KENTON COUNTY FISCAL COURT

M I N U T E S

October 25, 2005, 7:00 P.M.

The regular meeting of the Kenton County Fiscal Court was called to order at the Independence Courthouse.  Present at the meeting were Judge Executive Ralph A. Drees; Commissioners Dan Humpert, Barbara Black and Adam Koenig; Deputy Judge Executive Scott Kimmich; County Attorney Garry Edmondson; County Treasurer Ivan Frye; Human Resources Director Joe Shriver; Detention Center Chief Deputy of Operations Scott Colvin; Public Works Director Joe Murphy; Assistant County Attorney Stacey Hege; Police Chief Bill Dorsey; Emergency Management Director Ed Burk; Court Reporter Cathy Johnston; and Guests.

Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

The invocation was given and pledge of allegiance led by Commissioner Dan Humpert.

Approval of Minutes

Judge Drees asked for approval of the minutes for the last meeting.  Commissioner Humpert moved for approval with corrections given to the clerk with a second from Commissioner Black.  The minutes were unanimously approved upon a voice vote.

Delegations

There were not any delegations to appear before the court.

Judge Drees read a proclamation in honor of Mr. Dory Montazemi who is retiring from the Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana Regional Council of Governments after serving for a period of 35 years.  Mr. Montazemi came before the court to say he was very appreciative of the honor and very surprised.

General Business

There was not any general business to come before the court.

Resolutions

There were not any resolutions to come before the court.

Ordinances

Ordinance No. 121.22

Second reading enacting and adopting a supplement to the Code of Ordinances of the County of Kenton, Kentucky:  Mr. Shriver said this is to codify the ordinances approved during the past year.  Commissioner Black made the motion for approval; seconded by Commissioner Humpert and the motion unanimously passed with the vote of aye.

Consent Agenda

Claims List-County Treasurer Ivan Frye:  Judge Drees said the listing on the claims list for Management Partners, Inc. is for a study being done by Jerry Newfarmer, Management Partners, Inc., putting together an analysis of the merger of the dispatch centers in Erlanger, Covington and Kenton County.  Mr. Kimmich said this is a report to update the study that was done in 2000.  When the update is complete, we will owe a third payment that will be paid by the city of Covington.  Covington will also be responsible for reimbursing half of this payment.  Erlanger is being billed separately because they were not part of the 2000 study and required more work.

Mr. Kimmich said that Mr. Burk and Chief Dorsey had been working on the committee to refine the numbers to develop a staffing plan that would come back to the mayors and the judge for their review, and ultimately back to the fiscal court and city councils for their review.  It is believed in looking at the preliminary numbers that it is a wise venture for all parties.  The savings may not be on the front end but will come later.

There being no further questions, the warrants will be issued and the bills will be paid.

Administrative Actions

Handout No. 05-62

Surplus of one broken table in the medical room in the Kenton County Dentention center:  Commissioner Koenig made the motion with a second from Commissioner Black and the motion unanimously passed with the vote of aye.

Handout No. 05-63

Authorization of County Judge Executive Ralph A. Drees or his designee to negotiate with Nicholson Development for the sell of property adjacent to the Kenton County Police Department and to proceed with sell for consideration not less than that amount in the proposal:  Mr. Kimmich said Nicholson Development will take title to the 2.4 acres that are considered irregular in exchange for bringing an eight inch sewer line up to the county police department and connecting our facility to the line.  The state is reimbursing our cost of replacing the septic system because the road will cut through and take the county septic system out.  Under this proposal, they will bring the sewer line up to and connect to the property.  Based on the estimation from the sanitation district, the cost to bring the line to the county facility from the school would be $158,000.  Mr. Berling is bringing the line from farther down on the roadway that would pick up approximately 65 other customers for the sanitation district at a cost of over $570,000.00.  He accepts the full responsibility for acquiring all right-of-way and for the construction of the sewer line onto the property and connecting the building to the facility.  Basically, the county will receive $1.00 plus the sewer line and the county can do whatever they want to do with the metal building on the property.  Mr. Berling also advised that during construction the county can also use this building.  The county is recommending acceptance of the proposal from Nicholson Development.

Mr. Edmondson said it should also be reflected that a RFP went out on the proposal.  Mr. Kimmich said it was advertised in the newspaper and this was the only proposal that was received.  Commissioner Black asked if there were any other facilities that would be affected.  Mr. Kimmich said the restrooms and shower facilities had already gone off line and they can continue to use the workout room for sometime but once major construction has started, arrangements have been made so they can work out at the city of Independence.  The chief is looking at potential options for the fitness room.  The county has a semi truck that could be used to store some items and the money the state reimbursed us for the septic system can be put into reserve.

Commissioner Koenig made the motion for approval; seconded by Commissioner Black and the motion unanimously passed with a roll call vote.

Handout No. 05-64

Acceptance of the bid of Harp Enterprises for voter machine upgrades in the amount of $601,895.00:  The county prepared to recommend the acceptance of Harp Enterprises for voting machine upgrades but late this afternoon a challenge was received to the bidding process.  In consultation with the county attorney, the decision was made that it was in everyone's best interest to reject all bids, to advertise again without delay and bring this back to the court at the earliest possible date.  We will try to bring this back to the court at the November 8 meeting.

Judge Drees asked the reason for not accepting the bid and Mr. Kimmich said the specifications state that they have to be certified but they are not at the present time.  It is recommended that the court reject the bids and that it be advertised again.  Commissioner Black made the motion to reject the bids; seconded by Commissioner Humpert and the motion passed unanimously upon a voice vote.

Handout No. 05-65

Authorization for Judge Executive Ralph A. Drees to sign memorandum of agreement with the Department of Fish and Wildlife for stocking of lakes at Doe Run and Middleton-Mills Park:  Mr. Kimmich said it would cost no more than $500.00 per year and will allow the children that fish in the lake to take the fish home with them.

Commissioner Koenig moved for approval followed with a second from Commissioner Black.  The motion unanimously passed upon a voice vote.

Handout No. 05-66

Surplus of computer equipment in information technology and the detention center:  Mr. Frye said this equipment was so old that it is not usable anymore.  Commissioner Black moved for approval; seconded by Commissioner Humpert.  The motion unanimously passed upon a voice vote.

Executive Orders

Executive Order No. 05-104

Appointment of Dale Henson to serve a two-year term as a member of the Unified Kenton County Code Enforcement Board, expiring October 1, 2007:  Commissioner Black made the motion for approval; seconded by Commissioner Koenig and the motion unanimously passed upon a voice vote.

Executive Order No. 05-105

Reappointment of Adam Koenig to the Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky for a two-year term, effective December 31, 2005:  Commissioner Humpert moved for approval with a second from Commissioner Black.  The motion passed on a voice vote with Commissioner Koenig abstaining.

Executive Order No. 05-102

Reorganization of the Department of Public Works authorizing the County Judge Executive to execute a contract for employment with Kerry Kitts as litter crew supervisor and dissolving one seasonal maintenance and one part-time maintenance position:  Mr. Shriver said this was a request from the public works superintendent who is looking for consistency in the litter crew operation that has grown with all of the cleanups the county is doing.

Commissioner Humpert made the motion for approval with a second from Commissioner Black.  The motion unanimously passed upon a voice vote.

Executive Order No. 05-103

Employment of Dave Sogar and Mike McKenney as part-time shop assistants in the Fleet Maintenance Department, effective November 1, 2005:  Mr. Shriver said this was replacing one full-time employee with two part-time individuals at a request from the director of the department.  This will save money as far as full-time employment with benefits is concerned.

Judge Drees cautioned that everyone needs to be cooperative in this process with a director returning in a lesser post.  He said he sees no problems but cautioned that this be monitored.

Commissioner Black made the motion; seconded by Commissioner Humpert and the motion unanimously passed upon a voice vote.

Citizens Address

There were not any citizens present that wished to address the court.

Administrative Reporting

DEPUTY JUDGE EXECUTIVE-Scott Kimmich:  Had nothing further to report.

COUNTY TREASURER-Ivan Frye:  Nothing else to report.

HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR-Joe Shriver:  Nothing else to report.

COUNTY ATTORNEY'S REPORT-Garry Edmondson:  Passed out an updated map of the county's maintenance road list to the court.  The court needs to adopt the list and it has to be posted at the courthouse within five days after it is adopted, and a copy of the map will be mailed to the cities.  Mr. Edmondson said a resolution needed to be adopted accepting the map.

Deputy Judge Kimmich read a resolution into the record adopting the county road maintenance list as identified in Exhibit A with the lengths of each road as identified in Exhibit B, effective October 25, 2005.

Commissioner Humpert made the motion to accept the resolution; seconded by Commissioner Black.  The motion unanimously passed upon a voice vote.

Mr. Edmondson said there were also more jail policies.  Commissioner Humpert said they had all been reviewed and all changes had been given to the deputy judge.

Commissioners' Reports

COMMISSIONER BARBARA BLACK-Nothing to report.

COMMISSIONER DAN HUMPERT-Nothing else to report.

COMMISSIONER ADAM KOENIG-Nothing further to report.

Judge-Executive's Report

The Judge said that at the chamber meeting today the recovery center was talked about but it seems nothing is going to be done about it.

Executive Session

There was no executive session called.

Adjournment

Since there was no further business to come before the court, Commissioner Black made the motion for adjournment; seconded by Commissioner Humpert.  The court was adjourned with the unanimous vote of aye.