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Covington commission funds BIA construction trades training; Barb Cook Park redevelopment to continue


By Ryan Clark
NKyTribune reporter

The city is doing more to help those residents who are looking for education and employment.

By forging an agreement with the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky, Covington Commissioners agreed Tuesday night to move forward with the development of a Construction Trades School, open to high school students from Covington and surrounding communities, as well as adults.

The programs offered will include welding, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, HVAC, and facility maintenance.

The school, which will be located in the Latonia Commerce Center (formerly the Latonia Shopping Center), will reserve 25 percent of all seats for Covington residents up to 30 days prior to the start of classes each term.

Payments will be made from the Economic Development Fund (Kentucky Career Center Lease Proceeds) as follows:

Year 1: $60,000
Year 2: $50,000
Year 3: $40,000
Year 4: $30,000
Year 5: $20,000
TOTAL: $200,000

Mayor Joseph U. Meyer said that of all the development the city has been a part of, “none, to me, is more important than this one.”

He noted that this would be a high-wage, high-demand training program for the people of Covington. “This is a job training program for the construction industry,” he said.

He noted that 98 percent of those who complete this program have gotten jobs in the industry. Meyer also said that studies have shown that only 30 percent of those students in the city will earn a bachelor’s degree. The other 70 percent need something, he said.

“It’s a great pathway,” he said. “You can grow from there. You can grow your own business.”

The Mayor then thanked the city and the building industry, before ending with, “I’m without words about the importance of this.”

John R Green Industrial Revenue Bonds

Commissioners approved IRB documents, described as such that would “accommodate refinancing of and partial assignment of the historic portion of the John R. Green project to a separate LLC created by the developer for the project,” city documents read.

On March 23, 2018, the city entered into a development agreement with KY Covington
West 7th, LLC for the development of a mixed-use multi-family apartment building and
commercial project then referred to as the John R. Green Lofts Project. (The project also includes the construction of a parking garage, with 92 public parking spaces).

In support of the project, the city agreed to provide certain incentives including the issuance of a 30-year, $32 million Taxable Industrial Revenue Bonds that the developer is repaying to the city.

Last month, the developer provided this update:

“Construction of the multi-story apartment project is near completion, and pre-leasing is almost nearly 100 percent. The parking deck has been completed, and the last stage of the project, relating to the restoration and improvements to the historic John R. Green Building, should be commencing within the next few weeks. There have been several retail leases signed for the street-level retail spaces in the new construction portion of the development facing W. Sixth St., and we have a lease ready to be signed with a local Covington group to operate a restaurant on the first floor of the historical building (as well as a speakeasy in the basement). We have seen significant interest in the office portion of the project, which we anticipate will accelerate once construction begins and we have the building in shell condition.”

In order to facilitate the transfer of the Parcel 1 (the historic portion of the property) and financing of this portion, the developer is requesting that the city sign the following documents:

• Partial Assignment and Assumption of Lease and Landlord Consent
• Partial Assignment and Assumption of Agreement in Lieu of Taxes
• Estoppel Agreements

Commissioners unanimously agreed. 


Façade Agreements

Commissioners approved façade agreements for:

• Schreiber Family Trust, 212 W. Pike St. – $6,000
• Lewisburg Gateway LLC, 713 W. Pike St. – $6,000
• Inspired Fashion LLC, 827 Madison Ave. – $5,100
• Painted Bread Marketing LLC, 11 E. Fifth St. – $6,000

Barb Cook Park

Commissioners accepted the state grant that will allow Phase II of the transformation of Barb Cook Park to get underway this spring.

The $78,880 grant (which will come with a matching city grant) will support the redevelopment, which will construct a basketball court, pavilion and parking lot, while replacing the existing basketball hoops and fencing and installing a grill, picnic tables, trash cans and a water fountain.


Hirings, Renewals and Appointments

Commissioners approved:


• the resignation of police officer Jared Habermehl
• the renewal of the contract of patrol officer Jacob Noe
• the appointment of Pete Nerone to the Devou Park Authority Committee
• the appointment of Steve Hayden to the Devou Park Authority Committee
• the appointment of Michelle Williams to the Planning and Development Services Council
• the appointment of Kris Knochelmann to the Covington Economic Development Authority Board

Budget amendment is adopted

Commissioners heard a second reading and unanimously approved a budget update. This time, it’s to balance the budget, as the city will take $747,727 from its unassigned funds balance. Now, the total general fund budget is $63,780,817.

Mayor Meyer said the budget may get another amendment of two in the future. 


Thanking those who are helping

Commissioner Ron Washington made it a point to thank the Covington fire and police officials who have traveled to western Kentucky to help those affected by last weekend’s tornadoes.

“Prayers to all those affected by that,” he said.

Happy Holidays

Mayor Meyer and the Commissioners went on to wish residents a happy holiday, as this would be the last meeting of the year.

Next Meeting

The next regularly scheduled Covington Commission meeting will be a caucus meeting held at 6 p.m., Jan. 4, 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.


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