Covington Committee: Academy of Heritage Trades in for Awards, Business Incentives Proposed – NKyTribune

By Ryan Clark
NKyTribune reporter

“Would you like to share the news?” Mayor Joseph U. Meyer asked.

“Sure,” replied Kaitlin Bryan, the city’s Historic Preservation Manager. “We have been teaching classes full-time since August of this past year. There are many Covington residents who attend these classes….”

But that wasn’t exactly what the mayor meant. Bryan picked up the atmosphere.

“Luckily we have the ARPA fund agreement so these residents get full scholarships,” she said.

Covington Academy of Heritage Trades is restoring the former Colonial Inn on Madison Avenue in Covington. (Photo provided)

The commissioners were happy to hear that.

Bryan was referring to the Covington Academy of Heritage Trades, which expanded its courses in August with the first full curriculum of fall programs, with classes on topics such as “historic masonry, interior carpentry, gutters, plaster, historic painting, colored and decorative glass, historic window restoration and weathering, and repairing old floors,” according to a city news release.

The Academy is operated by the Enzweiler Trade Building Institute, a trade school founded by the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky, which has long offered apprenticeship-style training in skilled construction trades, and the city offers tuition scholarships for Covington residents to attend the school . workshops. Apparently the funding for those grants had been secured.

But that wasn’t the only good news. The school also won an award and is ready for another, Bryan said.

She announced that the Academy had won the Ida Lee Willis Memorial Award for Excellence in the Preservation of Cultural Resources in Kentucky. Bryan and Meyer will travel to Frankfort on May 22 to receive the award.

The Academy was also nominated for an education award at the Cincinnati Preservation Association Awards Thursday.

“So fingers crossed we get that award too,” said Bryan.

This all came after the commissioners — who attended their regularly scheduled caucus meeting this week — heard a request to approve a grant agreement with the Kentucky Heritage Council for $21,000 for instructor fees for the Covington Academy of Heritage Trades. The subsidy is fully reimbursed by the state.

Commissioners were pleased with the updates and the request was placed on the approval agenda for next week’s legislative session.

Other grant agreements

Commissioners heard proposals to accept grant proposals for:

• Kentucky Heritage Council, NAPC CAMP training – $6,000
• Kentucky Heritage Council, Northern Kentucky Restoration Weekend Program – $9,000

All were placed on next week’s consent agenda.

Audit presentation request

Commissioners approved a presentation request for next week’s legislative session on the fiscal year 2023 financial audit by Barnes Dennig.

Incentives and subsidies

Commissioners heard proposals for these incentives and subsidies:

• THIRTY9 Property, LLC, facade incentive – $6,000
• Scout Yonder, LLC, rental assistance — $6,000
• Zels Pretzels, rent subsidy – $6,000
• Safewave Technology Corporation, rent subsidy – $6,000
• Beech Native, LLC, dba Live Forever Die Whenever, Housing Assistance – $6,000
• Fessler Properties, LLC – Historic Electric Sign Incentive — $7,500

All were placed on next week’s consent agenda.

Short term rental

Next week, commissioners will vote on a proposed ordinance change for short-term rentals that would revise density limits and expand appeal rights related to licensing.

The city eliminated conditional use and moved to limited use, including neighborhoods, making it a combination of historic and density-restricted neighborhoods.

Dismissals and new hires

Commissioners heard proposals for layoffs and new hires for:

Resigned – Trevor Collins, police officer, police
Resigned – Corey Zelensky, police officer, police
Resignation – Wendy Ryan, Section 8 Inspector, Neighborhood Services Department
New Hire – John Sadosky, Deputy Director of Economic Development, Department of Economic Development
New employees – 2 financial technicians, finance department
New hire – David Lillich, police officer, police
New Mercenary – John Mairose, Police Officer, Police

The proposals were placed on next week’s consent agenda.

Appointments and reappointments

The commissioners heard proposals for appointments and reappointments for:

Reappointment – ​​Steven Hill, Human Rights Commission
Reappointment – ​​Michael Steinman, Human Rights Commission
Reappointment – ​​Anthony Noll, Police & Fire Department Examination Committee
Appointment – ​​Gabriella DeAngelis, Kenton County Planning Commission
Appointment – ​​Alison Wendling, Urban Forestry Council

The proposals were placed on next week’s consent agenda.

Next meeting

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Covington Commission will be a legislative session held on May 14 at 6 p.m. at the City Building at 20 W. Pike St. in Covington. The meetings can be watched live on Fioptics channel 815, Spectrum channel 203, the Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky (TBNK) website, the TBNK Facebook page @TBNKonline and the TBNK Roku channels.