ALEXANDRIA — Campbell County Fiscal Court approved money for three agencies Wednesday and named the man who will oversee daily operations over them.

        County commissioners passed resolutions that call for spending just more than $630,000 to fund mental health/mental retardation services and just under $306,000 for senior citizens services.

        They also approved the county housing department's five-year plan, which is necessary to receive $2.6 million in federal housing money.

        All three resolutions are effective when the 2002-03 fiscal year begins July 1.

        The county hired Robert Horine, a former Covington assistant city manager, to the renamed position of county administrator. He begins his job April 29 and replaces former County Coordinator Howard “Mac” McMillan, who left in August.

        The mental health/mental retardation and senior citizens budgets are funded by a payroll tax of $12.50 on annual incomes up to $35,000.

        Pat Dressman, county director of human services, said next year's mental health/mental retardation budget calls for nearly $30,000 more than the current budget. She said the new senior citizens budget is about $6,000 more than this year's.

        Mrs. Dressman also wished there was more money to spend.

        “We lost some businesses,” Mrs. Dressman said. “Delta (Air Lines) pulled out of Northern Kentucky University. Star-Kist (Food Inc.) moved out of Newport.”

        The largest chunk of the county mental health/mental retardation money, about $173,000, goes to NorthKey Community Care, a Covington organization that provides outpatient evaluation and treatment among its services.

        Another Covington agency, Senior Services of Northern Kentucky, receives the largest portion of Campbell County's senior services money. About $78,000 goes for the home-delivered meals program, another $23,000 helps with medical transportation, and about $1,250 will be used in an SSNK program to protect and prevent seniors from suffering abuse and neglect.

        Mrs. Dressman said new spending also includes nearly $8,000 to St. Vincent DePaul of Northern Kentucky for a prescription drug program.

        The county administers the federal Section 8 housing program, which serves 575 families and covers the entire county except Newport, which has its own department. About 75 percent is apartments, and the rest is single-family homes.

        County Housing Director Patty Yates said her goals are to increase the number of landlords to 625 by Monday (the deadline for landlords to sign up) and find more apartment housing.

        “We don't have to recruit families,” Ms. Yates said. “We always have a waiting list. We'd like to get into a couple more (apartment) complexes.”

        Mr. Horine has been the communications director at Cincinnati Bell the last six years. He also worked in Covington's Economic Development Department.

        “He has the kind of background we're looking for,” County Judge-executive Steve Pendery said. “He has an existing network he can look to to advance our cause in Frankfort.”

        Mr. Pendery has been acting county coordinator since Mr. McMillan left. Mr. Pendery said Mr. Horine's salary has yet to be negotiated.

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