By Ryan Clark
NKyTribune reporter
When Mayor Joseph U. Meyer was a kid growing up on Indiana Avenue, he remembers how a sewer line collapsed, and the street was flooded. “It was a disaster,” he said, and it led to two entities — the city and the sanitation district — pointing fingers at one another, trying to place blame instead of helping the people who were affected.
“That left a really strong impression on me,” he said. “And 55 years later, I’m in the same boat I was in when I was a kid.”
He was, of course, referencing last week’s thunderstorms, which produced another round of backed up sewage in homes on Euclid Avenue. For the third time in a decade, Covington residents are having to deal with the issues associated with a large amount of water falling in a short amount of time.
And there’s more finger-pointing. And more disappointed residents. “It is ridiculous,” the Mayor said. “It is unacceptable.”
It is why, he told a crowd of about 40 Monday night at a rescheduling of the city’s normal legislative commission meeting, that Covington is considering pulling out of its agreement with the sanitation district in regards to storm water management. Meyer said the city had been discussing this option for months.
The plan would be to stay with the district for sewer service, but use the storm water fees residents are paying to try and solve the backup problems — something SD1 has time and again failed to do, Meyer said.
“What have they done?” Meyer asked the crowd, many of whom shook their heads in agreement. “They never did their basic jobs.”
With that said, Meyer did note that the leadership at the district is now different than in years past, when many mistakes were originally made. He said he’s met with the district’s Executive Director Adam Chaney, who understands that the people of Euclid Avenue in Covington come first.
To help with the issue, the district has offered to provide the free installation of backflow valves for those who had backups in their basements.
Residents came out Monday for the second week in a row to ask for more help from their commissioners. Meyer allowed public comments for the first 30 minutes as per normal, but then also allowed anyone who wanted to ask further questions to do so after the meeting was over.
Meyer
One topic was health. Over the course of the past week, many people discovered they had a new worry: illness due to whatever they were cleaning out of their homes. Many — including Commissioner Denny Bowman and his wife — have complained of feeling ill after the events of the previous week.
Melinda Carstens, a nurse whose daughter, Kara, lives on Euclid Avenue, said she’s convinced the environment is not healthy, calling the remnants a “toxic soup.”
Many wondered if the district health department could put flyers up on doors, alerting people on how to handle and dispose of the waste.
And of course, everyone wanted to know how they could contact representatives of the sanitation district. Some people also asked what they might be able to do when they did confront them.
Commissioners and city staff directed them to the district’s website and their open meetings:
The next Board Meeting is held at 12:30 p.m., July 16 at the SD1 building at 1045 Eaton Dr., Fort Wright.
The next Storm Water Working Group will be 9 a.m., July 11, at the SD1 building at 1045 Eaton Dr., Fort Wright.
And a discussion was held among some of the residents about whether they wanted to join a class action lawsuit against the district. Many residents did just that after suffering similar problems in 2010 and 2012, and that lawsuit was just settled last year.
Last week, the city announced a $650,000 project (which came from federal grants and SD1) that will create more retention ponds for the city. Still, construction won’t begin until next year, Meyer said.
“So when those projects get underway in another year or so, the sanitation district will finally be investing some money to improve the storm water flow in our area,” Meyer said.
Also on Monday …
Commissioners unanimously approved next year’s budget, which totals $109,955,000 and is split into two parts: the general fund, which is budgeted for $55,955,000, and the other funds, which come in at $54,000,000. City Manager David Johnston also made sure to note that the budget is not recommending a property tax rate hike, and that it is the first time the city will be using a five-year budget model.
Commissioners unanimously agreed to a $1.37 million contract with Adleta, Inc., for the long-awaited Sixth Street and Scott Blvd streetscape restoration project, which will provide new sidewalks on both sides of the road, take all electric lines underground, and install ADA ramps, trees, brick pavement and new lighting, among other improvements.
Commissioners agreed to a $100,000 contract with Brandsetter Carroll to develop a citywide park master plan, as well as design services for Barb Cook Park.
The next regularly scheduled Covington Commission meeting will be a caucus meeting that will take place at 6 p.m., July 16, at the Covington City Hall at 20 West Pike St.
