Residents urge City to restore Liberty Street sidewalk removed by equipment operator

Joe and Sandy Whitaker told the Covington City Council that Grubb Implement removed the sidewalk along Liberty Street, placed gravel on the city easement and did so without city notice to affected residents. The couple asked why the work was allowed on a city right-of-way and requested the sidewalk be replaced.

Councilmember Randles said Brandon Ricketts had told him Mayor Crain gave permission for the removal. Mayor Crain told the council he would speak with Ricketts, establish a date by which the sidewalk must be returned, and inform the Whitakers when the work must be finished. The segment record notes the affected stretch runs from Second Street to about halfway to Third Street on Liberty.

The council did not adopt an immediate ordinance or motion on the floor regarding the replacement; the mayor's commitment to set a deadline is the next stated step. The council later discussed a separate policy question about whether the city should pay half of replacement costs when the city removes a sidewalk and require property owners to pay the other half; no action was taken on that proposed cost-sharing policy at the July 6 meeting.

If residents wish to report similar concerns, the council noted a complaint form is available on the city website, www.covingtonin.net.