By Ryan Clark
NKyTribune reporter
If all goes according to plan, officials could be moving into a new City Hall by the end of summer 2025.
Commissioners heard details of the plan, including milestones and a timeline for a new building, at their regularly scheduled legislative meeting Tuesday night.
City Manager Ken Smith laid out the plan, which included this timeline:
• In June 2022 Commissioners approved funds for the architectural work — last week, the city issued a request for qualifications for architects, and 29 responded.
• Sept. 12, 2022, Andrew Wilhoite, director of special projects and intergovernmental affairs, begins work, and he will be tasked with moving this project forward.
• Sept. 22, 2022: requiring submissions for the RFQs.
• Early October: the committee, made up of administration, elected leaders and citizens, will review submissions.
• Mid-October: The city hopes to select three firms.
• Early December: The firms will be asked for conceptual renderings and site plans, which the committee will review, and seek public comment on.
• Early January 2023: “I hope to be standing here making a recommendation to you all on which architectural firm that we would like to use,” Smith said.
• Later in January: The contract would be brought before the Commission.
• February 2023: The design work would be completed.
• Winter 2024: City would engage the bid process and builder selection, get responses back, select the vendor, the contractor and ultimately again bring that back to the Commission for contract approval.
• “If that works according to schedule, then we would like to begin construction in spring of 2024 — and it’s the only thing I’m not committing to,” Smith said. “We think 15 months — that’s probably realistic to build a building of this size — (but) we don’t know what the supply chain issues will be in 2024. We don’t know the material availability. We just don’t know. But if things go according to our hopes and our efforts, we would like to be in the new City Hall in 2025.”
Last week, the city announced officials were beginning a search for an architectural firm to design the building. The city issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) on Sept. 1 for a “qualified, competent, knowledgeable, and experienced architectural firm” to design the new building, a replacement for their current home, where officials have worked for the past 10 years.
In 2019, the city asked the public what they would like to see in a new City Hall, and then created a task force to create characteristics for the site.
“The opportunity to build a new City Hall is pretty rare,” Mayor Joseph U. Meyer said then. “The temporary home on Pike Street is our fifth since the 1960s. It’s time to take the long-term view – planning not for the next decade but maybe for the next century. As Americans, we tend to take the short-term view, but this city is going to be here for 500 years, or as long as the river we’re built on.”
Residents determined that a new City Hall should:
• Be in a visible, accessible and prominent site.
• Include regular community events and programming.
• Include “a place for community voice, debate, and demonstrations.”
• Celebrate the city’s architectural diversity and history.
The city’s RFQ set these top principles:
• Foster multiple connected venues for broad civic engagement. Meet people where they are.
• Provide many reasons to come to City Hall. Covington’s City Hall should be as vibrant and diverse as the city itself.
• Build Covington’s public square. A new City Hall is as much about the future of Covington’s public realm as it is about a new building.
• Be a center of design and culture. The building’s design should be at the center of Covington’s differentiation strategy.
• A building clearly identifiable as a home for city government and meant to last a century or more for future generations.
Bicycle lane advocates
Several citizens showed up Tuesday night to advocate for bicycle lanes. However, as Mayor Meyer noted, the city has always said they are in favor of such designated lanes.
“This problem is not a Covington problem,” he said, explaining that many of the roads involved are state roads, over which the city has no jurisdiction. He also added that no one has presented the city with any feasible alternatives on the subject.
The Mayor did say, however, that city officials have a scheduled meeting with advocacy groups on Wednesday. One by one, the Commissioners commended the citizens for speaking out.
“The passion with which you all are speaking is what makes our community great,” Commissioner Tim Downing said. “I look forward to our discussion tomorrow.”
Licking Riverside Parking
Commissioners approved an order amending the Historic Licking Riverside Neighborhood residential parking program.
The Covlngton Motor Vehicle Parking Authority (MVPA) approved the update. Since 2008, the area has had a residential parking program, but daytime parking was this issue. “Now the issue is the persons parking for free in this neighborhood and walking to events mainly across the bridges from Covington,” city documents say. “Often, residents find no available parking near their homes. This plan will further restrict parking by persons not holding a resident parking permit. This plan calls for signs to be changed, New meters installed, and the price of the passes will increase. These costs were included in the 22/23 budget.”
Permits will expire on Dec. 31 of each year, and those purchased at other times will be pro-rated by quarter. The cost will be $80 per permit and $80 for a lost hangtag.
“I’ve been so impressed with the extensive civic engagement that’s been going on for years,” Mayor Meyer said. “This has been a good night for civic engagement in the city.”
ARPA grants
Commissioners also approved three more American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grants:
• $85,000 for the Learning Grove NaviGo Workforce Development Program, with an Oct. 1 start date, and a goal to assist 120 families.
• $200,000 for the Life Learning Center to create a Retool, Rebound, Recover Program, with an Oct. 1 start date, and a goal to assist 215 Covington resident families.
• $100,000 for the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission, for Expanding Workforce Development and Job Training Services, with an Oct. 1 start date, and a goal to assist 550 Covington individuals.
Valenti Sworn in as Chief
Two weeks ago, Lt. Col. Brian Valenti was named interim police chief. Tuesday night, the interim tag was officially removed.
“There’s a saying that it takes a village to raise a child, right?” he said. “Well, it takes a village to raise a Police Chief too.”
He went on to thank his family, friends and co-workers for helping do just that.
“We are firm in the belief that with you at the helm we will continue to improve (as a unit),” Mayor Meyer said.
John R. Green project
Commissioners approved the transfer of documents in conjunction with the sale of a portion of the John R. Green development. In 2018, the project included the building of new residential units and the restoring of the John R. Green building. This sale is for the new construction portion of the project to VP JRGLOFTS KY Owner, LLC, leaving the older restoration for continued development.
“The bonds were originally issued in a maximum principal amount of $29,912,000 and will be assigned to the new tenant entities,” city documents say.
Retirements and appointments
Commissioners approved the retirements of:
• John Purnell, Right-Of-Way Supervisor
• Bernie Sipple, Driver
And the appointments of:
• Eric Leach, Board of Examiners for Police and Firefighters
• Sharon Roark-Chesser, Urban Forestry Board
• Brian Valenti, Alcoholic Beverage Control Board
Rent Subsidies and Façade Improvements
Commissioners approved:
Rent Subsidies for:
• Maki Mono: $6,000 at 715 Madison Ave.
• Jennifer Lynn Pictures: $6,000 at 264 W. Pike St.
• AlloyFX: $5,100 at 621 Scott St.
And Façade Incentives for:
• Provincial Properties II: $6,000 at 3414 Decoursey Ave.
• KM Holdings: $6,000 at 315 E. 15th St.
• Mugsy Development: $6,000 at 410 Pike St.
Williams absent
Commissioner Michelle Williams was absent Tuesday night.
Meyer out next week
Mayor Meyer said he would be absent for next week’s meeting, as he will be participating in the Kentucky League of Cities meeting.
Next Meeting
The next regularly scheduled Covington Commission meeting will be a caucus meeting held at 6 p.m., Sept. 20, 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.
