This week, in NKY local government meetings, the Kenton County Board of education discusses renovations to four of its elementary schools, while Fort Wright considers pay increase for succeeding elected officials.
Keep reading to find out what happened in local government over the past week and what you need to know for this week.
What happened last week in government meetings?
Elsmere charges absent councilmember Serena Owen with neglect, misconduct
At a special meeting on April 29, the Elsmere City Council charged council member Serena Owen with six counts of woeful neglect and misconduct, citing her repeated absences from meetings, failure to participate in legislative duties, and refusal to use an official city email account. The charges also include her rejection of compensation as a council member—deemed “dishonest, if not fraudulent”—and her alleged directive to city staff to delete photos of her at a public event. While Owen has cited disability-related needs and requested virtual accommodations, the city claims she refused reasonable alternatives such as police escort and protective glass. The council unanimously approved the charges and authorized $2,000 for expert testimony from a licensed clinical social worker at her removal hearing, scheduled for May 27.
Read more about the charges here.
Alexandria Kroger zoning approved
Alexandria is moving closer to securing a $35 million Kroger Marketplace on a 31.65-acre site along US 27, featuring a 122,912-square-foot store with amenities like a fuel center, drive-thru pharmacy, Starbucks, and wine and spirits shop. The Alexandria City Council unanimously approved a necessary zoning change on May 1, and while initial plans were approved by the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission, final development plan approval is still pending, contingent on traffic and signage revisions. An Industrial Revenue Bond agreement was also approved, with the city set to receive 40% of the property tax revenue initially, while the rest offsets development costs, tied to payroll tax performance.
Read more about the development here.
Boone County officials review proposed budget ahead of fiscal year 2025-2026
Boone County officials are reviewing a proposed 2025–2026 budget that prioritizes conservative revenue estimates, increased staffing, and higher expenditures, particularly for public services and transportation. County Administrator Matthew Webster, working with new Treasurer Lisa Goetz, outlined plans to boost general fund spending by 13.7% to $63.8 million, supported by projected revenues of $81.2 million—up 3.5% from the previous year—driven primarily by payroll and property taxes. Major spending increases include funding for the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK), which faces rising operational costs, and public safety enhancements such as hiring additional sheriff’s deputies. The county also plans to expand staff in parks, animal services, and communications, while allocating 58.5% of the general fund to personnel expenses. Final budget discussions are set for May 6, with public hearings and ordinance readings scheduled later in May and early June.
Read more about the Boone County Fiscal Court budget here.
County approves demolition, renovation plans for Lloyd HS
The Kenton County Planning Commission unanimously approved a public facility review for major renovations at Lloyd Memorial High School in the Erlanger-Elsmere Independent School District, which include demolishing part of the existing structure and adding approximately 40,000 square feet of new space, along with a new entrance, walkways, expanded parking, and a revamped playground. Originally built in 1954, the building’s outdated infrastructure has made it hard to maintain and unsuitable for modern educational needs, though the school’s capacity will remain at about 750 students. Construction is set to begin in the fall and is expected to take two to two and a half years, with some students temporarily relocated to mobile classrooms during the process.
Read more about the renovations here.
Cold Spring Council approves $35M Kroger Marketplace expansion
Cold Spring City Council has approved a zone change allowing a major Kroger expansion at 70 Martha Layne Collins Boulevard, clearing the way for the existing store to be torn down and rebuilt as a 131,000-square-foot Kroger Marketplace with an additional 8,000-square-foot wine and spirits shop, fuel center, and pharmacy drive-through. The motion passed 4-1 during a second reading on April 28, with one council member voting no and another absent.
Read more about the Kroger expansion here.
Fort Thomas approves bids for Tower Park entrance, Midway District projects
At its April meeting, Fort Thomas City Council approved bids for two infrastructure projects: widening the River Road entrance into Tower Park and a comprehensive streetscape upgrade in the Midway Business District. The $85,065 River Road project, awarded to Eaton Asphalt, aims to ease traffic flow, especially for large vehicles, near the VA Medical Center and will align with ongoing park and sports complex improvements. The $4.8 million Midway project, awarded to Prus Construction, includes burying utility lines and enhancing sidewalks, curbs, landscaping, and crosswalks along South Fort Thomas Avenue. While some telephone poles will remain off the avenue, city officials emphasized improved safety and aesthetics in the long run, despite short-term disruptions for local businesses. Construction for both projects is expected to begin within the current or upcoming budget year.
Read more about the projects here.
What’s happening this week in government meetings?
Kenton County Schools to discuss four elementary school projects
Kenton County School Board: Monday, May 5
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 1045 Eaton Drive in Fort Wright.
What you need to know: After a review of the 2023-2027 District Facility Plan and the physical condition of each building and building system, the school district identified projects across four elementary schools.
White’s Tower Elementary was identified for a renovation project focused on HVAC upgrade/replacement, roof replacement, site circulation improvements, and interior and exterior renovations in the 1964 and 1994 sections of the building. The initial construction cost estimate for the renovation is $12,000,000. The project will tentatively begin in the fall of 2025.
Find more information on the proposed project, along with renderings, here.
Piner Elementary was also identified for a renovation project focused on site circulation improvements, roof replacement, interior renovations of restrooms and the gymnasium, and exterior renovations. The initial construction cost estimate for the renovation is $2,800,000. The project will tentatively begin in the fall of 2025.
Find more information about that project here.
Kenton Elementary was identified for a renovation project focused on HV AC upgrade/replacement, roof replacement, and interior and exterior renovations in the 1950 and 2001 sections of the building. The initial construction cost estimate for the renovation is $10,500,000. The project will tentatively begin in the spring of 2026.
Find more information about that project here.
Ryland Heights Elementary was identified for a renovation project focused on HV AC upgrade/replacement, roof replacement, and interior and exterior renovations in the 1960 and 1994 sections of the building. The initial construction cost estimate for the renovation is $10,975,000. The project will tentatively begin in the spring of 2026.
Find more information about the project here.
The agenda can be found here.
Edgewood City Council: Monday, May 5
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Edgewood City Building at 385 Dudley Road.
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
Fort Mitchell City Council: Monday, May 5
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at 2355 Dixie Highway.
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
Union Commission: Monday, May 5
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Union City Building at 1843 Bristow Drive.
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
Wilder City Council: Monday, May 5
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Wilder City Building at 520 Licking Pike.
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
Independence City Council: Monday, May 5
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 5409 Madison Pike.
Boone County Fiscal Court: Tuesday, May 6
The meeting starts at 8:30 a.m. at 2950 Washington Street in Burlington.
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
Covington considers changing open records policies
Covington Board of Commissioners caucus meeting: Tuesday, May 6
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at 20 West Pike St.
What you need to know: Covington is considering changing its open records ordinance to be more in line with state regulations about open records. Specifically, the change would add a line requiring Kentucky residency for those making requests. The Covington City Commission performed a first reading of the ordinance on Tuesday.
Find more information on the open records policy changes here.
The agenda can be found here.
Florence City Council caucus meeting: Tuesday, May 6
The meeting can be found at 6 p.m. at 8100 Ewing Blvd.
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
Walton City Council caucus meeting: Tuesday, May 6
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at 40 North Main St.
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
Elsmere City Council caucus meeting: Tuesday, May 6
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at 3921 Dixie Highway.
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
Erlanger City Council meeting: Tuesday, May 6
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 505 Commonwealth Ave.
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
Highland Heights City Council: Tuesday, May 6
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 176 Johns Hill Road.
Campbell County Fiscal Court: Wednesday, May 7
The meeting starts at 9 a.m. at 8352 East Main St. in Alexandria.
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
Fort Wright considers pay increase for succeeding elected officials
Fort Wright City Council: Wednesday, May 7
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at 409 Kyles Lane.
What you need to know: The city council will discuss an ordinance regarding increasing the succeeding elected officials pay in Jan 2027.
Read more about the consideration of pay increases here.
The agenda can be found here.
Southgate City Council: Wednesday, May 7
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at 122 Electric Ave.
Boone County Board of Education: Thursday, May 8
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 99 Center St. in Florence
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
Ludlow City Council: Thursday, May 8
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 51 Elm St.
The agenda can be found here when it is published.
