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Covington Arts manager Cate Becker has left her position in favor of a job next door to City Hall at BLDG.

Becker’s position is already vacant and her resignation is expected to be accepted at Tuesday’s city commission meeting.

The departure of the arts manager at a time when the city’s budget for 2015-16 is in the early stages could place the position up for discussion as a possible target for cuts. 

“We always evaluate positions and see if there are any efficiencies we can do to combine things, but we are still dedicated to the arts and culture in the city,” City Manager Larry Klein told The River City News on Thursday. “There has not been a decision made. We’re working on the budget now and you always look at things and whether there is an opportunity to do things differently.”

The arts manager job was created during Covington’s ill-fated attempt to develop an Arts District along Pike Street. Since 2007, four different individuals have held the full-time position which outlasted the arts district which was eliminated in 2012. During the creation of the 2014-15 budget, the City of Covington explored the possibility of reducing the arts manager position to part-time status.

Last spring, Braxton Brewing Company announced its plans to move into the building that Covington Arts occupied on Seventh Street and the city arts program moved to 2 West Pike Street where it still hosts monthly exhibits. The City cited the success of its arts program as one of the driving factors that attracted a business like Braxton, which will open this spring.

Meanwhile, other positions at City Hall remain vacant. The City has not replaced its business development manager following the departure of Naashom Marx for a job at the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, or its historic preservation officer position which opened when Beth Johnson departed for a similar job in Austin, Texas.

Klein said both of those positions should be filled soon. A business development manager candidate has been selected and “We’re very close (to hiring a historic preservation officer),” Klein said.

The City is also interviewing replacements for Cindy Swegles who retired from the recreation department and Klein is moving Liz Barlik from the City Solicitor’s office to be the City Manager’s assistant, filling a void left by the departure of Katie Huschebeck. 

Written by Michael Monks, editor & publisher of The River City News

Photo: An opening at Covington Arts (RCN file)