Sharmili Reddy, current executive director of Kenton County Planning and Development Services and former city administrator of Fort Mitchell, has been named as the new city manager of Covington. Reddy will assume the role on Aug. 19, at which point she will be the first woman and first woman of color to occupy the position. […]
Tag: Ken Smith
Public Works director named Covington’s interim city manager
Keith Bales, the director of Covington’s Public Works Department, was named interim city manager this week following the sudden resignation of City Manager Ken Smith. The Covington Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to both accept Smith’s resignation and institute Bales as the interim city manager Tuesday night. Bales will remain in the post until Aug. […]
Ken Smith resigns as city manager of Covington
Covington’s city manager has resigned, the city confirmed to LINK nky on Monday. Ken Smith has been city manager since 2021 after having served in the position on an interim basis for 13 weeks prior. “City Manager Ken Smith submitted his resignation this morning,” reads a statement from the city. “The decision was his own, […]
Covington considers ordinance to allow medical cannabis
The Covington City Commission has completed the first reading of an ordinance regulating medical cannabis businesses in the city.
What’s a city commissioner good for, anyway? How Covington’s city government works
In Kenton County, Covington is holding a nonpartisan primary for its Board of Commissioners, with 10 candidates running for four seats, and the mayor and board members share executive and legislative power under the city manager model.
Covington set to refresh streetscape infrastructure for Madison Avenue, Seventh Street near Braxton Brewing
One of the busiest areas of Covington in terms of foot traffic is near the intersection of Madison Avenue and Seventh Street, said Covington Economic Development Authority Executive Director Tom West. Popular businesses such as Braxton Brewing, Hotel Covington, The Madison Event Center, Rich’s Proper, Agave & Rye, and The Well are some of Covington’s […]
Covington postpones increases in short-term rental license fees
The Covington City Commission voted to postpone a scheduled increase of short-term rental licensure fees at their meeting Tuesday night. The change was originally scheduled to occur on Nov. 1, following the passage of a new ordinance regulating the operation of short-term rentals, often referred to as Airbnbs, after the online service where such rentals […]
Covington’s quest for a new City Hall now has a timeline
The City of Covington’s government has had multiple homes over the past half century, including two different stints at its current digs, a spacious rental on Pike Street in what was once the downtown J.C. Penney store. It moved back there in 2013, after a previous residency in the 1980s, departing a building on Madison […]
Former Covington Public Works employee indicted on federal fraud, identity theft charges
A former administrative manager for the Covington Public Works Department has been indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts of wire fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft. Allison Donaldson, 49, was employed as an administrative manager for the Public Works Department from 2005 until 2022. She resigned after an internal investigation […]
Covington to lower property tax rate: “A unique opportunity”
The City of Covington is expected to approve a reduction in its property tax rate. On Tuesday night, the first of two necessary public readings of the tax ordinance was presented to the commission for consideration. City Manager Ken Smith is recommending a property tax rate of 0.271, a reduction from last year’s rate of […]

