City of Newport Update

Submitted by City Manager Tom Fromme

This is a new update that I wanted to provide to include some insight into the operations of the city during the COVID-19 outbreak. I will also address a few questions that have been posed on the East Row listserv.

Since many businesses have been forced to close, we realize that we will have a significant impact to our revenues, particularly a reduction in payroll taxes. Due to the timing of closures, we will not be able to get a clear reading of the impact until well after the current fiscal year which ends on June 30. Since we are currently formulating the 2021 budget, we will have to rely on our best guesstimate moving forward.

As previously reported, City Hall is still closed to visitors. We strive to assure that vital city services have been minimally impacted, especially public safety and public works. All other services are also being provided such as code enforcement, permits and historic preservation COAs. We are still doing street cleaning as well, but are not issuing parking tickets if you cannot move your vehicle.

While some public safety calls have decreased, other calls have increased. All city projects are still moving forward such as street and sidewalk repairs. We are also readying a drainage project at 16th and Monmouth streets. The city has recently experienced an uptick in water main breaks. At the end of February, the Northern Kentucky Water District took on a major rehab to the Memorial Parkway plant. The change in the system caused significant fluctuations in water pressure, resulting in several breaks due to weak spots in the pipes. Steps have been taken to remedy this as much as possible until the plant is reopened.

Newport in general has responded well to the inconveniences that have occurred during the COVID-19 outbreak. Without doubt, these closures have greatly reduced potential virus outbreaks. Unfortunately, it will take a while to get back to normal once everything comes back online. The Veterans Pool will not open this year and several festivals, particularly Italianfest, have been cancelled. Taste of Newport is being postponed and reimagined for 2020. Once restaurants and other businesses reopen, social distancing will need to be practiced. Please stay tuned for any future cancellations or postponements that may occur. These will be communicated through our website, email, social media and Facebook sites.

In the end, we will come through this period and keep moving forward. When businesses do reopen, it is imperative that we all support our local businesses. The local small businesses are the backbone of our city and will need our continued patronage.

The following information is being provided for questions that we have received over the past few weeks.

We plan on City Hall reopening shortly after July 4. Several modifications and precautions need to be implemented, and we are working toward their implementation.
The Dog Park along with other recreational facilities remain closed due to state directives. Currently the state has issued directives that do not allow more than 10 people in a social setting. We are not in any position to monitor or enforce this rule. On July 1, this rule is being expanded to groups up to 50 as long as other appropriate measures are in place. Fencing for the old park is being removed prior to that date.
There have been requests to sweep the alleys. Most alleys are not wide enough to accommodate the 12-ft. necessary for our sweepers. In addition, the repair and repavement of alleyways is beyond the financial capability of the city. This is the reason we are relegated to a constant cycle of simply filling in potholes. While most residents feel that city property taxes are high, that simply is not the case. In a typical year, we receive less than $2.2 million in revenue from property taxes, including commercial property. Our Public Works budget alone is approximately $2.8 million annually. Since the city does not impose assessments for streets and curbs, you can easily see that there is not enough money to take on any other projects. Most people, including myself, do not want to pay more taxes. With that in mind, if there is sufficient interest in the restoration of the alleyways, then we must embrace assessments on abutting property owners. I would be more than willing to attend neighborhood meetings to explain how this process works.

Census Reminder

In closing, I again want to reiterate the need for everyone to fill out their census information either online or by mail. We are still lagging behind most other local communities by a large margin. This truly has a very negative impact on federal funding for our city, and we have no one to blame but ourselves. This will be evident in the allocation of COVID relief funding. This funding will be allocated based on a community’s most recent census data. Our current city allocation is based on a population of 15,000 residents. We feel this is definitely an under-representation of the city’s current population base.

As always, if you have any questions, input or comments, please call my office at 859-292-3687 or send an email to jrovno@newportky.gov or bholiday@newportky.gov. You can also ask me any questions as I am out walking our dog from time to time. Our elected board members are also more than happy to address questions as well.

Take care of yourselves! Soon we will emerge better from the lessons learned.

Great things are happening in Newport! Thanks for your efforts to continue to make Newport a great place to live, work, shop, dine and play.

Tree Down, Man Up!

By John Gilliam

john Phelps knows his way around bricks and stone, and as a bonus, he’s a regular on scaffolding.

I well remember the evening of April 8th. I was heading home over the bridge when the sky suddenly darkened and the wind picked up. By the time I got home it was a major storm.

The next morning revealed how bad it was. A giant tulip tree lay across Overton at 8th St. It had flattened an SUV, blown a transformer and worst of all, severely damaged the brick front of two houses.

One homeowner knew who she was going to call: John Phelps, the East Row’s Tom Builder from The Pillars of the Earth. And this is where this story actually begins.

John is a carpenter and mason who shares the house at 637 Park with Jeanette Rosing. They have a lovely garden and the house is totally renovated. But I have long been drawn to the backyard where John's skill and ingenuity with bricks and stone are showcased.

John is a regular on scaffolding. More impressive, he is a rigger who sets up shows while suspended up to 100 feet above the stage.

Sunday mornings see him at church in Mason. As a campanologist (grab your dictionary!), he has been in the bell choir for 40 years. Not as easy as it sounds. He rings the bells of the lowest octave. The C bell alone weighs 28 pounds. Big bells indeed!

For relaxation, John likes to build model tanks. Only Sherman tanks, thank you. Each one is slightly different. He's been doing that since childhood.

Back on Overton, the trickiest part was repairing, replacing and rearranging the quoins – masonry blocks that go up the corner of the home. Most East Row homeowners recognize that they are caretakers of these old buildings, respecting their integrity and preserving them for future generations. No one knows this better than John, who makes his own mortar using Newport sand, same as the craftsmen of 100+ years ago. His repairs are seamless. The scaffold is still up, but other than that, you cannot tell John was ever there.

No one has been more grateful for John’s expertise than Christina Anderson, whose tree-damaged, historical and much-loved home is being put back together.

christina anderson checked out the storm’s shocking aftermath at daybreak the following morning. Her house is pictured on the far right of the above photo, just beyond the massive tree roots.

Before Starting Your Project, Be Sure to Submit Your COA Application

Submitted by Scott Clark, Historic Preservation Officer and Executive Director, Newport History Museum

Greetings from the Newport Historic Preservation Office and the Newport History Museum! As of this writing, the City of Newport Historic Preservation office is continuing to work without direct contact with the public. This is for the safety of the public and the employees of our city.

We are still accepting COA applications by mail and email, and are available to talk with contractors and citizens by phone or email, so that any outside projects you may have within our historic districts may go forward without interruption.

Please submit your projects to Scott Clark, sclark@newportky.gov or contact Scott at 859-655-6347.

The Newport History Museum at the Southgate Street School has cancelled all planned events and will be using the time to make repairs, establish new displays and clean and prepare to reopen to celebrate Newport's 225th anniversary.

Thanks to the digital age, there are plenty of online resources for virtual tours of museums, historic houses and parks connected with international museums, the National Trust for Historic Places and the National Park Service. Please enjoy these online tours while we are paused for the current situation.

Our historic city has weathered many changes and challenges throughout our 225 years as a vibrant community. We are proudly celebrating our diverse past — and making history every day.

Farmers Market Opens Saturday, June 20

Submitted by Bev Holiday, Community Liaison Coordinator

The Campbell County Farmers Market will be returning to Newport on Saturday, June 20 at 9 am to 12 noon! You’ll find the Farmers Market in the 700 block of Monmouth, in the city parking lot adjacent to the Pepper Pod Restaurant.

Farmers Markets are an essential business in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. COVID-19 Safety Guidelines will be followed. Guidelines include spaced set-up for farmers, directional instructions for entrance and exit, hand washing station at entrance area, marked waiting spots to maintain social distancing, and limitations per farmer selling sites.

Campbell County farmers bring their produce straight from their fields and valleys directly to Newport. Their livelihoods are supported by providing fresh produce for your summer recipes. They have been providing simple, safe, good food long before it was a trend!

A request for 2-3 volunteers would be quite helpful during the first couple Saturdays to assist with the new guidelines. The time needed would be 8:45 am to 11:30 am. This time period can be divided into shifts, depending on your availability. If you are interested in being a volunteer, please send me an email: bholiday@newportky.gov.

Your continued support will be greatly appreciated. Watch for details on available produce on Saturday, June 20!