The city of Cold Spring announced it has filed an appeal to halt the transfer of the former Disabled American Veterans property to the Campbell County School District.
In late November 2021, Campbell County Circuit Court Judge Julie Ward ruled to allow the school district to continue with its efforts to seize the property through eminent domain. The district moved forward with their plans the following week, submitting a check for $5.5 million to the court to purchase the property located at at US 27 and KY 1998.
At its December meeting, the Cold Spring City Council voted to appeal the judge’s decision in an effort to stop the sale.
City officials issued a statement today to clarify the status of the case:
“The district is attempting to seize the property through eminent domain, but the city has filed suit to halt that process and the legal case remains pending before the Kentucky Court of Appeals. While the city understands and appreciates the need for the district to build a new school, we fully believe that the best use of the DAV property is a mixed-use development that will create jobs, generate tax dollars for city services and offer residents of Cold Spring and neighboring communities expanded access to services. We hope this sets the record straight.”
In response to the statement, Dr. David Rust, superintendent for Campbell County Schools, said “We possess the property. We have changed the locks, secured and currently maintain the property. Judge Ward’s order was very powerful, and unequivocal…”
Rust continued, “…While the school district is currently able to fund the renovation of the DAV, the price of renovation and bond rates continue to climb while the city makes us wait. This is a detriment to all of our tax payers. Finally, the longer this takes, the longer it will be before Cold Spring will collect the occupational taxes from our employees and local businesses will see the sales benefit or visitors attending events at an active and bustling new middle school in the community.”
The fight over the DAV property began in December of 2020, when the organization announced it was putting its 30-acre property up for sale and moving to a new facility in Erlanger. Since that time, the site has been the focus of a struggle between the city of Cold Spring and the Campbell County School District.
City officials have been working to bring a healthcare facility to the site that they say will bring jobs and revenue as well as provide the community better access to health services. The school district contends the property is a cost-effective location for a much needed second middle school.
