COVINGTON — Covington Mayor Ed McCord, along with two new council members, took oaths of office during the first council meeting of 2020 on Monday, Jan. 6.
New members Jesse Reynolds and Keith Warner were welcomed and congratulated. Each is beginning a term set to end Dec. 31, 2023.
Following the swearing in, council member Scott Tobias was nominated and approved as council president.
Several mayor’s appointments were announced, including Judy Smith for a five-year term on the zoning board of appeals, Dawn Duff for a six-year term on the planning and zoning board, Doug Minnich for a one-year at-large position on the records and retention committee, and Brenda Carroll for a one-year term as the designated public records representative for the mayor and council.
Glen Hollopeter, Doug Minnich and Judy Smith were appointed to the income tax review board for two-year terms.
Council waived the three-reading rule and voted to approve a resolution authorizing the village administrator to amend a contract with Poggemeyer Design Group for park engineering and design services for the Maple Street Park project. This is an increase of $12,000.
Poggemeyer Design Group has a current contract with the village to complete the “Covington Park Masterplan,” and this amendment to the contract will be added to include the “Maple Street Park Improvement Design,” which will involve a redesign of the park with updates to the band shelter, and splash pad locations (water features and shade sail canopies), along with updates to the west wrought iron fence with stone piers.
The $12,000 addition is for design only and does not include construction costs. According to village administrator Mike Busse, a public meeting will be held next month to allow residents to learn more details and give input.
“We’ve actually actively been designing this for about a month now knowing we were going to move forward on this, so we’d like to waive the three-reading rule so that Poggemeyer can invoice us for the work that’s been done and continue to do that work so we’re ready for the public meeting,” Busse said.
Busse also noted that a large portion of the park reconstruction is set to be paid for by public donations and grants, as opposed to taxpayer funds.
In other business:
• Concrete work is continuing at Casey’s; tiling and counter tops are being installed this week, and the wall is being constructed on the north end of the lot. The pump island canopy is scheduled to be installed on Jan. 13.
• Soil borings are being performed this week on the site of the Marias project. The final design is still underway.
• The zoning board of appeals approved an application last month for variance by the Covington Board of Education to remove and replace a baseball diamond backstop.
• First readings were held on two resolutions authorizing the village administrator to enter into contracts with Access Engineering Solutions; the first contract is for engineering, design and bidding services to the Ludlow Street curb, sidewalk and village resurfacing project for 2020, at a cost of $12,500; and the second contract is for engineering and design services for the High Street reconstruction project for 2020, at a cost of $75,000.
• A first reading was held on a resolution declaring the necessity of repairing and/or reconstructing of the sidewalks in the village and declaring the same to be an emergency.
• Council approved a quote, in the amount of $6,540, from Buschur Electric to replace a communications line, broken pole and transfer wires at the village well field.
• Council voted to authorize the village administrator to purchase a 60-inch, 29 HP Toro Zero Turn lawn mower from the low bidder, Doug’s Lawnmowers, at a cost of $9,849. It was noted this money would come from the park fund.
• A discussion and vote was held to approve the purchase of additional dumpsters, at a cost of $7,895, from ePAK.
The Covington Government Center will be closed on Jan. 20 in observance of Martin Luther King Day, therefore, the next village council meeting will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m.
