BY GREGORY A. HALL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FORT MITCHELL - For the better part of this decade, the leaders of Northern Kentucky's three counties were familiar faces who enjoyed a good rapport. Clyde Middleton was Kenton judge-executive. Ken Lucas was his counterpart in Boone, and Ken Paul led Campbell County.
Their joint appearances at annual state of Northern Kentucky addresses developed into a routine with jokes a la TV show Newhart that it was "Clyde, his brother Ken and his other brother Ken."
In January, the top county offices will have three new faces - state Rep. Dick Murgatroyd in Kenton, Gary Moore in Boone and Fort Thomas Mayor Steve Pendery in Campbell.
While their governments are separate, an increasing number of issues are addressed regionally, making teamwork vital.
The three judge-executives, in addition to appointing members to numerous agencies, all sit on the board for the region's economic development agency - which also has new leadership.
Tri-County Economic Development Corp., an 11-year-old agency, is in the middle of one of its most successful periods. This month, GE Capital Information Technology Solutions announced it was bringing 1,000 jobs to the region. That was preceded by Ashland Inc. and Gibson Greetings moving their headquarters to Covington.
"We've got to be really extremely proud and fortunate that we've got that group that's working so hard and has been so successful," Mr. Murgatroyd said. "It's probably one of the best things we did as a region, was to form that entity."
In addition to the judge-executives coming into office, Tri-ED President Danny Fore is in his first year.
The outgoing judge-executives presented a united front when it came to a regional approach to growth, and the new occupants pledge the same.
"When it comes to economic development, I think we have to work closely together and work as a team to help in whatever way we can to continue the progress that we've had in Northern Kentucky," Mr. Murgatroyd said.
"The situation facing Tri-ED now is much like the challenges and opportunities facing Tri-ED in the beginning," said attorney William T. Robinson III, the group's secretary-treasurer and a founding board member. "I am equally optimistic as I was then that the new leadership of the three counties will recognize the regional economic development successes generated by Tri-ED through regional cooperation."
Mr. Robinson said the judge-executives' role as directors of the economic development firm is much more than ceremonial. The three bring the clout of being the top elected county official, in addition to serving on a rotating basis as board chairman. The executives also are responsible for three appointments each to the 14-member board that come up on a rotating basis.
"They play a very active role," Mr. Fore said. He plans to spend time in the next several weeks meeting with the new judge-executives.
Mr. Robinson said the learning curve won't require a lot of time because all have been active in the community for years and are aware of Tri-ED's efforts.
One fact that may help the judge-executives' working relationship: For the first time in history, all three will be Republicans. They got to know each other on the campaign trail.
"We'll have no trouble with our rapport or our relationships," Mr. Pendery said.
Mr. Murgatroyd said they should meet soon to talk about regional issues.
"We've never really had an opportunity to really bury ourselves in conversation," he said.
Development issues played a big
part in their races.
Mr. Pendery's platform included Campbell County getting a bigger share of Northern Kentucky's economic development pie.
"I am looking forward to having greater success in bringing certain types of businesses into Campbell County in places where we all agree they're wanted or needed," he said.
During the campaign, someone told him that companies like Fidelity Investments, which announced Covington as the site for a consolidation of its offices in 1994, only come once every 50 years. Then four years later, Ashland, Gibson and GE Capital chose Northern Kentucky.
"Any one of those companies would be of huge benefit to Campbell County if they were to locate here," Mr. Pendery said, "because they would so improve the tax base."
Campbell County needs to be better organized and prepared, he said. The lag, he said, isn't Tri-ED's fault or a flaw in the regional approach.
"I don't see an efficient way to do it other than on a regional basis," Mr. Pendery said. "I just want to see Campbell County do a little better out of the process."
Boone Judge-executive-elect Gary Moore was on vacation and could not be reached for comment. He campaigned on "responsible growth through conservative, common-sense administration." Mr. Moore stressed that more planning is needed in Boone, one of the state's fastest-growing counties.
Mr. Murgatroyd also echoed the need for a planned approach, so that Northern Kentucky doesn't become a region that strangles on its growth.
The campaign buzzwords aren't in conflict with what's going on now, Mr. Fore said. Tri-ED tries to manage the region's growth and not overburden communities.
That said, the economic development drive must continue, he said.
"You just don't stop everything because you feel the cup is full at this point," he said.
