The Covington City Commission is holding elections for each of their four seats.
The commission is Covington’s governing board and is comprised of the mayor and four commissioners. The mayor holds a four-year term and Commissioners hold two-year terms.
There are three incumbents seeking reelection: Ron Washington, Tim Downing and Shannon Smith. With Commissioner Michelle Williams not seeking reelection, there is one open seat.
Nolan Nicaise is the only other contender in the race. He will fill Williams’ spot on the board.
As Election Day 2022 approaches, LINK nky spoke with each candidate, offering them an opportunity to detail their background, strengths and vision for the commission.
INCUMBENTS
Ron Washington
Ron Washington is a native of Covington and was raised in the Old Town/Mutter Gottes neighborhood. He attended Covington Independent Schools from kindergarten through 12th grade, graduating from Holmes High School in 1986.
“In a word, ‘shocking,’” Washington said when describing how the city has changed since he was a kid. “Growing in Covington and living here now and seeing all the people coming to our city, the new people really wanting to live in our city, all the people wanting to do business in our city, I’ve never seen it like this. It’s very energizing.”
Washington is a retired police officer having served in various law enforcement positions across Northern Kentucky. He was the first African-American police officer to serve the City of Florence. Washington served as the Chief Deputy in the Kenton County Sheriff’s Office for five years. Washington earned the rank of “colonel” making him the highest-ranking black police officer to work in Northern Kentucky.
Aside from his work in law enforcement, Washington is an entrepreneur and founded NKY Med Clinic, one of the largest medication-assisted treatment centers in Kentucky. The center works to help people with recovery by reducing or eliminating their dependence on heroin and other drugs.
In the public service realm, Washington is a volunteer for Covington Independent Schools and serves as the voice of the Holmes Lady Bulldogs, announcing their home games. He also served as a Parish Kitchen board member for a number of years.
First elected to the commission in 2020, Washington told LINK nky his first term has been “extremely rewarding.”
“I’ve had a great experience being on the commission. The city is doing really well, but we know there are areas we can continue improving. There’s a lot of great things happening in Covington and I’m happy to be a part of it.”
Washington said going forward, the commission should focus on continuing to make Covington a business-friendly city, a vibrant place for residents and tourists, and to be as welcoming as possible. Lastly, having grown up in Covington, Washington said he wants to make sure longtime residents can continue to afford to live in the community they grew up in.
Tim Downing
Tim Downing has lived in Covington for the majority of his life. He holds degrees in both mathematics and physics from Centre College, a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Cincinnati, and received his MBA from Xavier University.
Professionally, Downing has worked in data analytics for approximately 15 years and has spent time at companies such as Neilsen and Kao Brands. He currently works for Hormel Foods. Downing described his skillset as “understanding what the data is saying and how that data tells a story.”
“I’ve been using my data analysis skills to help the City of Covington in any way I can,” Downing said. “When we have data that is available to us, I want to help provide a better understanding of how that data can impact us. I work with staff to utilize my skills for the betterment of the city.”
He was first elected to the commission in 2016, then reelected in 2018 and 2020. Downing has worked with various different commissions throughout the years and has experience seeing all sides of a multi-faceted problem, then working to find solutions.
Downing told LINK nky his goal is for the commission to continue building momentum so they can continue solving complex problems going forward.
“In terms of larger priorities, we’ve got the development of the IRS Center and the development the new City Hall, improving the economic vitality of Latonia and making sure we are appropriately supporting our police and fire so that way, we can continue to have safe streets. We want to utilize everyone’s tax dollars efficiently,” Downing said.
Downing is a supporter of bringing businesses into Covington that will continue to grow the city’s economy and also help bring greater quality of life to the residents of the city.
“If we continue to help bring in businesses that can help grow our economy, that helps us then have the appropriate support structure for our staff to help better support our residents,” Downing said.
Shannon Smith
Shannon Smith moved to Covington around a decade ago, living in several neighborhoods across the city such as Mainstrasse, Old Seminary Square and Peaselburg. She currently resides in the Central Business District.
Smith is a lawyer by trade and runs her own firm, Law Offices of Shannon C. Smith. She’s also a small business owner running Revival Vintage Spirits and Bottle Shop.
In the public service realm, Smith served on the Board of Renaissance Covington as the Economic Vitality Chair. In her role, Smith helped RCOV win the Great American Mainstreet Award in 2017. The award is a national honor that recognizes the team’s effort in contributing toward the economic development of Covington’s Central Business District.
She was first elected to the commission in 2018 and reelected in 2020. Smith told LINK nky her experience as an attorney and small business owner provides the commission with two different skillsets, each with their own positives.
“I’m a business owner and business law attorney,” Smith said. “I review our City contracts and relationships through that lens; as a committed city advocate providing an extra set of legal eyes, significant entrepreneurial experience, and an understanding that this city should be run as a business centered on customer service for our tax payers.”
As a commissioner, Smith advocated for free wireless internet throughout Covington, the addition of a new trade school, voted for tax cuts, and supported affordable housing efforts.
“In 2018 alone, we approved a $3.7 million plan to invest in Covington’s low and moderate income housing, $1.2 million of which was designed to help people buy homes and repair, maintain, and create affordable housing,” Smith said.
Going forward, Smith said she wants to expand upon the commission’s current efforts such as expanding workplace diversity, improving the city’s stormwater maintenance system, implementing the city’s Parks and Recreation plan and alleviating parking issues facing Covington’s business districts.
“I want to pursue each goal while maintaining and working within a healthy, balanced budget and a continual eye toward the ever-changing needs of our City,” Smith said.
NEWCOMERS
Nolan Nicaise
Nolan Nicaise is a native of Covington and a graduate of Scott High. An urban planner by trade, he currently works at ZoneCo in Cincinnati. Nicaise has experience working in cities across the United States such as Boston, where he worked as an environmental research administrator, and Chicago, where he consulted for pipeline companies helping them stay compliant with environmental regulations.
He has a biology degree from the University of Dayton and earned his Masters Degree in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University.
Nicaise wants to bring a national perspective to the commission, using his experiences in the field to help city policymaking.
“In my job, I have worked with cities across the country, large and small,” Nicaise said. “I bring a perspective of being both a Covington native, but also having experiences working in and living in cities across the country.”
Sustainability is a large part of Nicaise’s platform. He is an outspoken advocate for improved bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure throughout Covington and has publicly voiced his support for it in a past commission meeting.
“I want to implement transportation equity, and that aligns with sustainability,” Nicaise said. “Regardless of whether a person wants to have a car, can afford to have a car, has a driver’s license or not, I want people who aren’t driving to get around the city as safely as possible.”
Housing is another issue important to Nicaise. He told LINK nky he recognizes housing prices have risen, not only in Covington, but across the United States. A solution Nicaise proposes is to support the densification of housing in areas of the city that are built out, walkable and serviced by TANK buses.
“People are experiencing issues with housing affordability, and I want to make sure that we’re making decisions that allow for housing to stay affordable in Covington for the people that are here right now, or for people who are wanting to move here,” Nicaise said.
