BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT B1
Your Community Recorder newspaper serving Northern Kenton County E-mail: kynews@communitypress.com Kidzville Child Care
Volume 14 Issue 31 © 2010 The Community Recorder ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
T h u r s d a y, M a y 2 7 , 2 0 1 0
RECORDER
W e b s i t e : N K. Y . c o m
B E C A U S E C O M M U N I T Y M AT T E R S
50¢
Bank’s bells a pain, resident says By Regan Coomer
Bank of Kentucky Senior Vice President Donald Bahr said the bell tower’s volume control was Bells are ringing a little more broken and since Cornett’s comsoftly in Crestview Hills after a plaint, has been fixed. As to Cornett calling the fix resident’s complaint about the volume of a Bank of Kentucky bell temporary, Bahr said, “We’re not trying to drive residents crazy. We tower. Since the bell tower’s construc- want to be good neighbors and we tion in 2002, resident Chess Cor- intend to keep it low.” While acknowledging Cornett’s nett says the bell’s chimes, which ring on the hour and every half an complaint, Bahr said some resihour from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every dents enjoy the bells. “We don’t intend to turn them day, disturb his enjoyment of life. Cornett is asking the Crestview off. If we can get the volume set so it’s not disHills bank to turn turbing people I down the volthink it will be ume, and the city The bell’s chimes ring on pleasant for to adopt a noise ordinance. the hour and every half an everybody,” he said. “Why does a hour from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. City Adminbank want to istrator Tim ring bells seven every day. Williams said a days a week noise ordinance every 30 minutes is probably not next to a residential area?” he asked. “It’s been the answer. “They are difficult to enforce,” seven years of my nerves. I’ve he said. “There is a general nuihad it.” An engineer, Cornett works sance ordinance that police offilong hours and is sound asleep at cers could use to address noise.” Crestview Hills Mayor Paul 8 a.m. when the chimes begin. “It’s ridiculous for a business, a Meier said he plans to monitor bank, to ring bells. There is no how loud the bells chime. “We’ll monitor the volume and peace here at all,” he said. Cornett’s bedroom is in the see if we feel it’s disturbing or front of his home, located about not,” Meier said. The monitoring method has yet 150 feet from the bank. On average, Cornett has recorded 80 deci- to be determined, Meier said, bels of sound coming from the adding it’s not a “priority” because it’s not a good use of taxpayer’s chimes every day. “They are hell bent on crank- money to check the sound every ing it up as much as they can,” he day. As for Cornett, the bank’s said. Cornett has complained twice response is lackluster. “It’s probably as good as it’s in the past to both the city and bank, but said the problem was going to get for me,” he said of the temporarily solved – the volume repair. “This bank is just not going was turned down then turned up to do anything unless there’s a public consensus.” again. rcoomer@nky.com
Quenching thirst
Students from R.C. Hinsdale Elementary School in Edgewood carried pails, pitchers and other containers of water through their community to promote awareness and raise funds for a service learning project to help others half way around the world they will probably never meet. Read more about what the students did, and the money they raised in order to help a community in Uganda build a clean water well. SCHOOLS, A7
Your online community
Visit NKY.com/community to find news, sports, photos, events and more from your community. You’ll find content from The Community Recorder, The Kentucky Enquirer and your neighbors. While you’re there, check out Share, and submit stories and photos of your own.
Share your news
Have a great photo from your kid’s latest field trip? Trying to drum up publicity for your group’s event? Visit NKY.com/Share to submit your photos, news and events.
Summer fun
With just under two weeks of school left for most school systems, the Kenton County Library system is gearing up its summer reading program. It’s also got other events and activities for children out of school, along with events for adults who might be looking for a little more to do as well. Read what the library is offering, and when some of the events will start. LIFE, B1
To place an ad, call 283-7290.
CE-0000399213
REGAN COOMER/STAFF
Crestview Hills resident Chess Cornett says the Bank of Kentucky bell tower located across the parking lot from his home chimes too often and too loudly, disrupting his enjoyment of life. Cornett is asking city council to pass a noise ordinance and requesting the bank lower the volume and frequency of the chimes. Pictured: Cornett standing in his front yard, with the bell tower visible in the background.
Judge rules councilman can’t sue city By Regan Coomer rcoomer@nky.com
Kenton County Circuit Court Judge Gregory Bartlett recently ruled Councilman Don Catchen does not have standing to sue the City of Park Hills over the purchase of 1530 Dixie Highway. In 2006, the city signed a promissory note to 1530 Dixie Highway LLC. to pay $300,000 for the property by December of 2009 to 1530 Dixie Highway LLC, of which city engineer Jay Bayer is partial owner. The propery has not sold. Officials hoped the property would help economic development. In his suit, Catchen states the original 1530 Dixie transaction is
void because the property has no public purpose and the purchase didn’t comply with state law because it wasn’t budgeted by the city and the State Local Debt Office wasn’t notified. Catchen also states there was a conflict of interest in the purchase due to Bayer’s partial ownership Bartlett did not address Catchen’s arguments because “this Court is of the opinion that the Plaintiff lacks standing to challenge the action of the city” because Catchen didn’t prove the purchase injures him more beyond the ordinary citizen. Bartlett did state in his opinion that “if the Plaintiff believes that the City has expended tax revenue outside of its authority, the provisions of KRS 92.340 would pro-
vide a remedy.” The law states any city officer, employee or agent who authorizes or could have prevented unlawful expenditures can be liable. The city attorney is required to recover such funds; if the attorney fails to do so, a taxpayer can prosecute. Catchen’s attorney Eric Deters said he may take up Bartlett on his suggestion. “We might take some legal action pursuant to that statute,” Deters said. “We’re going to appeal it or we might even ask him (Bartlett) to reconsider it. This will go forward. It’s not over yet.” Mayor Michael Hellmann said Bartlett’s determination is unsurprising. “If you put it in perspective, if
one citizen in a city can sue them to keep them from doing something that one person doesn’t want them to do, how can you get anything done?” If Catchen does not decide to appeal Bartlett’s decision, the city can get a loan to pay off the note and then sell the property, Hellmann said, adding the suit has cost Park Hills $20,000 in legal fees as well as 8 percent in interest because the city missed the payoff deadline. A second portion of Catchen’s suit is an injunction against getting a loan to pay off the property. That injunction was denied in April at the state board of appeals. That injunction is currently on appeal at the Kentucky Court of Appeals.