By Ryan Clark
NKyTribune reporter
Last week at their regularly scheduled caucus meeting, commissioners heard two possible contracts for the development of the IRS site.
But they really weren’t satisfied with either, and at their legislative meeting this week, their questions resulted in both contracts being passed over due to what Mayor Joseph U. Meyer called “further study.”
Last week, City Manager David Johnston recommended one contract — a demolition and environmental remediation project — be awarded to O’Rourke Wrecking Co. for $1,447,000, while the other — a design of a parking structure, along with its horizontal infrastructure — to be awarded to KZF Design for just over $2 million.
Both projects would be scheduled for completion by Feb. 28, 2022.
But commissioners said last week they were not satisfied with the contracts, nor with the attorney who was brought in to vouch for them. Because other staff were busy and on vacation, the city contracted out the duties to oversee the demolition contract, and that attorney was available for only a portion of last week’s meeting — and had to leave before the topic came up — due to other commitments.
It left commissioners with unanswered questions, the biggest of which came from Mayor Meyer, who wondered why there hadn’t yet been some entity hired as a manager to oversee the entire IRS project.
“No project is more significant,” he said. “We only get one bite of the apple to do it right.”
Commissioner Shannon Smith, who is a lawyer, as well as Meyer himself, noted how the contract looked simple, and that normally, these types of agreements greatly favor the companies (not the cities involved).
Meyer made it clear this time around: The city wants a professional entity to manage the IRS site project. That person, or people, can then decide what are the priorities necessary for moving forward.
Johnston was not present at the meeting this week because he was on vacation, so commissioners decided to hold over both contracts until the city manager returns, and their questions can be answered.
Property sale approved
Commissioners approved a request to declare city-owned real estate located at 310 W 18th St., as vacant, surplus property and transfer ownership to John and Connie Bowman, Ronald and Sharon Oehlman and Anthony Findley.
The city acquired the property in 1931. The city says it has remained vacant and does not contribute to economic, social or aesthetic value of the neighborhood.
A Kentucky-certified appraiser valued the property at $6,500, and the city is dividing it into three parcels and selling it to the neighbors:
• Parcel A (approx. 677 sq. ft) to John and Connie Bowman for $745
• Parcel B (approx. 667 sq. ft) to Ronald and Sharon Oehlmann for $765 and
• Parcel C (approx. 4,456 sq. ft) to Anthony Findley for $4,990
Hires approved
Chief Robert Nader received approval to hire three new police officers and a cadet:
• Police Officer Ryan Brown
• Police Officer Nicholas Hancock
• Police Officer Cody Monson
• Police Cadet Noah Tuke
And Kelly Olszewski was approved to be hired as a Section 8 Service Representative.
Commissioner Washington undergoes heart surgery
Commissioner Ron Washington was absent Tuesday night due to a heart procedure.
“I wanted to let you all know that I’m undergoing heart surgery today,” he wrote in a social media message. “My condition — it’s called an aortic root aneurysm — is something I’ve had for years. Doctors kept an eye on it and said if it grows, surgery to repair it would have to be done. And it is growing.
“So this morning, I’m having surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. I might be home within just a few days, but doctors say I won’t be recovered for about a month or so. You know me though — I’ll be keeping up with Commission activity by phone and Zoom and looking forward to getting fully back to city business.
“Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.”
Executive Session
After the meeting, Mayor Meyer said the commission would go into executive session to discuss two items: litigation and personnel matters.
He said that when they finished, there would be no further action taken for the night.
Next meeting
The next regularly scheduled Covington Commission meeting will be a caucus meeting held at 6 p.m., June 8, at the City Building at 20 W. Pike St. in Covington. The meetings can be followed live on Fioptics channel 815, Spectrum channel 203, the Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky (TBNK) website, the TBNK Facebook page @TBNKonline, and the TBNK Roku channels.
