[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6159580,"mediaKeyId","5453467-467d186f6ae6ae39752838bd2d5e5755","parentId",5453467,"title","City updates trail, tennis court and River Road work; resident praises Highland Hills Park changes","audioSeconds",3559,"startMs",1400000,"endMs",4959000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5453467-467d186f6ae6ae39752838bd2d5e5755&start=1400&end=4959","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5453467-467d186f6ae6ae39752838bd2d5e5755/thumbnail_1400000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6159580/Fort-Thomas/Campbell-County/Kentucky/City-updates-trail-tennis-court-and-River-Road-work-resident-praises-Highland-Hills-Park-changes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6159580-56a579ece839b00fcf5f4c8006f4460b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773078368&Signature=FaT2McLRy6wlcAUn5dDRIrIYvVV-EQ8eU7CihMAoZHnG7ZmzwW11AsiNP1oXFcOYOy3EUr46DtLN9krYuLeZz~lXnT63Nq1rr4~thd04spJWWkpdDk8GMWg8cFRmGDQQL1NeelI9gg3mOuEA3OzfLH9fmZNBQWrQkmqd9K9t8V2s8Xn-CiQkOjMl3Pbcswrm5exOsNHsXVTPxr2BFYt0a51LfEjZgbDGJjd5Z-ZxBU0r3oUuOj5nb67yHYFwo4hKuo5UjUtr2geKdg-0hGLE2GgU1uDNMVlrDx6ZtdwYekv~Z47K5sO8J2XwHzMwW2AQvZeQjmnJAEufsTmmQGe2Jg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Fort Thomas, KY","date","2025-07-22T00:00:00Z","article","City staff gave progress reports on multiple public-works projects and said the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has a plan and funding to stabilize a recurrent slide on River Road.

Staff reported that work at the tennis courts should finish soon, including pole painting and surface milling; fencing work will follow and the final painting requires a curing period. Trail repaving work was reported to begin the week of Aug. 4. The River Road entrance project for Tower Park near the VA was expected to begin immediately and run about three weeks, staff said.

On the longstanding River Road slope problem, staff said KYTC has developed a plan to repair a failing hillside that pushes water and debris onto the road. Staff said KYTC indicated it has money to do the work this year; the city is coordinating with the Forest Conservancy and will seek required easements for a permanent wall uphill and piped repairs on the north side. \"They do have a plan to fix it, and I did get a call last week, saying that that they believe they have the money to do that this year,\" staff said.

Resident Ted Whiteaker, who lives near Highland Hills Park, thanked the council for changes to the park's summer baseball schedule and other adjustments. \"That has had a huge positive impact on the traffic and the safety and quality of life of the residents,\" Whiteaker said, adding that several council members and the city manager visited the park before changes were made.

Other items: staff said the Mayfield turnaround project (entrance turnaround) should be bid by the end of the year with likely early-spring construction; Midway Streetscape work is underway; and the city has coordinated resurfacing and related scheduling with contractors. Staff noted the work is phased and that some timelines depend on weather and contractor scheduling.

No formal council action was taken on these project updates; staff said they will continue to monitor scheduling and report back to council.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Fort Thomas City Council - 07/21/2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff told the Fort Thomas City Council that resurfacing at the tennis courts, a trail repaving set for early August and Midway Streetscape work are progressing, and that the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has a plan and estimated funding to stabilize a failing hillside on River Road.","taxTitle","Fort Thomas, Campbell County, Kentucky","taxId",54391,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6159585,"Residents and council debate Fort Thomas comprehensive plan update, call for broader public input",84,247000,331000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5453467-467d186f6ae6ae39752838bd2d5e5755&start=247&end=331","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5453467-467d186f6ae6ae39752838bd2d5e5755/thumbnail_247000.jpg","/articles/6159585/Fort-Thomas/Campbell-County/Kentucky/Residents-and-council-debate-Fort-Thomas-comprehensive-plan-update-call-for-broader-public-input","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6159585-2613238cc8b1e20e0cff25f7ebda447b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773078368&Signature=KfuO40rOwUGNejKXRNjOYXixJcwPZ~UT~plB60TywHf7rOFgBmKikfvQzgJX~l2YWnJePtD~LHUexrodrYLlxIJ0KaxPZ~I1aGmy-4U82wbru1P73D~6CBXd3XJkhQcGoX8fU~P3heMs~3ucVRh8gB9lJxErVYSY5OMa8OV0Wj~ezJB~uCaEnpQwpfRXO0faHYDXs3mgUtcRu9V6MMSut~pZ~Biyn8rrhTV0y7XW85urqe-quv5l~~MSPwgzUoM7UBff~7F99bhjsznTcP-oH4TXR3vSs8I9tDvCsDrKQ9PCg4GhSjlKFj8KFuf4djkwpzatcopIG8aavlVpyIv8HQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several residents told the Fort Thomas City Council on the meeting record that revisions to the city’s 2018 comprehensive plan have proceeded without adequate public notice or meaningful community involvement, and they urged the council to pause or reframe the process.

Sharon, a Fort Thomas resident, told the council, \"I want to bring it to council's attention now before it gets too far off course,\" and said planning-commission sessions on June 18 and July 16 lacked shared materials and public-facing agendas that would let residents follow proposed edits. \"At those meetings, Kevin Barban presented goals and objectives language ... but the public couldn't follow along because materials weren't shared ahead of time or displayed during the meeting,\" Sharon said.

The concern was echoed by Tiffany Huber, who said residents want the council to go beyond legal minimums for public engagement. \"More than the minimum is including more people in terms of understanding what they want,\" Huber said, and asked for an independent survey not run by the consultant working on the plan. Resident Peggy Nash similarly criticized draft language she said conflicts with prior surveys and called the plan \"overstuffed\" at 255 pages.

City staff and council members responded that the planning commission is reviewing goals and objectives first and that council-level review and public surveys are planned after that step. A staff speaker explained, \"What planning commission and staff have talked about is once they have suggestions on goals and objectives, that's when we want to meet (with council).\" The staff speaker and the mayor said the council expects to meet with the planning commission before any final approvals and discussed conducting another public survey.

Residents suggested several remedies: pause the revision process; rework the plan language to be shorter and clearer; involve outside survey experts (for example, university departments) to design quantifiable, closed-question surveys; and appoint additional citizen representatives to shape the update. Speakers repeatedly raised concern about the consulting firm CT Consultants — some said the same firm that authored the 2018 plan should not be the sole editor of its revision.

Council members acknowledged frustration with the process and said they will examine the planning commission's recommendations when they are ready. They also described plans for additional public input and said staff will circulate the planning commission's suggested goals and objectives to council and, later, to the public for broader comment.

The discussion during the public-comment period did not produce a formal motion or vote on the comprehensive plan revision itself; rather, council and staff described procedural next steps and agreed to bring more information back to the council for review.

Residents who spoke included Sharon (identified in public comment as living at 962 Mill Runway), Tiffany Huber (26 Hawthorne), Peggy Nash (30 Second South Shoreline) and other audience members who urged transparency and clearer agendas. Staff and council said they would meet with planning commission prior to any approval and that another public survey is planned.

The council did not adopt changes to the plan at the meeting; residents asked for an independent survey and for clearer timelines and agendas for planning commission meetings so the public can follow proposed edits.

","Several Fort Thomas residents urged the City Council to slow or rethink revisions to the city's 2018 comprehensive plan, saying planning-commission reviews and draft language have proceeded with limited transparency and without meaningful community input.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6159577,"Council okays interlocal agreement with Campbell County for animal control services",623,5101000,5724000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5453467-467d186f6ae6ae39752838bd2d5e5755&start=5101&end=5724","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5453467-467d186f6ae6ae39752838bd2d5e5755/thumbnail_5101000.jpg","/articles/6159577/Fort-Thomas/Campbell-County/Kentucky/Council-okays-interlocal-agreement-with-Campbell-County-for-animal-control-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6159577-1de549fa6713c2c8a95ac6739b33a6f9/orig.mp4?Expires=1773078368&Signature=hSuTEaCz0bD2J6iXR~w7dU80suhSkFudKIch2u6xMo97rGx4db6HsXoWBMUKYBkdDrRjg8IMtxYSD~DCdPdjBTLAcc6K9wkqb24bp-yNvXwayQeXzvUIYUfJ5AFQBuOpjz0PGXaspvpyRZsDGvlkcgcGkOuQcBxH2kaO9biU0TON1-XFJvmw2J7b166ssiLYW1wp3o20paNmXSZXEd0iWoE7ipuEmnLdham5pG269ER0jaDvShdcZcNkmeFmYZ0UAqA5HOLzY7rCy~odj0wGoBJvqk0F5VwPFomFGr7qnwcSeCc-ntruXBt7ecdQib6rhpalVkMsDBkDAQoKjyTLGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Fort Thomas City Council approved a municipal order authorizing the mayor to enter into an interlocal agreement with Campbell County Fiscal Court for animal control services.

Staff said Campbell County manages animal-control services and the updated agreement formalizes the arrangement for Fort Thomas and other cities in the county. Council members noted prior interlocal agreements and said the current agreement is an updated version intended to continue the partnership.

A motion to approve the municipal order was made and seconded; the council voted in favor and approved the order on the meeting record. Staff said the county has restructured shelter operations and is providing services at little or no direct cost to participating cities.

The approved municipal order authorizes the mayor to sign the interlocal agreement and to continue coordination on animal-shelter and control services; no changes to city staffing or immediate fee changes were announced at the meeting.

","The council approved a municipal order authorizing the mayor to execute an interlocal agreement with Campbell County Fiscal Court for animal control services; staff said the county currently provides those services and the updated agreement formalizes the arrangement at minimal or no direct city cost.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6159582,"Resident scrutinizes Fort Thomas amended budget figures, warns of tight reserves",202,1725000,1927000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5453467-467d186f6ae6ae39752838bd2d5e5755&start=1725&end=1927","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5453467-467d186f6ae6ae39752838bd2d5e5755/thumbnail_1725000.jpg","/articles/6159582/Fort-Thomas/Campbell-County/Kentucky/Resident-scrutinizes-Fort-Thomas-amended-budget-figures-warns-of-tight-reserves","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6159582-06a8e2f20dcbeb8c352868b6bc6a9244/orig.mp4?Expires=1773078368&Signature=CJeJYgtz810ccI44x3LvIbMUhcuUny4tZ5NudL-BGsfJsHmAGaDQyp4CWpBHsr3rMv2If023K0IJBMNOp5XOuajbPCjgnZYV2qRcuOyA3Jivyk65urQ1p4KaRhRjZf~J32w4EGnvN5m0-mskU~E2GPz4c0oxfA~hDnfObCUFzexb3~rMfdCN4b28lY-IJQh64ULLzH3n3MF0C5Ab9QyAiCP~~MqyQvabmwe23I1ROTCBKXyPGts4vfNR5tnmm6pg9r0Vn780De4YwW5xcfGFZrihg4R8Oo3wy08zbp-VlOfk93AAGUR-wcfhy6EyIeHLhr9hIiMynvnbMY9wF5YEmg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Fort Thomas resident raised detailed questions about the city's amended budget during public comment, highlighting apparent inconsistencies in reported balances and urging the council to adopt a short-term fiscal plan and clearer reserve accounting.

The commenter, identified in public comment as Stepchalk, reviewed two draft ordinances and said Ordinance O7-20-25 showed an amended budget ending balance \"of 15,495,000 and change\" as of June 30, while Ordinance O8-20-25 showed a starting balance \"of 15,217,000\" as of July 1. \"So somewhere between 5PM and 8AM, we lost 277,000,\" Stepchalk said, asking staff to explain the discrepancy and requesting a footnote or explanation in the budget materials.

Stepchalk also asked whether \"estimated carryover\" and \"surplus\" on the ordinances refer to reserves and whether those figures should be finalized only after the audit. Staff replied that year-end balances are \"estimates\" until the audit is complete and that actuals will be reported afterward. Stepchalk pressed for clearer terminology and accounting practice so residents can understand whether the city has true reserves set aside for specific purposes.

He reviewed projected capital spending in the city's budget message, saying the plan included roughly $8.1 million in capital projects and that ongoing obligations (he cited Midway Streetscape debt of about $673,000 and other potential projects) leave a tighter post-capital picture than some might expect. \"So I would just say ... we need a strong 2 year financial plan with a healthy dose of fiscal responsibility,\" he said.

Staff acknowledged the questions and said the city will provide clarification, including footnotes on the ordinances and further detail after the audit. No formal motions or votes resulted from the public comment; finance committee and staff follow-up were discussed.

","A resident raised questions about discrepancies between two ordinances showing different ending and starting balances, asked for clearer reserve definitions and pushed for a two-year fiscal plan and transparency on projected capital spending.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City updates trail, tennis court and River Road work; resident praises Highland Hills Park changes

Residents and council debate Fort Thomas comprehensive plan update, call for broader public input

Council okays interlocal agreement with Campbell County for animal control services

Resident scrutinizes Fort Thomas amended budget figures, warns of tight reserves