FROM THE FOUNTAIN

CITY OF FORT THOMAS, KENTUCKY

Mayor:

Eric Haas

Councilmembers:

Roger L. Peterman

Lisa C. Kelly

Ken Bowman

John Muller

Jeff Bezold

Adam Meier

City

Administrator:

Ronald J. Dill

City Clerk:

Melissa K. Kelly

Website:

www.ftthomas.org

FROM THE MAYOR’S DESK

In the last newsletter, I relayed the news that our City

Administrative Officer, Don Martin, had decided to retire from his

position with Fort Thomas. We began the process in our search for a

new Administrative Officer. We received 48 resumes with a good

number of highly qualified candidates. I had tremendous help in the

process from our City Attorney, Jann Seidenfaden, City Councilmem-

ber, Roger Peterman, and former City Councilmember, Jim Doepker. I

also had help reviewing candidates resumes from former City Adminis-

trator, Jeff Earlywine, and also input from a former Mayor, Fritz Erschell. I am very grate-

ful to them for devoting their time and providing insight during this process. Ron Dill, as

the Assistant CAO, was appointed as the interim CAO. While Ron had applied for the

permanent position, I was concerned about the length of time that Ron might commit due to

his long 28 year tenure with the city and his status in the state pension system. Therefore

there was much focus on a potential outside candidate that could serve a longer period.

Many of the candidates were highly qualified, but they also had many years in the state

pension system placing them in a similar position as Ron. We did find a good potential

outside candidate that had the potential for longer service, with good credentials. However,

Ron Dill had an excellent interview, and was extremely enthusiastic about the position. He

said he had been thinking much about the position over the past month and was very excited

about it. He said if given this opportunity he would continue to work for an additional 8

years. His original estimate was three to five years, so this change was an important

consideration. Since Ron’s qualifications were superior, I felt it was in the best interest of

the city to offer the position to him. I’ll turn the rest of this article over to him for his

comments. Please see Ron’s comments on page two.

5:30 to 8:00 p.m. Shuttle Vans run throughout the walk

5:30 p.m. Opening Ceremony and arrival of Santa at Inverness

5:45 p.m. Tree lighting at Inverness

6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Visit your holiday businesses at Inverness and Towne Center, pictures with Santa and

Mrs. Claus at the firehouse, FREE horse drawn carriage rides throughout the walk,

Sinfonia (Highlands Strings Performing), and the train at the clock tower sponsored by

Highland Baptist. Get your flyer stamped or signed by local businesses and turn in the

night of the walk by 7:45 p.m. at the city building for an opportunity to win gift cards

from our businesses.

2015 HOLIDAY WALK

“GIFTS OF THE CITY”

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2015

PERMITS CAN SAVE YOU MONEY AND SAVE YOUR LIFE

We are entering winter and it’s time for those inside projects such as finished basements or major remodel-

ing. Don’t forget to stop in for your permit; it can not only save you money, but can save your life. THAT’S A

STRETCH, you might think, but it’s true.

Building code requirements are changing all of the time, especially when it comes to energy efficiency. Do

you or your contractor know the proper insulation levels, the concept of fire stopping, or the proper volume of

return air your room needs so your furnace can perform efficiently. The small cost of a permit can equate to lots

of energy savings, not to mention that you can be assured your project is done properly and safe.

So how can a permit save your life? Your fuel fired appliances need proper ventilation or carbon monox-

ide can build up and either ignite or poison you and your family. Also, your electric will be inspected to assure

compliance.

You can contact us at 859-572-1210 or stop by our offices at 130 North Fort Thomas Avenue between the

hours of 8:00 and 4:30, or visit our website at www.ftthomas.org for all the information you need to complete

your project. Also, don’t forget those spring projects such as decks, sheds, fences or pools. Get your application

in early to beat the spring rush and assure there is no delay of your project.

A NOTE FROM CITY ADMINISTRATOR, RON DILL

I am extremely grateful and excited to accept the position of City Administrative Officer.

I began my tenure with the City when I chased an opportunity for a co-op position while

attending NKU and it ended up defining my career. Upon graduation from NKU, I

briefly worked managing construction of new homes for a local builder before

recognizing my passion was with my hometown and I returned to service with the

City in a full time position as Director of Building Services in 1987. Much has

changed in our lives and our community since then, as I have witnessed Fort Thomas

become the best city in the region.

I have been fortunate to experience many opportunities here, having served in multiple

positions with the City and having an impact on the services provided to our residents. I have worked inside

the City Building with many dedicated individuals and leaders that are so important in creating the environ-

ment for growth and success. These individuals and the partnerships that come from the community in the

form of civic groups, businesses, schools, volunteer groups and interested residents, are all ingredients that

make our city great.

The opportunity to continue to build on what we have accomplished and to lead this organization made my

decision very easy. I enjoy each day being a part of what makes this community special and accepting the

challenges of taking us forward. We have interesting and worthwhile projects to be initiated, potential

partnerships to explore, and so many willing and capable residents that can come together to assist in guiding

the future of our city. These are the reasons that I look forward to finishing my career with the City of Fort

Thomas.

I cannot wait to get started working with our current city council visioning our future and invite the

community to be a part of it in every way. Thank you all for your trust and support as we move forward.

THANK YOU TO THE FORT THOMAS GARDEN CLUB!

A huge thank you to the Garden Club for all of their work in the business districts with the plantings in the

medians, the beautiful hanging baskets and the containers on the sidewalk. We also thank them for their work

in decorating for Christmas in the city. They will be decorating the Christmas tree in Inverness as they have in

the past. The city always looks so festive with their help. We are truly grateful to have such wonderful

volunteers!

A NOTE FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT

Tips for a Safe Christmas Season

Christmas trees and lights are of particular concern when it comes to fire safety. Christmas tree fires move horrifically

fast. A tree can become engulfed in flames in less than 5 seconds from initial contact with fire, and the entire room can

be on fire in well under a minute. You can see why these are among the deadliest types of home fires, and you’ll want to

make sure your Christmas tree is safe. The best way to prevent Christmas tree fires, of course, is to have an artificial

tree; they’re not flammable. But for many people, it just wouldn’t be a real Christmas with an artificial tree – it’s been a

family tradition to go pick out a live tree, and bring it home. For some, the scent of the evergreen adds to the holiday

atmosphere too. That’s understandable, and there’s no need to have an artificial tree if you’re careful about fire hazards

with your real tree. If you prefer a real tree, then make sure you keep it well-watered. The drying out process is what

really increases the susceptibility of Christmas trees to fire. Add water every day, and keep an eye on the water levels. In

addition, if you use lights on your Christmas tree, make sure that you turn them off before going to bed. That will greatly

reduce the risk of fire, especially at the most vulnerable time – when everyone’s asleep. Make sure the bulbs and wires

of your tree lights are in good working order. If not, don’t use them. Also, make sure that you don’t have too many lights

drawing power from the same outlet. Both of these rules also apply to any outdoor lighting you might be using. Beauti-

ful house and yard lighting displays are a tradition in America, and usually they’re very safe. But if not done properly,

they can be hazardous. So play it safe. Check all bulbs and cords for wear and damage, and don’t overload circuits.

Again, just as with candles and trees, it’s best to turn off the displays before retiring at night.

Alternate Heating Sources

Keep space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn. When purchasing new space heaters, select ap-

pliances with automatic shut-off switches. Check with your fire department before purchasing a kerosene heater. Turn

off portable space heaters before falling asleep or when leaving the room. Refill kerosene heaters outdoors, after the

heater has cooled down. Supervise children and pets when space heaters are operating.

FD News

Please welcome FF/P Sam Behrle. FF/P Behrle comes to our department from the Anderson Township FD. FF/P Behrle

started with our department on September 21, 2015. We welcome Sam and wish him many years of success with the

FTFD.

CITY OF FORT THOMAS

SNOW REMOVAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

With winter comes snow and ice and the General Services Department is ready. The

department has developed a salt brine application process as well as a snow and ice control

plan to keep streets safe and accessible during these events. For minor snow storms (0 to 2

inches) and depending on the conditions, salt only will be applied to streets. The use of

snow plows in these conditions only accelerates the formation of ice to the pavement. For

larger snow storms, streets will be plowed as well as salted. Time frames for completion of

snow and ice removal are affected by storm intensity, duration, temperature, traffic condi-

tions, and time of day. PLEASE NOTE: Snow-plowing operations will cause accumulated snow to often times be

left at the entrances to private drive/walkways. This condition is a product of heavy snowfall and cannot be

avoided. Potholes are created from the freezing and thawing effect under the pavement. Potholes are especially

present after the roads have been cleared and the temperature climbs. Please email Julie Rice at

jrice@ftthomas.org to report a pothole. The City of Fort Thomas does not declare “snow emergencies” that would

require vehicles to be removed from certain streets. However, please utilize off street parking whenever possible to

facilitate efficient snow removal efforts.

CHRISTMAS TREE PICKUP PROGRAM The City of Fort Thomas will again be providing residents with curbside pickup of Christmas trees on the

three Mondays following December 25th. This year you will have 3 options to choose from for the disposal

of your Christmas tree: 1. Place your tree out with your weekly trash for Rumpke to pick up, 2. Drop your

tree off in Tower Park in the parking lot adjacent to the V.A. Hospital for city recycling (area will be marked)

or 3. Place your tree at the curb in front of your house for pickup and recycling on Monday, Dec. 27, Mon-

day, Jan. 4, and Jan. 11th. The trees will be chipped and used for mulch in our parks. Please call the General

Services Department with questions at 859-572-1210 or email jrice@ftthomas.org.

PRSRT STD

US POSTAGE

PAID

DATAMARK

City of Fort

Thomas,

Kentucky

130 N. Ft. Thomas

Avenue

Ft. Thomas, KY

41075

Phone: 859-441-1055

Recreation:

859-781-1700

www.ftthomas.org

City Building Open

Monday through

Friday

8:00 a.m.—4:30 p.m.

Open Saturdays in

October from 8 a.m. to

noon for Tax payments

POLICE DEPARTMENT NEWS

Officers Matt Marksbury (left) and Sean Donelan (right)

were sworn in as new police officers for the City of Fort

Thomas at the September Council Meeting. They are

currently completing the Field Training Officer Program and

doing very well. Sean resides in Ft. Thomas with his wife

and son and comes to us from the Wilder Police Department.

Matt resides in Erlanger with his wife and son and comes to

us from the Newport Police Department.

STAY SAFE DURING THE HOLIDAYS

With the holidays rapidly approaching, now is a great time to remind ourselves of some general safety

guidelines. Please remember to drive carefully when snow and ice set in. Our road crews do an excellent job

but we must always be mindful of slick conditions. Some good pointers are to allow enough time to get to

your destination, drive under the speed limit, and leave plenty of space between yourself and other cars. Also

we tend to see an increase in property crimes around the holidays. Residents should always keep valuables

safe, lock cars, and report suspicious activity to the police.