By Stephenie Steitzer
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COLD SPRING - Despite pleas from some Fort Thomas residents, the Northern Kentucky Water Board voted Tuesday to install a black aluminum fence around a pair of reservoirs in their community.

The residents presented a petition with 771 signatures and some even threatened to sue the district if it installed a fence around the 22-million-gallon reservoirs between U.S. 27 and South Fort Thomas Avenue.

Military Parkway resident Cheryl Davis fought back tears as she asked the board of directors to find some other way to keep the $100 million facility safe from potential terrorist acts.

The water district closed the reservoirs and adjoining walking and jogging trails after the 9-11 attacks.

The board said Tuesday it is still considering whether to open the reservoir area to the public for limited hours in the daytime.

"The staff hasn't recommended permanent closure," board president and CEO Ron Lovan said.

The district will spend about $300,000 on the fence. Lovan said the district will sell some of the land it doesn't need to residents and the city. He said he expects the district to begin installing the fence sometime later this year.

Most of the 70 citizens at the meeting were against the fence.

George Schurr, who collected the petition signatures, presented about a dozen reasons not to install a fence, including potential injury to children, negative affect on property values and a false sense of security.

According to Schurr, "The construction of any fence, chain link or decorative, is an overreaction to the events of 9/11/01."

At least three people in the crowd encouraged the district to do whatever necessary to protect the reservoirs, which provide about 80 percent of the water that goes to the district's 276,000 customers.

"Fear is what the terrorists work on," said Steve Trauth, vice president of Trauth Dairy in Newport. "Why give them an opportunity to work on us?"

But Military Parkway resident Edwin Vardiman Jr., who said after the meeting that he would sue the district over the fence, said fear is what the water district is instilling in Fort Thomas residents.

E-mail ssteitzer@enquirer.com