Sunday, September 12, 1999
Kenton County Fiscal Court must choose jail site
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
One of the hottest political and local government issues we've seen this year comes to a head Tuesday night in what will surely be a packed room at the county courthouse in Independence.
It is then and there that the Kenton County Fiscal Court will make the toughest vote of its short tenure — all four members were elected in November — by deciding where to build a county jail.
The decision is basically down to two locations: in Covington on 3L Highway hard along Interstate 275; and Els mere on property in the Northern Kentucky Industrial Park.
Commissioner Adam Koenig said a third site that for a while looked like the best location — the old Decoursey Pike rail yard in Taylor Mill — is off the table because the owner doesn't want to sell.
That leaves Elsmere and the Covington site, which is just down Dudley Pike from Edgewood. Residents there have lodged a valiant battle to keep the jail off 3L, but even some of the most fervent fighters were conceding defeat last week.
“The writing is on the wall,” said one of the opposition group's leaders. “After the Taylor Mill site fell through, we felt like we were done, that it's coming to 3L.”
Neither Mr. Koenig nor other members of the court are giving an indication of how they'll vote or where the jail will be built.
Some Elsmere residents are nervously awaiting the vote, worried that because Edgewood raised such a stink they'll get stuck with the jail.
“The (Elsmere site) is not the best location, it's not the best for the county or any of the cities who will need to use the jail,” said Neva Collins, a long-time Elsmere activist who lives in the neighborhood near the proposed jail site.
Mrs. Collins and some of her neighbors are concerned that their city made it on the short list of sites after residents in more-affluent Edgewood started an organized effort against the jail.
“It's the money in Edgewood doing all the talking,” Mrs. Collins said. “And it's a shame if that influences the (fiscal court). That jail won't even be in Edgewood, but here it would be right near a subdivision.”
Mr. Koenig said that has nothing to do with how the jail site will be selected. And he blames previous administrations for not taking action sooner.
“There was a lack of political backbone for whatever reasons that got us in the situation we are in,” he said. “Well, we have to show some leadership and make the tough decision. And that's what we're going to do.”
Mr. Koenig said everybody on all sides has had their say.
“I think people believe we've listened to them, and that we've done our research and will pick the most appropriate site,” he said.
“But it's still hard. No matter what you do, people are going to be mad.”
Mitch TV
Want to see Mitch McConnell, the Republican U.S. senator from Louisville?
Then get up on Sunday mornings and watch the news talk shows.
Roll Call, the Washington-based political newspaper, has just published a list of the Senators who have appeared most often on the shows, which are Meet the Press (NBC), This Week (ABC), Fox News Sunday (Fox), Face the Nation (CBS) and Late Edition (CNN).
With 17 appearances, Mr. McConnell tied for second with two Republicans seeking the party's presidential nomination, Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah.
Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Democrat from Connecticut, came in first with 18 appearances.
Once considered a bit of a cold fish and not much of an interview, Mr. McConnell's savvy with the media has grown as his stature has risen in Washington.
He's now viewed as one of the leading Republican members of Congress and has been mentioned as one of the contenders to one day become Senate leader.
But Mr. McConnell also has a bit of a political dark side when he goes on the attack.
Take the letters he recently sent to 10 business executives concerning campaign finance reform.
Part of Mr. McConnell's rising star in Washington can be attributed to his opposition to overhauling the nation's campaign finance laws. In a series of letters, Mr. McConnell urged nationally known business executives to resign from an organization that has endorsed a ban on unlimited contributions to political parties.
The letter didn't go over well with some in the nation's capital.
Here's The New York Times take: “The letter was seen by some as an attempt to intimidate the members with the implied message: Resign and keep quiet or don't count on doing business with Congress.”
And as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Mr. McConnell's efforts to raise and spend millions electing Republicans to the Senate took a big step backward last week when New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman decided to take a pass on next year's Senate race.
“That's a big disappointment,” Mr. McConnell said last week. “I clearly thought she was the best candidate in New Jersey.”
Jeb sits out
Fort Mitchell Councilman Jeb Holbrook, who seems to be one of the last Democrats in the Kenton County city, won't take on Republican State Rep. Jon Draud next year.
Smart move. He likely would have faced a drubbing from Mr. Draud, a first-term Republican who is well-known from his years as superintendent of the Ludlow schools.
But look for Mr. Holbrook to come back in the future and run for higher office.
Patrick Crowley covers Kentucky politics for The Kentucky Enquirer. His column appears Thursdays and Sundays. He can be reached at 578-5581, or (502) 875-7526 in Frankfort, or by e-mail at crowleys@cinci.infi.net.
CROWLEY ARCHIVE
