Villa Hills will be holding a special council meeting on December 13 at 6:30 p.m. at 719 Rogers Road.
This meeting is re-scheduled from the City Council’s regular meeting because of the holidays.
There are two legislative items on the agenda — a second reading and discussion of an ordinance amending sigh regulations of the zoning code and a draft order authorizing the amor to enter into an inter-local cooperation agreement with the City of Crescent Springs on police services.
An executive session is also on the agenda.
City of Union
The City of Union received a $1500 grant from the Kentucky League of Cities Insurance Services (KLCIS) to be used for sidewalk upgrades to meet American with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards in the Lassing Green subdivision.
KLCIS helps members increase public safety with a number of proactive programs and services and has awarded in excess of $4 million since the Liability Grant Program in 1999.
The City Commission held a straw vote on December 5 on a first reading to approve the sale of property 10087 Old Union Road. The Commission voted 4-0, with one member absent, to provisionally approve the sale. The Ordinance authorizing the sale was presented for first reading at the meeting and will be given a second reading before a binding vote at a special meeting scheduled for December 13.
The City received a bid of $276,000 from DelMonde Inc., a local heating and air conditioning company for the sale of the property. The company currently rents space in the building for storage from the City of Union. The Commission also approved a payment from the general fund of the City for the amount of the loan still held on the building.
The Building was purchased by the city at a cost of $375,000 in 2008.
“The citizens of Union desire a community center, but this building is not good for that purpose. It would require so many upgrades and major expense to improve and would still not be an ideal community center for our growing city,” said Mayor Larry K. Solomon. “When we looked at the options, improve an aging building with not an ideal floor plan or constructing a new, modern and more flexible use building for our citizens, there simply wasn’t a comparison. By selling this building, we will be able to move forward toward a new era and build a building that is more in line with what the community needs and desires from a community center.”
In additional business, the commission held first readings on an ordinance to allow extended alcohol sales on New Year’s Eve when that holiday falls on a Sunday. The revision would allow sales of alcohol until 2:30 a.m. on Monday, January 1, for the holiday period. This revision would bring the City of Union in line with planned changes to similar ordinances in both Boone County and the City of Florence.
More information regarding the City of Union can be found on the city’s website or by contacting Communications and Operations Director Melissa Hinkle at melissah@cityofunionky.org or 859-384-1511.
Covington approves new police, fire hiring ordinance
The Covington City Commission has approved allowing lateral hires for police officers at its last meeting.
Previously, the Covington Code of Ordinances did not allow the lateral hire of police officers and firefighters.
“I want to thank our Legal Department for completing the updates to the ordinance,” said Chief of Police Rob Nader. “This task was a several month process that will allow us the same flexibility as neighboring departments in hiring trained police officers.
“Under the new ordinance, we can hire Police Officers through lateral transfer which is mandated by state law. By adding this section it will give the Police Department the advantage of skipping the written test and eligibility list when hiring an already qualified and trained officer.”
This could save the city costs from administering the test and improve the quality of our police force by making it easier to hire qualified, experienced, and trained officers, said Nader.
In addition, the new ordinance will allow lateral transfers of firefighters. The hiring of qualified and trained firefighters by lateral entry is governed by a working agreement with IAFF Local 38.
