Thursday, August 26, 1999
Villa Hills eliminates administrator job
BY RAY SCHAEFER
Enquirer Contributor
VILLA HILLS — More than two months of arguing about whether Villa Hills needs a city administrator boiled down to less than two minutes of discussion Wednesday.
Afterwards, City Council quietly voted 5-1 to repeal the 1994 ordinance authorizing the city administrator's job.
Councilmembers Steve Kramer, Robert Kramer, Mike Sadouskas, Tim Sogar and Bob Flaherty voted to remove the law. Mary Koenig cast the lone vote to save it.
“If we determine at a future time we need to have a city administrator, we can always re-enact the ordinance,” Steve Kramer said. “We also need to look at a less costly alternative.”
Mayor Steve Clark had said the Kenton County city of 7,739 needed a full-time administrator because of growth, but council said the city has been doing fine without one. Mr. Clark was not surprised council took so little time to vote.
“Their minds were made up who knows how long ago,” Mr. Clark said. “I now need to bring a solution at the next meeting.”
Mr. Clark proposed paying an administrator up to $64,000 a year in salary, benefits and use of a city vehicle. The city has not had an administrator since 1997.
In other action, council:
• Agreed to spend $1,600 for the Northern Kentucky Area Development District to studywhether Villa Hills should merge its police and public works departments with neighboring Crescent Springs or whether the cities should merge into one.
Crescent Springs voted Monday to spend the other $1,600 for the study. Mr. Clark said if the study looks at only merging departments and not the two cities as well, he would want to remove Villa Hills altogether.
• Received a petition signed by 83 residents opposing a resolution council passed last month to name the city building on Rogers Road after former Mayor Denny Stein.
“We would like a chance to voice our opinion,” resident Michelle Devlin said. “I mean no disrespect. This is not the City of Denny Stein; it is the City of Villa Hills.”
Robert Kramer said the city is thinking about installing a plaque in front of the city building. Ms. Koenig, who cast no vote, said a plaque at the flag lot at the corner of Buttermilk Pike and Collins Road, which Mr. Stein was largely responsible for installing, is more appropriate.
• Heard first reading on an ordinance regarding door-to-door solicitors. It calls for a $500 license fee and prohibits sales after 5 p.m. from October to April and 8 p.m. the rest of the year.
Ruth Braun, the widow of former Mayor Thomas Braun, originally asked for the ordinance because she didn't want people coming to her door at night. But she didn't want to make civic groups such as Girl Scouts pay a fee.
“I think it's asinine to even put (a fee) into an ordinance,” Mrs. Braun said.
City Attorney Lawson Walker said the ordinance's intent was to control out-of-town organizations and that an exemption for charitable groups could be included. Council sent the matter to its safety committee for further discussion.
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