Download Report

Administration
PRESORT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
DATAMARK
318 Garvey Avenue
Elsmere, KY 41018
City Administrator Alex Mattingly
City Clerk Jessica Chaney
Finance Officer/Treasurer Jessica Lucius
Police Chief Tim Thames
Public Works Director Chris Zerhusen
City Attorney Tom Miller
City Engineer Ray Erpenbeck
From the Mayors
Desk
Mayor Marty Lenhof
Elsmere Parks and Recreation - Fall & Winter Programs
October 25, 2014 Halloween Party at Elsmere Senior Center: 3 - 5 p.m.
Come dressed in your Halloween best and bring a carved pumpkin for the pumpkin contest. Prizes will be given
for the scariest, weirdest, funniest and coolest carved pumpkins. We will also give prizes for the best costume by
age 0 - 3, 4 - 8, 9 - 12 , teen and adult. Games and snacks will also be available.
November 16, 2014 Jimmie’s Rollerdome Skating Party: 5 - 7 p.m.
Join us for a great night of skating and help us collect food for needy area families at Thanksgiving. Each person
needs to bring at least one item of non-perishable food to be admitted at no cost.
Christmas Tree Ornament Contest: We are looking for ornaments that represent Elsmere to decorate the tree
for the Christmas party. We are accepting ornaments from Oct. 1 - Nov. 21. The ornaments can be dropped of
at the Elsmere City Building, 318 Garvey Ave. Prizes will be given for the best youth and best adult ornament.
December 14, 2014 Christmas Party at Elsmere Senior Center: 2 - 4 p.m.
Come join us for carriage rides, gifts from Santa and family pictures. You must register ahead of time for the
Christmas party with the names and ages of your children, gifts will be given to children 0 - 12 yrs. old. We will
have a professional photographer taking free family portraits so bring your best smile. The City will also have
games and treats for all. To register call (859) 342-7911 or email Parks and Recreation Director Denise Donahue
at [email protected].
January 18, 2015 Jimmie’s Rollerdome Skating Party: 5 - 7 p.m.
Join us for a fun night of skating.
ALL EVENTS FREE TO ELSMERE RESIDENTS AND THEIR GUESTS!
Over the past several
months, you have likely seen
the dividends of your tax dollars through the many street
and sidewalk projects initiated
by the City of Elsmere. We
are working hard to ensure
citizens have safe and
aesthetically pleasing infrastructure. Some examples of
completed or ongoing projects
within the last year are the
Park Ave. reconstruction,
Maple Ave. reconstruction,
Swan/Caldwell reconstruction, the Garvey Ave. resurfacing, the Turkeyfoot Acres
sidewalk repair project, and
the Dixie Highway curb and
sidewalk repair project. Many
other projects are in store in
the coming months, including
reconstructing Merravay
Drive.
I also continue to make
code enforcement and nuisance abatement a priority.
While some properties have
been improved or cleaned up,
there are others in Elsmere
that need attention. As you
will see elsewhere in the newsletter, Elsmere is partnering
with Planning and Development Services of Kenton
County (PDS) to supplement
ELSMERE
EXPRESS
WWW.CITYOFELSMERE.COM - FALL/WINTER 2014 NEWSLETTER
the efforts of the City’s existing part-time code enforcement officer. This was an
efficient way to add more
resources to fight blight, and
avoid adding the cost of another employee. In addition,
Elsmere is also looking at
ways to ensure compliance
with minimum rental housing standards within the city,
which could be through a
rental inspection ordinance
(which several nearby cities
have adopted).
Elsmere is welcome. Please
remember that I am at the
City Building each business
day, so please feel free to stop
by to let me know your
thoughts about the City or its
operations.
“Elsmere has twice been
named one of the safest
cities in Kentucky.”
Effective September 2014,
the City of Elsmere is partnering with Planning and Development Services of Kenton
County or PDS (formerly
known as NKAPC) to increase Elsmere’s code enforcement and nuisance abatement
efforts. With little or no cost
to the City, PDS staff will
supplement the efforts of Elsmere’s existing part-time code
enforcement officer. In the
coming months, city code
enforcement officials will be
methodically going through
the city to note violations of
the city’s nuisance and property maintenance ordinances
and take appropriate action.
Also, I would like to highlight that Elsmere has been
twice named one of the safest
cities in Kentucky within the
last four months. Safe
Choice Security named Elsmere the 20th safest city in
Kentucky in September, and
the 43rd safest by Safewise.com in June - this is out
of the 375+ cities in Kentucky. These rankings reflect
the hard work of the Elsmere
Police Department, which
also became accredited by the
Kentucky Association of
Chiefs of Police in June
2013.
I am also happy to report
that City Council voted to
not increase property tax
rates for the coming year.
Council members and myself
work daily to ensure your tax
dollars are used wisely and
efficiently. However, we always strive to be better - any
comment or suggestion about
Sincerely,
Mayor Marty Lenhof
**************************
Elsmere Partners
with PDS for Code
Enforcement
Please note that this is an
effort to better address resident complaints about problem properties in Elsmere and
shift to a more proactive enforcement model, and is not
meant to be a nitpicky or
overly aggressive arrangement.
However, Elsmere residents
are strongly encouraged to
review the state of their property to ensure it is in compliance with the City Code of
Mayor and City Council
Mayor Marty Lenhof
Councilwoman Joanne Barnett-Smith
Councilwoman Nancy Bowman
Councilman Billy Bradford
Councilman Tim Greene
Councilwoman Gloria Grubbs
Councilwoman Mary Lou Neal
Ordinances. Residents may view
the Code of Ordinances online at
www.cityofelsmere.com.
As always, Elsmere appreciates
citizen assistance identifying code
enforcement violations, which
should be reported directly to
Elsmere Code Enforcement
Officer Rich Aliff at
[email protected] or to the
City Clerk’s Office at (859) 3427911, Ext. 3.
Resident Quick Tips!
Registered voters in Kentucky
now can obtain information
about their precinct location
and legislative districts by using
the State Board of Elections
Voter Information Center:
https://vr.sos.ky.gov/vic/
The City of Elsmere Property
Tax Bills will be mailed to property owners at the end of October. Property Owners have the
option to save 2% on real or
personal property if paid by
December 1, 2014. To avoid
penalty and interest, property
tax bills must be paid by 5:00
p.m. on December 31, 2014.
Elsmere Dog and Cat Licenses
expired on September 30. Please
remember to renew your dog
and cat tags. All cats and dogs in
Elsmere, must be licensed by
both the City of Elsmere and
Kenton County.
www.facebook.com/ElsmereKY
STREET WORK UPDATE
Park Avenue - The Park Avenue
reconstruction project is largely completed as of September 30. This reconstruction project consisted of major
improvements to the storm drainage
system and the installation of a new
concrete pavement. Additionally, this
project has been completed almost
three months ahead of schedule. The
City of Elsmere would like to give a
special "thank you” to the residents on
Park Avenue for their wonderful cooperation and patience during construction, which helped ensure the project
was completed in a timely manner.
Maple Avenue - The contract for the
Maple Avenue reconstruction project
(Caldwell Drive to Kenton Street), has
been awarded to JPS Construction Co.
This project consists of installing a new
25 foot wide concrete pavement with
major improvements to the storm
drainage system. Construction has started on this project and all construction
is to be completed near the end of October.
Galvin Avenue/Edwards Road - Galvin Avenue and Edwards Road (Garvey
Avenue to Central Row), will be resurfaced with asphalt this fall. A contract
has been awarded to Len Riegler Blacktop Co. This project is expected to be
completed by the beginning of November.
Merravay Drive - The reconstruction
of Merravay Drive has been slightly
delayed, and is now scheduled to begin
in spring 2015 and be completed by the
end of October 2015. This project will
consist of installing a new 25 foot wide
concrete pavement.
Dixie Highway Curb and Sidewalk
Repair - Major repairs are being made
to the curbs and sidewalks along Dixie
Highway from the Boone County Line
to Garvey Avenue. This is a joint project between the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the City of Elsmere.
Deteriorating sections of the curbs,
FALL / WINTER 2014 NEWSLETTER
sidewalks and entrances will be removed and replaced. This project is
scheduled to be completed by the end
of October.
Please remember that inclement
weather can cause unforeseen delays
and may require an extension of the
project completion dates.
Please use off street parking whenever
available and do not park on primary
routes. When snow plow drivers clear
streets, their plows will push snow to
the curb and into driveways. There is
no way to clear the street without this
inconvenience. Use extreme caution
when following snowplow equipment
and travel a minimum of 200 feet behind any snowplow. Limiting travel
allows snowplow operators to clear
roads more effectively.
Thank you for your cooperation,
if you have any questions feel free to
call the City Building at (859) 342-7911
or email Public Works Director Chris
Zerhusen at [email protected].
Pictured: Foreman Pat Donahue, Public
Works Director Chris Zerhusen, Laborer
Ryan Robertson at the 2014 Elsmere Police/
Fire/ Public Works Night.
SNOW EMERGENCY
INFORMATION
With winter around the corner there
are a few things residents need to
know. A snow emergency can be declared by the City of Elsmere when
deemed necessary to aid in the snow
removal process. If a snow emergency is
declared and you live on a snow emergency route street, then you will be
required by law to move your vehicle.
Parking on snow emergency routes during any snow emergency may put you at
risk of receiving a parking citation or
having your vehicle towed by the Elsmere Police Department.
Parking shall be prohibited during
snow emergencies on the following
designated snow emergency routes:
Autumn Road, Buckner Street - from
Garvey Avenue to Main Street, Central
Row, Feather Lane, Main Street, Lytle
Avenue to Bluegrass Avenue, Ripple
Creek Drive, East Covered Bridge
Drive, Goodridge Drive, Manderlay
Drive, Eastern Avenue, Pebble Creek
Drive - from Garvey Avenue to Clovernook. All cul-de-sacs are included in
snow emergencies.
ELSMERE POLICE
DEPARTMENT NEWS AND
TIPS
As we head into the fall and winter
months remember to be aware of our
children walking to and from school
during the early morning hours which
will be in near dark conditions. Obey
speed limits and watch for children
crossing streets.
Take extra time to defrost windshields and clean ice from the glass and
headlights of your vehicles to improve
visibility. Be careful not to lock your
keys in your car while defrosting and
warming up your cars. The Elsmere
Police Department does assist in unlocking vehicles at no cost to residents;
however, priority calls could cause a
delay in our response time.
Please remember that if you need
police assistance the most efficient way
to request assistance is by dialing the
dispatch center at (859) 727 - 2424 for
non-emergency calls, or 9-1-1 for emergencies. If you wish to speak to an
Elsmere Police Officer or need general
information you can call the Elsmere
Police office Monday through Friday
from 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM, after
these times please call dispatch and
your call will be directed to the proper
resource.
Page 2
CITY WIDE LOAN
PROGRAM
Kentucky Police Academy on October
31.
The City of Elsmere offers an income
based City Wide Loan up to $6,000 to
qualifying Elsmere residents. The City
Wide Loan offers rehab assistance for
exterior repairs, structural deficiencies
and energy conservation improvements
to private citizens who own and occupy
their home and live within the corporate limits of the City of Elsmere.
Recruit Officer Alexis Day is a Lloyd
Memorial High School and Beckfield
College graduate and most recently was
employed as a Deputy Jailer at the
Campbell County Detention Center.
Recruit Day will graduate from the
academy on December 5.
Examples of improvements include
but are not limited to: roof, chimney
and flashing repairs and replacement,
siding repairs and replacement, foundation repairs, retaining wall repairs/
replacement and window repairs/
replacement.
In order for rehab assistance to be
provided, the house on which the rehab repairs are to be undertaken must
meet the Department of Housing and
Urban Development program housing
quality standards or the house must
meet those standards as a result of the
rehab assistance provided through the
City Wide Loan. If any improvements
and/or repairs require a building
and/or zoning permit, it must be submitted prior to the review of the loan
application. For additional information
and loan terms, please visit the City
Building, 318 Garvey Ave., or contact
(859) 342-7911. Applications for this
loan program are available in the
“forms library” section of the Elsmere
website: www.cityofelsmere.com.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
WELCOMES NEW
OFFICERS
The Elsmere Police Department
would like to welcome the two newest
members of the agency. Both new officers grew up in the community and attended local schools. Recruit Officer
Zachary Ritchie is a graduate of Dixie
Heights High School and served six
years in the United States Army. Recruit Ritchie will graduate from the
FALL / WINTER 2014 NEWSLETTER
BUILDING INSPECTOR’S
CORNER
To keep you and your loved ones
safe, please remember to change old
smoke detectors and replace batteries
each fall. It is also recommended that
smoke detectors are in each bedroom,
each hallway leading toward sleeping
areas, and a detector on each level of
the home. The average smoke detector
loses sensitivity after about seven years
and should be replaced. In addition,
carbon monoxide detectors are now
required in new construction and recommended for all existing homes.
Please remember to obtain the required building and zoning permits
from the City of Elsmere. A new building code went into effect in January
2014. All plans submitted for new construction and most remodeling projects
must be in compliance with the new
code changes. Please remember commencing construction without a permit
or approval shall automatically cause
the permit fee due to double. All contactors are required by law to show
proof of workman's compensation insurance.
-William Stith, Elsmere Building Inspector
TANK BUS PILOT
PROGRAM COMING SOON
TO GARVEY AVENUE
A TANK bus pilot program will be
starting on January 1, 2015 on Garvey
Avenue, from the Industrial Park to
Dixie Highway. This is a great opportunity for our residents to take ad-
vantage of using TANK bus service. For
more information and details, please
stay tuned to www.cityofelsmere.com.
ERLANGER/ELSMERE
SCHOOL NEWS
U.S.
NEWS
ranks
Lloyd
among nations
best high schools
- U.S. News and
World Report has
named
Lloyd
Memorial High
School in its 2014 list of Best High
Schools in the country. Congratulations Lloyd!
Researchers for U.S News began with
a list of 31,242 public high schools
across the nation. By the time they finished their analysis, they chose only
4,707 schools - or 27% - as the highestranking schools in the nation. Lloyd
Memorial High School is on that list!
The national publication awarded
Lloyd a bronze medal. Lloyd is one of
only four high schools in Boone,
Campbell and Kenton counties to be
recognized in the U.S. News and World
Report 2014 rankings.
Early Learning Center opens at
Erlanger-Elsmere Schools - ErlangerElsmere Schools is pleased to announce
that Children, Inc. has opened a new
Early Learning Center to serve preschoolers. It is located on the campus
of Lloyd Memorial High School. It
provides a high quality program to
serve pre-kindergarten children who are
3, 4 and 5 years old. To find out more
information or to enroll your child,
contact Rene Bricking at Children, Inc.
at [email protected] or call
(859) 431-2075, or visit childreninc.org.
Want to keep up with news from
Erlanger/Elsmere Schools?
Visit www.erlanger.kyschools.us to
sign up for the school district newsletter, Engage, and link to the schools’
Facebook and Twitter news feeds.
Page 3