October 2023

Fall Clean Up
Volunteers Needed


Join your friends and neighbors as we expand our successful annual Spring Clean Up Day into the Fall!

Meet us at the Fort Wright City Administration Building at 409 Kyles Lane at 9:00 AM on this Saturday, October 14th. From there, we will head out to the areas that need to be cleaned. 

The City will provide trash grabbers and garbage bags. We should finish up around noon. 

Students can earn volunteer hours and community members can meet new friends and neighbors! We hope to see on you Saturday, October 14th!

Please note: Lunch will NOT be provided at this event.

Property Tax Bills
Fiscal Year 23-24

The Fort Wright City Council recently concluded their thorough annual review of the current fiscal condition of the City, and subsequently determined that continuing to hold the line on taxes was warranted and feasible.
 
As a result, at our regularly scheduled City Council Meeting held on Wednesday, October 4th, 2023 final action occurred on an ordinance adopting property tax rates of .248 per $100 of assessed value on real property, and a tax rate of .446 per $100 of assessed value on personal property. This is the lowest our real property tax rate has been in eleven (11) years, and City Council hopes to continue this trend in future taxing years.
 
As always, the meeting was open to the public and held at City Hall.
 
Property tax bills are expected to be mailed to property owners by early to mid November, and are due by 5 pm on Friday, December 29th, 2023. Postmarks will be accepted.
 
Anyone with questions or concerns may contact us at City Hall at 859.331.1700 or email us at [email protected].
South Hills Civic Club
Small Event Venue

South Hills Civic Club, located at 10 Bluegrass Avenue, is newly renovated and available for rental. The facility accommodates up to 80 individuals seated and is the perfect place to host your family and friends.

To learn more about rental availability and fees visit our website by clicking here.

Fort Wright Historical Photo
Intersection of Dixie Hwy & Kyles Lane
Estimated Decade 1970's
Mark Your Holiday Calendars

Monday, November 27th 2023
Santa's Mailbox Arrives
Send your Letters to the North Pole!

Saturday, December 2nd, 2023
Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony
6 pm at City Hall

Saturday, December 9th, 2023
Santa's Neighborhood Visit
Begins at 2 pm

Saturday, December 16th, 2023
Holly Jolly City of Fort Wright Day
Behringer Crawford Museum
Details TBA
The City of Fort Wright will recognize Halloween Trick or Treat on Tuesday, October 31, 2023 from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm.
 
Residents wishing to participate are encouraged to turn your porch lights on between these hours to welcome all the little ghosts and goblins in search of sweet treats.
UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS

The Fort Wright City Council meets the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month at 6 pm. Meetings are held at City Hall in the Council Chambers, located at 409 Kyles Lane. All meetings are open to the public.

Wed - November 1st, 2023
City Council Meeting

Wed - November 15th, 2023

City Caucus Meeting

Haven't been tuned into your local government's activities lately? No worries, you can catch up quickly by visiting our website, and/or any of our social media pages.

Kenton County
CodeRED Program

If you are interested in receiving alerts when emergency situations arise in the geographic area around your home, we encourage you sign up for the Kenton County CodeRED Alert Program. 

CodeRED is an emergency notification system that is available to all residents of Kenton County. In the event of an emergency, local Police, Fire, and/or Emergency Management Personnel notify the Emergency Communications Center of the need for an alert and that information is pushed out through CodeRED.  

Emergencies could include but are not limited to the following: Fires, Floods, Amber Alerts, Shelter in Place Directives, Boil Water Advisories, and Evacuation Notices.   

You can sign up for CodeRED by downloading the App through Google Play or the IOS App Store. If you want additional information on how CodeRED operates, visit the Kenton County Fiscal Court's Website by clicking here.
Northern Kentucky
Veteran's Day Program
Sunday, November 12, 2023
2 pm
Welcome - Newest Staff Members

Police Officer Emily Horseman
FF/Paramedic Drew Verkamp
FF/Paramedic Seth Rosenhagen
Fort Henry Reconstruction Update

The reconstruction of Fort Henry Drive is still ongoing, although the good news is the project is nearing completion. New concrete pavement is in from above Tyler Court to below Bunker Court, and restoration is being completed as the contractor's crew progresses through the project. The official project completion date is November 30th, however, we anticipate the project will wrap up prior to this date assuming the weather continues to cooperate.

Currently, Jefferson Contractors is working between Bunker Court and Pickett Drive. As they work to complete the section of the roadway between the last houses on Fort Henry and Pickett Drive, they may remove a larger section of roadway as there are no driveways directly impacted. As a result, we ask that residents who live on either side of this work zone continue to enter and exit via General Drive if you live west of Pickett, and via Fort Henry if you live east of Pickett. We thank you for your continued patience as we work toward the completion of this much needed road improvement project. Anyone with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact our Public Works Director Jeff Bethell at [email protected].
Safe Internet Shopping
Exchange Zone

In today’s social media world more and more people are conducting the exchange/sale of items through the internet. Routinely, the buyer and seller meet in public locations to make the exchange of sale items. This practice of meeting in a public location is a wise move in these situations, and we discourage you from inviting strangers to your home for this purpose.

As a result, we have established a Safe Internet Shopping Exchange Zone at City Hall. The main parking lot area adjacent to the City Building at 409 Kyles Lane is under 24 hour video surveillance. Additionally, our police department operates out of the adjacent building   We strongly encourage the use of this location for facilitation of “Internet Shopping Exchanges”.
Pedestrian Safety Tips

Walking is a healthy activity, but please practice pedestrian safety. This is especially true if you are walking in an area where there aren't sidewalks or paths separating you from the roadway. You should always observe traffic safety rules, as well as, these additional guidelines that will help you stay safe when you are walking in public areas.

Walk Facing Traffic - If there is no sidewalk and you must walk on the side of the road, choose the side where you are facing oncoming traffic. In North America, this is the left side of the road. Walking opposite traffic gives you the best chance to see vehicles approaching closest to you and take evasive action when needed. This may be confusing because the opposite rule is true for cyclists. They should cycle in the same direction as the traffic flow.

Walk on Roads Single File - Unless you are on a sidewalk separated from the road or you are in a wide bike/pedestrian lane, you should walk in single file. This is especially important on a road with lots of curves and where traffic has only a split second chance of seeing you before hitting you. Walking abreast can also cause you to become distracted by conversations so that you are not paying proper attention to traffic or road signs. While it can be enjoyable to walk down the road two to three abreast chatting merrily, drivers don't expect it and you may lose your best walking buddies.

Stay Aware of Bikers & Runners - Share the road and path with bikes and runners. Bike riders should alert you when approaching from behind with a bike bell or a "passing on the left/right." Listen for them, and remember to walk single file, allowing them to pass safely. Runners should also call out for passing. Bike-walker collisions can result in broken bones or head injury for either party - and walkers aren't wearing a helmet.

Be Visible - Wear bright colors when walking in the daytime. When walking at night, wear light-colored reflective clothing or a reflective vest to be visible. Drivers are often not expecting walkers to be out after dark, and you need to give them every chance to see you, even at street crossings that have crossing signals. Be just as cautious at dawn or twilight, as drivers may have limited visibility or may even have the setting or rising sun directly shining in their eyes.

Keep the Volume Down - Don't drown out your environment when listening to music with your earbuds or headphones. Keep the volume at a level where you can still hear bike bells and warnings from other walkers and runners. If you're using ear buds, wear only one so you can hear your surroundings. Your audiologist will also thank you.

Walk Dogs on Short Leases - It is terrifying and tragic to witness dogs running out into traffic or getting into a fatal dog fight, whether on a leash or off-leash. But when walking your dog on a long leash there is also a danger that you will trip other walkers or bikers. You will keep your dog safer as well as those who pass by you if you use a short lease.

Know When to Stop Walking - Heat sickness, dehydration, heart attack, or stroke can strike walkers of any age. Learn the symptoms of these medical emergencies and carry a cell phone to dial 911. Even if you are a seasoned and well-trained walker, you may experience one of these problems and need to cut your walk short. Encourage your walking friends to stop when they show any concerning symptoms.

Use these rules to enjoy safer walking workouts and avoid injuries and accidents.
Need Further Assistance - Contact Us!
Emergency.........................................................911
City Hall (Non-Emergency)..............859.331.1700

General Info Email.............................[email protected]

CAO, Jill Cain Bailey..................[email protected]
Police Chief Ed Butler .................[email protected]
Fire Chief Steve Schewe..........[email protected]
PW Director Jeff Bethell..............[email protected]

or Visit Us in Person: Monday - Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.