that mutual aid is not as reciprocal as it sounds and that Covington carries the bulk of the weight in those local relationships. Many of the surrounding departments are volunteer and cannot react as quickly as Covington's firefighters. Latonia resident Charlene Dietz said she would pay higher taxes to keep the service the same. Eastside resident Jerry Avery, also a member of the Covington school board, expressed his concern for safety in that neighborhood where a firehouse is located, though the majority of his issues were with any possible cuts to police as the drug trade has seen a spike in activity in that part of town, he said.

|
Bill Wells, of South Covington, took the debate a step further. Though the firehouse on Hands Pike was explored for possible closure in favor of mutual aid agreements with Taylor Mill and Independence, the idea was removed from the final Management Partners report. However, the geography of South Covington has been a recent concern in public safety budget talks. Wells asked flat out, "Is it the desire of this commission to de-annex South Covington?"
|
A brief, awkward silence followed the question. Commissioner Sherry Carran argued that when she first campaigned for office six years ago, residents in South Covington told her that they did not want to be a part of the city, though that changed after the creation of the neighborhood association, which Wells serves as president.

|
Other residents supported the need for change, including Mainstrasse resident Susan Wood who wanted to know how much her taxes would go up to keep everything the same. "Public safety is important but there are limited dollars," she said.
|
Former City Commissioner Jerry Stricker called the current city leaders, "the best commission I've seen in my memory." "Public safety was always my number one issue when I was on commission, but we can only have good public safety when we have the money to do it. We can't keep spending more than we make and we've done that the last two to three years."
|
At the end of the evening, Mayor Scheper, who paid $15,000 of his salary toward the $140,000 cost of the report (the rest of which is being solicited from the private sector) reiterated his C+V=G mantra. "Ultimately we have to make decisions and unfortunately those decisions have to be made from where are financially," he said. I wish we had more revenue and we'll get there. C, you have to have the courage to face the challenges. Management Partners came in to give us the vision, V, because we can't continue to do more of the same."
|
Originally the G stood for growth and while it still does, the mayor suggested that it should possibly start to stand for "greatness". "I like to think that Covington will be known as a great city."

NEWS ROUND-UP -- TUESDAY MORNING 31 JULY

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

| 

FACEBOOK: The River City News

@theRCnews on Twitter  

|

by Michael Monks 

Email Michael

|

POLICE & FIRE RESTRUCTURING TO BE DISCUSSED

A public meeting is set for Tuesday inside Commission Chambers at City Hall on the recommendations set forth by Management Partners in regards to restructuring Covington's police and fire departments. The meeting begins tonight at 6:00PM. From the City: 

"We want to be open and transparent," said City Manager Larry Klein. "We want to hear what citizens have to say. We, like most local governments across the nation, are trying to manage limited resources while moving our community forward. Our ultimate goal is a better City of Covington. It can be done."

Management Partners issued its final report just recently titled City of Covington Organization Reviews. It can be reviewed online at the City's website,www.covingtonky.gov. The report was paid for entirely by non-City funds which were raised by Covington Mayor Chuck Scheper.

Mayor Scheper announced his C + V = G 10 Point Action Plan for the City in January, 2012, and called for independent reviews of all areas of City operations at that time.

"The V stands for Vision and we need to look outside our boundaries for 'best of class' examples to consider because more of the same will not solve the problems of today and tomorrow," said Scheper.

"Management Partners conducted an independent review of the City's operations," said Scheper. "They have extensive experience analyzing local governments."

The 143-page document is the result of a study of organizational reviews of the City's Police, Fire, Community Development, Code Enforcement, and Administration departments, as well as a review of the City's entire organizational structure.

The primary objective of the study was to determine if there are ways to reduce operations costs while maintaining or improving service quality.

There are 57 recommendations in the report. Substantial savings could be achieved if the report's recommendations were implemented, according to the study.

The River City News will have the most comprehensive coverage of the meeting.

|

For background:

Unhappiness at police department reflected in survey 

|

Consultants: Combine 2 firehouses, privatize ambulances 

|

WANT TO FIX THE ECONOMY? FIX EDUCATION

From a column at Huffington Post:

News flash: Do you want to know the best way to solve the economic problems in America? By closing the education achievement gap. That's right. If we fix education, we will fix our economy.
(snip)For instance, our failure to close the racial achievement gap -- the disparity between the educational results between white children and their African American and Hispanic counterparts has impacted our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by at least $310 billion and as much as $525 billion. Moreover, the growing income achievement gap, the education disparity between all low-income children compared to the education attainment of children not living in poverty, has cost our GDP between $400-670 billion.
(snip)It is imperative that we start putting our kids firsts and taking ownership within our schools and communities. As a nation, to ensure that all of our kids receive a quality education, we must further eliminate the disparities between race and ethnicity, the rich and the poor, and doggedly increase the graduation rates. In addition, it is critical that we take a hard look at what is going on in our schools and in our classrooms. And at the very least immediately begin equalizing instruction, improving teacher quality, and increasing resources so our kids can go on to college and positively contribute to our economy.

Full story: Huffington Post 
|
BACK TO SCHOOL KICK-OFF EVENT SET FOR SATURDAY

Help welcome back to school the students of Covington:

Covington Independent School Public Schools is hosting its first "Back-to-School Kickoff," 9:00 am - 7:00 pm on Saturday, August 4, in the Holmes High School Campus. This event replaces the readi-fests that were held at each of our schools.

By combining the readi-fests, our district will be able to offer families a one stop event to take care of all their children's back to school needs. Parents and their children will be able to enroll, pick up free school supplies and learn about community services.

We are reaching out to Covington's neighborhood associations and other organizations because we need your help with school supplies. While many of us have fond memories of back to school shopping, choosing our supplies and new clothing for the year, this is not the reality for all children.

Your donation helps ensure that all our children come back to school ready to learn. If your group would like to participate, the items listed are what we need most:

1) pencils
2) one subject notebooks
3) 2-pocket folders
4) crayons
5) pencil cases

Of course, all supplies will happily be accepted. We can pick up your donations or you can take them to the Instructional Support Center, 212 Levassor Place, behind Holmes High School by July 31. The center is not always staffed so please contact us prior to drop off so we can meet you. Please call Kay McConnell at 392-3182 to make arrangements for drop off or call Tricia Dorman at (859)912-4007 for further questions.

|

GROUP: KY SCHOOLS NOT ENFORCING ANTI-BULLYING LAWS

Though Kentucky has no formal anti-bullying law, the Kentucky Equality Federation claims that existing laws serve a purpose to that end and that those laws are not being enforced by school districts:

In Clay, Grayson, Jefferson, Kenton, Lincoln, Pulaski, Whitley, and several other counties, we have received alarming reports from guidance counselors, principals, and other school district staff that they have received no briefings or information about complying with years-old Kentucky regulations regarding bullying in public schools. This lack of information is leading to a lack of enforcement of laws that are already in effect.
"These laws were written to protect students," said Kentucky Equality Federation President Joshua Koch. "We hear cries for more legislation from the public, but we know there are laws in effect already. This is an insult to the visionary legislators who have already passed excellent laws to protect Kentucky's children.
“When we confront these local school districts about their lack of enforcement, we are finding an epidemic of knowledge," Koch said. "These districts don't even know Kentucky has these laws. We have laws and continuing education requirements for a reason. They are there to allow and encourage administrative communication, but that only works when the Department of Education understands the law and communicates it to the 120 counties and their school districts. The Kentucky Department of Education should have ensured all school districts in Kentucky enforced existing school bullying laws when the legislation was passed and especially after the first suicide. 

Full story: KY Equality Federation 
|
QUICKIES
|
In the aftermath of damaging storms, do not let anyone "top" your trees State-Journal 
|
Sen. McConnell hails the fall of old media BuzzFeed 
|
Kentucky Historical Society obtains letters from 19th century that detail lives of slaves and free people in the Commonwealth press release 
|
Big tips to continue for lucky Kentucky servers WLWT 
|
UK Basketball head coach John Calipari is ranked third best Nation of Blue 
|
DON'T MISS MONDAY EVENING'S NEWS!
Family of teen missing from Covington speaks about last week's failed search; A husband-and-wife team from Kentucky file to run for President of the United States (and VP!) together; Plus, what are Covingtonians selling on Craigslist? A coffee shop, for one thing.

|

FROM THE EMERGENCY SHELTER OF NKY:

Our annual Run for Shelter will take place on Saturday, October 20th. If we can register 50 people within the next 14 days, Rachael Winters, our Director will race in a skirt! This great down hill race from the top of Devou Park helps us fund our winter season, serving all those in need of a place to go during our coldest months. Register today! 

Click Here
|
VIDEO: HOLMES HIGH SCHOOL DRILL CAMP

|

DO YOU EVER WALK AROUND TOWN AT NIGHT?

You should, according to this interesting piece on psychogeography:

If you can, go and walk at night in your city. Do it now, during summer. Observe the day/night contrast, discover new details about your neighbourhood, find things you like and don’t like. Use all of this as a set of tools for becoming more aware of, not only your city, but yourself, and as a catalyst to induce change for the aspects of your city that you would like to see improve. At the end of the day, this place you live in is your home. Embrace it, engage with it and change it for the better.

Full story: Urban Times

|

"I'M DRUNK AS SHIT, ANYONE WANT TO GO TO ANCHOR GRILL?"

Spotted on Reddit, an apparently drunken late-night invitation that triggered some funny comments. The original post:

im drunk as shit, anyone want to go to anchor grill

Responses:

"no, no one wants to go to breakfast at 8am on a sunday with a drunk stranger. Go to sleep." "As a fellow drunk stranger who also wants breakfast... I'm also going to sleep." "As a drunk breakfast who wants a stranger... what's sleep?"

Though the guy did get some lukewarm interest:

If I had seen this, i live across the street. . . .. . . .

And:

I will be there today at 420. Metal teeth, dreads and tattoos, cant miss me.

Don't you love the internet? Read the full post: Reddit 

MAYOR, CITY MANAGER REACT TO FIRE CHIEF'S RETIREMENT

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

| 

FACEBOOK: The River City News

@theRCnews on Twitter  

|

Chief Chuck Norris of the Covington Fire Department will retire at the end of July (Click the link for an exclusive interview with Norris: Chief Chuck Norris Talks of His Retirement from Covington FD) and today Mayor Chuck Scheper and City Manager Larry Klein react to the news. From a press release:

Fire Chief Chuck Norris has announced he is going to retire effective July 31, 2012. Norris, 51, has served as Covington's Fire Chief since August 1, 2011. He began his fire career with the Covington Fire Department August 20, 1984.

Over the years, he served as a firefighter, Engineer, Lieutenant, Captain, Fire Inspector, Assistant Fire Chief, and finally, as Fire Chief. He was also named interim Public Works Director in 2008. And, he was Acting Fire Chief in 2005, and 2010-11.

"I have enjoyed my time with the City of Covington," said Norris. "I have enjoyed the relationships I have been able to develop with my fellow firefighters, the community, fire, law enforcement and elected officials over the years."

"The City of Covington and our Fire Department are greatly indebted to Chief Norris for his 28 years of outstanding and unparalleled service to the community," said City Manager Larry Klein.

"He will be greatly missed, and leaves an indelible mark of excellence in public service to this community as his legacy."

Norris said he has no immediate plans, and he will be exploring his professional options.

"I am sorry to see him leave," said Mayor Chuck Scheper. "I enjoyed working with him in my brief tenure here. Chief Norris has been a dedicated firefighter for our City. We are losing a good man."

"I want to thank my family, friends and colleagues for their support over these many years," said Norris. "I want to say our Covington firefighters are second to none."

"I have had a good working relationship with Mayor Scheper, the commissioners, and City Manager Larry Klein," he said. "I want to thank them for their support."

Chuck Norris

PUBLIC INPUT SOUGHT ON COVINGTON REORGANIZATION PLAN

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

| 

FACEBOOK: The River City News

@theRCnews on Twitter  

|

The City of Covington has scheduled its public input sessions for the discussion of the Management Partners review of each department at City Hall and how they recommend the City reorganize itself. 

|

From a news release:

The City of Covington will host public meetings to gather input about the recentlyreleased Management Partners report.

Representatives of Management Partners, Inc. have been meeting with City department heads and employees, gathering information, studying the City's processes and procedures, and have made recommendations based on their review.

The Police and Fire department reports and recommendations will be discussed at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, July 31, 2012.

The Community Development and Code Enforcement departments will be discussed at 6:00 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012.

The hearings will be at the Commission Chamber on the first floor of City Hall, 638 Madison Avenue.

"We want to be open and transparent," said City Manager Larry Klein. "We want to hear what citizens have to say. We, like most local governments across the nation, are trying to manage limited resources while moving our community forward. Our ultimate goal is a better City of Covington. It can be done."

Management Partners issued its final report just recently titled City of Covington Organization Reviews. It can be reviewed online at the City's website,www.covingtonky.gov. The report was paid for entirely by non-City funds which were raised by Covington Mayor Chuck Scheper.

Mayor Scheper announced his C + V = G 10 Point Action Plan for the City in January, 2012, and called for independent reviews of all areas of City operations at that time.

"The V stands for Vision and we need to look outside our boundaries for 'best of class' examples to consider because more of the same will not solve the problems of today and tomorrow," said Scheper.

"Management Partners conducted an independent review of the City's operations," said Scheper. "They have extensive experience analyzing local governments."

The 143-page document is the result of a study of organizational reviews of the City's Police, Fire, Community Development, Code Enforcement, and Administration departments, as well as a review of the City's entire organizational structure.

The primary objective of the study was to determine if there are ways to reduce operations costs while maintaining or improving service quality.

There are 57 recommendations in the report. Substantial savings could be achieved if the report's recommendations were implemented, according to the study.

Former Cincinnati City Manager Jerry Newfarmer founded Management Partners in 1994. Newfarmer was instrumental in guiding the Covington study. Assisting in the report was Wayne Chapman who is a former city manager of several cities, including Aspen, Colorado.

|
What's in the report? Check the links below for full coverage.
|

UNHAPPINESS AT POLICE DEPARTMENT REFLECTED IN SURVEY

A survey of employees within the Covington Police Department finds a majority that believe politics play a too big a role in decision-making and that morale is, for the most part, low. Full details at the link.
The River City News 
|
CONSULTANTS: COMBINE 2 FIREHOUSE, PRIVATIZE AMBULANCES
Shutting down the firehouse in South Covington is worth looking into, according to a consulting firm. Trouble is, even they conclude that response time would be greatly increased by using services from Taylor Mill or Independence. Management Partners' suggested changes for Covington's Fire Department, at the link.

The River City News 

|

REPORT: REDEVELOPING COVINGTON WILL TAKE PUBLIC/PRIVATE WORK

"The City government does not have the personnel and financial resources to develop the City; private/public partnership is essential." Plans to redevelop Downtown Covington cannot be done by the City alone according to an outside consulting firm. Click the link for the full story.

The River City News 

|

REPORT: CREATE HOUSING STRATEGY, CHANGE CODE ENFORCEMENT

If the City and the Housing Authority cannot improve their working relationship, the Housing Authority should go away, according to a consulting firm. Also, regarding code enforcement, "No one wants to develop in a rundown area," the report says. Click the link for the full story.The River City News  

PHOTOS: PEASELBURG PARADE

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

| 

FACEBOOK: The River City News

@theRCnews on Twitter  

|

by Michael Monks 

Email Michael

|

The annual Independence Day Parade in Covington's Peaselburg neighborhood was a well-attended blast, even though the sun was working overtime to heat up the place. Check out photos from the event: 

|

|

Lots more photos below, just click the link!

SPIKE JONES SWORN IN AS COVINGTON'S CHIEF OF POLICE

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

| 

FACEBOOK: The River City News

@theRCnews on Twitter  

|

by Michael Monks 

Email Michael

|

Chief Spike Jones takes in a standing ovation

When he was nineteen years old, Michael "Spike" Jones sat in the office of the Covington Police Chief and asked what he needed to do to become a police officer. Twenty-seven years later an aspiring cop could wander into the police chief's office and find Jones still sitting there, but this time on the other side of the desk. Jones was sworn in as Covington's Chief of Police Friday before a packed crowd inside the City Commission Chambers at City Hall with enthusiastic, unanimous approval from city leaders.
|
"I am happy and thankful to bring Spike on as the new police chief of the City of Covington," said Mayor Chuck Scheper, who admitted that before his appointment to the office last October, he had only known Jones from TV news appearances. Jones, as assistant chief, spent several years as the face of the department, always ready to answer media inquiries. On Thursday, less than twenty-four hours before officially assuming his new role, he performed both tasks, guiding invited media around town as multiple units rounded up more than thirty suspected drug dealers. 

|

Mayor Chuck Scheper pins the badge on newly
sworn-in Chief Spike Jones

|

"We have a lot of work to do and challenges to overcome, both economic and operational, but one thing we cannot lose sight of is who we are here to serve, the people of Covington," Jones said after being sworn by Judge Doug Grothaus and having his badge pinned on by Mayor Scheper. "I am proud and honored to take this position but most of all I am honored to be a Covington police officer."

|
The pride was shared by all members of the City Commission. "This is a good day for all of us," said Commissioner Sherry Carran. Commissioner Casper recommended a headline for media coverage: "Covington Spikes It Rich".

|
"This is my happiest to do something this wonderful for this town," said Commissioner Steve Casper. "I can't think of a better way to end this week," said Commissioner Shawn Masters, adding that Friday was the proudest day of his term. Jones's swearing-in ceremony was drummed into reality by the Eastside Drummers, a group of kids mentored by the new chief, a former member of the marching band at Holmes High School from which he graduated in 1984. From there he earned degrees from Eastern Kentucky University, the FBI National Academy, and a master's degree from Northern Kentucky University.

|
Also beaming with pride in the large crowd was Spike's father, Jack Jones, who remembered his son wanting to be chief for as long as he could remember. "It means a lot to him and to me, and a lot to our neighbors," said Jack Jones. "We're very, very proud of him. It goes back to his first year on duty. The police chief told me that Spike would have his job someday."

Jack Jones raises his hand when recognized by his son

|

LOTS MORE PHOTOS FROM THE CEREMONY BELOW, JUST CLICK THE LINK!

|