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Covington works to help staff, residents through COVID-19 pandemic; $23.4M in investment moves forward


By Ryan Clark
NKyTribune staff

In 2016, the Internal Revenue Service announced it was leaving the city, taking with it anywhere from 1,200 to 1,800 jobs.  

At the regularly-scheduled caucus meeting of the Covington Board of Commissioners Tuesday night, economic development officials confirmed that more than 1,900 jobs have come to the city in the past four years — including nine projects, with more than 500 jobs, and $23.4 million of investment, all scheduled for the consent and regular agendas next week.

Leading the way is a nearly $5 million development agreement with Covington Republic LLC, for 535 Madison Ave. The Republic Building Project is the full renovation of a 27,000-square-foot office building into a “multi­tenant office building with modern finishes,” City documents read. 

The developers will retain the two current tenants of the six-story building, upgrade the remaining floors, enhance elevator access, and add a rooftop bar.

“This is something that’s just not available in Covington right now,” said Joseph Stevie, one of the developers and owner of Sparen Real Estate. “We want something that’s going to draw people — and businesses — into the city. We’re really excited about it.”

“The magnitude of this should not be lost,” said an excited Tom West, the city’s economic development director.

Other development agreements included:

Gentis Solutions, LLC is currently located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and is considering relocating its corporate headquarters to RiverCenter in Covington. Gentis will be adding 275 additional jobs over the next 10 years at an average salary of $54,080. 

They intend to sign a lease agreement for 8,000-square-feet initially and will be able to expand as they add staff. The total investment for Gentis Solutions, LLC is anticipated to be $2,735,000.

Step CG is a technology engineering firm in Covington. With 25 local employees, they plan to add 52 jobs with an average salary of $67,000. They now have a lease agreement for a 6,957-square-foot office space at 50 E. RiverCenter Blvd. The total investment for Step CG, LLC is anticipated to be $4.45 million.

Façade incentives include:

ZH Holdings, LLC – 908-910 Madison Ave.

ZH Holdings, LLC – 906 Madison Ave.

Madison Ave. Ventures – 512 Madison Ave.

Mugsy Development – 331 Pike St.

721 Pike LLC – 721 Pike St.

“This is a huge, huge accomplishment,” Commissioner Shannon Smith said, congratulating the entire team. “Incredible. Thank you.”

Also Tuesday:

City working to help staff, residents through pandemic

City Manager David Johnston noted it’s been an “interesting week” for his staff as they navigate the new world after the 2019 novel coronavirus. 

I don’t think any of us ever thought we’d have to deal with things like schools being closed, and childcare, and new federal laws on medical leave and paid leave, Johnston said. “It’s a crazy situation.”

However, it is in these times that we see the good in people, he said.

For instance, across the city, departments are working with residents, and Mayor Joseph U. Meyer said the city will be utilize its website and social media to provide updates.

Commissioner Michelle Williams asked what seems to be on everyone’s minds. She wanted to know when all of this will be over, or in other words, when we can feel safe again?

Johnston gave the only answer he could.

“We need to monitor what the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is saying on the website,” he said. “We need to listen to advice from the medical professionals.”

West, the economic development director, said he has challenged his staff to come up with ideas to help small businesses through the crisis. 

Commissioner Tim Downing said everyone could help restaurants during this time — if they are financially able to — by ordering out for food, and advocating for better unemployment benefits. 

He also made a plea for residents to take this seriously, minimizing unnecessary interactions — starting with the commission meetings, which he said could be moved to phone or video. (He noted there were 25 people at the commission meeting Tuesday night).

*Editor’s note: Any such meeting conducted without direct public access could be considered a violation of the Kentucky Open Meetings Act. The act (KRS 61.800 to KRS 61.850) states, in part:

“The General Assembly recognized that the formation of public policy is public business, and should not be conducted in secret. The Act requires that all meetings of a quorum of the members of a public agency where public business is discussed or action is taken must be public meetings. Public meetings must be open to the public at all times, unless the subject of the meeting falls within one or more of the thirteen exceptions found in the statute (source Transparency.KY.Gov).”

Mayor Meyer encouraged people to take advantage of the city’s open spaces to take a walk, hike, etc. He said he is also mulling an executive order to declare a state of emergency in the city. 

“Things are changing by the day, and we have limited capability to predict what will come,” Meyer said. “We do, as a country, need to take this seriously. It’s just common sense and being a good neighbor.”

City will hear second reading and vote on ‘Conversion Therapy’ ordinance

Commissioners will have a second reading and a vote next week on a proposed Conversion Therapy ordinance.

In February, Commissioner Shannon Smith referenced an Internet story where Louisville pastor Rev. Jason Crosby advocated for Ban Conversion Therapy Kentucky, a grassroots organization encouraging the making of Conversion Therapy — or the unscientific belief that someone can be transformed from homosexual to heterosexual — illegal in cities throughout the state. 

At the time, 19 states and dozens of cities across the U.S. — including Cincinnati — had banned the idea of Conversion Therapy, and Smith proposed that Covington be the next.

“Conversion therapists use a variety of shaming, emotionally traumatic or physically painful stimuli to make their victims associate those stimuli with their LGBTQ identities,” the Ban Conversion Therapy Kentucky website reads. 

Raised with no objection, Smith said Conversion Therapy had “no place” in Covington.

Etc.

Commissioners heard an order to agree to participate in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed 5 Community Northern Kentucky Riverfront Ecosystem Restoration Project, which covers shoreline stretching across Covington, Bellevue, Dayton, Ludlow and Newport. The study will “address shoreline erosion mitigation opportunities including ecosystem restoration, flood plain management, and river bank stabilization,” the proposal reads. The proposal will be on the consent agenda next week.

Commissioners will move forward with the hiring of police officer Joshua Durairaj, which will bring the number of officers in the city up to 114. The commissioners agreed to put the proposal on the consent agenda next week.

The next regularly scheduled Covington Commission meeting will be a legislative meeting held at 6 p.m., March 24, 2020, at the Covington City Hall at 20 West Pike St.

Contact the Northern Kentucky Tribune at news@nkytrib.com


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