After hearing a presentation last week on Transportation Improvement Districts, the Florence City Council took steps toward establishing one in the city.
At Tuesday night’s council meeting, the council held a first reading of an ordinance that would establish the district, known as a TID.
Although the city would need to consider the financial impacts and support of the move in its next budget, fiscal year 2025-26, the council agreed they would want to establish the TID this year and begin preparations, including appointing a board with five voting and one nonvoting member. The group could begin then to identify potential projects across the city.
Councilmember Angie Cable had questions and some concerns. She noted that Boone County had already created a TID last year, and she did not know if it had been funded or if any projects were underway.
Public Services Director Eric Hall, who is a nonvoting member of the county Transportation Improvement District, responded that they have been awarded $10 million in funding but are working to access the funds in Frankfort.
“There’s another project that they are getting ready to receive $1.6 or $1.8 million for,” said Hall. “We just had a public hearing on that last week. So those funds look like they are going to come through as well. As soon as you pass this ordinance, we will start working towards establishing funding in Frankfort and seeing what we can get our hands on. I can’t tell you when we’ll get it, but we’re going to lobby for it.”
Hall mentioned several priority projects the district is working on, including the Mall Road connector from Pleasant Valley to the interstate.
Cable asked about other projects that could be funded including a project concerning a truck stop on Kentucky 18 and improvements at the exit off US 42 at Florence that has a new lane going towards Ockerman Middle School.
Hall responded the board will be open to consideration of several projects and ideas.
“Because I’m very big on government oversight, and knowing Boone County has this board, and it’s fresh and it’s new, and we haven’t seen any progress out of that, what are the odds that this board is going to do what is being promised? It’s not something we’re trying to establish just because we want to be the first city in the state to do this?” Cable asked.
Hall responded that this concern is the reason he is in favor of establishing a position to oversee the board and serve as a liaison with the city. The Boone County Transportation Improvement District does not have such a position, he noted.
“We want someone focused on it, so it is successful,” Hall said. “So that means seeking funds and establishing projects and moving this thing forward. So that’s why I think we’re going to be different, because we are setting it up differently, based on having a leadership role that will report within my department. They will align with our goals within the city, and then we can execute projects based on that.”
The council held a roll call vote on the first reading of the ordinance. Four members approved and two members, Cable and Lesley Chambers, opposed.