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0:002026.
0:02Please rise for the pledge of
0:04>> the flag
0:10of America
0:12for it stands nationisible
0:18and justice for all.
0:31Jeff Bezel
0:32>> here.
0:33>> Adam Lou
0:33>> here.
0:34>> Benry
0:35>> here.
0:35>> Eric Strange
0:36>> here.
0:36>> Mintosh
0:37>> here.
0:41>> Have a motion to approve the June 15th
0:44council meeting minutes.
0:46>> Motion to approve.
0:48>> All those in favor
0:52and communications.
0:54Did want to remind everybody that
0:56You have five minutes when you're
0:59talking.
1:01>> I'd also before we start, I'd like to
1:04thank a couple volunteers that are
1:05stepping off some of our volunteer
1:07orders, John Cody, who has served on our
1:11tree commission for 14 years. The tree
1:14commission regularly meets with staff to
1:16discuss tree plantings and at times
1:18needed removals, trail maintenance,
1:21projects, and improvements in our parks
1:23and rideways. The city of Fort Thomas
1:25trees and green space have benefited in
1:28many ways from your countless hours of
1:30hard work and commitment. We're grateful
1:32for your time and dedication to the
1:34city.
1:59Thank you.
2:07>> We also have Pat Hagerty who is not
2:10here.
2:11He served on our design review board for
2:1421 years.
2:16We want to thank and convey our
2:17heartfelt thanks for his dedication to
2:19the beautifification and welfare of our
2:21best business district. Many of the
2:23aesthetic upgrades to the businesses in
2:25town have been reviewed and critiqued by
2:28Pat. Thanks again, Pat, for your
2:30commitment to the city of Port
2:43Business Association.
2:53Hello. Um, I just want to start by
2:56saying Fourth of July was fantastic,
3:00right? The fourth is a big day for local
3:03businesses. So, we're thankful for all
3:04the efforts that go into planning and
3:06the volunteers that make it possible.
3:08Uh, big congratulations to Linda Sloan
3:11and her parade planning committee. And
3:13congratulations to Chanda Kalentine and
3:15her Renaissance board. I went to the pie
3:17tasting contest and I regret not trying
3:20that tomato pie. Um, but I didn't want
3:23to be too gluttonous that day. Um, I
3:24went to the bench dedication um, from
3:26the Daughters of the American Revolution
3:28to the museum and that was really cool.
3:30They had a veterans ceremony after, but
3:32they also had an encampment at the mess
3:34hall which was unreal. And I um Living
3:38Magazines was there and I said, "I know
3:40you all have been telling us to come and
3:42see the history display in the messaul,
3:45but it knocked my socks off." And Living
3:47took videos. So if you get on to Fort
3:50Thomas Living's website um or Facebook,
3:52you might see some of that. But that was
3:54that was pretty cool. That all happened
3:56at all. Um there was a time capsule
3:58ceiling at the Treasure of Freedom. And
4:00of course, the parade was awesome. Linda
4:02said it was the biggest parade yet with
4:05the most floats in it. Um the theme was
4:08honoring our heroes with the local
4:10veterans being the collective grand
4:12marshall. So that was pretty awesome.
4:14I've already asked her next year's theme
4:16so we can start planning and she laughed
4:18at me but said she does have several up
4:20her seat. So we'll see what's to come
4:22next year. But this year was pretty
4:24great. The only point of feedback from
4:27business owners was the community's
4:29request for additional restrooms in the
4:32um central part of town, the cultural
4:34arts district. Uh the city building was
4:37open for restroom use. Uh we thought
4:39maybe larger signage or directions for
4:41folks would be helpful. Um as the
4:44businesses that were open didn't um uh
4:48really have the capacity to serve all
4:50the needs. How many people show up at
4:52the parade? 3,000 something. Like it's
4:54crazy. So anyway, that was the only
4:56point um of community feedback to
4:58business owners. Uh the business
5:01councils had a lunchon, a lunch and
5:03learn uh Florence, Newport, Erlanger,
5:05and Fort Thomas. We met with the
5:07secretary of transportation, Rebecca
5:09Goodman was organized by the Northern
5:11Kentucky Chamber. She talked about the
5:13upcoming Brent Spence Bridge project.
5:15There's a really cool virtual tour. If
5:18you Google uh Brent Brent Spence virtual
5:21tour, it's pretty fascinating what
5:23they're about to do. I it was more than
5:25I realized. So that's cool. Check it
5:27out. We had uh Link NKY put out their
5:30readers choice awards and we had a few
5:32first place winners. Uh Campbell County
5:34YMCA after school program got first
5:36place. Ryan Chiropractic and Wellness
5:39got first place. Alterations by Francis
5:42first place. And I'm just going to claim
5:45this was us. It was St. Elizabeth
5:47Doctor, St. Elizabeth Homeare, St.
5:49Elizabeth urgent care. We have those in
5:52town. So, we're going to say uh they
5:53were ours first place. We had second
5:55place winners. Northern Kentucky Medical
5:57Massage, RPI
5:59uh Rehabilitation Performance Institute.
6:01Uh Fort Thomas Farmers Market got second
6:04place uh to Finley being first. Uh Fort
6:07Thomas Florist Hidden Chapter Bookstore,
6:11Kit Salon also won second in both the
6:13nail and the hair salon categories. And
6:15then our third place winners were Safe
6:17Shift NKY. They were for the movers
6:20category. So, I don't know if everyone
6:21knows that they're movers as well. It's
6:23not just drop off your FedEx package or
6:26take your big expensive paintings that
6:27you're sending. They also move things as
6:29well. So, they got third place in the
6:31movers category. They're getting
6:32recognized. Beth's alterations. Uh, also
6:34a third place winner. Tower Park got
6:36third place. Best furniture gallery and
6:38Faded Finds Vintage Store, third place.
6:41So, congrats to all our local businesses
6:44for being the reader's choice of link.
6:47We have um coming up, we're going to
6:48have a networking meeting in August. We
6:50have another lunch and learn in
6:52September and October is going to be our
6:54round table discussion where we get
6:56together and we talk to each other about
6:59matters happening here in Fort Thomas.
7:01The next big city event involving our
7:03local businesses is only two months
7:04away. The Merchants and Music Festival
7:07September 19th. It begins in the
7:09Highland Plaza at 10:00 a.m. Moves to
7:11the Iness District at 11:30. The
7:13Cultural Arts District at 1:30, the
7:15Midway District at 3:30. culminates in
7:18Tower Park at 5:00 pm with food trucks,
7:20vendor booths, opening acts, and our
7:22headliner the wet spray. We're very
7:24excited about that. So far, we have 15
7:27bands playing in this single day
7:29festival all throughout the day. That
7:30includes two kid bands and three kid
7:33focused activities throughout the day.
7:36So, it's going to be fun and I think
7:38that list is going to grow. Um, for
7:41Thomas is passing out fans with the
7:42current running list of our musicians uh
7:45right now. So, keep checking the website
7:47for those updates and come out in a
7:49couple months. That's my update.
8:18First we have Jim McCord.
8:28>> I'm Jim McCord. at 121 Grandwood in
8:31Southport Thomas. And before I talk
8:34about the issue that are here to talk
8:38about city, what you've done with
8:40widening the streets in the south end is
8:42just spectacular because most if not all
8:45of us on Redwood walk those streets all
8:47the time. You know, it's going to be so
8:49much safer, so much nicer. So that's
8:50money well spent. We appreciate that.
8:53And uh we're not asking you to spend
8:55money, but we are asking you to you
8:57beautify Southport for Thomas Avenue.
8:59Now, we want you, you've heard of the
9:01movie Nightmare on Elm Street. You've
9:04heard of We're living Nightmare on
9:07Redwood. And here's why. If you haven't
9:09driven down that street, 120 Brentwood
9:12has been under not under construction,
9:15under remodel for almost three years
9:17now. This is what it looks like this
9:19morning. This is this morning after two
9:22and a half almost three years. You're an
9:24appraiser. You're an appraiser here.
9:27I've been a realtor for 31 years. I'm no
9:29longer here. She has
9:33I was a realtor for 31 years. I know
9:36what properties like this do to all the
9:38other properties on the street. And
9:41Andy, you property management all your
9:43life. You know what this does. You would
9:45never I mean these people you know
9:47whatever their issues are financial or
9:49whatever they started remodeling this
9:51almost three years ago. I live county
9:54quarter right next to it on the right if
9:56you look at this photo is a half million
9:58dollar house and the owners are here
10:01tonight. I hope they talk. Right across
10:03the street from it is another half
10:05million dollar house that was just built
10:07two years ago. They have to look at that
10:10every single day and every one of their
10:12visitors has to look this every single
10:15day out of the county fun and all the
10:18residents on the street have been
10:21dealing with this.
10:23We understand it takes a while to get a
10:25full remod
10:27but two and a half years and it looks
10:30like that. Now I know I don't need to
10:33read this for you. This is going to be
10:34very short but I was wondering some of
10:37the residents when I was handing out a
10:38flyer asked well what can they do about
10:40it? at the chat GPT.
10:43I said, "Have any cities filed claims
10:46against or foreclosed on homes that went
10:48for years under remodeling and never got
10:51finished?" And here's Chuck GPT's
10:53answer. Yes, cities have in some cases
10:57filed leans, legal claims, and even
10:59foreclosed on properties that sat
11:01unfetish for years. It usually isn't
11:04because remodeling took too long.
11:08Instead, it's because the property
11:09becomes a code violation. There's code
11:12violation in here. They left windows off
11:15for months and months at a time. Every
11:18year on the street can verify that
11:20water's been getting in that house for
11:22two and a half years.
11:24So, you can take action based on and
11:26other cities have in Kentucky based on
11:29code violation, which there are some
11:31there if you get your inspector in
11:33safety hazard. My god, that foundation's
11:36been dug up. kids have been playing
11:37around that foundation and they've left
11:40doors off or the basement of that for
11:42like six months, nine months at a time
11:45or a public nuisance or it doesn't have
11:48to be a code violation, safety hazard
11:50and and then it goes on to say that you
11:53know Cington has done this and
11:56Louisville and many other cities in
11:57Kentucky have done it. But it truly is a
12:00nightmare. Two and a half years is too
12:02long and I'm hoping so many other
12:04residents will come up here
12:08so much for your consideration.
12:18>> Yeah. So, we're up to $2,300 as of
12:20Thursday. Um, we've done we we've been
12:23through that process with this house,
12:25then it sold, the fines got paid off,
12:27and the sale. Um, and we've been
12:30building them up until they get 3,000,
12:32and that's when we start foreclosure.
12:34Um, so we haven't hit foreclosure
12:36because each time they've either paid it
12:38or the one time they sold it to another
12:40owner. I think it's been the third owner
12:43game
12:44>> or third owner.
12:48>> It's my parents street. So yes, Will
12:50Will is annoyed at me as much as um they
12:54are. Um, one of the things that I've
12:56been working with Brandon over the last
12:57week, we have two houses, one here and
13:00one much similar uh on forest where the
13:04forest is a little bit more extreme
13:05because I've gotten up to 28,000. They
13:06just came in and brought a check and
13:08then we get to another 10,000 and then
13:10they bring a check. So, it's this is a
13:13unique challenge that I've never really
13:15in in the past I foreclose and then you
13:17know that usually fixes the issue when
13:19when they can't do it. Um, but this is
13:21getting to the point where I think the
13:23city needs to start being able to
13:25mitigate some of the issues. The high
13:27grass, um, the one on the forest has
13:28broken windows out to be able to secure
13:30it. Um, so we haven't had to do that in
13:33Port Thomas um, before from what I've
13:36been told. Um, so that's something that
13:38I don't want to ask council for approval
13:40to move forward, but that is a policy
13:41change that I do want council's input.
13:44But before I ask for that, I do want to
13:46put together a procedure of how we would
13:48do that. Um, you know, anytime we're
13:49going on private property, that is a
13:51challenge um, for me, especially if we
13:54have our staff going on on private
13:56property. So, um, I'd like to have a
13:58some sort of procedure, but there are
14:01two houses where I would utilize that
14:03currently that we might need to to look
14:05at. So,
14:06>> are you changing the closure process?
14:10>> No. So, I mean, this would be in tandem.
14:12So what would happen for example um on
14:15forest or let's just say here here is
14:18making sure that the grass is cut
14:20probably every you know two to three
14:22weeks this is not very large for grass
14:25um and if there is any any part of the
14:27building that isn't secured staff would
14:29secure it um and on Brentwood there's a
14:31hole in the front so that would be to
14:33fill that in with dirt. Um, so those are
14:35the three things and then along with
14:36that we would we would just lean the
14:39property owners for the expense, right?
14:41So that that way we're make we're being
14:42made whole at some point. Um, if the
14:46property sells, but we'll get we'll get
14:48paid back. So that's that's how I would
14:51handle it. Again, I just for council to
14:55approve that. I think you guys kind of
14:56need to know the full what that would
14:58mean. Um, and we could do it multiple
15:00ways. We have st our staff probably
15:01works do it or we could contract it out.
15:04So there's a couple different options,
15:05but regardless, we would just lean the
15:08house just like we do with fines for how
15:11much, you know, whatever the cost was to
15:12to mitigate the issues.
15:14>> Could we also
15:15>> It's still good.
15:17>> I mean, it's still a challenge because
15:18we have to go through the process of
15:20foreclosure and and there's only
15:22probably been two Oh, we haven't gotten
15:26through any foreclosure. We we they
15:27usually sell before we ended since I've
15:29been here, but it has forced people to
15:32do that. the the two ones are the forest
15:35and Brentwood just they keep either
15:38paying it off or going through it. So
15:40>> is there some way we can change our
15:42process in terms of you know they're
15:43obviously violating the spirit of what
15:45is going on by just running it up and
15:47paying it off paying off we could change
15:49that so that that doesn't
15:53foreclose on property that
15:55>> I mean after so many
15:58times I don't know I don't know
16:01You're clearly violating the spirit of
16:03of it, but I don't know if we can put
16:05something in place.
16:07>> Tear it down.
16:09>> Well, we have I mean, we have
16:16you have a provision in your ordinance
16:19to
16:20the term declar.
16:25>> We we have another one that we're going
16:26through that we actually condemn. Um,
16:29it's more off beaten pay, but it's the
16:33legal process has to follow. We just
16:35can't we can't take people's property
16:37just because we want to. We have to do
16:39it.
16:40>> Well, I agree. I need to figure out a
16:42way to expedite it with all due respect
16:44to the law obviously, but like we've
16:46been talking about that house on Forest
16:48for several years into the exact house
16:50we're talking
16:50>> and we're and we're in foreclosure on
16:52that.
16:52>> Okay. And Jim, thank you for I don't see
16:54Jim, but uh thank you for bringing this
16:55house to our attention, too.
16:57problem for a long time.
16:59>> How long have the current owner owned
17:00it?
17:02>> I have a couple records from the PDA.
17:04Um, so it sold per 12623.
17:10It sold again the next day. How that
17:12happened? 12723
17:14and then it sold 12425.
17:19Oh, sorry. Sorry. 2442
17:22was the last one. I just got this from
17:25the PDA. Has
17:30anything happened with this current?
17:33>> Um, so I live across the street at 117
17:37with my husband and we haven't seen any
17:41activity, not even somebody opening the
17:43door and leaving in in months. Um, I
17:47don't know exactly how many months, but
17:49it's been
17:50>> Yeah, at least four months.
17:53The last
18:05>> procedurally regardless of the money
18:07procedurally, what does it take for us
18:09to condemn?
18:12What does that take
18:13>> to condemn it? We have to have, you
18:14know, reason to condemn it. The the the
18:17only other one we condemned the last six
18:18months was obvious from the public right
18:22away. We didn't need a warrant for for
18:24it to be condemned. I I don't know what
18:26we would be able to do to condemn that
18:28property. I mean, it's just the exterior
18:30obviously hasn't been finished.
18:32>> Safety hazard as well, right?
18:36>> The safety hazard would be the the hole
18:38inside for the foundation.
18:41Foundation as well.
18:43>> It's not open, but it's it's the dirt's
18:45been pulled back off of it.
18:47>> We have a criteria specific to
18:49foundation.
18:49>> Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. I mean, Mark's
18:52got to follow the code
18:54on on condemning it. I know I I talked
18:57to Jim earlier about, you know, he he
18:59recommended condemning it for mold. I
19:01don't I've never heard of that. I We
19:03would have to obviously get a search
19:04warrant to be inside the property to be
19:07able to do that, which I have done in
19:09the past, not for mold, but we we I have
19:12obtained search warrant previous policy
19:16as far as their their time, right?
19:23So we generally site every every other
19:26week is so twice a month is generally
19:28what we what we site and they either
19:31they're going to keep getting cited
19:32until it's mitigated.
19:35>> They are talk this one is has been
19:37talking to us but it's nothing's been
19:40happening.
19:44>> That's that's what we could probably do
19:46it every week.
19:48>> You can sign them every day.
20:03That's just an internal policy. That's
20:04how generally sort of foreclosure is
20:08cost money for the process. So 3,000 is
20:11just the threshold that I generally use
20:13to look into it and see does this is
20:15there any other way to get around
20:18solving the problem whatever the problem
20:19is and if the answer is no then that's
20:22when I recommend start
20:24>> so they paid that off multiple times
20:26already. So could we do that like daily
20:29so that they're
20:31>> if Brandon's okay much faster
20:33>> doing it
20:34>> daily
20:41this a couple years ago
20:44>> I don't remember exactly what
20:47>> you probably you amended I'm pretty sure
20:50to include the um they passed a
20:53notification system that basically says
20:55as long as you post these on your
20:57website, you can go in front of a
21:00mortgage because what happens sometimes,
21:02now in your city, it's probably not
21:03going to be this case, but sometimes you
21:05have places that if you're in an urban
21:09area that maybe the mortgage is paid
21:12before all your leans were. So, it
21:14changed the law to allow you all to have
21:16a notification system that let you stand
21:19in front of the third bank or whoever it
21:21is, so that you're getting paid before
21:23the bank doesn't. The thought was it
21:26encouraged banks when they were sitting
21:27on these houses cleaned up all you do
21:30have that provision it was when we put
21:34uh code enforcement also in place we
21:36also added code we also add code
21:39restrictions and a process so it it's it
21:42was recently done
21:43>> and we increase the fines too in order
21:45to get to that number faster I've heard
21:48this before where you know we try to be
21:50nice we try to give people time but is
21:51what is the time like we just like I
21:53think find them every day like can we
21:55where it gets to a point where we're no
21:57longer being kind like weekly do we have
21:59a timet so hey give you 24 hours to
22:02address this we're not hearing from you
22:03so we can build this number
22:07>> yeah I'm always I'm thinking for future
22:08reference to try to adjust it doesn't
22:11get this far again
22:12>> so you should try to learn off these
22:13situations I think
22:14>> my I don't I can't remember your
22:16ordinance you might want to amend your
22:18ordinance to deal with all the fees
22:21associated not is fine. Let's say this
22:25house gets put for closure and you got
22:27to pay the master commissioner and all I
22:30would change your make sure you're
22:32getting every poss
22:42make it going to cost if they're going
22:44to keep I mean generally you're going to
22:46speak with the buyer if you hit them
22:48hard enough it's going to go the reality
22:51is that house listed for sale courthouse
22:54steps. Somebody's going to come in and
22:56buy it because they're going to get a
22:58house that they can then
23:01I would assume quickly fix up and sell.
23:07>> Well, or maybe they just buy
23:11the I want to address.
23:12>> I mean, it'll sell if it's brought to
23:14the courthouse. It'll sell it.
23:17>> $3,000 is just one part of this. They're
23:20supposed to fix the violation. Are they
23:21fixing the violations as well as paying
23:23the 30,000? If it's not, then the 30,000
23:25means nothing. Correct. There's nothing
23:27process of ablated property to condemn.
23:30>> We can't there's nothing.
23:33It doesn't matter. At some point in
23:35time, just foreclose on 30,000's our
23:37number. Fore foreclosure proceedings. I
23:41mean,
23:42>> let them fight us.
23:43>> Even Even if they have a mortgage on it,
23:44if they're paying the mortgage, doesn't
23:45matter. We'd be in first position then
23:51be gone by
24:06every cost under the sun you can hit
24:07them on.
24:09>> They haven't fixed any of the
24:10violations.
24:12>> Not in the last probably. How long
24:14you're building from this?
24:22>> I'm trying. I know it's I know it's 12
24:24months, but I think there's
24:33unless you
24:43have
24:47They still have violations.
25:02>> That's all I want. Here's the money.
25:15take somebody's property. That's a
25:16thing. That's what
25:19>> there's rules that that you
25:20>> I don't know what policy you do.
25:22>> I'm talking about state. I'm not assume
25:25if you go half year or close to you
25:29violations.
25:33>> That's what the fines are.
25:37I would love to be able to just take the
25:38property and and and throw it at the
25:40courthouse steps this week. I would I
25:44would have done that by now. I mean,
25:46these are these are all people I grew up
25:47with.
25:47>> My question is
25:49>> I've been getting really bad serious
25:55violation before action.
25:59Well, what I'm saying is they'll thread
26:02or they'll foreclose.
26:03>> They come in and they send you a check.
26:05>> Yeah, but they're not fixing.
26:07>> I know that, but the law would take
26:09their property.
26:10>> It's the same way. It's like if you sue
26:12somebody,
26:18>> not for people that pay their bills.
26:24>> Show me where I would love to do
26:26whatever you're saying if it's legal.
26:29has to be able to have some
26:32remedy the violations or
26:34>> I think we just increase the
26:39>> that's what you're saying right so I
26:40think that's we got we want to fix this
26:43problem we don't want it to happen yet
26:45so that's part of it we're learning from
26:47it so
26:48>> we can put it on the agenda for the next
26:49labor license meeting
26:52>> if you want to spiritually
27:07Next we have Adam no
27:13mayor
27:15chiefs council members
27:18many of you know me. My name is Adam
27:20Hill. I was a police officer here for
27:22almost 12 years. served the city uh as
27:25best as I could during those 12 years. I
27:27love the city. I grew up here. Um and
27:30I'm here tonight to really talk about an
27:31elephant that may or may not be in the
27:33room. I know it's in the room for some
27:34of us sitting here. Uh I don't know how
27:36many council members know about the
27:37issue, but what's what I deemed is the
27:39pension pension tax issue that came
27:41about uh in or around January 2026 or
27:45February 26 of this year. Um I haven't
27:49officially retained counsel. I know Mr.
27:51and I have been in conversation about
27:53that. The reason why I haven't retained
27:55council together yet is because I still
27:56hold out hope that the city is going to
27:57do the right thing by its employees,
27:59former and current employees. Um,
28:04I have no animosity. I have no hard
28:05feelings to this city. Mr. Kramer and I
28:07are good friends. We go a long way back.
28:09I still consider him that to this day.
28:12Um, but I'm here to make sure that we
28:14get things right and that everything's
28:16represented appropriately for us current
28:18employees. Um, back in February, I
28:21reached out to Mr. Kramer uh about this
28:23whole issue when it was brought to my
28:24attention. Um, I reached out to him
28:27because I had some other personal things
28:29going on and this is not something I
28:30really wanted to deal with at that time,
28:32nor did I really want to be dealing with
28:34right now. Uh, so I reached out to him
28:36to see if there was a way that we could
28:37just come to an agreement as to what we
28:39felt was reasonable um for a settlement.
28:42Basically, Mr. Kramer at that time said
28:45go ahead and send him a settlement
28:46offer. That information was based on the
28:49amended tax returns that were given to
28:51employees for 23, 24, and 25 tax years.
28:54I was an employee here till 23. Uh that
28:56was basically about 2% of my adjusted
28:58gross income for the year 2023. So I
29:01went back and for all my tax returns
29:03from 2018, 19 and so on. uh and took so
29:062% of the address adjusted gross income
29:08for those years which resulted in
29:10settlement and an average of 8% which
29:12was average rate of return on a 457
29:15which is what I invested in during my
29:17time here at the city which I thought
29:18was a reasonable offer. I submitted that
29:21to Mr. Kramer around middle of February
29:23late March or late February early March
29:26uh he said that he would forward that to
29:28Mr. Vulper. Mr. Vulper responded by
29:30saying that city was in middle way uh
29:32interested in settling with me. if the
29:35city was liable for this issue. Uh long
29:38story short, basically what had happened
29:39was during those seven years. Uh the
29:42city had been not calculating our
29:45pension contributions correctly. They
29:48were being um basically taxed when they
29:50should have been pre-taxed and those
29:52were reported on our W2s tax when they
29:54should.
29:57So
29:58again, I just wanted I just want the
30:00city to do right by its employees. If I
30:02was a current employee here and I was
30:03getting responses that have been given
30:05by Mr. Vulker uh to the employees that
30:08the city's not liable and they're not
30:10interested in doing anything. I would be
30:11pissed. I'm pissed as a former employee
30:14that that's the way the the employees
30:15are being treated. Um you I just don't
30:19think, you know, you're giving the
30:20impression that they don't matter. Okay?
30:21These people do a lot. These people
30:23invested a lot of time, a lot of effort.
30:24I get they're getting paid. That's what
30:26they're here to do. But these guys do a
30:28lot of work. These people invested in
30:30this city. I worked with them. I saw
30:31what they do. You on this council table
30:35that are affected by this. Okay. So,
30:38it's not just people like me. You have
30:40administrators that are also affected.
30:42Okay. Um I just want the city to have I
30:45I came here just to give the ch chance
30:47the city to do this one more time before
30:48I had to retain legal counsel and do the
30:51right thing. Okay. Take care of your
30:52employees. All right. U you know there
30:56is a pay court clause. I pulled the
30:57contract the paperwork and the city
30:59signed in 2018. There's an indemnity
31:01clause in there. Uh basically says that
31:04pay is not liable for this issue. I know
31:07there's been between who whose
31:09responsibility it is, but if I read
31:11that, I'm not an attorney, but if I read
31:13that, uh, it's on page 14 subsection
31:15three. Um, if you read that, I think it
31:18says pretty clearly that the city's
31:19responsible for that. Um, I think Mr.
31:23would argue that he feels differently on
31:25that. Yet, I'm not a lawyer. He is, but
31:27I do feel that, you know, money was
31:29taken from us. That wasn't our fault.
31:32has an obligation to uh provide
31:35reasonable
31:37payroll services to its employees who
31:39don't know any better. And by not being
31:41able to know that, you know, has caused
31:44this issue. You know, the other thing is
31:46is that Lieutenant Money and I both
31:48brought this up to Joe Ew
31:51multiple times in previous years, long
31:54before uh this became an issue. We were
31:57always told that there wasn't a problem.
31:59So,
32:01and I both realized something just
32:03wasn't right. We just weren't able
32:05people to figure it out. So, you know,
32:08this was brought to the attention of the
32:09city years ago.
32:11I don't specifically remember the years,
32:13but it was brought to the attention. We
32:14always told everything, but here we are
32:17seven years later, eight years later,
32:19and there's obviously a problem. You
32:21know, there's they gave out W2
32:23corrected. You know, we're always told
32:24that the city wanted to make it right. I
32:26was specifically told the city wanted to
32:27make it right. Let's make it right. So,
32:31Again, I implore you to do that or
32:32implore you to do that. Um, you know, I
32:35don't know if it requires a motion. I
32:36don't even know if it's something that
32:37can be voted on. I don't know how that
32:39works procedurally, but if that is an
32:41option, I would I would implore you to
32:43do that. So, again, thank you for your
32:45time. I appreciate let me come here and
32:46talk. Again, I love the city. I wish the
32:49best of it all, but I think we need to
32:51do the right thing. Thank you.
32:55>> I mean, as you all know, we've done what
32:58we need to do as a as a state.
33:01appropriate parties. I just
33:03litigationally don't real
33:09insurance and things like that that
33:11jeopardize
33:13our actions what we did and the actions
33:16I've taken are consistent with what
33:18we've all discussed and again I don't
33:21think it's appropriate to
33:22>> microphone
33:24>> I I don't think it's appropriate to
33:25handle a legal matter in a public
33:28meeting
33:30doesn't
33:31As to indemnification,
33:34it's clearcut law. A city is legally not
33:36allowed to indemnify.
33:38Kentucky cannot indemnify. It's it's for
33:43everybody constitution. So I can't speak
33:46to it. We've not heard anything for
33:49asserting that.
33:53>> I I don't dispute. It's probably in
33:54there. It's probably not legal though.
33:58>> No, I'm saying government in Kentucky is
34:00prohibited from entering into a contract
34:02with an indemnification language. That
34:05issue is actually supposed to go to the
34:06Supreme Court because if the big case
34:09about the retirement systems when they
34:10sued the fund manager and they had
34:13language like that and it was the case
34:15got resolved right before it was going
34:17to the Supreme Court on whether or not
34:18somehow government failed to follow the
34:21law because that wave itification
34:24prohibition.
34:25>> Whether it's identified or not, it
34:27doesn't matter. The fact is there was a
34:28mistake made by the city and it should
34:30be corrected.
34:32I mean it's a mistake that the reason
34:34why you guys
34:37pretty much aditted that there was a
34:38mistake. So they went back to 2018 from
34:42what I've been told
34:46the information as to what the results
34:47were of the independent investigation
34:49that was supposed to be done and that
34:51was supposed to be completed back in
34:52February earlier this year. provided
34:55that information
34:58analysis of what they're find.
35:08>> Yeah, I mean we put a core on notice.
35:13We've done what we needed to do.
35:17>> That doesn't mean we're giving up.
35:20>> Well, that's I guess that's where I'm at
35:21is like the city said they wanted to
35:23make
35:24What are you going to do to make it
35:25right because Mr. opinion is the city's
35:28not liable. So you back me into a corner
35:30legally like I have to remain counled
35:32because if you're not going to do
35:33anything you tell me you can't talk
35:34about it then what am I supposed to do?
35:37>> Well you want to send an email to work
35:39something out for yourself with all due
35:41respect that they city has not just look
35:44at yourself they have to look at all
35:45employees
35:46>> but if you do it for me it has a
35:48standard for everybody else behind
35:51that's that's the whole point. Sure. But
35:53that's again why it's not as simple as
35:55you think to do that. There's also
35:57issues of
35:58>> stat limitations arguments or things
36:00like that certainly come into play
36:04because
36:07>> right there's a hu
36:12>> right there there's there's lots of
36:15moving parts on
36:16>> I understand that but I guess what what
36:19we as employees and former employees
36:21would want is a little bit
36:23a city's not liable.
36:25Give us a little bit more than that.
36:26That's just
36:29>> we are arguably not I mean you're you're
36:32asking me I with all the restriction in
36:34a public meeting I I don't really want
36:36to debate legal arguments because I it's
36:39not appropriate and it's not you know if
36:42if you feel the need to you get the
36:44attorney then that attorney and I will
36:46have those very legal arguments in front
36:47of a judge. But I mean I I can't that's
36:50this is not the the proper forum for
36:52that.
36:53>> I'm not trying to give you I'm just
36:54trying to give you my perspective.
36:56>> I I mean I understand your perspective
36:57on this. It's a lot it's a lot bigger
37:00than what's being portrayed today. There
37:02are two payroll companies. There's
37:05insurance involved. There's as you even
37:08mentioned there's contracts involved.
37:10There's employees. There's employee.
37:11There's honestly there's issues of tax
37:14preparers for the individuals. There is
37:16a box that is filled out box 14. that
37:18does list it. So obviously one account I
37:21think if it was yours said hey this box
37:24needs to be if you're going through
37:25Turboax it'll ask you you got a box
37:28that's got a number in it you should
37:29probably do something and as you
37:32mentioned it you said you brought it to
37:33somebody years ago I don't know we don't
37:37know why things weren't changed I don't
37:39know that answer that's what's being
37:40looked at there's a lot of moving parts
37:43here and what we're trying to do is look
37:45best for everybody including citizens
37:49We're not just giving up on anything.
37:51And it probably feels like that because
37:53it seems like this has taken a long
37:55time, but things do. So, don't feel like
37:58we're we're just out rain. That's not
38:01that's not our
38:03>> Is it appropriate to to provide some
38:06updates throughout the process? That
38:08seem I think some of the frustration
38:09that I'm hearing, correct me if I'm
38:11wrong, is communication kind of stopped
38:14through the process and if if we're
38:16still looking into it, Would it be
38:18appropriate to work with the affected
38:20individuals and say we're still working
38:22through it? Obviously not giving any any
38:26>> we we don't have anything to update. We
38:28but ADP pay notice as you might expect.
38:32They basically said so far
38:35salt. Um we've alerted insurance. I mean
38:39you know hey what did they ask for that
38:41night? They did ask for some information
38:44more or less about the onboarding.
38:47got,
38:50>> you know, so we we don't have anything
38:52to really and again it's one of those
38:55things where it is and alludes to he's
38:59as the mayor he's looking at
39:01holistically. So if all of a sudden
39:05x amount of monies are owed and you only
39:07have x amount of monies in the city,
39:10what are you going to do? Or you can you
39:11just giving out a bunch of rate, you
39:13know, how how are you going to balance
39:14your budget and all that? You don't even
39:16know what the exposure is here because
39:18the accounting firm hasn't completed
39:20anything. So to sit there and make a you
39:23know it's difficult to engage in
39:25something you don't know all the
39:27financials to this you don't know
39:30of pay for it
39:32>> and that's part of too you know when I
39:34met Matt or Mr. back in February. You
39:37know, it sounded like that accounting
39:39thing was supposed to be done at the end
39:41of the month, if not sooner. And here we
39:43are five months later and there's
39:44nothing. There's no report.
39:47So again, it it goes to your point, Mr.
39:50Busel, that the optics are just that
39:55we're left in the dark. You know what I
39:56mean? And we keep saying, "Oh, hey,
39:58there's no nothing to report." Well, I
40:00get things take time, but you know, when
40:03you're being told that things are
40:04supposed to happen in a certain period
40:05of time and then you get the
40:07notification, every employee that sent
40:09Mr. Goldberg an email says that the
40:11city's not liable and has no interest to
40:13move forward.
40:15>> I mean, that's not your I think there
40:18was no act further action contemplated
40:21time,
40:21>> which to me, I'm a lay person, means
40:24that you're not doing anything.
40:27>> Means there's no action because
40:30We don't know all the answers.
40:54I can't where we are.
40:59just need to be updated, you know, at a
41:00certain point to see how you want to
41:02proceed on this, you know.
41:03>> Yeah, I think I think I think Jeff
41:05nailed it. Where's the communication?
41:07You know, I reached out about it a
41:08couple weeks ago, you know, and asked
41:10you where we were with it
41:13communication. We got to kind of lean on
41:14you to find out what the best was and we
41:16don't even have a number. We don't even
41:17know how much we're you guys haven't
41:19even communicated that with us.
41:20>> We don't
41:22like I told you the other day, we don't
41:24>> when I tell you there's there's nothing
41:26new report. You guys have a timeline
41:30that information
41:35speak
41:37they've been having a hard time
41:39gathering information from
41:44>> I guess
41:46so there's no timeline by this state if
41:49we haven't heard anything action will be
41:53>> I mean if you all want to entertain
41:57paying putting money in a pot. You
41:59should go about doing that, but it's
42:03what I could get. It's a could
42:05potentially, you know, from if you just
42:06take Mr. No's numbers that he presented,
42:09it's a large significant number.
42:12>> I just from like the payroll companies,
42:13the insurance, everyone else is
42:15>> insurance is not insurance is basically
42:17said, "Thanks for putting us on notice.
42:19That's all we got."
42:21>> Um,
42:21>> why is that?
42:23because
42:25>> because for very reasons I said there's
42:27probability of number of people's
42:31pay individual tax preparers
42:37that did ago
42:39I'm not
42:41>> I had a conversation the other day I
42:43don't want to get into the weeds here
42:45legal stuff probably not the perfect
42:47platform if it's executive executive
42:50session option I would like to exercise
42:54And I'm not saying today or right now.
42:56>> I think next month I think like an
42:58update on executive session like some
43:00numbers and see where we're at. So we
43:02talk about this
43:04number
43:06eight years, right? So it's not that
43:08hard to look at who's on payroll and if
43:09everybody was taxed, right? It's not
43:12>> I don't it's extremely complicated. I I
43:16felt the same right when this started.
43:19It's
43:20>> for me personally I to get down to
43:23understand specifics of all this exactly
43:25what happened, how it happened, why it
43:27happened, who's called, but in the end
43:30for me that money that's the way I look
43:33at it.
43:34>> I don't think anybody
43:38negotiate something. I don't know. But
43:40you can't just
43:41>> start
43:43a roadblock
43:46more.
43:55>> I think you need to go to executive
43:57session and chart your course.
44:03I think that that's the way to go
44:06because you are going to
44:10put your insurance there's parties on
44:12notice and so far they've got nothing.
44:14>> So I think you guys got to make your
44:18decide the course of decision based on
44:20assuming they're not going to do it.
44:21>> Let's go executive session at the end of
44:23this meeting today that out and see if
44:25we can we need to be more aggressive to
44:27get with them.
44:29It's the best we can do.
44:34>> Thank you.
44:38Sean Don.
44:44>> Hello, Sean Don. 14 Crown Point. I
44:46originally signed up just to yield
44:48additional time to Mr. No. If you needed
44:50it, I'm I'm actually here for the same
44:52reason. Um, and like Mr. Fenel said, I I
44:56think it's important that you get the
44:57full picture. And I don't think you have
45:00the full picture because you can't just
45:02look at tax information and see that our
45:06pensions were taxed when they shouldn't
45:08have been. And we all paid extra money
45:10that we shouldn't have paid. Um
45:14police officers and firefighters are the
45:16large group, but there's also public
45:18works hardest working group in the city.
45:20Um a lot of Taip A people in that in
45:23those groups. Um Mr. Kramer is a former
45:27police officer too. kind of a type a guy
45:28himself, military guy like me. Um, we
45:31don't like to be told what to do. We
45:33like to be in charge and we certainly
45:34don't like to be told what to do. Um, we
45:36don't like not be in control of this and
45:38that's I think the big frustration that
45:40we all need to know is we're not in
45:41control now and we're used to used to
45:44being in control. Um, and we trust when
45:48someone gives us instruction and an
45:51agent for the city who was acting for
45:54the city gave me instruction and we've
45:57mentioned his name already. When we were
45:58doing more with less when Miss Machznney
46:00retired, we paid the man extra money to
46:03do an additional job, Mr. Joe Ewald to
46:05now take on payroll. So when we all
46:08learned as kids to do to work on a
46:10computer, garbage in, garbage out. The
46:12information you put into the computer is
46:14what comes out of the computer. And
46:15that's the payroll company is the
46:17computer. He provided the information.
46:20He instructed me individually, which
46:22might be different than other people.
46:24Put an additional $200 from every check
46:26to the federal government. So I took an
46:28extra $200 deduction for me
46:31specifically. So that might not be the
46:33same as everyone else. So, I got
46:35specific instructions from an agent of
46:37the city to pay extra federal taxes
46:40because mine went way up as soon as
46:42Jeznney left. So, it's more than just
46:45looking at tax records. It's looking at
46:47everybody's individual contributions
46:49from their paychecks
46:52and it's just do the right thing and and
46:54we're patient. I think the majority of
46:56the people are pretty levelheaded and
46:58are pretty patient and are willing to
47:00wait and we believe the right thing's
47:02going to happen.
47:04But what I do also believe is in the
47:06fall when I just got that beautiful love
47:08letter that most of the citizens in the
47:09mail just got from the PBA with a nice
47:12increase on their property bill. Mine
47:14will be here on time like it always is.
47:17But if I'm a day late, you're going to
47:19assess me 8%. The very first day it's
47:22late.
47:24The very first day. And it's going to be
47:26compounding too. I think I can guarantee
47:29you that. And now we're going back lots
47:31of years. Now, you just found out about
47:32this information, but that mistake was
47:35made by an agent of the city acting as
47:37an agent of the city, and he is an
47:40officer of the city, a sworn officer of
47:43the city. He is your he's your financial
47:45director. All right? Gave us
47:48instructions on how to prepare our
47:50taxes, how or sorry, how to provide
47:53additional information. So, I I just
47:56wanted to to give you some additional
47:58insight
47:59that we're being patient. The longer we
48:02take,
48:05the more it's going to cost.
48:07>> That's all I'm saying. I appreciate your
48:09time.
48:17>> Next, we have Next, we have Danny Brown.
48:31Hi, thank you for this chance to talk to
48:33you. Um, my name is Annie Brown. I live
48:35on South K Avenue. Um, I have a couple
48:38of questions. I just want some
48:39clarification because there's been a lot
48:41of information going around about flop
48:44cameras. So, first of all, I want to
48:46know, um, are there flop cameras in Fort
48:49Thomas?
48:50>> Yes. Yes.
48:51>> Okay. The Memorial Parkway One is in
48:53Port Okay. It wasn't clear. I looked on
48:55the map. It looks like it was right on
48:56the border. Um,
48:59is it is it also true that there's four
49:02of them in the city?
49:03>> There's four budgeted from last year's
49:05budget cycle. Okay.
49:07>> Three have been installed. The fourth
49:09one is going to go on the North Korean
49:10weather where there's construction. So,
49:11it hasn't gone yet.
49:12>> Okay. Um, thank you for for clarifying
49:17that. Um, with all of the controversy
49:20surrounding these cameras, I'm just
49:23curious why this wasn't brought up to
49:25the public, why there's never really
49:27been any discussion with the public
49:30about these. Um, that's one question. My
49:32other question is, um,
49:35what are you trying to gain from having
49:38these? What is the point of having these
49:40cameras in town? What information do you
49:43want to get? What how are they going to
49:45help our city? Sure, I can answer both
49:48those right now. Um, so we first
49:50budgeted for Flock during last year's
49:52budget cycle. So that would be 2526
49:56budget year. So we would have started
49:58working on that in January and February
49:59of 25. And we present that information
50:02to Mr. Kramer. I can assure you Mr.
50:04Kramer us pretty good on what the black
50:06candles were and how they worked and
50:07what we're going to use them for. Uh,
50:09they were first approved during last
50:10year's bud budget cycle which would have
50:12been May and June of last year. Uh that
50:15was four cameras on last year's budget
50:18and then this year we asked to add four
50:20additional cameras. Um what we use them
50:23for, they take pictures of vehicles we
50:25go by. Um I can tell you all the things
50:27they don't do, but just we use them to
50:30follow up on crimes, hit and run thefts,
50:33um locating vehicles that may have been
50:34involved with certain things that uh our
50:38detectives look into and our police
50:39officers look into.
50:42>> Is is that a huge issue?
50:44Uh, I can tell you that our patrol
50:46officers use them often and our
50:48detectives use them
50:50regularly, like almost daily.
50:51>> Well, our hidden run is a huge problem.
50:54>> Uh, so on a on an average year, we
50:57assign about 200 cases to a detective.
51:00So that means some type of crime that
51:01needs to be followed up on. A theft, a
51:03stolen car, a bank scam, an identity
51:06scam, uh car breakins, things stolen
51:09from cars, just various various kinds.
51:12Yes, if I could interrupt for one
51:13second. One of the uh you you missed
51:16something. The reason you missed it is
51:17because it hasn't happened here. Thank
51:19god. Uh the what when you look at these
51:22cameras, what I really see and what
51:24resonates with me is what the I think
51:26it's the FBI calls the golden the golden
51:29period. The golden period in a child
51:31abduction is that first three hours when
51:34that child's abducted set a pace around
51:3775% of the children that are abducted
51:40are murdered in the first three hours.
51:42So, we haven't had to use it yet, but
51:45that's why I think it's a great idea.
51:52>> Also, everybody seems to be upset with
51:54tracking. Every one of your phones has a
51:57bunch of apps.
51:58>> All of those, but we are we are choosing
52:01to take these phones with us. We can
52:03turn the phone off if we want to. We can
52:05leave the phone at home if we want to.
52:07Um, how effective are these cameras?
52:10there. Excellent.
52:11>> How
52:13how tell give me some statistics that
52:16don't that don't come from FL.
52:18>> Okay. Um if if you came out tomorrow and
52:21you found that someone had sideswiped
52:22your car and you called the police, one
52:25of the first things they would do would
52:26be look for any type of camera in that
52:28could be a camera on a bank, could be a
52:30camera on someone's doorbell, could be a
52:32fly camera. Without those types of
52:34things, how would we ever find a nature
52:36car other than
52:39>> I'm talking specifically about block
52:41though. How effective are they?
52:44>> They're very They're very effective for
52:45our police because they can search an
52:48area when we know a crime has committed.
52:50So, say for example, at 3:00 a.m. we had
52:52five cars broken into. There aren't very
52:55many people out and about at 3:00 a.m.
52:57So, if the police can look at a clock
52:58data system and see which cars entered
53:00or left a certain spot at a certain
53:02time, that would be their first lead in
53:04the case as opposed to possibly no.
53:08>> So, you don't have any statistics when
53:10you just
53:11>> our cameras were installed 10 days ago.
53:14>> Okay. Well, there's been cameras around
53:16the country, so there should be
53:18statistics.
53:19>> What specific when you say spectrum? I I
53:22just want to know I any uh statistics
53:25I've seen about how effective they are
53:27have been self-reported by flock. Okay.
53:29>> So I was wondering um what the real
53:31number is if there's anybody who's done
53:34any studies on how effective these are.
53:36>> So like solving cases or reduction in
53:38crime or these are how many cases we
53:41close specifically involving involving
53:43black. That's that's what you'd like to
53:45see.
53:45>> Yeah. Yeah. and you know just why you
53:49think it's going to be so effective
53:51um for for Thomas that is one of the
53:55safest cities in Kentucky. Um why do we
53:59need those? Why we need eight of them?
54:01>> I like uh you know what Newport did, you
54:04know, we we I spoke about this in April
54:06uh in the committee and I wasn't very
54:08not very comfortable with it. You know,
54:10I can understand the reasoning behind
54:11it. I think we all can. You know what I
54:13mean? I wasn't very comfortable with it
54:15because my my concern is once you open
54:17up Pandora box, what comes next? So they
54:20have regulations now, but then all a
54:22sudden they realize it's for something
54:24else and can be used for and then they
54:25deregulate and open it wide up. But
54:27Annie is not wrong. I mean, I was
54:28looking I forgot my friend's husband's
54:31name and I just typed her name in and uh
54:34her last three previous addresses come
54:35up. Two phone numbers, her husband's
54:37name, her children's name all came up
54:39like without even without even then you
54:41can pay for more. You know what I mean?
54:42So, the information is out there, right?
54:44So, but freedom is is something we we
54:47treasure and I think we're getting away
54:48from that. But I like what Newport did.
54:51Um and I would like to see this happen.
54:53Um, it would be up to Mayor uh Ellison
54:56and the chief. They the police in
54:58Newport actually held a uh held a uh
55:01what do you call they held a town hall
55:04about this to address any concerns or
55:06issues that they may have. I think it
55:08would be uh prudent for Casey to come up
55:11with some of the information that you
55:12are asking for. Um provide that
55:15information the town hall. Uh get that
55:16out to the public so everybody including
55:18us can better understand exactly what
55:20they're useful, how we'll utilize them
55:21for and we So that that because I think
55:24it's important for us to get feedback
55:26always, you know, uh you got to surround
55:28yourself with other people, get ask
55:29questions and so that we can better
55:32understand how you guys feel about them.
55:33And I think Andy made extremely valid
55:36point. You know what I mean? I think
55:37that person that would we save their
55:40child's life would be up here, right?
55:42You know, it's like it's like the drunk
55:44driving laws when you change laws and
55:46you made it less, it saved lives. So um
55:49it's just I'm just my concern is the I
55:53guess the indoor box
55:54>> I'm concerned that it's a third party
55:56that's collecting this data
55:58>> that would always my concern
56:00>> stored on the cloud
56:02>> what's going to happen when they start
56:04you know they're using AI for all of
56:06this constantly
56:09>> yes
56:11>> what happens if there's a data breach
56:12>> people stalking women
56:15so this is a very concerning thing that
56:17I think should be looked at a little bit
56:19deeper.
56:20>> I agree. And what's real
56:21>> answer should be better than it's
56:23excellent.
56:24>> I think that would you guys like to put
56:27something together for the community so
56:28we get community feedback on it and we
56:30can gauge it from there. Andy
56:34>> is that is that I think that's the next
56:36step. I mean I think before we move too
56:38far forward on this so we can't
56:43>> and then have some statistics and
56:44numbers and if anybody else wants to
56:45come up and ask for certain information
56:47so we can have it at that meeting that
56:49we can have professional you know people
56:51look into it I think that's a great way
56:52to look at anything you do for that fact
56:54you know that changes things so
56:56>> thank you fantastic thank you very MUCH
57:05>> next we and Stephanie Woodbury.
57:12>> Good evening, council. My name is
57:14Stephanie Woodbury. I live on Canon
57:16Bridge. I'm joined with my neighbors
57:20Megan Null, Lauren Schwarz, and you'll
57:22hear from our other neighbor in just a
57:24few minutes. Um, tonight I'm asking for
57:27your help on a narrow but important
57:29question for us. My neighbors and I are
57:32interested in using golf ball carts um
57:34to get our kids to school, to connect
57:36with other neighbors, to help build more
57:38accessibility into our sweet little
57:41culde-sac that's tucked away on the
57:43south side of the city. Golf carts make
57:45it possible for some of our neighbors
57:47with mobility challenges to get to their
57:49friends homes, a park, a neighbor
57:52gathering that would otherwise be out of
57:54reach. The one thing standing in our way
57:56is protection is the easement.
57:59The easement that Street, Canon Bridge
58:01to the rest of the city through Arcadia
58:04sits right alongside a shared sideyard
58:06and our neighbors understandably have
58:09real concerns about carts passing
58:11through that space regularly. We're all
58:14just looking for clarity on whether
58:17that's an appropriate route and what
58:19rules would apply to it if it is. Right
58:21now, that's a gap. The port Fort Thomas
58:24has a great golf cart ordinance already
58:25on the books from 2019, an amendment in
58:282020.
58:30It doesn't speak directly to easements
58:32like ours. And to our knowledge, this
58:34hasn't been formally addressed before.
58:36So, we're not asking you to revisit an
58:37old decision, but rather to help us
58:40understand this new one. My ask tonight
58:42is simple. Just consider whether this
58:44ement can become an official golf cart
58:47connection between Canon Ridge and
58:49Arcadia. We believe this small
58:50connection would have an outsized
58:52positive impact on our neighborhood and
58:55our neighbors by making it easier for
58:57families, seniors, and our um and
59:00neighbors with mobility challenges to
59:02participate more fully in our wonderful
59:05community. Whether the answer is yes,
59:08no, or yes with regulations
59:12um or conditions, we respectfully ask
59:14for a clear written determination so
59:16everyone understands the rules moving
59:18forward. Thank you so much for your
59:20time.
59:21>> I can I can speak to that actually
59:22because um that was one of the first
59:25things that I had to do when I got here.
59:27Um the easement is a pedestrian
59:28easement. It's a 5 foot pedestrian ement
59:31on um 69 Arcadia. Um so the only way for
59:35that to happen would be for that I guess
59:38that homeowner to have a different
59:41easement placed upon it. So it doesn't
59:43it's nothing that the city did. Um that
59:46was way before me obviously and
59:48everybody here. I think that's when they
59:50when they made Canon Ridge that um that
59:53house they put in the easement just for
59:56um the residents there could walk you
59:58know have walking access but there's no
1:00:01way for the city to force that easement.
1:00:04Um, and the reason I I remember this is
1:00:06because one, somebody had cut through
1:00:08there and sideswiped the truck at 69 and
1:00:10they were drunk one night which caused a
1:00:12lot of damage which cause issues of um
1:00:16allowing access for even pedestrians.
1:00:18They had concerns about it. Um, so that
1:00:20resident I told them they have to they
1:00:22have to maintain the 5 foot pedestrian
1:00:25easement because at that point they had
1:00:27put a gate up which violated the ement.
1:00:30So just that's that's the background.
1:00:33Um,
1:00:34>> can I ask you a question about that,
1:00:35Matt, too? And I you and I have talked
1:00:37about this and I spoke to a few of you.
1:00:38Um, so appreciate it. But just just so
1:00:42I'm more familiar and I've seen the
1:00:44specific easement. So 5 foot pedestrian
1:00:46does that does that mean if you have a
1:00:48bicycle for example, you can't go on a
1:00:51bicycle? Is it strictly to walking
1:00:52pedestrians? the the legal only I have
1:00:55the legal de regular funding
1:00:56>> and I just think that we need to do some
1:00:58thinking about this and see if there's a
1:01:00way to skin this cat to some extent
1:01:02without infringing on anybody's personal
1:01:04property rights because bridge is a bit
1:01:06of a it's a it's a it's it's an outlier
1:01:10in town it's on island in the Moyer
1:01:12school district a heck of a lot closer
1:01:14to Woodfield Moyer but um you know being
1:01:17able to access that summit subdivision
1:01:19to get to Moyer would be awfully awfully
1:01:22convenient
1:01:23Um, so I it just seems to me like
1:01:25something I appreciate your explanation,
1:01:27but I'd like to dig into it a little bit
1:01:28and just see. I don't know.
1:01:29>> I can send it off to you. Yeah. I mean,
1:01:31the owner, this is the thing. This
1:01:33easement is over top of this owner's
1:01:35driveway.
1:01:36>> So, it's like your driveway. Would you
1:01:38like have, you know, do you want to keep
1:01:40it cleared so golf carts can go through
1:01:43it? I mean, I wouldn't say yes. Um, even
1:01:47though I do I I understand Canon Ridge.
1:01:49If this was a separate path, then we
1:01:51could definitely do it. But this is this
1:01:53is actually their driveway that connects
1:01:56the roads.
1:02:01>> So, what about
1:02:02>> that's why that that's why I got
1:02:04involved because they put a gate over
1:02:05because they were upset about the
1:02:07getting side their truck being sides
1:02:09swiping.
1:02:10>> We did and they did they voluntarily did
1:02:12that because I showed them the deed that
1:02:14said it has to be a five foot pedestrian
1:02:16easement. So they couldn't restrict
1:02:18that. However, they they we did not have
1:02:22to allow golf calls, which is what
1:02:24caused the damage.
1:02:25>> Could we get like a like a temporary
1:02:28approval just like cut through
1:02:31>> if they if they grant it? Absolutely.
1:02:33But it has to be the homeowner that the
1:02:34property is not ours. It's an easement
1:02:36on private property.
1:02:43That's the problem.
1:02:52>> Next we have N.
1:03:02>> Good evening. Good evening council
1:03:04members. My name is Em and just like
1:03:07Mrs. Wood who just spoke, I live on. I'm
1:03:10here because I really want my There's a
1:03:13golf cart in our neighborhood. Right
1:03:14now, our neighborhood feels really far
1:03:16away from school, from school, the park,
1:03:19and many of my houses. My mother or
1:03:22father would always be the one driving,
1:03:24not me. I just I just get to come along.
1:03:29We like to ask you to consider approving
1:03:32the use of so we can access our city
1:03:36better. Thank you.
1:03:38>> You have heard
1:03:43Emerson, I would have recommended you go
1:03:45talk to them.
1:03:51>> Next we have Tabith.
1:03:58>> Hi everyone. Um I'm Tabitha Talver. I
1:04:01live at 117 Place. Um I'm here with my
1:04:05husband, my dad, and a bunch of my
1:04:07neighbors. Um I think Uh I'm talking
1:04:10about 120 Brentwood, the property that
1:04:13uh Mr. Mccor talked about earlier. I was
1:04:16um encouraged by the discussion that was
1:04:18had. I live directly across from this
1:04:21property. I've actually um lived on I
1:04:24grew up with uh Matt Kramer. I've lived
1:04:27on the street for 40 years. Three
1:04:28different houses. So um I'm invested in
1:04:32Redwood. Um my husband and I built our
1:04:34house about four and a half years ago.
1:04:36Um, and the property across the street
1:04:39at 120 has never been um, one of the
1:04:42prized properties. It's always kind of
1:04:44been a little bit of a declining
1:04:46property, but when the um, individuals
1:04:49owned it for many decades when they were
1:04:51there, they would at least let the
1:04:53residents um, in the neighborhood kind
1:04:55of help with some cosmetic exterior that
1:04:58would at least make you feel like the
1:05:00property was kind of taken care of.
1:05:01become so much of an eyesore and it was
1:05:04always safe at least on the outside. Um,
1:05:07so just a little background there, but I
1:05:09mean it has um it has changed hands
1:05:12multiple times. The property is very
1:05:15sloppy. There are um a lot of there's a
1:05:18lot of trash, a lot of um equipment. At
1:05:21one point there was a huge excavator
1:05:23like parked in the middle of the street
1:05:24and I had to call the city and they
1:05:26asked them to have the the owners move
1:05:29it into um the yard driveways into the
1:05:33street. So um there is uh a dug hole by
1:05:39the foundation. We've seen kids play in
1:05:41there. I know it's not the city's job to
1:05:43babysit the kids or that owners, but it
1:05:45should be their job to maintain um
1:05:49obviously with safe conditions for
1:05:51property. So a lot of us too um I know
1:05:55uh Mr. Don brought up um property
1:05:58increases and that was on my list too.
1:06:00So many of us on the street have
1:06:03experienced an increase in our property
1:06:05values and therefore an increase in our
1:06:07tax and we take pride in taking the time
1:06:11and spending the money to maintain um
1:06:14clean properties, well maintained
1:06:16properties, safe properties and then to
1:06:18pay more to see that in our
1:06:20neighborhood. It you know it kind of
1:06:22burns a little bit. So um I have a whole
1:06:26list of things I could talk about here,
1:06:27but I think I think you all kind of get
1:06:29the gist. So, I'll save everyone some
1:06:31time. But, um, I just hope you'll really
1:06:34consider having something done to this
1:06:36property. I think
1:06:38it's not structurally sound. I think the
1:06:41residents in the new directly would like
1:06:43to see
1:06:45the structure go away, maybe some love
1:06:50planted there. Um, but you know,
1:06:52whatever needs to happen, we're willing
1:06:54to work with you all to help make that
1:06:58happen. Um, any information they need
1:07:01for from us, we're happy to to provide.
1:07:04I think Mr. Kramer over here is pretty
1:07:07well um informed on the properties of
1:07:10his parents still on the street too.
1:07:14But I just I want to thank you all for
1:07:15the discussion. I think it was
1:07:18enlightening to hear that the discussion
1:07:20faster and kind of like finding our
1:07:23spots. So, there are a bunch of us here
1:07:24tonight. We're we really love our street
1:07:27and we're really concerned about the
1:07:29kids and the residents on the street. We
1:07:30want to keep it nice and pretty and a
1:07:33great place to live. So, I appreciate
1:07:36you all listening. Thank you.
1:07:43>> Real quick, I want to follow up on
1:07:44something. There's a couple things I
1:07:46learned uh when I first got on council.
1:07:48Two couple things real quickly. how much
1:07:50things actually cost and how long it
1:07:52takes government to do things and we
1:07:54don't know what we don't know and so I
1:07:57think this was actually a really rapid
1:07:59discussion on how to increase these
1:08:00things so it's not just about you know
1:08:03addressing the current issue but also
1:08:04making sure it doesn't happen again um
1:08:07so please reach out uh to Matt any one
1:08:09of us you know as our first initial last
1:08:12name at forthcom.org and we'll give you
1:08:14our best to update you so that timeline
1:08:16doesn't feel as long I realize that we
1:08:18just touch each other, you know, talk
1:08:20every once in a while. It slows it down,
1:08:21but it seems like they have a an idea of
1:08:23what's going on for government is just
1:08:25unfortunately, you know, we meet once a
1:08:28month, we make a law, we have a reading,
1:08:29we take 30 days in order to to vote it
1:08:32in the law, do you know what I mean? So,
1:08:33even changing these laws, you know,
1:08:35unless we have a special counsel, you
1:08:36can take two months. So, it's just how
1:08:38it works. So, we appreciate your
1:08:40patience and thanks for bringing to get
1:08:42a better handle on.
1:08:45>> Next, we have Tim Rickson.
1:08:55Good evening. Tim Rickson. I live on
1:08:58record place as well, 124. I live right
1:09:00next door to this property that we've
1:09:02been talking about tonight. Um there's a
1:09:05toen forer here at the city will hunt.
1:09:08He's been since all this has been going
1:09:11on. He is he's in the loop. you know, I
1:09:13don't know if any of you have actually
1:09:14spoke with him about this property, but
1:09:16he is very well verssed on what's going
1:09:18on with this with this home and um just
1:09:23a couple things. A lot of this has all
1:09:25been touched already, but the open
1:09:27foundation is obviously a big concern.
1:09:29It's not open to the inside of the
1:09:31house, but it's just not filled in
1:09:34around. It's like a 4ft drop and there's
1:09:37broken glass or all scattered throughout
1:09:39the throughout the property. Broken
1:09:42glass where they broke windows out prior
1:09:45to putting the um prior to the remodel
1:09:50and
1:09:51um it's been going on since um about
1:09:55three years now. This this remodel this
1:09:57has all been brought up. There's a
1:09:58ladder going up to the second floor that
1:10:00you know I know it's not the kids
1:10:04um it's not the homeowner's
1:10:06responsibility to keep kids off the
1:10:08property but it is a concern there's a
1:10:11at least a 24 lack
1:10:16of the house you know I look at it every
1:10:18day the backyard there's furniture
1:10:20running over the back of the hill
1:10:24running this home they It was a there
1:10:28was a dormer on the home originally and
1:10:30they tore off the second floor and put a
1:10:32complete second floor on, but in the
1:10:35process they tore the chimney off of the
1:10:37home and they left the the exposed the
1:10:41brick, took the brick down. I'm sure
1:10:44there's a hole in the roof and it it
1:10:45went months and months and months with
1:10:47snow and rain and everything else.
1:10:50So the the wood obviously is rotting
1:10:53right now and it's
1:10:57like um pre or my neighbors here. The
1:11:02home probably isn't structurally sound
1:11:04at this point. The wood is robing. Um
1:11:07there's a concern with wild animals,
1:11:09rodents, children playing in the yard.
1:11:13Um obviously a nice sore for the
1:11:15neighborhood trash and debris and um
1:11:19like I said the code enforcer he we've
1:11:21been in contact numerous times with he
1:11:24explained that the
1:11:26and sometimes they pay it, sometimes
1:11:28they don't.
1:11:30He asked my wife and I
1:11:34um if we have spoken to the owner,
1:11:38I said, "We're more than happy to meet
1:11:42the the owner of the property. If I own
1:11:45a home and I was rehabing, I'd be very
1:11:48I'd be very concerned about the progress
1:11:50of the remodel and I' probably daily,
1:11:53but we haven't seen anybody close to
1:11:56coming around and
1:11:59checking on their their house. So,
1:12:02that's all I have and I hope hope the
1:12:04council can look into this a little more
1:12:06seriously. Well, I know you're serious
1:12:09about your jobs, but look at it
1:12:11seriously and hopefully get something
1:12:13done.
1:12:15>> Tim or Taylor, that Taylor, you had
1:12:17mentioned structural. Do you guys have
1:12:19you seen anything from the outside that
1:12:21would question the structural integrity
1:12:23like the actual that we could use for
1:12:26con to be condemned?
1:12:29>> You don't have to answer now, but if you
1:12:30if you see anything that that could give
1:12:34because there's rules to be able to
1:12:35condemn a home, but you have to follow
1:12:36them. So, if there's anything that you
1:12:38see
1:12:38>> foundation walls
1:12:40>> to where what about them?
1:12:41>> I mean, they crack.
1:12:44>> I mean, the front one was coming in.
1:12:46>> All right. They fixed that.
1:12:48>> They fixed that. Now how they fixed I
1:12:50don't know.
1:12:52>> There's also wires like
1:12:54>> I don't know if it's cable wires,
1:12:56electrical wires, but there are some
1:12:58exposed wires hanging and um the uh
1:13:03there's no electric one in the property.
1:13:07you know, I don't know the rules on if
1:13:08you have to have electric like when
1:13:11there's um temporary electric set up,
1:13:15but there's no electric because the
1:13:17workers when they were there, they
1:13:19haven't been there, I would say, for at
1:13:20least four months or so.
1:13:23>> But the workers when they were there for
1:13:25a while, they were knocking on our door
1:13:28because we had an outlet
1:13:31extension. We were we allowed us.
1:13:34It's not their fault. people there
1:13:36working. So, we allowed them to take
1:13:38extension from our house and they said
1:13:41they were going to rever.
1:13:46>> We can't I mean without a search
1:13:48warrant, but if I have any
1:13:50>> You can't send Mark through because
1:13:51we've got a building. So, he has
1:13:52permission to go and look at the houses,
1:13:54right?
1:13:55>> He's not unless unless he meets with the
1:13:58owner and they let him.
1:13:59>> Yes. We can call the owner and see if we
1:14:01can have a meeting because they filled
1:14:02out building permits. Correct. So, at
1:14:04least get a better look at it from the
1:14:05inside.
1:14:06>> Yeah, I'll I'll have a look at it for
1:14:08any kind of
1:14:11expected if you don't go there.
1:14:12>> I'm not sure the length of the permit,
1:14:14but the permit in the window says it's
1:14:16like 2024.
1:14:29>> She believes that the second story
1:14:31edition wasn't
1:14:35I'm not sure what
1:14:37you would probably
1:14:43>> I know you contacted them into
1:14:53a care advisor mortgage group LLC. So is
1:14:56it this thing? It is an LLC, but it's we
1:15:00have a point of contact.
1:15:09>> Next, we have
1:15:15Rose Avenue. I got a good laugh in the
1:15:17back room. I heard you guys talking
1:15:19about being sideswiped and block camera
1:15:22to solve all that problem. I was
1:15:23sideswiped by a city vehicle a few years
1:15:25ago and uh blockhammer didn't know me.
1:15:28Everybody blamed me for the accident.
1:15:30Your lawyers who represent the city took
1:15:32went to court with me and they said I
1:15:34was at fault because my car was parked
1:15:36there. So now flock hammering was
1:15:39supposed to be the the answer to side
1:15:42when you had opportunity to be able to
1:15:43cars that are sides you didn't do
1:15:45anything.
1:15:46>> So I don't think clock hammers are
1:15:48answer
1:15:49>> but anyway I didn't come here talk about
1:15:50that. I came here to talk about this
1:15:51roundabout. I went down the rabbit hole
1:15:53looking for the roundabout that's about
1:15:54to be built Grand and Highland. I did so
1:15:57because of bunch of misinformation out
1:15:59there. There's a reporter who said that
1:16:01the funding for this project is
1:16:03uncertain. That's false. There is
1:16:05certain funding for that. It's been a
1:16:07matter of law for several years. Several
1:16:09people think in the city that it's not
1:16:11going to happen. Um that's incorrect.
1:16:14Most recently it was approved as a
1:16:16matter of law in April signed by the
1:16:18governor which is HJR75
1:16:21and this was passed by the house and
1:16:22senate like I said signed by the
1:16:24governor. So regarding the intersection
1:16:26of grand and high any intersection for
1:16:29Thomas this is how the process is
1:16:30supposed to work. First of all you're
1:16:32supposed to identify if a problem really
1:16:33does exist. You're supposed to use facts
1:16:35and data to determine the uh if there's
1:16:38a problem you're supposed to do that
1:16:39with a study. The study is supposed to
1:16:42be objective. It's supposed to include
1:16:43alternates. It should be based on facts
1:16:46and most importantly it should include
1:16:47the public. Okay, that's called an
1:16:49intersection control evaluation and
1:16:52other otherwise called ICE. Okay, the
1:16:54acronym for After you get through all
1:16:57that then you design construct whatever
1:16:59alternate is selected. That's the
1:17:01process. Okay, none of that is my
1:17:03opinion. My opinion doesn't matter. Who
1:17:05cares? But that's the fact of how you're
1:17:07supposed to do it. All that is spelled
1:17:09out in what's called the manual traffic
1:17:11control man. It's a national policy. The
1:17:14state has adopted it. They adopted it
1:17:16going all the way back in 1960s. They
1:17:18adopted it in again in 1980s.
1:17:22There are other guidance documents. ICE,
1:17:25that study I mentioned, has a guidance
1:17:26document. There's a roundabout guidance
1:17:28document. There's a highway design
1:17:30manuals. All this is spelled out. Again,
1:17:33it's not my opinion. But what happened
1:17:35here in Fort Thomas? Um, did that occur?
1:17:39The answer is no. This is what happened.
1:17:41Mayor Hos said he wanted a roundabout
1:17:43and uh uh next thing you know that there
1:17:46was a budget item uh in the 2024
1:17:50transportation plan for $6.25 million.
1:17:53Now it's up to $8 million.
1:17:56Um there was a committee in 2018
1:17:59that drew a pretty picture roundabout
1:18:01and said, "Wouldn't this be nice?" And
1:18:02the district six guy, his name is Bob
1:18:04Jagger, he uh he headed up that
1:18:06committee. So he was pushing for this
1:18:09roundabout all the way back then. So how
1:18:12did it get there? How how did it get
1:18:14into the budget? It didn't follow the
1:18:17process I just outlined. Now if you ask
1:18:19Bob Jagger of District 6, he says,
1:18:21"Well, it's just part of the legislative
1:18:22process." Okay? He's real vague about
1:18:24how it got in there. He just says it's
1:18:26part of legislative process. Well, I
1:18:28went to Mike Klein and I said, "Hey, how
1:18:30did you deal with this?" And he said, "I
1:18:32inserted it into the budget as a study."
1:18:35And that's as far as I went. which
1:18:37sounds pretty good to me. Sounds, you
1:18:38know, pretty. But now the wording has
1:18:41been changed to constructing. So the
1:18:43question is, who inserted the word
1:18:45wording into the budget? No one will
1:18:46say. It's it's $8 million mystery right
1:18:49now. And everybody was concerned about
1:18:50$322,000 a few months ago. I get it.
1:18:53That's a big concern. But you know, if a
1:18:55roundabout is such a great idea, why is
1:18:57nobody claiming credit for it? $8
1:18:59million project about to be constructed.
1:19:02And the companion project for it, by the
1:19:04way, was this road diet that we're now
1:19:06faced with. Um, you cannot build a
1:19:08roundabout without the road diet. So,
1:19:10now you have the road diet and now you
1:19:11can build a roundabout. And that's what
1:19:13District 6 is getting ready to do. So,
1:19:17um,
1:19:20at November's meeting, you guys all seem
1:19:22to agree with me.
1:19:24You said should be examined and someone
1:19:26should be should tell this to the state
1:19:29before we execute this Russian
1:19:31judgement. So,
1:19:33If you have any questions for me, I'll
1:19:34answer them. But my question to you all
1:19:35is what action took place and who took
1:19:38that action.
1:19:41>> I can answer a little bit of this um
1:19:43just because I saw it popping up online
1:19:45again and I know in November we all
1:19:47agree that this should not we were not
1:19:49in favor of the roundabout for uh
1:19:51several reasons. So after I saw this pop
1:19:53up line, I made a phone call. I emailed
1:19:55Bob. Bob got back to me pretty quickly
1:19:57and I can't argue with any of
1:19:59statements. I mean, he is very well
1:20:01verssed and he dives in. There's no
1:20:02doubt about that. So, I can only go by
1:20:04what Bob told me. And so, I I wrote a
1:20:07little bit down today. So, um and Bob
1:20:10said he would email something to put in
1:20:11the minutes if need be. Um uh but the
1:20:15roundabout was inserted by legislation
1:20:17on Klein's behalf because Mayor Hos
1:20:19asked him to. Um I do not have this
1:20:21written down, but I believe it was part
1:20:22of a comprehensive plan. I think Ken was
1:20:24that your said that what we do is now
1:20:26that we have a road diet in place, now
1:20:27that we have we have a road diet in
1:20:29place, now that we have new roads there,
1:20:30if the city would like us to do a study,
1:20:32then we would request to do a study at
1:20:34that intersection and we would look at
1:20:36accidents. We handle all that stuff. And
1:20:37there really, and as we talked about
1:20:39before at that meeting and Casey brought
1:20:41up, there's been very minor accidents.
1:20:43So, that intersection was not really a
1:20:44fatality. says there really isn't going
1:20:45to change, but after everybody gets used
1:20:47to the new path on Grand Avenue, then we
1:20:50would look into it and see about
1:20:52changing. He said, uh, the adjusted
1:20:54traffic light and single patterns on the
1:20:56road is what Bob told me. So, after we
1:20:58get used to this roundabout, it seemed
1:21:00like it was off the table to me the way
1:21:02he was discussing it, although it's in
1:21:03the legislation, that we would come back
1:21:05and revisit it based on what council and
1:21:08the city was looking for at that time to
1:21:09see how what action need to be taken. I
1:21:12think that sounds like the right play.
1:21:14One thing one of when I was in
1:21:17discussions where that was being kicked
1:21:19around it would have
1:21:22required an easement into urban
1:21:24property.
1:21:25>> Yes.
1:21:25>> Um which sold for a million bucks and so
1:21:28I don't think it's real likely that
1:21:29you're you know going to acquire any of
1:21:31that
1:21:34>> have to go into I thought
1:21:36>> didn't we have control of part of that?
1:21:40I I think that I asked that too, but I I
1:21:42thought the same thing, but the state
1:21:44trumps it at that intersection.
1:21:46>> I respond to your comments. First of
1:21:48all, Bob Jagger is the last guy you want
1:21:50to go to for this because he is a
1:21:51proponent of roundabouts. Okay? And
1:21:54everybody keeps saying this is uncertain
1:21:55and, you know, probably unlikely. That's
1:21:58not accurate. It's 100% accurate that
1:22:00they're going to do it. It's in the
1:22:01budget. So unless you take the funding
1:22:02away via a resolution that you take to
1:22:05Mike Lines and get removed from the next
1:22:06version of the budget, they're going to
1:22:08build a roundabout. I'm not opposed to
1:22:10necessarily roundabouts. I don't like
1:22:12them for personal reason, but um I think
1:22:14the process is flawed here where where
1:22:17the state's process is ignored and
1:22:19instead we're relying upon a 2018
1:22:22committee. And I disagree with Ken. The
1:22:25the road the roundabout was in the same
1:22:29slide as the road diet. So, they're
1:22:31companion projects. Okay? You can't
1:22:33build the road uh the roundabout without
1:22:35having the road diet because it makes
1:22:37the roundabout smaller and you don't
1:22:38need to acquire as much property. That's
1:22:41the key to the whole thing. So, now that
1:22:42they've got this road diet, they're
1:22:44going to move forward. You you cannot
1:22:46tell district six that you know, you
1:22:48just rather you not do it. You have to
1:22:50get as a matter of law. You have to get
1:22:51it taken out of the enacted
1:22:53transportation budget. So, until you do
1:22:56that, you're going to have a roundabout.
1:22:58Um, and then as far as studies go, in
1:23:012018, it's written in the slides that
1:23:04Kentucky District 6 is doing a study.
1:23:07Okay, so I've asked for the study. I
1:23:09thought it was pretty reasonable. It
1:23:11should be a heck of a study. They've
1:23:12been working on since 2018. They refused
1:23:14to provide it to refused. So I mentioned
1:23:18this ICE thing, right? This intersection
1:23:20control evaluation. That's more of an
1:23:22intensive study. Um, and I've asked for
1:23:25that. Why did I ask for that? because
1:23:27their engineer, one of their emails
1:23:29shows that they're working on it. They
1:23:31were working on that as recently as
1:23:32January. Okay. So, I asked to see that
1:23:35and they refused to show that to me as
1:23:38well. So, now I've got an appeal in the
1:23:40attorney general to ask for a study that
1:23:42their engineers been working on and
1:23:44their excuse is, well, we haven't
1:23:46completed so we're not going to share
1:23:47with you. So, they're actively pursuing
1:23:49this as of January. It's in the April
1:23:52budget. So, if you don't want to round
1:23:54about it, if you at least want to
1:23:56rush to judgement. You have to go to
1:23:58Mike Lines and legislator, take it out
1:24:00of the budget, reward it as a study as
1:24:03some of these roundabouts are. Right
1:24:05now, it says construct. It's been that
1:24:07way for several years. So, you all can
1:24:09talk about how it's we don't think it's
1:24:11going to happen. No offense to you.
1:24:13>> I budget. It's going to be built. So,
1:24:18>> is there a formal way to go to our
1:24:20representatives as a city?
1:24:23>> My understanding is that so the Kentucky
1:24:25road plan that was voted on as a
1:24:27six-year plan and that that roundabout
1:24:29was pushed to the outer layer of that
1:24:31six-year plan. What we can do right now
1:24:34because I think we're all in agreement
1:24:36here
1:24:37>> is is make a motion to uh really
1:24:45to make a recommendation for my
1:24:49point. It was in the budget for 2025 to
1:24:52design it. Okay.
1:24:54And
1:24:55>> I was I was I was understanding that if
1:24:58that wasn't done because what I asked
1:25:00for I didn't want to spend you know not
1:25:03only did I not like it I didn't think it
1:25:05was worth at that time $6 million of the
1:25:08state's money on something that isn't
1:25:10broken. What I did think was a good idea
1:25:13is to have a study the same money spent
1:25:16at the internet intersection which is a
1:25:18sixway intersection and see if that
1:25:20could be made more efficient by round
1:25:23>> I think study is important you know I I
1:25:26think whatever you do you should study
1:25:28before you brush the judge and do it
1:25:30that's all I'm saying I you know I don't
1:25:32like roundabouts for various reasons but
1:25:34they might be the solution based on the
1:25:35data right but the fact is the data
1:25:38shows that the design of this roundabout
1:25:40wasn't the 2025 budget from the last
1:25:43transportation plan and they have
1:25:45guidance that says that they can do a
1:25:47study as part of their design. The study
1:25:50does not have to be a separate thing. So
1:25:52when you see design in the budget and my
1:25:54concern was what happens to those funds,
1:25:56do they carry over and they just keep
1:25:58putting it in there over and over again?
1:26:00So, like I said, I I would recommend a
1:26:03resolution, you know, if I may be so
1:26:05forward to suggest that to say, look, if
1:26:07a roundabout ends up being it, fine. But
1:26:11here's here's the problem I have is is
1:26:13this this study that I keep mentioning
1:26:15supposed to be objective. If you read
1:26:17that manual of traffic control,
1:26:19objective is mentioned all throughout
1:26:21it. Alternatives are mentioned all how
1:26:23objective you think this study's going
1:26:25to be when they already know they're
1:26:26going to build a roundabout. So, I think
1:26:28I think city should probably do its own
1:26:31study and spend a little bit of money
1:26:33doing its own study to be objective and
1:26:35if it comes out to be around great but
1:26:38include the public you know don't just
1:26:40have these committee meetings with you
1:26:42know four Thomas elite who who who
1:26:45decide that they're going to circumvent
1:26:47the state's process the state's process
1:26:49is you go through all these steps and
1:26:51then you build what you design and you
1:26:54exam the alternative everybody gets to
1:26:55see what the alternatives are I can tell
1:26:57you right now the online chatter is
1:26:59people don't want a roundabout because
1:27:00they're worried about it. But if you
1:27:02present the data in a logical way, maybe
1:27:04that maybe people won't come down here
1:27:05and make five minute speeches. That's
1:27:06the whole thing. Okay. So that's what
1:27:08>> I think a motion was made by these were
1:27:10all seconded to put something together
1:27:12to help my clients and pull it out.
1:27:14>> Hang on. I'm I'm trying to find I think
1:27:16I don't think we have another I'm one
1:27:19month away. I don't think we have
1:27:20another resolution. So we can just name
1:27:22this resolution and then we'll write it
1:27:24up.
1:27:29Make sure Bob is copying on this.
1:27:30>> Yeah, I would I would
1:27:33I would reach out to Mr. Klein's
1:27:37>> in the process of the resolution. I'm
1:27:39sure he did.
1:27:40>> And when I when I
1:27:42while you're doing that, I would have
1:27:44the resolution ready to go just in case.
1:27:48>> When I call Bob to ask if you know, we
1:27:49all voted this down in November and they
1:27:52had zero communication from anybody
1:27:54resolution.
1:27:55>> Yeah. So
1:27:56>> 0 one.
1:27:57>> Yeah. Talk to him if you don't want it.
1:27:59>> How come nobody contacted him then? I
1:28:02mean, how come nobody took action and
1:28:03then November you decided this is what
1:28:05you were going to do?
1:28:08>> I asked him. He said no one contact me.
1:28:09He just heard that the grape vine was
1:28:11not interested. So we got to talk to him
1:28:13if we don't want something. All works.
1:28:18>> We have a first
1:28:20by Mr. Beasel, second by Mr. Blow to the
1:28:25mayor to send a resolution to KYTC
1:28:28district 6 to remove
1:28:35trying to do things officially here.
1:28:37>> I would encourage you to continue your
1:28:40conversation.
1:28:43>> Maybe maybe the resolution is
1:28:45unnecessary.
1:28:45>> I think it's probably
1:28:57Yeah, he's got to show the rest of them
1:28:59why, you know, that they are. It's not
1:29:01just his word, it's our official.
1:29:07>> Next, we have Ali
1:29:20Ali Alandro 52 East Southgate. I'm here
1:29:25uh to talk about the block system. Uh
1:29:28generally I do have some very specific
1:29:30questions that we don't need to get
1:29:32specifically into. But um I am concerned
1:29:36about the possibility or I would
1:29:37encourage the possibility of some sort
1:29:39of formal town hall so that everybody
1:29:41from the community can get notice of um
1:29:43the that one these cameras because I
1:29:45don't think the overall the general
1:29:47community is aware of that fact and two
1:29:49that we are going to be having a town
1:29:50hall. I don't think that these type of
1:29:52things are really advertised um in a
1:29:54similar fashion. I don't think that the
1:29:56block um budget item was was um
1:29:59emphasized and highlighted and and as a
1:30:01result of that obviously we see
1:30:03situations where things are slipping in
1:30:05um and there's not actually any true
1:30:07approval. So I am looking for some
1:30:10information about whose idea this was,
1:30:12who approached whom, whether or not
1:30:14block approaching the city or whether or
1:30:16not the city approached block
1:30:17specifically. Um
1:30:21was this just a line item in the budget
1:30:22or was it something that was addressed
1:30:24um in some sort of meeting specifically
1:30:27or uh throughout the course of of a
1:30:30season or two? Um obviously we're all
1:30:33dealing with a situation where we're
1:30:35being subject to being surveyed and we
1:30:38have the information about how this all
1:30:39happened, who made that decision on our
1:30:41behalf. I understand the phone, but S's
1:30:44point, um, I make that decision every
1:30:46single time I take it with me in the car
1:30:48and every single time I take it with me
1:30:50to work. Um, I I don't make the same
1:30:52decision when I get on our public
1:30:54roadways. Um, I am concerned uh for our
1:30:58fourth amendment right, the search and
1:31:00seizure issue, but I'm also concerned
1:31:03specifically about how block is storing
1:31:05the data. Um, this is a private company.
1:31:08There's a reason why it's not the
1:31:09government that's doing the surveying.
1:31:11It's a private company that's doing the
1:31:13surveying that's being contracted by the
1:31:15government to do the surveying. Um, and
1:31:18I think it's important that we think
1:31:19about how that data is stored, how it
1:31:21can be accessed to I think another
1:31:24point. Um people I think uh at this
1:31:26point we know that people are able to
1:31:28access information online pretty pretty
1:31:30easily depending on how great they are
1:31:32with computers and I think that there's
1:31:34a possibility that the data can be taken
1:31:37stolen access without um specific
1:31:39permission and it's also um not only is
1:31:42it subject to being accessed illegally
1:31:44um but it's also subject to subpoena
1:31:46power as a corporation or a company
1:31:49that's keeping that data and
1:31:50information. Um, so I would encourage um
1:31:54the board to or council to to consider a
1:31:57town hall again with some advertising so
1:31:59that people are aware this is something
1:32:01that is affecting our community. There
1:32:04are four more evidently four more block
1:32:06cameras on the budget or in the budget.
1:32:08again
1:32:10where we how we got to flock I'm not
1:32:12quite sure but I hope that that's
1:32:13something that we can address moving
1:32:16forward before we make any of these big
1:32:17decisions um that affect everybody in
1:32:20our community
1:32:22>> were you here earlier when we talked
1:32:23about having a town hall I didn't see
1:32:25>> yes I did
1:32:25>> so we're going to put a town hall says
1:32:29gonna put it together so anybody has any
1:32:30of these questions it's just our first
1:32:32initial last name at forth Thomasorg
1:32:34Casey Kilgore Matt Kramer
1:32:37any of you can reach out to us, make
1:32:40sure the information gets passed on. Um,
1:32:42you know, and then we'll be advertising.
1:32:46So, I think it's I think it's a great
1:32:48idea. You know, we did talk about it. I
1:32:49brought it up in the April committee
1:32:51meeting and then it was discussed. I
1:32:53remember last year, two years ago, it
1:32:55just had a line item for cameras and I
1:32:57thought it was for just center town. I
1:32:58don't know if they were flocking up. I
1:32:59had my concerns then as well too. Now
1:33:01they're popping up. It just seems like
1:33:02more and more important concerns as more
1:33:04people know about them. So, I think the
1:33:06town hall is the best way to go about
1:33:13Next we have Kim Zimmer.
1:33:20>> Thank you for giving me this time. I'm
1:33:23also here about the cameras and I think
1:33:26that the first two speakers did a
1:33:28wonderful job expressing a lot of the
1:33:30concerns I had and I would just like to
1:33:32add a few more. But obviously the
1:33:35discomfort brought us to this meeting
1:33:37and that you can see when they were
1:33:39speaking is what happens when people
1:33:41feel like they're surveiled in Fort
1:33:44Thomas. I moved here about 40 years ago.
1:33:46What kept me here was a sense of a small
1:33:49community secure very secure here. Uh I
1:33:53don't see rampid crime happening that
1:33:55would justify these cameras and the loss
1:33:58of our privacy, the invasion of our
1:33:59privacy. Um
1:34:02has admitted that uh their data that
1:34:05they're collecting on us may be being
1:34:08sold to third parties. That certainly
1:34:10makes us less secure. Think about when
1:34:12you had your medical records uh hacked
1:34:16and you get a notice from the hospital
1:34:18system that your doctor works through
1:34:21that your records have been compromised.
1:34:23So that's an issue I'd like to see
1:34:25addressed at town hall. Um you know what
1:34:28else makes neighborhood
1:34:31Dog ownership
1:34:33>> hasn't shown that they have prevented or
1:34:35stopped any crimes. However, believe it
1:34:38or not, studies have shown that dog
1:34:40ownership that's because people walk
1:34:42their neighborhoods. They get to know
1:34:44their neighbors. They know when
1:34:46something's out of place. That's what we
1:34:48all enjoy about living in Port Thomas.
1:34:51We don't want to feel like we're under
1:34:53the microscope. And
1:34:56it's a very safe city.
1:34:59keep it that way. Um,
1:35:02but like you were saying, where can this
1:35:05go? So, in some communities with block
1:35:09cameras, they have the additional
1:35:11abilities beyond license plates reading
1:35:14of being able to read every device in a
1:35:17in a vehicle and every signal that's
1:35:20coming from that vehicle. So, do our
1:35:22cameras have that?
1:35:25>> What city? for the second time.
1:35:27>> Well, the answer is no. It just takes
1:35:29pictures of the course.
1:35:30>> Okay. But like he was saying, you know,
1:35:33somebody will all of a sudden decide,
1:35:34wow, you know, if we can do this.
1:35:39>> Yeah. Because there's been there's been
1:35:42incidences um you know, of of that
1:35:46information being used. Like just
1:35:47yesterday, there was a young woman who
1:35:50was talking about she was a passenger in
1:35:53a car in a parking garage and the driver
1:35:56didn't pay and but but because her phone
1:35:59got picked up in by block cameras to
1:36:02scan in that vehicle, she got charged
1:36:04for paying for the parking instead.
1:36:08Now, that seems minor, but there's also
1:36:10been incidences where these plate
1:36:13readers have read plates wrong and
1:36:15people have been stumped repeatedly
1:36:19because they're now on hot.
1:36:22And once you're on a hot list, then you
1:36:25know, you're going to the police are
1:36:27notified every time you're going past
1:36:29these cameras. So, it's effectively
1:36:31geoencing people like putting a GPS on
1:36:35vehicles. So, um I I have concerns about
1:36:39that. The as far as where they may go if
1:36:43they ever do get you all do decide that
1:36:47hey, we'd like that added capability of
1:36:49being able to read people's devices and
1:36:53the signals coming from the
1:36:55etc. Um I mean they're already
1:36:58associating bumper stickers
1:37:00distinguishing marks practice offense to
1:37:03your license plate number. Um then you
1:37:07might have a a question
1:37:10that for example that camera right down
1:37:13by 471
1:37:15that camera is closer to that person's
1:37:18house than it is to the other side of
1:37:20the intersection that it's supposed to
1:37:22be monitoring.
1:37:24I don't know what capabilities that
1:37:26camera has and that's not our concern. I
1:37:29guess if you're in Port Thomas other
1:37:31will pass it. But if you start
1:37:33installing these cameras and you get
1:37:35under these other capabilities,
1:37:38do people in that house have to worry
1:37:40about their devices?
1:37:43>> I mean because it's in closer proximity
1:37:46than the other side of the intersection.
1:37:48So um the other uh thing that I I wonder
1:37:52about is they store data for 30 days.
1:37:56But if you're going past these every day
1:37:59because I just kind of keep renewing it,
1:38:01the storage of that data, does the first
1:38:04day of of data storage on your vehicle
1:38:07drop off while the other one's added on?
1:38:09You're never really out of the system of
1:38:11being surveiled.
1:38:13So, um, those are my concerns. My
1:38:16concerns are, uh, you know, just how it
1:38:19makes people feel. I mean, if you saw
1:38:22police officer walking up to your door
1:38:24or you get pulled over and you know you
1:38:26have you haven't done anything wrong.
1:38:28You still active.
1:38:31You're on guard and I don't think we
1:38:34need that living in this is our home
1:38:36community. This is these are our homes.
1:38:39We we feel safe now. I feel less safe
1:38:42with all these block cameras invading my
1:38:45privacy. So um I have also seen where
1:38:51people falsely arrested, etc. And there
1:38:54are tremendous lawsuits against cities
1:38:59and counties now and agencies that have
1:39:03used that information. Um, because some
1:39:06of these people have paid tremendous
1:39:08consequences until it gets all
1:39:10straightened out. So, I hope we have
1:39:13good insurance because I can foresee
1:39:16that happening if if any of our
1:39:19information
1:39:21from our cameras is used to falsely
1:39:24accuse or arrest somebody or repeatedly
1:39:27stops people because because they've
1:39:31read their plates as a problem.
1:39:35So that's that's my concerns. I'd like
1:39:37to see those addressed at at this town
1:39:40hall like she said. I'd like to have it
1:39:42widely advertised um so that we can all
1:39:46you know be involved.
1:39:48>> Thank you.
1:39:51a cat with me.
1:40:01>> So, um I used to work for the city. My
1:40:03name is Cat Disney. I do not live here.
1:40:05Um but I was at first going to yield my
1:40:09time to Adam, but I did have a couple
1:40:12questions um after Adam was finished. Um
1:40:16Andy or mayor is saying that we're not
1:40:20done. We're still looking into
1:40:21everything, but Mr. Walker is saying
1:40:25we're not liable. So I think what we
1:40:27want is just to figure out what the end
1:40:31result is going to be and what steps we
1:40:33can take to get there.
1:40:40>> Okay, that's fine. But can you can
1:40:42council then let us know what's
1:40:44happening because I think that there's
1:40:47different communication with different
1:40:49people.
1:40:50>> I think council can make that decision.
1:40:52I can't speak for that.
1:40:55>> I would guess that when we go back into
1:40:57executive session, we'll come out with
1:40:58some type of play. That's my hope. And
1:41:02then then I think that I think there's
1:41:04probably an email list, right, that I
1:41:05would assume that you reached out to
1:41:06everybody on. And then that would be the
1:41:08next update is what comes from council.
1:41:11comes from the administration as well
1:41:12too. This is kind of an administration
1:41:14issue. You know, we'll obviously lean on
1:41:17them for the advice with this, but we're
1:41:18hope go back there to push it to get
1:41:20some more information.
1:41:22>> Okay. I just think it's crazy that two
1:41:24payroll companies you reached out to and
1:41:26there's nothing back or had no
1:41:28information back.
1:41:29>> Yeah, I think maybe more aggressive like
1:41:34how to do that.
1:41:36>> Okay. Um, also a lot of us that have
1:41:39left retired.
1:41:42This is now, especially for the retired
1:41:44ones. They don't have any. This is a
1:41:47priority. So, I think that they speak
1:41:49for um I think Alan did a really great
1:41:52job of representing me personally. So,
1:41:55um I just want there to be clearcut
1:41:57communication of what the next steps are
1:42:00and how if you need anything from us or
1:42:02whatever going forward.
1:42:06>> K, did you get the email previously? Are
1:42:09you on my email list?
1:42:11>> Yeah. So, I just got 42 24 and 25, but I
1:42:14hadn't heard anything else.
1:42:15>> No. Any update emails from me? I
1:42:17probably might not have your new email.
1:42:19>> Text the same email.
1:42:22>> Yep. It's in the same email because I
1:42:24shut it down.
1:42:27>> Not my work email.
1:42:28>> That's what I'm saying. I don't I don't
1:42:28think I have your private one.
1:42:29>> Yeah, I I got
1:42:30>> So, you got the email. Okay. That's what
1:42:32I was
1:42:33>> and then my husband came and got all the
1:42:35stuff. So,
1:42:35>> yeah, I knew that I knew that thing for
1:42:37that. I just didn't Okay. Yeah, it's not
1:42:39like for everybody. It's not just like a
1:42:41$100 here or there. Like it's a
1:42:42significant chunk of change that would,
1:42:46you know, benefit us. I have two kids,
1:42:49so they're both in sport,
1:42:52but um so yeah, I just wanted everyone
1:42:55to know that it's not
1:43:00chairman.
1:43:08Good evening, Sharon. I'm at 962 Miller
1:43:10Lane. I was going to talk about grants,
1:43:12but now I have other stuff I want to
1:43:14talk about. Um, starting with um the
1:43:19dedicated employees. um um they are
1:43:22hardworking employees who fulfill their
1:43:24responsibilities to the city every day
1:43:27and the city has responsibilities to
1:43:29them as well to make sure their payroll,
1:43:31pension, contribution, taxes and
1:43:33benefits are handled. So what kind of
1:43:36oversight is in place right now making
1:43:39sure this is being taken care of? How is
1:43:43this addressed?
1:43:49>> We we found out about it and I reached
1:43:51out to a CPA firm to study it and then
1:43:55asked the attorney to put everybody on
1:43:58notice. This is something where we and I
1:44:00don't want to get into details.
1:44:02>> Yeah. But I mean I mean
1:44:03>> it was something that myself and the
1:44:06mayor inherited and I was shortly there
1:44:08after
1:44:10its
1:44:12other
1:44:14is it being done properly now? Yes.
1:44:17>> Okay. So this this was brought to your
1:44:18attention back in 2018, which is eight
1:44:21years ago. And this is
1:44:22>> I can't speak to that. I was
1:44:29>> I think it was January 12 January of
1:44:32this year.
1:44:33>> This year. Okay. But they but they were
1:44:36owed they're still owed money. That's
1:44:38still your dedicated employees are still
1:44:41owed money. So yes, that needs to be
1:44:43taken care of like right now because
1:44:46most people who's ever received a
1:44:48paycheck and and they see something
1:44:50that's right, not right, they're able to
1:44:53go to a financial department or an HR
1:44:55department, say, "Hey, what's going on
1:44:57here?" So that's why I like to emphasize
1:44:59how important I feel it should be that
1:45:02the city has a full-time wellqualified
1:45:06financial director as well as an HR
1:45:09department working together. So these
1:45:11people have someone to come to even with
1:45:14a community member where they have a
1:45:15question about the city's finances. You
1:45:18need a department that people can reach
1:45:20out to, not a part-time CPA firm that
1:45:23maybe you can get them through email or
1:45:25something. I think you guys should
1:45:26really look into that because if you
1:45:28want to keep dedicated, hardworking
1:45:31employees, you're going to have to make
1:45:32sure they they're taken care of. So I
1:45:35really wish you guys would look into
1:45:37that. Um, I have a question for these
1:45:40nice people that are going through all
1:45:42this. Did you guys ever look at the
1:45:44state auditor's office?
1:45:52>> I mean, because you think that would be
1:45:53right up their alley. I mean, that's
1:45:55what they they go in and see what
1:45:57happened. What what would the safety
1:45:59what controls fail? So, you guys put
1:46:02stuff in place so it doesn't happen
1:46:03again. And so if that's basically a free
1:46:06resource, I would be reaching out to
1:46:08Allison Ball's office like pronto
1:46:11because it sounds like these are huge
1:46:13amounts and I would uh I mean if it was
1:46:16me I'd run it straighted out
1:46:18immediately. So and I think if you want
1:46:21to retain wellqualified people you
1:46:23should be taking care of it. Um also I
1:46:28wanted to ask you the update on HR
1:46:30review and the independent audit. Do we
1:46:33have an update on that?
1:46:35>> Uh, not yet.
1:46:36>> Not yet. Okay. Is there any way you can
1:46:38keep all of this on under old business
1:46:42until it's all taken care of and then
1:46:45remove it? It'd be nice if we could be
1:46:47updated because some of this stuff goes
1:46:50back to 25, you know, so and it it's
1:46:54still not finished business. Is there
1:46:55any way you can keep that on old
1:46:57business and keep us updated?
1:46:58>> That would make you happy. Yes.
1:47:00>> Oh, god. Yes. It would make
1:47:02else can appreciate that. I I want to
1:47:05thank also Mr. Lance for bringing up
1:47:07about the Kentucky um trans
1:47:09transportation cabinet information
1:47:11because that's been confused for a lot
1:47:13of us because we've never seen any of
1:47:16the studies for any of the road diet um
1:47:19or the roundabout. When I first saw it
1:47:22back in 2018, I just saw the image
1:47:25flashed up on the um overhead and it's
1:47:28like, "Oh my god, where did this come
1:47:30from?" So I I think that's very
1:47:32important that you follow the law, the
1:47:34rules and make sure the studies are done
1:47:36and the community inputs and as well
1:47:39before any major road stuff goes
1:47:41forward. And let's see and also want to
1:47:45thank you guys for tableabling um the
1:47:47grow grant discussion. I think a lot
1:47:51more needs to go into that. I think you
1:47:54should have um a clear process and a
1:47:58yearly um I don't know I I sent you an
1:48:03Excel sheet that clearly shows where the
1:48:06money goes um you know and who got what
1:48:11and and that the ordinance is being
1:48:13properly followed. So thank you for
1:48:14tableabling that. I look forward to
1:48:17hearing more about all of this and I
1:48:20appreciate everyone who got up here and
1:48:21talked about the plot cameras because I
1:48:24think what Newport did with the town
1:48:26hall is extremely important. So, thank
1:48:29you for agreeing to do that. Um, I think
1:48:31if you have not sent out the newsletter,
1:48:34the quarterly newsletter, that would be
1:48:35a perfect place that put that
1:48:37information and because that will reach
1:48:40every household because you know both
1:48:43sides, you know, we want to hear from
1:48:45board, you want to hear from other
1:48:47community members. So, the better
1:48:49advertise on that, the better. So, thank
1:48:52you all for your time and I appreciate
1:48:53your service. So, thank you.
1:48:58>> Thanks, Melanie Power.
1:49:04Shanning
1:49:10Shannon Burket. I was at 142 Brentwood
1:49:13Place. I was just my neighbor was also
1:49:15about 120. I won't go on and on. We
1:49:18talked about safety concerns impact
1:49:21potentially on our property values. But
1:49:23you did ask about things around things
1:49:25that we may be visible that could lead
1:49:27to structural soundness of the home. the
1:49:30improvements that have been made over
1:49:32the LA for the winter because that's
1:49:34when all the home construction happens
1:49:36during a snowstorm, but the materials
1:49:39and the things that they've done since
1:49:40then are already either falling,
1:49:43warping, molding. Um it's visible to us
1:49:47on the street. Um it's visible to their
1:49:50friends that drive by um and to our
1:49:52children. So I think there are things
1:49:54you can observe on some of those actions
1:49:56that show that
1:49:59craftsmanship of the improvement I'd say
1:50:02air quotes that have been done are less
1:50:04than ideal. Um so again thank you for
1:50:08listening to us. It's definitely been a
1:50:10journey over the last three years and
1:50:13prove to my neighbors that I can't
1:50:15imagine anyone ever living in this house
1:50:17or any one being able to justify what
1:50:20that house is most recently sold for. So
1:50:23thank you
1:50:28Elizabeth,
1:50:32>> Sydney Ker.
1:50:38>> That will conclude our visitor
1:50:39communication.
1:50:41Next, we have reports of officers fire
1:50:44department.
1:50:45>> Thank you, mayor. So, I don't have
1:50:46anything to add my report any questions.
1:51:00Police Department.
1:51:01>> Thanks, Mayor.
1:51:02>> Thank you. Uh July 4th went very well.
1:51:04We had no major police related calls in
1:51:06the park. Uh several small calls, but
1:51:08nothing to to
1:51:10We have an SRO opening that'll be open
1:51:12till August 4th. Thank you for everyone
1:51:14involved in getting that. It's an
1:51:16addition. It's not a replacement. We're
1:51:17adding third SRO this year. Uh that
1:51:19person will cover the three elementary
1:51:21schools for the public system. Phil
1:51:23Moyer Johnson. Um, and it's like the
1:51:26other positions that we have cost
1:51:29sharing with the school district. So,
1:51:30thank you for getting that going in the
1:51:32right direction. And lastly, Sergeant De
1:51:34is retiring from the city of Fort Thomas
1:51:36police July 31st. He's been with us for
1:51:3821 years. His whole police career here.
1:51:41Uh, his retirement party will be July
1:51:4331st here in council chambers from 2 to
1:51:454. You have a chance to swing by and say
1:51:48thank you for his service. He's done a
1:51:49great job and be very well missed.
1:51:51That's all that I have.
1:51:53>> Thank you, Chief.
1:52:02>> City.
1:52:04>> Thank you, mayor. We'll be finishing up
1:52:06last year's uh street program um
1:52:09starting in the beginning of August.
1:52:10That includes Hollywood, Pleasant, and
1:52:12Carmel Manor. Uh the current street
1:52:14program um should start mid August uh
1:52:17with completion before winter. Uh that's
1:52:20the full construction of Dixie, Sadi,
1:52:23and Hartwick. Now that the water
1:52:25district has completed all their work,
1:52:27um we are mid August. They've already
1:52:30started on Highland Park turnaround. Um
1:52:33and they've uh already
1:52:38what's the word? Ripped it out. And uh
1:52:42sorry, it's been a long day.
1:52:45>> Um thank you. And that'll start and
1:52:48finish that in mid August.
1:52:50Uh KYTC projects, Memorial Parkway is
1:52:53complete. Uh Grand Avenue, um paving is
1:52:57complete from Fort Thomas to Newport. Um
1:52:59they are still working on uh striping um
1:53:02and have some light work to do still in
1:53:04Newport. Um they are KYTC is going to
1:53:08start paving US 27 from ENKU 471 out by
1:53:13ENKU uh to Memorial Point. Um this past
1:53:17week they finished all base failures um
1:53:20that they've completed. Um so within two
1:53:23weeks weather permitting they'll start
1:53:25doing an overlay on that. Um
1:53:28additionally they'll be um getting ready
1:53:31to put a bid out to paint memorial
1:53:35Parkway Bridge from the fire. So they're
1:53:38they getting ready to put that out to
1:53:41start working on that. Um we've had lots
1:53:43of water issues this past uh week or two
1:53:47um throughout the city that we've been
1:53:48getting lots of um concerns about. So uh
1:53:53Kevin and public works has been very
1:53:55busy handling all of those and pending
1:53:58anyone's questions. That's all I have.
1:54:04>> Thank you Matt.
1:54:07Now we have no reports committees we
1:54:11have today.
1:54:17I mean, I figured you might
1:54:20reference the chair will be able to
1:54:22remove the bike ordinance discussion
1:54:23from old business.
1:54:26Those were not here. We we did come to
1:54:28an agreement consensus agreement on
1:54:30recommendation to council bike
1:54:32ordinance. Specifics of that would be
1:54:35that we would move all ebikes to the
1:54:37street regardless of classification and
1:54:40we would allow scooters to remain on the
1:54:42sidewalks
1:54:43relative to helmets. We have decided to
1:54:45leave that as a
1:54:49personal responsibility
1:54:52and discuss the growing that month. So
1:54:57that's about it. Thank you.
1:55:00>> Now for old business. Anybody want to
1:55:02discuss the bike?
1:55:09>> I love that it's on there though. That
1:55:10is
1:55:12>> clear for the bike ordinance. Are we
1:55:14expecting have the language tweaked and
1:55:17then next month we'll have
1:55:22>> 99% ironed out. Anything else? We can do
1:55:25that.
1:55:32>> Tower Park.
1:55:35>> Yeah, this is a if you've looked at
1:55:39Tower Park, the
1:55:43think the word for all the springs, the
1:55:46nostalgia springs that we kept from the
1:55:49old playground and put into the new
1:55:50playground. Um, surprisingly they have
1:55:54one had or two of them has broken. One
1:55:55had to be removed just for safety and
1:55:57the other one was covered up. Um,
1:56:00the question for council here is we can
1:56:03replace the two that are damaged which
1:56:04is 16,000 but again these are still um
1:56:0725 year old springs. It makes the most
1:56:10sense to replace all four which is
1:56:13$22,000. The reason it is so expensive
1:56:15is because of it's not the actual spring
1:56:18toy itself, but it's actually because of
1:56:21all the turf and work that we can't do
1:56:23in house just because of that. So,
1:56:25>> and and the survey from the parks when
1:56:27we redid the parks is the springs were
1:56:30number one toys that we play with. So,
1:56:32that's why we kept
1:56:34>> on
1:56:45Yeah, I was pretty vocal about that, but
1:56:47that's okay. We're we're here. So, um I
1:56:50think it's time to replace all four of
1:56:53them. Um the other two we can surplus
1:56:55and see how much money we can get from
1:56:57the citizens that love that nostalgia.
1:57:00Um but I think it's time to replace all
1:57:02four. Um and
1:57:05just would like approval of a budget
1:57:06amendment on that since that's $22,000
1:57:09and my maintenance um line for for all
1:57:14the parts is $20,000.
1:57:17>> Second,
1:57:20>> let's do a roll call, please.
1:57:25>> That's me.
1:57:27>> Yes.
1:57:28>> Henry,
1:57:29>> yes.
1:57:30>> Strange.
1:57:32>> Lauren,
1:57:33>> just a quick question on that. Is it
1:57:35like is it not worth looking at other?
1:57:39>> So, this is the company that did the
1:57:41whole park. These numbers are coming off
1:57:43source. Well,
1:57:45>> are you what kind of are you mean
1:57:47completely different equipment other
1:57:48than spring toys?
1:57:49>> Yeah, I know you said that those are
1:57:52number one. So, is that why we're just
1:57:53kind of focusing on keeping those same?
1:57:57>> They the spring toys were very popular
1:57:59when when we did the whole process. So I
1:58:02would replace
1:58:15>> Jeff.
1:58:17>> Thank you.
1:58:19>> Now just sort of go to the word too. I
1:58:20want to mention we're talking about
1:58:21parks at Highland Park. For those who
1:58:24haven't seen it, that playground, the
1:58:25new playground is awesome.
1:58:27I've been there a lot with my little
1:58:28boys and it's always packed and everyone
1:58:31nothing but great things to say. I'm
1:58:33also really excited about the parking
1:58:35lot when they tour out
1:58:40on into the park from Mayfield. That's
1:58:42going to be a huge improvement that's
1:58:44been a problem for a long time. So,
1:58:46yeah,
1:58:48I think I think it's being very
1:58:51>> Thank you.
1:58:53>> Can we get an update on the email blast
1:58:55too as well? I know you were working
1:58:57with um an outside source in order to
1:59:01get that facilitated because
1:59:03>> they just they emailed me yesterday.
1:59:07>> Yeah, I told them when I get back from
1:59:08vacation that would
1:59:13>> I have another thing for new business
1:59:14I'd like to bring up and hope it meet.
1:59:17It's pretty simple. Um I think it's a
1:59:20good idea. Um, it's invasive species in
1:59:23people's yards like bamboo and
1:59:25honeysuckle. And um, I only thought of
1:59:28this because recently I went over a
1:59:29friend's house. I stopped by there. He
1:59:31showed me what's going on. He was doing
1:59:32some work in his backyard. And I was
1:59:34like, is that bamboo? I mean, it is I
1:59:37mean, it's 100 ft of bamboo. Uh, I mean,
1:59:39it is coming down his side. He's got
1:59:41strings up to hold it from bending over.
1:59:44And then he started he started going
1:59:46over in detail the root system and how
1:59:47to chop it just makes it
1:59:48>> there is a native Kentucky plant that
1:59:52looks like it's not
1:59:53>> he said it was bamboo we've been dealing
1:59:55with it for a long time so either way is
1:59:57it an invasive species
1:59:59>> so he said
2:00:02>> so it could be so but regardless uh uh
2:00:06there is I mean if you go up Newman
2:00:07Avenue and you if you go up to Newman
2:00:10and there's that I remember driving up
2:00:12there because my friends live on Newman
2:00:13I live tomorrow Kyle and it was small
2:00:16and now it's so big when the winter hits
2:00:18the bamboo it's so resilient bends over
2:00:20and comes to the road and it just takes
2:00:22over and whatever this plant is whether
2:00:24it's bamboo or just the native plant it
2:00:27the root system is unbelievable it's
2:00:28awesome I have to dig down a trench in
2:00:31order to stop it so I was like you know
2:00:33let me look into this a little bit and
2:00:34and I looked I just googled invasive
2:00:36plant species ordinance in Kentucky
2:00:39just passed one prohibits the growth of
2:00:42invasive plant species including for
2:00:44with bamboo that's spread on neighboring
2:00:46yards. Level has one, Newport has one
2:00:48less than Bay County has one. So, it's
2:00:50not something people haven't been
2:00:51dealing with and it may be something we
2:00:53want to look into because they plant
2:00:55these species or honeysuckle and we're
2:00:56not taking care of them and it's
2:00:58something that you're having to deal
2:00:59with and control in your yard. And I'm
2:01:01telling you this was it's it's something
2:01:03to see what he has on his yard and
2:01:05cutting it back and removing it. So, I
2:01:07think we should protect homeowners from
2:01:09people planting things in their yard
2:01:11that's going to consume their stuff,
2:01:12too. So I was wondering how everybody
2:01:15felt about that possibly looking into
2:01:16it. Like I said, Bill, you just passed
2:01:17theirs and I think 2020 200 this year is
2:01:21one. Is that 02? Is that January this
2:01:22year? Is that what that means? 01-02.
2:01:27>> Okay. It was 2026. So they just passed
2:01:30>> 26.
2:01:31>> Yeah. Low was 2025. So -14. So I just
2:01:36think more and more people are looking
2:01:37into it. I think it's when I saw this I
2:01:39was, you know, I think people would be
2:01:40grandfathered in. I don't know how that
2:01:42works, but you know, I just want to
2:01:43protect people from something doing
2:01:44something like that. I cut down so much
2:01:46honeysuckle yesterday. So, it was 15
2:01:50honeysuckle and I don't think it was
2:01:51anybody's fault. I think it's like the
2:01:53false privacy it gives, but it is a
2:01:55nasty.
2:01:57So, would there be would you guys be
2:01:59open for discussion?
2:02:06>> Yeah, we can we can send it to them and
2:02:07see what they think or we have, you
2:02:09know, I think we're working right to get
2:02:11them on board for trail maintenance. I
2:02:13did talk to Jason revealed about
2:02:14different kinds of invasive species. I
2:02:16know we've had some issues in the
2:02:18plants.
2:02:18>> I don't think this is something that
2:02:20really needs to be talked about. I mean,
2:02:22bamboo is really bad because it just
2:02:24spreads underground. There's I mean,
2:02:26>> it's bad, isn't it?
2:02:27>> I mean, the or the only I think
2:02:30earlier's ordinance said that if you
2:02:31grow it, you have to have 12in metal
2:02:33around it
2:02:34>> just to keep it from stained because
2:02:36it's very very invasive. I think that he
2:02:39said he was going to have to build a 12
2:02:40inch concrete thing and I called Jason.
2:02:43He said he can actually put metal down
2:02:44at least 12 in down and it comes over
2:02:46the top. It's a pretty impressive uh
2:02:49land actually.
2:02:50>> Yeah.
2:02:50>> So you don't
2:02:51>> but it shouldn't be I mean it should be
2:02:53allowed
2:02:54>> here already.
2:02:55>> There is a lot of it here already.
2:02:59>> Trying to prevent like learning from
2:03:01somebody like we do and try to future
2:03:03actions of what we try to do. So anyone
2:03:06just try to put something together. How
2:03:07are you guys?
2:03:09If the mayor's good with it, I'll just
2:03:10find where in the ordinance it fits and
2:03:14>> rivers
2:03:23>> I'll get a whole dissertation on it
2:03:24later today. River, you know, my
2:03:26grandfather.
2:03:31>> So, okay, that's all I wanted to bring
2:03:32out was just it was bad. Thank you.
2:03:37We have ordinances
2:03:40first reading ordinance 07206
2:03:48general provision for fences and laws
2:03:50regulations
2:03:53walls and providing related matters.
2:04:03Next have municipal order MO32026
2:04:07ordering John Martin as a member of the
2:04:09Fort Street Commission for
2:04:13setting term
2:04:15twoear term.
2:04:29Can you read your text message?
2:04:34>> One handsome man.
2:04:34>> That is not what I
2:04:37said.
2:04:38I just came through.
2:04:44>> Matt, come on now. So, um,
2:04:48please read. Uh, I'd like to make a
2:04:51motion to enter into executive session
2:04:53for KRS61.810 810
2:04:56discussions of proposed or pending
2:04:59litigation against or on behalf of the
2:05:02public agency.
2:05:21>> Yeah.
2:05:23AI.
2:05:38>> How are you?
2:05:39>> Oh, yeah.
2:05:41There was a
2:05:46>> I came by your place the other Well, I

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