Saturday, March 04, 2000
Ludlow limits police spending
Council also fills vacancy
BY CINDY SCHROEDER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LUDLOW — It took Ludlow council only five minutes Friday night to appoint a former councilman with a criminal record to a council vacancy and pass a budget that could trigger drastic cuts in the police department.
“They've demoted my people, they've gutted my department. And for what reason?” Ludlow Police Chief Tom Collins asked after Friday's meeting. “At this point, I honestly don't know what we do.”
Council approved a budget — eight months into the fiscal year — that demotes Lt. Col. Benny Johnson from assistant police chief to lieutenant, effectively eliminates the police department's home fleet program, allows no further police overtime this fiscal year, and cuts the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program and a grant that pays overtime to look for motorists driving under the influence.
Chief Collins confirmed after the vote that he and his assistant chief, demoted Friday by council, applied last year for protection under the state's whistle-blower law.
“What they've done is essentially try to legislate a demotion, which is not legally enforceable,” said Lt. Col. Johnson.
During the brief meeting, council members unanimously appointed Fred Brooks to fill the seat vacated by the death of Janet Rohan last month. Mr. Brooks' previous term was cut short nine years ago, after he was convicted of stealing thousands of gallons of gas.
Mr. Brooks — the 63-year-old owner of Ludlow Chevron and council's unanimous choice to fill the vacancy — told reporters that he's a changed man who wants to help his city.
Mr. Brooks' previous Ludlow City Council term ended in April 1991, just before he entered a plea for his role in a three-year gas-theft scheme. The governor restored his voting rights in 1995.
“It's over with,” Mr. Brooks said. “I've done paid my dues. Now, it's time to move ahead with the business of the city.”
Council member Sharon Dietz and Mayor Tom Stacy did not attend Friday's meeting. Voting for Mr. Brooks' appointment were Ben Cloud, Garry Hatter Sr., Ron Wofford and Jack Redd.
“I've been doing business with Mr. Brooks for 20 years,” Mr. Cloud said Friday. “He's a fine man who's got what it takes” to serve on council.
Chief Collins said Friday that he and Lt. Col. Johnson applied for protection under state law last May after initiating an investigation into fire department practices they since have turned over to the Kentucky attorney general.
Chief Collins said he was approached by an agent of Kentucky's Charitable Gaming Commission with questions about the Ludlow Volunteer Fire Department. .
“(The agent) produced a letter saying they had taken away the charitable gaming license of the fire department,” Chief Collins said. “We had numerous questions which could not be answered.”
Terry Bandy, the fire department chief, could not be reached Friday night.
Since last year, the Ludlow Volunteer Fire Department has been the subject of a Kenton County Grand Jury investigation over its charitable bingo.
After his appointment Fri day night, Mr. Brooks said he wants to see the city afford to pay its bills and attract new business. He said that he has no problems with Chief Collins or the police department that initiated the investigation that resulted in his conviction.
“His first agenda is to get rid of Tom Collins,” said Trisha Poe, 41, a former police clerk who also had applied for the council vacancy. “He can deny it all he wants. But he's told me that.”
Also passed over for the council vacancy was Charlie Geise, 39, a former Ludlow police and fire dispatcher who said he plans to file to run for Ludlow City Council next week.
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