The Park Hills city council is still looking for a permanent home to hold its meetings.
The city building has not been used for meetings in some time but during Monday’s virtual meeting, Mayor Kathy Zembrodt suggested that the next meeting could be in person there.
Councilman Joe Shields raised concerns about federal Americans With Disabilities (ADA) requirements since the city building may not meet those standards.
Zembrodt said that she would check with City Attorney Dan Braun since she did not know the answer.
Shields said the steps leading up to the council room were difficult for people. Mayor Zembrodt said that she thought about 15 people could fit into the council room in addition to her and the councilmembers, the attorney, and the department heads, as well as the TBNK team that records the meetings.
Zembrodt thought they could put an overflow crowd in the room in the firehouse next door and stream the meeting there, if the fire department approved it.
But some councilmembers were not happy with that scenario, saying the steps are difficult, and using the firehouse room inconveniences the firefighters, plus they are both confined spaces.
For years now, Park Hills city council has been somewhat nomadic, holding meetings at both Notre Dame Academy and Covington Catholic High School.
Zembrodt recently reached out to Cov Cath principal Bob Rowe since the school handles rentals of the Gardens of Park Hills building. She inquired about securing the building’s lower level for city meetings.
The mayor said that the school offered the space at $2,000 per month.
LINK nky has reached out to the school to confirm that offer.
“I don’t want to spend that kind of money for the short amount of time we were in there,” said the mayor.
Zembrodt explained that the city needs a space to meet twice a month without paying too much. She would also like to be able to store meeting equipment at the site so that it doesn’t have to be moved for each meeting.
Councilman Shields asked whether the school would make a better offer if the city committed to it for a year.
Councilwoman Pam Spoor expressed concern that spaces that are not regularly rented are not always climate controlled. She said the old church that the council used to meet in was often very cold.
Spoor and Councilwoman Sarah Froelich said that the city needs to have its own space and should start saving to make that happen.
Mayor Zembrodt said the city has been saving and looking for a place.
“If you drive around and see any empty lots, tell me, and I will call the owner, I’ve done that before,” she said. “We have three tables and we have chairs upstairs waiting for a space.”
Zembrodt also said that she would talk again with Cov Cath officials about possibly coming up with a per-night rental fee of $100 or $200.
If council can’t find a space for the next meeting to be held in person, it will be virtual again, she said.
In other business, council discussed the budget for the next fiscal year which includes a 4% raise for employees.
Council also agreed to look at enhancing the city’s signs at its entrances. Spoor said the signs might cost about $4,000 each.
