THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
|
by Michael Monks
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.
|
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. BUDGET REDUCTIONS WILL LIKELY RESULT IN LAYOFFS
|
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.
|
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.
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.
|
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.
|
 |
| Newly named interim Police Chief Spike Jones (R) introduces newly hired police officer Justin Schmidt |
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.
|
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.
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.
|
"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.
"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.
|
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):
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):
|
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.
|
"I'd like to bring some kind of preventive maintenance to all the streets," Yeager replied.
|
"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.
"I'd like to bring some kind of preventive maintenance to all the streets," Yeager replied.
|
"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.
|
"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."
"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."
|
One positive infrastructure development
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.
|
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment