BY CINDY SCHROEDER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON -- As Kenton County officials announced Tuesday that a controversial jail site near Taylor Mill is no longer being actively considered, they received a petition from 1,275 opponents of a leading jail site off Webster Road in Independence.
A couple of weeks ago, Commissioner Steve Arlinghaus had asked county officials to consider the site just south of Holdsbranch Road, which surrounds Atkins and Pearce Manufacturing Co. While the site's in Covington, it's close enough to Taylor Mill that about 300 Taylor Mill residents have signed petitions against it.
However, at Tuesday's Kenton Fiscal Court meeting, Mr. Arlinghaus said that the two owners of the Holdsbranch Road site -- the Gripshover family and the Kentucky Department of Transportation -- are not interested in selling the property. "The owners of the property have withdrawn that land from consideration for sale," Mr. Arlinghaus said.
While the 140- to 150-acre tract is still on the list of more than a dozen jail sites under consideration, "it's not being actively considered right now," said George Neack, deputy judge-executive. Still under consideration, however, is a 106-acre site off Webster Road in Independence. That site has drawn opposition from Erlanger city officials and at least 1,275 residents of Erlanger, Independence and Kenton County, who signed a petition opposing it. "This will stop the continued growth, and depreciate what is already there," said Erlanger resident Corine Pitts, in submitting the petition. She added opponents will continue to lobby against the Webster Road site, until a final decision is made.
County Project Manager Rob Thrun said Tuesday that the Webster Road site appears to be the leading contender. However, he added the county is continuing to look at other possible sites. .
County officials say a new jail is needed because of crowding and high operating costs at the present Kenton County Jail in Covington. Inmates also have filed a federal lawsuit, claiming crowded conditions violate constitutional rights.
To help alleviate crowding at the jail, Mr. Arlinghaus suggested the county look into filing a lawsuit against the state to force it to remove its prisoners. Before the county decides on filing suit, Mr. Neack urged that officials determine how much money the state inmates save the county, Kenton County school board and city of Covington in labor costs.
A decision on a site for a new Kenton County Jail likely will not come until at least August, Mr. Neack said.
