There are seven candidates running for six seats on the Villa Hills City Council. All six incumbents: Seth Thompson, Jim Cahill, Cathy Stover, Suzanne Wadsworth, Rod Baehner, and Scott Ringo, are running for reelection, and are joined on the ballot by challenger Kyle Walsh.
LINK nky submitted questions to the candidates via email and their answers are below. Ringo declined to answer the questions.
Why are you running for this office and what would be your top priority if elected?
Seth Thompson: I’m running to continue the work I’ve done for the past two terms. As chairman of the Public Works Committee, it’s my job to oversee the road and infrastructure projects throughout the city. In particular, I will be focused on the expansion and reconstruction of the Collins/Amsterdam intersection for which my committee secured an SNK grant from the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments that will pay for 80% of the project.
Jim Cahill: There are two very large projects in Villa Hills: construction of a replacement firehouse and reconstruction of the intersection at Amsterdam and Collins. My goal, and the reason I’m running, is to have both projects complete or virtually complete by the end of 2024.
Cathy Stover: One of the reasons I ran for office in 2018 was to assist with providing input into the development of a plan for dealing with improvements in the intersection of Amsterdam and Collins. I feel that the present council has worked diligently to come up with a plan that will help to ease some of the congestion there. I want to follow through with that objective and continue to represent the people of Villa Hills.
Suzanne Wadsworth: I am running for a third term in office to continue the work the current council has been involved in for the last four years. I initially ran for office to ensure the new development in our city would not adversely affect our current residents, and as this development continues to be built and the state requirement for road changes are progressing, it is imperative that I see this through until completion.
As a member of the Safety Committee and as a council member, I also continue to strongly support our police force as they continue to work to stop drugs and crime from coming into our city. Villa Hills has a nationally certified force under the leadership of Chief Bryan Allen. This accomplishment as well as the authorization of the addition of our canine officer, Onexx, who is nationally certified and one of the top canine officers in the region, has made me extremely proud.
Rod Baehner: I am currently running for what would be my fourth term as a councilperson serving the residents of Villa Hills. Through good times and bad in this role, I have always strived to do what is best for all residents of our beautiful city. I am running again to ensure some unfinished initiatives are successfully brought to closure and to ensure that we maintain the safety of our residents as our main focus.
Kyle Walsh: I am running for this office because I feel strongly about the importance of service to the community and that our city council benefits from the perspective of leaders from a variety of professional backgrounds and stages of life. I’m a husband, father of a young family, and a physician and researcher. If elected, one of my top priorities would be to work collaboratively with the mayor and other council members to ensure excellence in the area of public safety and emergency medical services (EMS). As a physician in the emergency department who has collaborated for over a decade with EMS, I can provide a unique perspective in this field. Related to this, as a professional researcher and grant writer, I have extensive experience with analyzing evidence and data, and I can utilize these skills to apply evidence-based methods for city governance and decision-making.
With heightened concern around the region related to pedestrian and cyclist safety, what do you think should be done to improve this area in your city?
Thompson: This has been a top concern for me during my time on council. The Collins/Amsterdam project includes the completion of the missing sidewalk on the east side of Collins, which I pushed hard to get included in the project. In addition, we will be adding sidewalk from Colina Dr. to the intersection of Highwater/Amsterdam as part of the larger Kenton County project for Short Amsterdam.
Cahill: Unfortunately, there is very little space to construct bicycle lanes in the city. Pedestrian safety is another matter. We need to continue maintaining our crosswalks and ensure that our sidewalks are safe.
Stover: The council took this into consideration when we approved the renovation plan for the intersection of Amsterdam and Collins. This is a location that has high pedestrian and cyclist traffic. This project will include safe passage for all. The plan for the reconstruction of Short Amsterdam includes a sidewalk which will facilitate safe travel around the entire perimeter of Villa Hills.
Wadsworth: Our current council as a whole recognizes the need for safety for our residents. Sidewalks are very expensive but we do have a long-term plan to add sidewalks where needed and to budget accordingly. We just received a grant to help the city with the plan to redesign the Amsterdam/Collins intersection as a result of added traffic due to the new Sanctuary development. The award money includes funds to add sidewalks that will extend along Collins to Felice Drive. We also have plans developed to add sidewalks as part of the “short Amsterdam” roadwork. Those sidewalks will connect with sidewalks added by the city of Crescent Springs as part of the newly completed roadwork on Bromley-Crescent Springs Road. Upon completion, there will be a complete loop of sidewalks to allow pedestrians to safely walk through both cities. As a member of the Safety Committee, we also worked with an Eagle Scout candidate to add “Share the Road” signs at various points in the city to encourage drivers to be aware of cyclists.
Baehner: As chair of the Safety Committee, I can assure all residents that pubic safety is my top priority. With regard to these specific concerns, our current council has been very consistent and proactive about identifying opportunities for crosswalks, sidewalk extensions, signage, etc., to ensure pedestrians and cyclists remain safe in our city. We also have future projects in planning stages that will further address these concerns.
Walsh: While our city has a number of measures in place related to stop signs and speed control, we must continue to assess the marking of crosswalks and associated lighting in those areas to promote the safety of pedestrians, particularly for those streets with heavier traffic. Direct feedback from the residents should also be sought, as the community members have the strongest perspective related to potential safety issues they have witnessed.
Cities have benefited from federal funds to recover from the pandemic, but that one-time cash infusion is unlikely to happen again. What steps should be taken to ensure that the city remain on strong financial footing?
Thompson: The most critical thing was to not incorporate these one-time funds as part of general revenue to pay for recurring expenses. Instead, we have used ARPA funds to pay for capital projects including the new firehouse for Crescent Springs/Villa Hills and a planned sewer main expansion project along Route 8 in Bromley and Villa Hills.
Cahill: We have been very careful to recognize that these funds are temporary in nature and exclude their impact from all future budgets.
Stover: When we became aware of the availability of ARPA funds, the council and city administration planned wisely for the use of funds without using them for operating expenses. This year the council did see the need to raise property taxes and some other taxes in anticipation of meeting necessary expenses. In addition, the build-out of Sanctuary will provide additional TIF money to assist with expenditures.
Wadsworth: First and foremost, sticking to our long-term plans for roads and sidewalks as much as possible and our major purchase schedules for police cruisers and public works equipment is crucial. This allows us to allocate funds responsibly. As the costs of materials continues to rise due to inflation. However, this has become a big challenge.
Secondly, taking the time to have discussions that allow us to look at a variety of options while determining the impacts on residents is important. No city wants to continually raise taxes, so it has become a huge task to balance the needs of the city while minimizing the impact on residents.
Third, hiring a top-notch engineering firm with engineers that are willing to investigate and apply for grants for our city has helped us immensely to mitigate the city’s cost to signalize and make the required road changes to the intersection of Collins and Amsterdam.
Baehner: While the pandemic-related cash infusions have certainly gone a long way to ensure we have met budgetary needs the past couple of years, it is imperative that we remain diligent in our budgeting process and that we manage expenses to remain in line with our standard income resources. We must carefully balance the “wants” and “needs” of our budget with responsible and equitable income streams. I am thankful that our residents and council have long had the benefit of fiscal professionals managing our Finance Committee. Their oversight has provided our council with a solid framework for a responsible city budget year after year.
Walsh: Cities everywhere are facing challenges related to increased costs from inflation and staffing challenges. We must balance these difficulties with sound financial decisions related to taxes and the financial burden these place on residents. Seeking grant funding is also a potential way to pursue specific initiatives that could benefit the city, and as mentioned above, I have substantial experience with grant writing and associated funding opportunities.
Access to affordable housing in Northern Kentucky, as well as across the country, is increasingly a challenge. What role do you see the city government playing in addressing these concerns?
Thompson: For Villa Hills, whose last large piece of vacant land is currently being built out, other new housing starts are not on the table. However, as long as we maintain good fiscal management and ensure upkeep of the city infrastructure, we can bring value to every homeowner and renter within the city.
Cahill: (no answer)
Stover: The increase in housing costs and continuing inflation puts everyone in a difficult situation. Within the city there is housing with a wide range of values including single-family houses, condominiums, and apartments. Since the city is basically built out, it would be a challenge to address this situation.
Wadsworth: The City of Villa Hills, with the addition of the new Sanctuary development, is now totally built out. I do not believe the city can have a role in adding affordable housing as it is not the job of government to interfere in an individual’s right to set the purchase price for his/her property.
Baehner: It’s certainly challenging to find a balance between government intervention and free market economics when it comes to housing. In terms of the specific role of our city government, I believe it should ensure fair and equitable housing laws and policies are in place and I believe we have that in Villa Hills.
Walsh: Firstly, Villa Hills can continue to be a desirable place to live by maintaining a focus on strong public safety and infrastructure. The city government must ensure we are supporting our police and emergency medical services and to focus on residential development and infrastructure initiatives that best serve not only the current needs of the city but with a perspective into the future. Residents have contacted me with concerns related to city taxes, and I think a robust discussion is needed at the level of the city government about how to balance the need for revenue with the negative aspects of higher taxes.
What are the most significant infrastructure concerns in your city and what should be done to address them?
Thompson: As chair of the Public Works Committee, roads and sidewalks are my main focus. We have a five-year plan to replace and maintain city streets, as well as major projects like the expansion of the Collins/Amsterdam intersection. Should I be reelected, I plan to continue this work.
Cahill: Our largest and most enduring infrastructure concern is roads. Most of our roads were built at about the same time and are all coming to the end of their lifespan. The voters recognized that fact by approving a road tax some years ago. The only other infrastructure issues have to do with our first responders. Improvements have been made to the police facility and the firehouse replacement was mentioned above.
Stover: As our population continues to grow, the need for city services will also increase. We are aware that finding funds to repair/replace aging streets continues to present challenges. The city administration consistently seeks grants and other sources of funding to defray expenses. Public Works has developed a 10-year plan to address the street situation, and is saving the city money by doing some of the work themselves. The proposed intersection at Amsterdam and Collins will address a traffic problem that has existed for many years and has significantly gotten worse as the population increased.
Wadsworth: Road repair and sidewalk additions continue to be the top concern in our city. The city has used a survey company to determine the conditions underneath many of the road surfaces. This has helped us determine where the most significant road issues are and helps us to plan the proper course of action while setting aside funding for future road repairs according to our road plan. Just filling in potholes and resurfacing the roads when more extensive work needs to be done only prolongs the problem and results in money being wasted. Sidewalks remain a top priority as well for the safety and enjoyment of our residents. We have plans in place and will begin constructing new sidewalks at the areas mentioned above in the short term while continuing to budget for future areas in the long term.
Baehner: The two biggest infrastructure concerns facing our city are the completion of the new firehouse in conjunction with our partners in Crescent Springs and the reconstruction of the Collins/Amsterdam intersection. The former is the largest capital project ever undertaken by the cities of Villa Hills and Crescent Springs and is well on track for completion next year. With regard to the latter, the current council has worked diligently the past three years considering all options for the reconstruction of one of the most critical intersections in our city. We are very close to being able to move this project forward. It has been a very collaborative effort for both projects and I commend all of my council colleagues for their tireless efforts on behalf of our city and our residents.
Walsh: The construction of the Amsterdam/Collins intersection and the new firehouse for Villa Hills/Crescent Springs are the most significant infrastructure concerns in the community currently. We must ensure best practices are applied not only for the construction of the new firehouse but then also for the EMS personnel who will work there and provide an essential service to our community. This includes actively seeking feedback from those professionals regarding their resources for training and carrying out their roles. For the streets, while the Amsterdam/Collins intersection is clearly a substantial area of focus, the city government must also address other concerns in the city related to traffic congestion and flow, and several residents have contacted me with specific examples of where potential changes could be considered.