By Ryan Clark
NKyTribune reporter
Even without Mayor Joseph U. Meyer present, Mayor Pro Tem Ron Washington can make some news at the end of a commission meeting.
The topic that wrapped up the end of the regularly scheduled caucus this week?
The Fourth Street Bridge Project.
“Recently the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has put together an aesthetics committee for the Fourth Street Bridge and — probably, with the rest of the elected officials — my email’s been blowing up with a petition for us to take some type of action with the state of Kentucky,” said Washington, who was filling in for the absent Meyer. “I’ve said before that we have limited ability to do anything with that. (The) project belongs to the state of Kentucky. They make the decisions.”
Washington went on to say that residents still need to know what’s going on.
“I’ve always felt that it’s important for us to be educated and also to educate people,” he said. “I believe this is (the public’s) opportunity to address their grievances or what their suggestions are to the aesthetics committee.”
The idea? For the city manager and the communication staff to open lines of communication
between the public and that new aesthetics committee.
“I think it would be helpful for the public to fully understand who they should be communicating with in order to be able to make certain that their voice is heard and that their voice has an impact,” Commissioner Tim Downing said. “While we can listen and we can
certainly take the cumulative voice that we hear from our residents … it’s going to be much
louder if those that are responsible for this are able to hear from them directly — that way, if there are any questions or any concerns, they can reach back out to them directly.”
Advocacy for bike lanes. Advocacy for pedestrians. Advocacy for design and traffic. The commissioners have heard it all.
“(The committee) will be working with the state to make sure that design is something that is representative of that connection between Newport and Covington,” City Manager Ken Smith
said. “And as the Mayor Pro Tem said, not only is it a state bridge and a state controlled project, but technically, it’s in Campbell County — so, it’s further eliminating our input.”
Lewisburg Façade
Commissioners heard a proposal for the city to accept a revised negotiation for an additional $780,000 (for a total of $1.2 million) from the Federal Highway Administration, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Kentucky Heritage Council for a façade improvement program for the Lewisburg Neighborhood due to the effects of the Brent Spence Bridge Project.
The proposal was placed on next Tuesday’s consent agenda.
Small Business Incentives
Commissioners heard six proposals for economic incentives:
• Rivertown Vintage, 2 West Pike Street, Rent Subsidy — $6,000
• Doulas of Cincinnati, 326-328 Pike Street, Rent Subsidy — $5,070
• SkoolAid, 3800 Church Street, Rent Subsidy — $6,000
• Covington 6th Street COA, 201-203 West 6th Street, Façade Incentive — $6,000
• Covington Commandery LLC, 401 Scott Street, Façade Incentive — $6,000
• Felicity Properties LLC, 404 Pike Street, Façade Incentive — $6,000
Each were placed on next Tuesday’s consent agenda.
Smoke Justis
Commissioners were asked to approve an economic development funding request for 302 Court St., or Smoke Justis, by LSOP LLC for $65,000.
The agreement will increase seating area by closing six parking places on the street. This will allow Smoke Justis to add three full-time and seven part-time workers.
The proposal was placed on Tuesday’s consent agenda.
Neighborhood Grant Program
Commissioners were asked to approve fiscal year 2023 neighborhood grant projects, including:
• $10,000 — Historic Licking Riverside Civic Association
• $2,580.73 — Residents of Lewisburg
• $10,000 — Eastside
• $2,500 — Residents of MainStrasse Association
• $8,020 — Wallace Woods Neighborhood Association
• $5,565.38 — Residents of Westside
• $10,000 — Mutter Gottes Neighborhood Association
The proposals were placed on Tuesday’s consent agenda.
Promotion and renewal
Commissioners heard the proposed promotion of Police Officer Rachel White to Sergeant, as
well as the annual renewal of a retiree hiring contract to Patrol Officer David Lillich.
The proposals were placed on Tuesday’s consent agenda.
Fire Cadet Program
The Fire Department has asked the city to start a cadet program, allowing for four Holmes
graduating seniors to join. The city hopes the program — which will be funded by CDBG and
general funds — will bolster recruitment efforts.
The proposal was placed on Tuesday’s consent agenda.
Absent
In addition to Mayor Meyer, Commissioner Nolan Nicaise was also absent Tuesday night.
Next Meeting
The next regularly scheduled Covington Commission meeting will be a legislative meeting held at 6 p.m., May 23, 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.
