NORTHERN KENTUCKY AREA PLANNING COUNCIL Business Meeting Minutes: June 30, 2009 President Katherine Terwort opened the Annual Summer Meeting of the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Council at approximately 7:05 PM at The Gardens of Park Hills. Billy Bradford opened the meeting with prayer and President Terwort led the Pledge of Allegiance. Attendance of Council representatives and alternates was as follows. JURISDICTION POSITION NAME PRESENT ABSENT Bromley Covington Crescent Springs Crestview Hills Edgewood Elsmere Erlanger Fairview Fort Mitchell Fort Wright Independence Kenton County Kenton Vale Lakeside Park Ludlow Park Hills Ryland Heights Taylor Mill Villa Hills Representative Mayor Annett Davidson-Littrell X Councilwoman Patty Grimes X Representative Commissioner Sherry Carran X Representative Councilman Tom Vergamini X Mayor Jim Collett X Representative Councilman Frank Sommerkamp X Mayor Paul Meier X Representative Mayor John Link X Councilman Dale Henson X Representative Councilwoman Gloria Grubbs X Mayor Billy Bradford X Representative Mayor Tom Rouse X Representative Mayor Harold Parks X Representative Mayor Tom Holocher X Representative Councilman Bernie Wessels X Councilman Dave Hatter X Representative Mayor Chris Moriconi, Vice President X Councilwoman Donna Yeager X Representative Judge-Executive Ralph Drees X Commissioner Dan Humpert X Representative Councilman Joe Fricke X Mayor Michael Pendery X Representative Mayor Katherine Terwort, President X Councilman David Jansing X Representative Mayor Ed Schroeder X Representative Mayor Michael Hellmann X Councilman Steven Ryan, Secretary X Representative Mayor Bob Miller X Representative Mayor Mark Kreimborg, Past President X Representative Mayor Mike Sadouskas X Indicates the jurisdiction was represented during votes taken by the Council. Page 1 of 6
NKAPCommission Members Present: Tom Kriege, Vice-Chairman; Sherry Carran; Paul Meier; and, Gene Weaver. Others Present: Missy Andress, Erlanger City Clerk; Marc Bell, Kentucky Planning Engineer, Duke Energy; Theresa Bell, Guest; Billie Bradford, Guest; Linda Carter, Erlanger City Administrative Officer; Kara Clark, Vision 2015; John Eckler, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet; Garry Edmondson, NKAPC Legal Counsel; Jim Ellison, Retired NKAPC; Tom France, Kenton County Planning Commission; Kathy Fricke, Kenton County Joint Code Enforcement Board; Bob Haake, Kenton County Joint Code Enforcement Board; Richard Harrison, Northern Kentucky Water District; Frank G. Henn Jr., Kenton County Joint Code Enforcement Board; Jim Horner, Lakeside Park Code Enforcement Board; Terri Jameson, Kenton County Joint Code Enforcement Board; Tom Jordan, Former Lakeside Park Councilman; Stan Kahrs, Guest; Larry Klein, Assistant Covington City Manager; Jack Kleymeyer, Retired NKAPC; Suzie Kleymeyer, Guest; Robert Koehler, OKI Regional Council of Governments; Adam Koenig, 69 th District State Representative; Ron Lovan, Northern Kentucky Water District; Don McMillan, Boone County Planning Commission; Jean Miller, Guest; Claire Moriconi, Kenton County Joint Code Enforcement Board; Mark Policinski, OKI Regional Council of Governments; Roger Rolfes, Edgewood City Administrator; Dave Schrand, Fort Mitchell Councilman; Marshall Slagle, Retired NKAPC, Frank Smith, Former Lakeside Park Mayor; Pat Sommerkamp, Northern Kentucky Water District; Paul Swanson, Former Kenton County Planning Commission; Stacy Tapke, Kenton County Joint Code Enforcement Board Legal Council; Bill Terwort, Guest; Frank Warnock, Covington City Solicitor; Earl White, Guest; and, Ralph Wolff, Retired Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. NKAPC Staff Present: Gretchen Boyce, Associate GIS Specialist; Donna Bresser, Senior Secretary; Trisha Brush, GISP, Deputy Director for GIS Administration; Joe Busemeyer, GISP, Principal GIS Specialist; Tom East, GISP, Senior GIS Specialist; James Fausz, AICP, Associate Planner; Dennis Andrew Gordon, FAICP, Executive Director; Scott Headlee, Principal Zoning Official; Mike Ionna, Associate Planner; Keith Logsdon, AICP, Deputy Director for Long- Range Planning; Sharmili Reddy, AICP, Senior Planner; Lori Remley, Administrative Assistant/Office Manager; Michael Schwartz, AICP, Deputy Director for Current Planning; Sharon Shinners, Receptionist/Assistant Office Manager; Brian Sims, Deputy Director for Building Codes Administration; and Kathy Stephens, Associate GIS Specialist. President Terwort called the meeting to order at approximately 7:55 PM and requested that the record show a quorum of the Council was present. She introduced several guests Adam Koenig, 69 th District State Representative; Mark Policinski, OKI Executive Director, and Robert Koehler, OKI Deputy Executive Director. She then introduced the people seated at the head table Lori Remley, Administrative Assistant; Dennis Andrew Gordon, FAICP, Executive Director; Tom Eckler, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet; Tom Kriege, Page 2 of 6
NKAPCommission Vice Chairman; Chris Moriconi, Vice President; Steve Ryan, Secretary; and, Garry Edmondson, Legal Counsel. President Terwort announced the focus of the evening s program The Brent Spence Bridge: Recent media reports sound positive but how far have we progressed over the past three years? and introduced John Eckler, District Design Engineer for District 6 of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Mr. Eckler provided background information and stated that the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is leading the preliminary phases of the Brent Spence Bridge project. He outlined ODOT s project development process and indicated that they are currently at step 5 Conceptual Alternative Study. Once steps 6 and 7 have been completed, ODOT, the Federal Highway Administration, and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will take the plans under review. Mr. Eckler stated that initially there were seven alternatives but only five were evaluated. Upon review, it was decided that Alternatives B and G would not be investigated further. Alternatives C, D and E are still being investigated, with Alternative E being the best from a traffic standpoint. Mr. Eckler indicated that the next step would be the constructability review and plans are expected to be complete by January/February 2011. For additional information regarding the Brent Spence Bridge Project, Mr. Eckler suggested the audience visit brentspencebridgecorridor.com or call the project hotline at 513.639.2172 After a brief question and answer session, President Terwort thanked Mr. Eckler for the very interesting and informative presentation. President Terwort noted that members had received a copy of the Minutes of the February 25, 2009, meeting and asked if there were any changes or corrections. There being none, she asked for a motion to accept the Minutes. Tom Holocher made a motion to accept the Minutes as presented; John Link seconded the motion. President Terwort asked if there were any questions; there were none. She then asked for a roll call vote, which found unanimous approval. President Terwort took the opportunity to recognize the members of the 11 local planning commissions in attendance and asked for any news or upcoming events. Tom France of the Kenton County Planning Commission stated that the KCPC, like other public entities, was experiencing financial difficulties. He thanked Mr. Gordon and the NKAPC for their advice and financial support. With no other news or upcoming events, President Terwort introduced Tom Kriege, Vice Chairman of the Area Planning Commission. Page 3 of 6
Vice Chairman Kriege introduced the Commission members present and stated that he was pleased with the way the Commission and staff have handled these tough economic times. He stated that Mr. Gordon would be providing additional information regarding the FY10 budget. President Terwort thanked Vice Chairman Kriege for his comments. She then introduced Mr. Gordon, executive director. Mr. Gordon took a moment to recognize the NKAPC Leadership Team Michael Schwartz, Trisha Brush, Brian Sims, and Keith Logsdon, along with Scott Hiles who was unable to attend. He thanked them for their hard work and acknowledged all the staff had accomplished during FY09 under less than advantageous circumstances. The audience thanked staff for its accomplishments through a round of applause. Mr. Gordon gave a brief overview of FY09 s financial situation. He advised members that NKAPC would end the year in the black even with a revenue loss of approximately $300,000. Mr. Gordon attributed this to the budget cuts that were instituted on February 1. He indicated that staff had taken an across-the-board five percent pay cut and that most hourly workers had been cut to 33-hours work weeks. Mr. Gordon stated that the FY10 budget is less than the budgets of the last several years but NKAPC remains committed to its ideals and five core values Service, Perseverance, Innovation, Collaboration, and Excellence. He outlined several initiatives included in the FY10 budget: completion of small area studies for Park Hills and Crescent Springs; a small area study of the Latonia area for Covington; a continuation of the organization s Hillsides initiative; a second form district for 12 th Street/MLK Blvd from the expressway to Madison for Covington; roll out of the new LINK-GIS website; roll out of the new subdivision regulations and model zoning ordinance; and implementation of a new online system for pavement management in Kenton and Campbell Counties (funded by the LINK-GIS partnerships). He also outlined what was not in the budget no four percent increase in tax receipts; no increase in fees; and no COLA increase for staff. Mr. Gordon advised members that customers still have high expectations and the NKAPC staff was working hard to meet them. He thanked the Council for its continued support. President Terwort noted the next item of business is Council s action on the proposed FY10 budget. She noted that pursuant to the Bylaws, the budget review committee met with the Area Planning Commission to review the proposed FY10 budget. She indicated that the committee members present at this meeting were Mayors Chris Moriconi and Mark Kreimborg, and herself. At this time, President Terwort asked Mayor Kreimborg to give a brief report on that meeting. Mayor Kreimborg stated that he had been on the Council budget review committee for the last several years and felt NKAPC was being a good Page 4 of 6
steward of taxpayers dollars. He stated that he was impressed by the hard work of Mr. Gordon, the NKAPC staff, and the Commission in their preparation of the budget. He noted it was the committee s recommendation that the Council approve the proposed FY10 budget. Following the report and recommendation of the budget review committee, President Terwort asked if there was a motion to accept the committee s recommendation and approve the FY10 budget as submitted by the Area Planning Commission. Frank Sommerkamp made the motion to accept the committee s recommendation and approve the FY10 budget as submitted; Tom Holocher seconded the motion. President Terwort asked if there were any questions; there were none. She then asked for a roll call vote, which found unanimous approval. President Terwort then noted that Vice Chairman Kriege would convene a meeting of the Area Planning Commission to take final action on the proposed FY10 budget and work program. After calling the meeting to order at approximately 8:45 PM, Vice Chairman Kriege asked for a motion to adopt the approved FY10 budget and work program. Commissioner Meier made a motion to adopt the FY10 budget and work program; Commissioner Weaver seconded the motion. Vice Chairman Kriege asked if there any questions; there were none. He then asked for a roll call vote which found Commissioners Meier, Weaver, Carran, and Vice Chairman Kriege in favor. The motion passed unanimously and Vice Chairman Kriege closed the meeting of the Area Planning Commission. President Terwort reconvened the Council meeting at approximately 8:47 PM. She stated that there was one other statutory requirement that the Council need to act on and that was approval of the staff s recommendation to use VanGorder Walker CPAs of Erlanger to audit the books for FY09, 10 and 11. She indicated that staff had negotiated a contract with VanGorder Walker that commits the firm to maximum costs for FY09 and FY10 that are less than what was paid for last year s audit and the FY11 s audit can only exceed last year s by $150. President Terwort thanked VanGorder Walker for their attention to our financial need and asked if there was a motion to use VanGorder Walker to pursue the audit of our FY09, 10, and 11 books. The motion was made by Tom Holocher and seconded by Bob Miller. President Terwort asked for a roll call vote, which found unanimous approval. President Terwort then asked if there was any additional business. There being none, she reminded members of the Annual Fall Meeting scheduled for the evening of Thursday, October 29, at Twin Oaks Golf Club. Without objection, the meeting was adjourned at 8:50 PM. Page 5 of 6
Katherine Terwort, President Northern Kentucky Area Planning Council Steven Ryan, Secretary Northern Kentucky Area Planning Council Page 6 of 6