COVINGTON — Kenton Fiscal Court has approved the purchase of several immense concrete planters as part of new security measures at the county administration building here.

        The moves are a precaution — not a response to any specific threat, said Scott Kimmich, Kenton County's deputy judge-executive.

        Throughout Northern Kentucky, many city governments have instituted new security measures in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington and subsequent anthrax scares.

        Those include guidelines on handling suspicious mail, an order to keep official vehicles and fire bays locked, limiting access to stairwells and private offices in government buildings, installing cameras in lobbies and/or parking lots and requiring visitors to sign in.

        On Tuesday, Kenton County officials approved spending $7,000 to buy 15 planters, each weighing 800 pounds. The planters will be placed in front of the county offices and jail at 303 Court St. The objective: prevent vehicles from ramming the building.

        With that change, Sheriff Chuck Korzenborn will suggest that the county do vehicle inspections in front of the building, freeing up the Park Place side for parking.

        County staff also is meeting with Sheriff Korzenborn today to discuss the security costs and other details.

        Sheriff Korzenborn proposes two more full-time deputies and another part-time deputy to provide security in the county building from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

        Under the proposed changes, visitors who enter the building would have to get a lobby pass from security before visiting the first-floor county clerk's office or taking the elevators to the upper floors, Sheriff Korzenborn said. By next week, county officials plan to start issuing employee IDs to workers in the building.

        In another change, the entrances on Park Place and Third Streets would be emergency access only, Sheriff Korzenborn said. The building's occupants could exit via the side doors, but they could not be opened from the outside.

        The only security change at the Kenton County courthouse in Independence would be a requirement that employees wear ID badges.

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