A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

Northern Kentucky Health Department Board chooses Florence as site for new district office


By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune managing editor

The Northern Kentucky Health Department Board chose a location in Florence as the site for its new district office at Wednesday’s meeting.

The board was charged with selecting from competing submissions from the City of Florence and Lakeside Christian Church, both of which responded to a request for proposal from the Health Department.

Independence Mayor Chris Reinersman (center) makes the case for a site in his city to be chosen as the new location for the Northern Kentucky Health Department District Office

Independence Mayor Chris Reinersman (center) makes the case for a site in his city to be chosen as the new location for the Northern Kentucky Health Department District Office (photos by Mark Hansel).

The Florence site is located at the Government Center campus on Ewing Boulevard on land envisioned to house government offices. The Lakeside Christian proposal included a parcel at Turkeyfoot Road and Industrial Road in Independence. Both parcels are approximately four acres.

The City of Florence submitted a purchase price of $160,000 an acre, while the Lakeside Christian Church proposal identified a cost of $125,000 per acre.

The City of Independence  agreed to contribute $100,000 to the purchase price of the Lakeside Christian site and provide grounds maintenance at no cost for 20 years.

Independence Mayor Chris Reinersman asked the Board to consider the economic impact to the city of locating the facility on the Lakewood Christian property. He said that while Independence has a population very near that of Florence, the disparity in payroll taxes is much greater.

Independence, he said, collects payroll taxes of $2.2 million, compared to approximately $15 million for Florence.

“I realize that economic development is certainly not the mission of the Health Department,” Reinersman said. “I think both of these sites are good sites; both would very well accomplish the mission of the Health Department. I there is an opportunity to expend public dollars and offer a secondary benefit, I think it’s worthwhile.”

Florence Mayor Diane Whalen said the Health Department’s obligation should be to select the site that provides the most benefits to the district it serves.

“The Health Department as a regional government entity, needs to base the relocation decision on all the merits,” Whalen said. “It can’t be because it brings more benefit to one community over another. It can’t be to spur development in one community over another.”

Florence Mayor Diane Whalen urged the Health Department Board to choose the proposal that provided the best option to the people of the district it serves. The Board chose a site at the Florence Government Center to house it's new district office.

Florence Mayor Diane Whalen urged the Health Department Board to select the proposal that provided the best option for the people of the district it serves. The Board chose a site at the Florence Government Center to house it’s new district office.

The Health Department Building Committee recommended the Florence site based on several factors, including its location on a government campus, convenience of law enforcement, and proximity to the projected areas of growth in the region.

The Health Department staff also overwhelmingly indicated a preference for the Florence site.

Boone County Administrator Jeff Earlywine said that while cost of the respective properties is a factor, the primary consideration must be what is in the best interest of the population served by the Health Department.

“I really think it’s a strategic decision the Board is going to make that is going to have a long-term lasting impact,” Earlywine said. “I think it would be premature and short-sighted to base a decision like this on free lawn care and snow removal.”

The Board’s executive committee had expressed concerns about whether the contributions from the city could withstand legal scrutiny. The Health Department attorney concluded that the contributions are permissible, so that was not a factor in the decision.

Board member Dr. Charles Kenner, who is also a Boone County Commissioner, suggested Reinersman was putting the economic considerations of the City of Independence ahead of what was in the best interests of the Health Department.

Kenner pointed out that he was on the board when the Health Department chose its current Edgewood location over a site in Boone County and he supported that decision.

“What’s best for the Health Department is what’s best for the Health Department, and at that time it was Edgewood,” Kenner said. “You’re pulling for your city; I’m pulling for all four counties.”

The Northern Kentucky Health Department provides service to residents of Boone, Kenton, Campbell and Grant counties.

Wednesday’s decision marks the culmination of a process that began in Oct. 2014. At that time the Health Department’s Building Committee reviewed a needs analysis report to determine how best to merge some of it’s the Health Department services throughout Northern Kentucky into a single location.

In a process that included evaluation of existing sites and consideration of available parcels, the Building Committee determined that the best option was to purchase land and construct a new building.

The field was narrowed to the Florence and Independence sites and the responses to requests for proposal were evaluated, with the Building Committee recommending the Florence parcel in February.

Wednesday, the Board followed the recommendation of the Building Committee and chose the Florence site in a 16-1 vote. Reinersman, who is also a Board member, cast the lone vote against the Florence proposal.

Contact Mark Hansel at mark.hansel@nkytrib.com


Related Posts

One Comment

  1. Chris Humphrey says:

    Did anyone bother to mention to the employees who already live in Boone County /Florence City that they will be paying yet another tax that could be a significant amount??
    Did you mention the Occupational tax that directly affects live and work in Boone County folks…I’m sure they would like to know that they will be required to pay it. That tax may just change the positive votes on that survey.

Leave a Comment