Florence City Council December 9

Five of six City Council members and Mayor Julie Metzger-Aubuchon were present.  Councilwoman Angie Cable was not present.

Numbers correspond to the published agenda. Video available here

(5) MUNICIPAL ORDER MO-14-2025

A Municipal Order Approving the Reappointment of Janet Kegley to the Boone County Planning Commission as a member appointed by the City of Florence, Kentucky, for a four (4) year term. Approved unanimously with no discussion.

(6) MUNICIPAL ORDER MO-15-2025

A Municipal Order Approving the Reappointment of Charlie Rolfsen to the Boone County Planning Commission as a member appointed by the City of Florence, Kentucky, for a four (4) year term. Approved unanimously with no discussion.

(7) MUNICIPAL ORDER MO-16-2025

A Municipal Order Approving the Reappointment of Tom Szurlinski to the Boone County Planning Commission as a member appointed by the City of Florence, Kentucky, for a four (4) year term. Approved unanimously.

Council confirmed all three appointees are city residents; appreciation noted for their continued service.

 (8) MUNICIPAL ORDER MO-17-2025

A Municipal Order Approving the Reappointment of Councilman Gary Winn to the Board of Directors of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI). Approved with one abstention (Councilman Winn abstained); no further discussion.

(9) MUNICIPAL ORDER MO-18-2025

A Municipal Order Approving the Reappointment of J. Kelly Huff as a Florence Appointee to the Airport Noise Abatement Committee for a two (2) year term. Approved unanimously with no discussion.

(10) MUNICIPAL ORDER MO-19-2025

A Municipal Order Approving the Reappointment of Lisa Wilson-Plajer as a Florence Appointee to the Airport Noise Abatement Committee for a two (2) year term. Passed 4-1. (Councilwoman Chambers voted no.) Discussion focused on whether the appointee lives within city limits (confirmed she does not currently but did at time of original appointment. She is an aviation expert. A roll call vote was conducted.

 (11) MUNICIPAL ORDER MO-20-2025

A Municipal Order Approving the Reappointment of Teresa Kraft as a Florence Appointee to the Airport Noise Abatement Committee for a two (2) year term. Approved unanimously. Confirmed appointee is a city resident.

Suggestion made to get a report from the committee on its meetings and airport plans. Agreement to include such a report in a future meeting.

(12) DISCUSSION: WORLD OF GOLF MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

Discussed with no action taken. Current contract expires at the end of December 2025. RFP issued and two responses received. Recommendation to authorize mayor to execute new contract with Troon (selected for its national resources, staffing, marketing, etc.). Appreciation expressed for outgoing manager’s 20+ years of service. Troon representatives introduced. Questions on private equity involvement addressed.

(13) DISCUSSION: ELECTRIC FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS

Discussed with no action taken; item to be on next agenda for authorization. Bids received from Duke Energy and Owen Electric. Proposed 20-year non-exclusive franchises, no associated fees or bill increases. Misinformation about the process addressed.

(14) MAYOR’S REPORT

• Thanks expressed for tree lighting event.
• Government Center holiday closures announced.
• Christmas tree recycling details provided.
• Police Department raised $5,250 for Cincinnati Children’s Cancer Center in No Shave November fundraiser.

(15) OTHER

A. COUNCIL RECOGNITION 

Snow impacted leaf collection, with updated routes to be posted. Commendation for police lieutenant. Thanks to retired officer for donations.

B. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD (five speakers)

Karen Strayer:

• Suggested ordinance updates given recent questions from the public.
• Council needs team-building activities, given obvious dysfunction between members.
• Core values guiding council aren’t obvious; establish some to be better functioning.

Trevor Nelson (Orleans South HOA president):

• Recounted numerous incidents of unsafe driving through Orleans South.
• Opposed proposed apartment complex because it will double traffic and safety concerns.
• Indicated that the only solution is county, Union, and Florence reroute Longbranch.
• Council commiserated but generally hid behind the zoning process.

Joe Burkshire:

• Complained about deer using unkempt city property as cover.
• Pressed City Manager Josh Hunt clear brush, but Hunt stated he did not have funding.

Britney Fri:

• Provided personal near misses, mailbox destruction on Orleans Blvd to reinforce.
• Requested traffic study.

Jim Leach:

• Suggested urban deer hunting as done in Ft Thomas.
• Critiqued traffic at Seven Brew.
• Ordinance enforcement inconsistencies based on files provided from Info Request:
• The city has delivered 1,717 “Courtesy Notices” from November 2024 to November 2025. During this same period, the city has written only 53 parking tickets.
• In November 2024, the city delivered 21 “Courtesy Notices” regarding RVs parked on private property. During that same period, the city wrote only three parking tickets. A resident of Florence is more likely to get a “Courtesy Notice” regarding the parking of his RV on his own property than anyone is getting a ticket for illegal parking.
• City Occupational (Income Taxes) letters are being delivered to businesses that have been at their locations for years. Example: Mark’s Guns has been in Florence since the 1980s, yet the city has “Courtesy Notice” delivered to Mark’s Guns. Delivering tax courtesy notices appears unnecessary. After all, the Federal IRS does not send a notice to remind people to pay taxes.
• Florence wrote only six tickets for illegal parking despite a snow emergency in January. Florence city streets were never completely cleared due to the city not enforcing its own Snow Emergency ordinances on vehicles parked on the street.
• Notices in some cases are written so vaguely the recipient has no idea what he is to fix per the “Courtesy Letter.”
• Essentially, Florence is hand-delivering written warnings to residents to limit residents from using their own property as they see fit.
• It appears Code Inspectors are missing entire neighborhoods and focusing on others when inspecting, thus being discriminatory.
• Florence is still refusing to provide a written list of codes the city’s Code Inspectors are enforcing. The city essentially is telling people who want a list to “go fish” on the city web site. 
  
  

(16) – CLOSED SESSION

Motion to enter closed session pursuant to KRS 61.810(1)(b) for property, (1)(c) for litigation, and (1)(g) for business discussions approved unanimously. Closed session held; returned to open session with no further business conducted.