Property co-owner Joye Meinsen listens as Tyler Henson, the city’s director of community development, explains why he doesn’t believe she should be granted a zoning change so renters can live there. Kevin R. Jenkins
Central HS football team lauded for being state champs
The Park Hills City Council held two public hearings, heard the concerns of residents regarding property issues, and discussed raising the minimum wage when it met in regular session Dec. 12 at city hall.
There was even a portion of the meeting in which the Central High School football team was praised for its recent state championship win.
Public hearings
In a public hearing regarding property located at 200 East Main St., council members considered a request from the property’s co-owner Joye Meinsen to change its zoning from C-1 commercial to R-2 residential. After passing around a packet to each of the council members, she informed the council that she and the other co-owner wanted to use the property as a rental home.
The owners purchased the property under the misconception that they would be allowed to use the structure as a rental home. After a lengthy discussion between Meinsen and the city’s director of community development, Tyler Henson, regarding the intricacies of residential and commercial classifications, the hearing was tabled until the city’s attorney could provide his input.
Another public hearing was for a request to split property at 131 North Front Street. This property is the location of the former Whistle Stop Cafe and a residence. The property is for sale, and the owner and realtor believe it would be easier to sell if the property were split and the residence re-zoned as a residential property instead of a commercial. A unanimous vote of yes from the council granted a minor subdivision and subdivision variance to the property.
Neighborhood dispute
Park Hills resident Nancy Warren vents about the frustrations she’s experienced with a neighbor over a shared alleyway. Kevin R. Jenkins
Nancy Warren vented her frustrations regarding an ongoing dispute between her and a neighbor regarding the alley behind her home. The previously blocked alley was reopened at some point by city workers in a failed attempt to reduce the ongoing conflict between two neighbors.
After hearing Warren’s complaint, including her accusation that the mayor had not returned her phone call, an agitated Mayor Easter said she had spent a great deal of time trying to resolve the conflict, including making numerous phone calls to Warren, meeting with her at city hall along with City Administrator Zachary Franklin, and holding meetings with the neighbors.
According to Easter, she and Franklin had finally come to the conclusion that the best thing to do was to open the alleyway. City park employees were instructed to clean it up to make the alley passable for vehicles.
Addressing Warren, Mayor Easter said she was tired of talking about the alley.
“So we’re just going to move on, and that’s why I chose not to call you back because I have called you and called you and called you. And I’ve spoken with [the neighbor]. She calls me and emails me all hours of the night over an alley.
“I think the city has bent over backwards in regards to trying to remedy this. I don’t think there’s a solution when it comes down to residents bickering about something. So the alley is passable, and if you park in it, your car will be towed, or [you’ll receive] a ticket or whatever.”
In unfinished business, the council voted not to approve the addition of two stop signs at the intersection of Pennsylvania Street and Seventh Street in a six to two-split vote. Feedback received from the placement of temporary signs revealed they did not serve their purpose. Also, the council unanimously agreed to begin accepting bidders on an acre of surplus property located on Staples St.
Minimum wage
In new business, the council unanimously voted to raise the city minimum wage to match state minimums of $12 an hour beginning Jan. 1. Three ordinances approved by the council authorized the city administrator to purchase insurance for the city. One was for general liability insurance, another for automobile insurance, and the last was for worker’s compensation insurance.
The council decided to authorize the use of ARPA funds to purchase certain information technology-managed services and cybersecurity operations.
Regarding the use of ARPA for technology purposes, City Administrator Zachary Franklin said, “After talking to all of our department heads and our employees, I think IT is one thing that has been a point of contention. It’s something people, you know, would like to see improved for the city.
“I don’t view IT any differently than I view water, streets, or anything else. It’s important infrastructure that we use on a daily basis. As of right now, our managed service provider has been struggling in a lot of different areas. One of which is the utility link, which I know has been mentioned once.”
The aquatics center is nearing completion and is on track for an April 2024 opening. Part of the money needed for capital expenditures for constructing and equipping the center was borrowed from a city-owned fund not dedicated to building the pool. The council passed a resolution designed to pave the way for paying those monies back while ensuring there are enough funds to pay back any debt that may be incurred by a source outside the city, such as a bank loan.
City administrator’s report
City Administrator Zachary Franklin discusses city IT issues that he hopes will be alleviated by approving a contract with a different company. Kevin R. Jenkins
During the city administrator’s report, Franklin said the city is in the process of selecting an engineering firm to determine a permanent fix for the five-way intersection of West Main Street, Municipal Drive, and Community Drive. A Traffic Engineering Assistance Program Grant was awarded to the city last month and will be used to pay for expenditures. A Community Development Block Grant of $750,000 is on the radar for April and is intended for paving and possible infrastructure improvements. The grant is based on economic need, so only about 50% of the city is eligible now.
Franklin said, “What we really need to do is sit down and see if we can accomplish what we want to accomplish with the qualifying data that we have. Or say, hey, we really need to get a project done on this side of town that doesn’t qualify.
“We could do an income survey and get actual real numbers, and it could potentially qualify. In most cases, just talking to the people who have been through this process, doing an income survey benefits you as a city. It just comes down to whether we need to do it.”
Franklin also gave kudos to the city employees for doing “a great job” organizing the employee holiday party.
“I would like to incorporate some more employee committees,” she said. “There’s a lot of different things they could do. But I think even just outside of planning stuff, allow them to be a part of some of the large-scale discussions we have, be a part of those conversations, and have input to maybe provide a perspective that we [people doing it daily] don’t always think about.
“I know I sometimes start working on something and run with it, and that’s a flaw of mine. So I think maybe incorporating some of our employees into some of those conversations could be productive.”
The council responded positively to the idea.
Aldermen reports
Ward one Councilman Carl Courtois expressed his gratitude for all the hardworking city employees,
“It’s nice to go back to the people in your ward and give them good information and let them know things are done,” he said.
Ward two Councilwoman Spring Gray said she, like Franklin, was also impressed with the employee holiday party and expressed gratitude to the event organizers.
Mayor Stacey Easter also had a lot of good things to say about the employee holiday party and the Rebel win. She expounded on the antics of employees during games organized by the committee and said more employees attended this year than ever before and is looking forward to next year.
Ward one Councilman Alan Coleman acknowledged the Central R-III Rebel football team’s state championship win, to which those attending the meeting responded with a cheer.
Easter thanked the employees and volunteers who went above and beyond to organize and execute the impromptu parade celebrating the Park Hills champions.
“Everybody just wanted to be a part of it; wanted to congratulate them,” she said. “It was an awesome feeling. I know that so many people attended, and they appreciated what we did as a city.
“And I know the boys definitely appreciated it. Just seeing their smiles walking down Main Street Friday night was something I know I’ll never forget. I may have gotten a little emotional at that time because it was, like, the coolest thing ever.”
Jeannie Northrup is a staff writer with the Daily Journal. She can be reached at jnorthrup@dailyjournalonline.com
