SOUTH KENTON RECORDER
Your Community Recorder newspaper serving Independence and Taylor Mill
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2013
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Reps get earful on bridge, pensions 8 legislators drop by for public meeting By Libby Cunningham Lcunningham@nky.com
Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Taylor Mill, addresses about 40 people who attended the Northern Kentucky Legislative Caucus on Feb. 2. Residents were invited to talk to their representatives about concerns they have within the region. LIBBY CUNNINGHAM/THE COMMUNITY RECORDER
ERLANGER — Northern Kentucky residents, business owners and officials braved the snow Saturday morning to speak to their representatives at the Northern Kentucky Legislative Caucus public meeting. Around 40 people filled City Council Chambers at the Erlanger City Building on Feb. 2 to share concerns about the Brent Spence Bridge, employee pensions and the Campbell County Library Board. Eight legislators listened to the concerns of residents who
were each given four minutes to speak. Covington City Commissioner Steve Frank addressed concerns with the Brent Spence Bridge. “Right now we feel like the turkey in the backyard and everybody’s arguing over how they’re going to cook us,” Frank said. A representative from the Build our Bridge Now Coalition, Johnna Reeder of Fort Mitchell, asked legislators to figure out how to pay for a new bridge. “What I’m asking of our state legislators is that we look at all options,” Reeder said, adding tolls isn’t necessarily the only funding option. “We hired you, we elected you. You’re smart people and we need you to find a
solution.” Reeder was joined by Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport’s chief executive officer Candace McGraw, who told legislators the airport won’t be able to reach full economic potential if travelers can’t get to it. Others took the podium to discuss employee pension reform, a concern Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Taylor Mill, addressed with three goals for improvement. “First of all is to create sustainable funds so we can honor distribution to all employees,” McDaniel said. “Secondly is to honor our commitments to our existing employees. And finally, to ease the burden on our cities, our universities and our mental
health organizations that are drowning in their ongoing obligations.” Still the Brent Spence Bridge and pensions weren’t the only things on resident’s minds. Bill Woody Jr., a Bellevue resident, voiced his concerns with the Campbell County Library Board’s ability to tax residents although they aren’t elected officials. Ann Mahoney Altherr, of Union, echoed Woody’s concerns. “The biggest thing would be the self-appointed, unelected board that has the power to tax me,” Woody said. “I think that’s un-American and want to know how we got to this point.” The regular legislative session, which this year is only 30 days, resumes Tuesday.
New veterans office opens Office to help vets get their benefits By Amy Scalf ascalf@nky.com
expects traffic to double along that corridor. “Most everybody would like to get to the interstate as quickly as they can. There's no easy way to do that from the center of Kenton County,” said Yeager. “If we’re going to enhance safety to its fullest extent, we prohibit left turns.” Moriconi asked if adding the roundabouts was an "all or nothing" proposition, asking if only a few sites could be converted from traditional intersections. Yeager said, “The potential for confusion is greater if you have to change from one to the other.” Yeager said the proposed improvements involve more than 20 relocations and affect 180 properties. He said the department could be ready for right-of-way acquisition by this
INDEPENDENCE — Rusty Mardis wants to help Northern Kentucky’s 12,000 veterans get their benefits. At the Independence Veterans Office in the Independence Senior and Community Center, Mardis will use his knowledge from more than 20 years in the U.S. Air Force and as a member Mardis of the American Legion Moon Brothers Post 275 to help veterans complete enrollments and updates for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “The Senior Center is an ideal place, because it has a nice large office, which offers plenty of room for veterans and their families,” he said. “This is especially important since the Independence American Legion does not currently have a permanent establishment to provide these services.” Mardis credits Mayor Chris Moriconi and city council member Chris Reinersman for helping him line up the space. “I think it's important to do anything we can for veterans. Just think for a second about how much veterans do for us,” said Reinersman. “It sounds like there is really a need for an office here. It’s easy to pay lip service, but we love our vets and want to support them, so this is a good opportunity for us to put our money where our mouth is.”
See ROADS, Page A2
See OFFICE, Page A2
Rob Hans, chief engineer for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6, discusses proposed Ky. 536 improvements at the February Independence City Council meeting. AMY SCALF/THE COMMUNITY RECORDER
Roundabouts and bridge tolls top council discussion
By Amy Scalf
NINE KY. 536 INTERSECTIONS TO BECOME ROUNDABOUTS
ascalf@nky.com
INDEPENDENCE — State and local leaders had a straightforward discussion about roundabouts and the possibility of tolls funding the future Brent Spence Bridge construction during the February Independence City Council Meeting. Sen. Damon Thayer joined Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6 Chief Engineer Rob Hans and Project Development Manager Bob Yeager in providing information to the Independence City Council members and residents in attendance. Independence Mayor Chris Moriconi invited the discussion because he was uncertain about the plan to replace nine intersections with roundabouts along Ky. 536 between the Boone County line and Ky. 17. Yeager explained that
Sen. Damon Thayer attended the Independence City Council meeting to discuss Ky. 536 improvements and to confirm his opposition to tolls on the Brent Spence Bridge. AMY SCALF/THE COMMUNITY RECORDER
roundabouts, or one-way circular intersections without traffic lights, reduce the number of opportunities for potential crashes, even though drivers
» Sigmon Lane » Bristow Villages Development » Ky. 1303, » Hogrefe Road » Ky. 2043, Banklick Road » Williamswoods Road and Calvary Road » Ky. 2045 » Old Ky. 536 access » Delaware Crossing
have to get used to the new traffic flow. He said roundabouts reduce accidents by 40 percent, reduce fatalities by 90 percent and reduce crashes with injuries by 76 percent. That’s important because he
WHAT'S IN A NAME
TWO-WAY MAC AND CHEESE
Marsie asked readers how they came up with their pet's name. B4
Rita improvises when problems come up in the kitchen. B3
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