COVINGTON — Sue Sampson thinks inmates eating sandwiches off trays at an expanded Kenton County Jail and customers dining at neighboring restaurants go together like dill pickles and rocky road ice cream.

        Ms. Sampson is part of a group of Covington residents and leaders who don't want Kenton County Fiscal Court's plan to expand the current facility at the county courthouse — a $27.3 million move they say will keep patrons away from the restaurants near the Ohio River and businesses away from the city.

The Kenton County Jail, housed in the county building (foreground), would be expanded under a plan estimated to cost $27.3 million. (Enquirer photo) | ZOOM |

        “Inmates will have the best river view,” Ms. Sampson said. “There's no room to expand. It's a short-term solution; 10 years from now we'll be doing this again.”

        The movement Ms. Sampson belongs to doesn't have a formal name yet. But she said about 150 people from across Covington attended a recent meeting concerning the jail, and Ms. Sampson said more people are wearing T-shirts bearing the slogan “Covington: Not Jail Bait.”

        Deputy Judge-executive Scott Kimmich said Tuesday the county wants to clear up any fears regarding the expansion, which he said would not harm the nearby Licking Riverside neighborhood.

        “The jail's been there since the 1960s,” Mr. Kimmich said. “There's been no adverse impact.”

        Ms. Sampson's group said the 3L Highway site (also known as Ky. 17) in Covington and near Fort Wright — which the fiscal court rejected in 1999 — is the best location because it is centrally located to all of the county. And Covington Mayor Butch Callery said the 3L site would save the county about $5 million.

        Mr. Kimmich said 3L is a dead deal.

OTHER PROJECTS

Here are four development projects near the Kenton County Courthouse in Covington:     • Park Place Square     What/where: a 1.5-acre park at the corner of Park and Court streets     Cost: nearly $3 million     Status: on hold pending decision in Kenton Circuit Court on the legality of an increase in the cap on the county's 0.85 percent payroll.    • Roebling Row     What/where: A total of 83 luxury apartments at Third and Greenup streets.     Cost: $10 million     Status: scheduled for completion by fall 2001.     • Madison Place     What/where: an office and condominium project west of the Marriott Hotel on RiverCenter Boulevard.     Cost: about $70 million.     Status: scheduled for completion by the end of this year.     • Gateway II     What/where: An office and retail project at the corner of Third Street and Madison Avenue.     Cost: $25 million.     Status: scheduled for completion by Spring 2002.     Source: City of Covington

        “I'm not a voting member of the (fiscal) court,” he said. “I cannot imagine any scenario where the court would reconsider.”
       

Several years, many sites
        The county has been working since 1999 to build a new jail.

        Fiscal Court first chose the 3L site in early 1999. But Edgewood residents and the Fort Wright City Council objected because it was too close to residential neighborhoods, and the county backed off.

        “They counted votes, and they didn't want to offend Edgewood,” Mr. Callery said.

        Later in 1999, the county announced a site on New Buffington Road in Elsmere, but people there complained and threatened legal action, so the county again pulled away.

        The county then focused on 10 sites in Covington. That was whittled to eight north of 20th Street before the county settled on renovating the current jail last December. It is expected to add 62,000 square feet of space, house 611 inmates and have a new medical wing, intake section and kitchen.

        Mr. Callery, a city commissioner until he became mayor in January, said the city didn't react earlier with its displeasure over the site choice because there wasn't time.

        “It's hard to respond when you found out about (the selection) just before Christmas,” Mr. Callery said.

        But Mr. Kimmich said the city has told the county twice since 1984 it wanted the jail to stay downtown. He said downtown is now the only place the jail can go because another site would create a logistical problem in transporting prisoners to court at the new Kenton County Justice Center.
       

Bigger jail, bigger taxes
        According to Rodney Ballard, chief deputy at the jail, there were 353 inmates Tuesday. He said averages run anywhere from 350-370 per day so far this year to 390-410 in the summer.

        “Going from 350 inmates to 600, do you not think you're going to increase staffing?” Mr. Ballard said.

        But even the tax to pay for the jail — wherever it is placed in the county — is disputed.

        To pay for the jail, last June the county increased its payroll tax to 1 percent. The measure was never enforced, and in October the county lowered the tax to 0.85 percent, which county treasurer Ivan Frye said would raise about $5 million a year.

        Here's what has city leaders angry: The county raised the cap at which county workers quit paying the payroll tax, from $25,000 to $76,200.

        That means someone who makes $50,000 a year would see a payroll tax increase from $212.50 a year to $425 a year. Someone who makes $75,000 would have to pay $637.50.

        According to Mr. Callery, the higher cap makes it harder for the city to recruit new development. He added officials from at least one company, Ashland Oil, have told him they are worried about the cap.

        Covington and Corporex Cos. sued the county in January. Oral arguments are scheduled for May 11 before Kenton Circuit Judge Patricia Summe. Mr. Callery is upset because Park Square Place, a nearly $3 million park project near the corner of Park and Court streets, is on hold pending the outcome.

        “If the park comes back,” Mr. Callery said. “we could call it Prisoners Park.”

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