With busy schedules, not everyone can make it to their local city council or fiscal court meeting. LINK nky has you covered.
Every Monday, we are recapping what happened in local government over the past week and what you need to know for this week.
What happened in NKY government last week?
Independence City Council: Monday, Oct. 7
The Independence City Council voted to add a police social worker position to the Independence Police Department. The full-time position will be paid between $55,000 and $77,000 per year, depending on the social worker’s background and experience. The social worker will be better positioned to handle situations where a service-based intervention would be more appropriate than a conventional police intervention. The position is expected to prevent repeat calls and help connect relevant cases to necessary services.
Read more about the police social worker position here.
Newport Board of Commissioners (caucus): Monday, Oct. 7
Newport is considering implementing composting services in the city with GoZERO, a composting company, presenting options including centralized drop-off areas and individual residential composting services. The city is responding to residents’ requests for these services. GoZERO’s composting services focus on food waste, but also include meat, dairy, bones and paper products. GoZERO also has an idea for a partnership with the city to use the Newport landfill for a pilot program for a material aggregation box and or a composting site.
Read more about the composting services here.
Union City Commission: Monday, Oct. 7
Union 42 Bourbon & Brew has been recognized by The Bourbon Review as one of the best bourbon bars in Northern Kentucky, receiving a Certificate of Excellence Award from the City of Union. The bar, located at 9900 Old Union Road, offers a diverse selection of bourbon, rye, Irish whiskey, scotch and craft and domestic beer. Mayor Larry Solomon praised Union 42 Bourbon & Brew for transforming a former long-time establishment into a popular destination in Union.
Read more about the recognition here.
Wilder City Council: Monday, Oct. 7
Wilder has welcomed new members to its emergency response teams, including Tommaso Giannetta to the fire team, Zachary Harvey to the public works team, and Adam Peak to the police department as a lieutenant.
Read more about the new members here.
Covington Board of Commissioners: Tuesday, Oct. 8
The city of Covington has been granted a $450,000 forgivable loan from the federal government to rehabilitate a cluster of affordable housing properties in the Eastside neighborhood. The funds will be used to upgrade HVAC systems, kitchen appliances, water heaters and bathtubs for 25 rental units, as well as to refinance debt related to the units. The units are owned by Neighborhood Investment Partners, a nonprofit affiliated with the city and the Housing Authority of Covington and are currently occupied and receive federal rental subsidies. Construction is set to commence later this month and extend through the end of September 2025.
Read more about the affordable housing properties here.
Dayton City Council: Tuesday, Oct. 8
Dayton is amending its zoning regulations to accommodate medical cannabis facilities, which will be legal in Kentucky starting Jan. 1, 2025. The proposed ordinance would disallow vape and liquor stores from the central business district and only allow them in the neighborhood commercial district. The ordinance also includes zoning restrictions for medical cannabis operations, which are prohibited within 1,000 feet of a school or daycare. The ordinance will be voted on next month.
Read more about the zoning regulations here.
The Dayton City Council has approved a 15% lower property tax rate for the next fiscal year, the most significant drop in decades. The new rate is .399 per $100 of assessed property valuation, a 15% drop from the last fiscal year. The decrease is mostly due to increased property values in Dayton.
Read more about the tax rate here.
Florence City Council: Tuesday, Oct. 8
The Florence City Council has decided to table a vote on a revamped personnel staffing plan that would eliminate and add positions in the finance and administration areas. The proposal comes as a response to the retirement of the city’s longtime Chief Financial Officer, Linda Chapman, in June after almost 20 years of service. The proposal includes the creation of new positions and adjustments to existing ones, including a new finance director, Jason Lewis, and a new HR administrator, Laura Grant. The proposal also includes a position to handle the many open records requests that come to the city, which have steadily grown as the city has grown. The proposal may be put on the agenda for next week and a special meeting on the proposal may be necessary.
Read more about the staffing plan here.
Bellevue City Council: Wednesday, Oct. 9
Fire Chief Chris Adkins for the Bellevue-Dayton Fire Department, is retiring after 27 years in fire service, 20 of which were spent at the city’s joint fire department. The chief is being replaced by Captain Brent Schafer, who will serve as interim fire chief beginning at the end of October. The department is now advertising for a new chief and has an application on the Fire Department of Bellevue-Dayton website.
Read more about Adkins’ retirement here.
Bellevue city officials have discovered that many school district properties, including the stadium and the high school building, actually belong to the city. The discovery was made during title research, which revealed that ownership had been transferred from the schools to the city in the 1970s. The city plans to return the properties to the schools, as they were intended to be returned once a project was complete. The city has also agreed to add Grandview Elementary to the list of properties to be returned if needed.
Read more about the district properties here.
Ludlow City Council: Thursday, Oct. 10
The City of Ludlow is considering converting a portion of Montrose Street into a one-way due to safety concerns. However, some council members and city officials have raised concerns about the ordinance’s effect on snow-plowing operations and the need for a traffic study to determine the number of car wrecks in the area. The city has decided to table the discussion and give residents who live near Montrose Street a chance to weigh in on the issue.
What’s happening this week in NKY government?
Fort Mitchell City Council: Monday, Oct. 14
Location: 2355 Dixie HighwayÂ
Time: 6:30 p.m.Â
What you need to know: First reading adopting the Kenton County Planning Commission recommendation on map amendment to the Fort Mitchell zoning ordinance for a proposed senior assisted residential living facility.
The agenda can be found here.
Park Hills City Council: Monday, Oct. 14
Location: 1106 Amsterdam RoadÂ
Time: 7 p.m.Â
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
Cold Spring City Council caucus meeting: Monday, Oct. 14
Location: 5694 East Alexandria PikeÂ
Time: 7:30 p.m.Â
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
Kenton County Fiscal Court: Tuesday, Oct. 15
Location: 1840 Simon Kenton Way in Covington
Time: 5:30 p.m.
What you need to know: There will be a presentation of the 2024 Pioneer Award to Jeanne Schroer. There will be a first reading (no action taken) of an ordinance amending the official zoning ordinance of unincorporated Kenton County adding family child-care homes as a conditional use in residential zones and revising definitions and height and area standards to comply with 2021 Senate Bill 148.
The agenda can be found here.
Campbell County Fiscal Court: Wednesday, Oct. 16
Location: 1098 Monmouth Street
Time: 5:30 p.m.Â
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
Fort Wright City Council caucus meeting: Wednesday, Oct. 16
Location: 409 Kyles LaneÂ
Time: 6 p.m.Â
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
Villa Hills City Council: Wednesday, Oct. 16
Location: 719 Rogers RoadÂ
Time: 6:30 p.m.Â
