By Ryan Clark
NKyTribune reporter
Barbara Drees Jones presented to Commissioners at their regularly scheduled caucus meeting Tuesday night and said that Drees Homes would once again like to honor Ralph Drees. But unlike in 2003, where the man himself came before the city to propose the building and donation of an event center in commemoration of the company’s 75th anniversary, this time it was his daughter who made the request.
This time they wanted to honor the life of the man who passed away last March.
Ralph Drees
“My father unfortunately passed away last year, and we as a company really wanted to do something to honor him,” Jones said. “All of our employees wanted to do something that was in line with what he always did.”
That brought them back to the park.
Jones said the company would like to fund and facilitate new amenities and landscape features in Devou Park, specifically at the Overlook. They’re calling it the Devou Park Memorial Overlook Enhancement.
First, they had to get approval from the city to move forward. It wasn’t a difficult decision. Since 2004, when the Drees Pavilion opened its doors, more than $6.3 million has been invested into the park through the proceeds from the Pavilion.
Drees worked with MSP — a Cincinnati design firm composed of architects, engineers, landscape architects, planners and surveyors — to develop concept plans. Their main goals included:
• Adding permanent signage for the Drees Pavilion
• Adding a connecting sidewalk from the roundabout drive to the Drees Pavilion, and moving the flagpole to the roundabout
• Improving the aesthetics of the ADA ramp, picnic area and viewpoints from the parking lot, the roundabout, gazebo and the Pavilion
• Adding engaging swings and convenient seat walls that take advantage of the view, and
• Adding a plaque commemorating the life of Ralph Drees.
Devou Park Overlook
Commissioners agreed the project should move forward, as it will be completely funded by the Drees company.
“We really thank you for being a partner,” Mayor Pro Tem and Commissioner Ron Washington said to Jones.
The proposal was placed on the consent agenda for next week’s legislative meeting.
Acute hearing
Commissioners heard a proposal to execute an incentive contract with Acute Hearing, a third-generation, family-owned, hearing healthcare practice based in Milford, Ohio.
While the Acute Hearing headquarters is in Milford, it operates hearing centers in Lexington,
Louisville and Dayton. Lowell Scott, the owner of the business, recently purchased 421-423 Madison (known as The Morgan Building, or the old home of The Kentucky Post newspaper) and he plans to move the company headquarters to Covington, bringing 10 new jobs with new annual payroll of $594,600 or a salary average $60,000 per job.
Over the next three years, city officials said the company plans to add six additional jobs, bringing with it an estimated $294,000 dollars, for a total of $888,600 in annual payroll.
In addition to the new jobs, his investment in the property will add 6,000 square feet of updated commercial space to Covington’s market, creating opportunity for additional city payroll by allowing the city to bring in another tenant.
Tom West, the city’s economic development director, said the staff is recommending that Acute Hearing receive a one percent payroll incentive for all jobs moved to Covington for five years, followed by an un-incentivized five-year retention period.
The proposal will be on the consent agenda for next week’s legislative meeting.
Parking Ordinance to get Second Reading
Next week, commissioners will hold a second reading and take a vote on an ordinance establishing parking meter zones.
After the Parking Authority reviewed existing parking meter locations, as well as current parking conditions, the Authority recommended a code amendment to create the zones, which were added to the city ordinances earlier this year.
“This gives the Parking Authority the power to add and remove meters in specified areas, approved by the commission,” city documents say. “All of these areas will not have meters installed because of this order. Staff identified these areas that could be logical to manage parking in the coming years.”
Mayor Pro Tem and Commissioner Ron Washington urged residents to look up the ordinance online and familiarize themselves with the plans.
“What we ask the public to do is come to our website, and you can read the ordinance and please send us emails with your comments,” he said.
Resignations
Commissioners heard the proposed resignations of:
• Oliver Anthony, project engineer in Public Works
• Christopher Myers, historic preservation and planning specialist in Economic Development
Both were placed on the consent agenda for next week’s legislative meeting.
Williams and Mayor absent
Commissioner Michelle Williams was absent Tuesday night.
Mayor Joseph U. Meyer was also absent this week, as he participated in the Kentucky League of Cities meeting in Owensboro.
Next Meeting
The next regularly scheduled Covington Commission meeting will be a legislative meeting held at 6 p.m., Sept. 27, 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.
