Tuesday, March 16, 1999
Ludlow can't decide use of grant
While city holds $91K check, officer quits for more secure job
BY JANE PRENDERGAST
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LUDLOW — The uncertain status of federal grants for the Ludlow Police Department has claimed one officer, who said he is leaving because he was afraid the city's problems made his job future uncertain.
Officer Ronald Hutchinson's last day on the job will be Saturday. On the force two years, he said he had no plans to quit before the city decided to put on hold its acceptance of more than $286,000 in federal grants.
Both of the grants were approved by Ludlow's previous city council.
But the current elected officials are now holding one $91,000 check, dated five weeks ago, and have not decided whether to accept another grant. That uncertainty left Officer Hutchinson concerned because he was also being paid by a grant and was afraid the new city council might reconsider it, too, Chief Tom Collins said.
The officer, in a letter to the chief, said he thought his employment status was in question because of what he perceived as a rift between some council members and the police department.
He is taking a job with the Fort Mitchell department.
Mayor Tom Stacy said he's not trying to hold up the police department's funding. He said he simply wants to make sure all financial dealings are done properly.
Even though the previous council approved the grants, he said the current body still must decide whether to accept the money. If it decides to, then the money will be funneled to the department rather than given to it directly.
The first grant, for a total of $136,000, was awarded to the police department for a project with Northern Kentucky University and Ludlow schools. Together, the three agencies planned — and have started — a survey on school safety.
About $85,000 of the money already has been spent, with the schools and some students waiting for reimbursement.
The first installment, the $91,000 check, arrived in the mail about five weeks ago. But it has not been given to the police department, and police grants administrator Randall Chalk said no one at City Hall will tell him where it is.
He reported the flap to both the Kentucky attorney general and the Justice Department — steps he said he took to protect the department's reputation and hopes of getting future grants.
The department also notified the FBI, which said the check deal may be OK as long as the city doesn't spend the money on something else.
The second grant, for more than $150,000, also was approved by the previous administration. It would pay for two additional police officers — one to spend some of his time in the schools and the other for regular patrol. Unlike the previous grant, this one requires some city money — enough to cover the officers' benefits.
While the community, population about 4,700, waits, the Justice De partment could take the money back.
Dan Pfeiffer, spokesman for the Community Oriented Policing Services division, said that such disputes within communities are rare, but that his agency will try to help mediate.
“We're not going to yank the money away immediately,” he said. “But if we come to the conclusion that it's not going to happen and we think the money could be better spent elsewhere, we will give it to someone else.”
Darci's model wants doll info
Taft budget asks more for schools
Highlights of Taft's budget
Mystery hero asks: What's all the fuss?
Fatal accident follows funeral talk
Briton guilty in chat-room romance
Cancer center gains weapon
Ex-agent heads hunt for Erica
Little learners look up to 90-year-old teacher
Police seek suspect in check-kite scheme
Shot rattles police program
Lack of rain cuts threat of flooding
Teacher's $1M to benefit Oxford
Bellevue makes plans for 1st St. Pat's Day parade
Billing fraud charge admitted
Butler halts contract for computers
City will help fund holiday light show
Courthouse bidding case may spur new rules
Glendale wants levy feedback
Jillian's hot, and so are neighbors
Lockland paper factory fire was arson, investigators say
Ludlow can't decide use of grant
Madison Twp. site offered for Butler Co. jail
Money approved for NKU center
More time given for police panel applicants
Pals praise city manager at retirement
Price Hill man to plead guilty in resale scam
St. Bernard to get I-75 barrier
TRISTATE DIGEST
