CAMPBELL RECORDER
BA L LO. WGE EO K.
Your Community Recorder newspaper serving all of Campbell County
LONG.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 ❚ BECAUSE COMMUNITY MATTERS ❚ PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK
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KISS’ Gene Simmons makes stop in NKY after performing Sarah Brookbank Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK
The radio tower at the Hamilton County Communications Center in Colerain Township. ENQUIRER FILE/GLENN HARTONG
NKY project to help emergency responders is late and more costly Navigating the unexpected
Julia Fair
Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK
A plan to modernize the decrepit emergency communications system in Northern Kentucky is 65 percent over the project's bid price and a year behind schedule. The culprits: Native American burial grounds, tower-toppling storms and steel delays. In 2016 the counties of Boone, Kenton and Campbell agreed to connect the radio system emergency workers use to better serve close to 400,000 residents. County offi cials increased fee rates to pay for the endeavor, which is almost done a year after it was estimated to be fi nished. Project coordinator Paul See said this is the fi rst project of its kind in Kentucky. By October, the towers should be ready for the clearest communication emergency workers have had across the region’s 557 square miles. Before, emergency workers navigated dead zones and isolated communication. In Boone County, workers used unreliable technology developed before World War II. Other workers faced frequent radio failures and outages during storms, according to a consultant report from 2015. Now they'll be able to talk to each other no matter what county or side of the river they're on, according to See. Offi cials hired Motorola Solutions for the job in 2017 and increased separate annual fees for 911 operations ranging from $70 to $75 to help pay for the project. Most residents pay the fee. Homeowners, apartment building and commercial unit owners pay based on how each county decided to collect it in 2017. The base bid, before negotiations, was about $13 million. Then offi cials approved a $19.6 million contract which has since increased to about $21.5 million, according to project documents provided by See and fi scal court documents.
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Each county faced unique circumstances. Boone County had to check if a tower would disturb an Indian burial ground in the southwest corner of the county. It wouldn’t, according to county administrator Jeff Earlywine. The county hired a consultant to make sure the area wouldn’t be disturbed. In Campbell County, construction workers had to stop building a new tower because it took over two months for the steel to be available, according to See. “The wheels turn so incredibly slow,” said Dale Edmondson, Executive Director of Campbell County Consolidated Dispatch center. Kenton County Judge-Executive Kris Knochelmann remembered one delay happened when a storm toppled a tower in Devou Park. Offi cials from each county said it took more time and money than expected to fi nish tower lease negotiations.
Quick facts - What did each county contribute? The three judge-executives, the top elected offi cials in each county, decided to collaborate on this project to save money. Campbell County ❚ Share of Motorola Contract - about $4.9 million. ❚ Responsible for eight radio towers. Boone County ❚ Share of the Motorola Contract - about $6.2 million. ❚ Responsible for 10 radio towers. Kenton County ❚ Share of the Motorola Contract - about $8.3 million. ❚ Consolidated its towers from 13 to eight. ❚ Built four towers for $1.8 million.
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KISS brought its End of the Road World Tour to Riverbend last Thursday and after the show, one of the members stuck around. Gene Simmons stopped by the Party Source in Bellevue on Friday, according to posts on social media. The popular store recently started carrying Simmons’ Money Bag Sodas. The sodas come in cola, cream soda, ginger ale, and root beer. Simmons posted pictures and a video of his visit, including one picture of him in front of a cardboard cutout of himself. In the quick video he said he was in “beautiful Kentucky” at the “largest and coolest” store.
KISS performs in its "End of the Road" world tour at Riverbend Music Center in the California neighborhood of Cincinnati on Aug. 29. MEG VOGEL/THE ENQUIRER
Blink announces VIP experience, list of artists Sarah Brookbank Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK
With only a few months left before the highly-anticipated return of Blink, the art and light festival has announced its lineup of projection mapping artists and muralists. The event that garnered a million visitors in 2017 will return Oct. 10-13 and it’s bigger than ever. Blink will span from Findlay Market to Covington, bridging two states, and spanning 30 city blocks and the Ohio River. Blink will feature large-scale projection mapping, murals by international artists, interactive light sculptures and diverse entertainment. In October 2017, Blink transformed 20 blocks, from the banks of the river to Findlay Market, with around 70 pieces of light, color and video. There were sky-high spectacles on our buildings and sculptures on our sidewalks. See BLINK, Page 2A
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