In this month's edition of the Kenton County Chronicles, you will discover:
- how to get reimbursed for vision expenses;
- new ways to save through TicketsatWork; and
- our recent employee successes.
How to get up to $350 in vision expense reimbursement every two years
Did you know that you and your family can get reimbursed for vision expenses? That's right – the County offers reimbursement up to $350 per person every two years for:
- eye exams;
- glasses;
- contact lenses; and
- prescription sunglasses.
Here are the key details you need to know:
Eligibility |
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Frequency |
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Providers |
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Flexible Spending Account |
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Note: Vision exams for children enrolled in the Kenton County medical plan are covered as part of your medical insurance benefits. However, reimbursement for children’s prescription purchases is available only through the vision expense reimbursement program.
Three-step guide to vision expense reimbursement
- Visit your preferred eye care provider for an exam and/or to purchase glasses, contact lenses or prescription sunglasses.
- Save your itemized receipts, which should include the date of service, provider name, services or products received and the amount paid.
- Submit your reimbursement request within 120 days of your purchase by filling out the Vision Expense Reimbursement Form on the Kenton County website and attaching your receipts.
Have more questions? Go to the optical reimbursement page on our employee portal and contact Kelly Baker or Lauren Heck from Human Resources with additional questions.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to promote mental health and wellness and address the challenges faced by the nearly 1 in 5 American adults who experience a diagnosable mental health condition each year.
If you need mental health services, the Kenton County medical plan offers outpatient services with a $25 copay per visit ($40 at Cincinnati Children's) and inpatient services with a $600 copay per admission ($750 at Cincinnati Children's).
For more information including tips for how to improve your mental health, visit the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) page on the Employee Portal.
Kenton County joins TicketsatWork discount program
Your work-life balance and general well-being are as important to us as the work you contribute.
That's why Kenton County team members can now access TicketsatWork, your one-stop shop for exclusive and convenient savings on the products, services and experiences you know and love.
From electronics and groceries to theme parks (Kings Island!) and special events — get discounts on almost everything!
It’s cost-free and easy to enroll. Just visit TicketsatWork and use the company code KIKENTON to begin receiving discounts.
Meet our April employee spotlight
Brent "Tank" Cummins is assistant CAD administrator and dispatcher II for the Kenton County Emergency Communications Center.
Cummins is known for bringing joy to his teammates, his high attention to detail and his willingness to pick up the phone and help others any time of day.
Learn more about Cummins here.
Team accomplishments: Recent celebrations from Kenton County
Kenton County Animal Services celebrates National Animal Control Officer Week
The Kenton County animal control team serves all 19 cities and unincorporated areas of Kenton County. Led by Sgt. Taylor Jackson, our team of five animal control officers (ACOs) serve as guardians, advocates and problem-solvers for animals in need.
During National Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week (April 14-20), community members and organizations across the County came together to show appreciation for our officers.
Interested in learning more about the ACO team? Read their shout-out posts on Facebook by clicking their names below.
Kenton County Emergency Communication Center recognizes National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week
National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week was April 14-20, and the KCECC team celebrated in style.
They hosted themed days, such as David Leonard Day (pictured above), Taylor Swift Eras Day and Pajama Day.
The KCECC team also participated in the "What's Your ECC's Movie?" competition. Our team selected the "Yellow Nights" shift's entry "The Dispatch Club" to represent Kenton County nationally.
Public Works collects 1,700 loads during the spring cleanup event
Congratulations to Melissa Grandstaff, solid waste coordinator, and the entire team at Public Works for a successful spring cleanup event!
Together, they collected:
- 1700 loads;
- 1270 tires;
- 4,945 lbs of electronics;
- 1,661 lbs batteries;
- 34 freon containing appliances;
- 4 dumpsters of scrap metal; and
- 24 full dumpsters.
Public Works will host its next Kenton County cleanup event in the fall.
The man behind the construction
Work is now underway on the new farmers market pavilion neighboring the Historic Kenton County Courthouse, and contractors will soon be on site to begin the final phase of renovations to the historical structure itself.
These improvements would not be possible without the diligent work of Scott Gunning, Kenton County’s assistant county administrator. Gunning has overseen all renovations to the courthouse campus in recent years and continues to lead the charge.
Parks & Recreation releases summer schedule
Last week, Kenton County Parks & Recreation released its calendar of summer events. Thank you to Rhonda Ritzi, our recreation programs coordinator, for all your hard work in bringing together another fantastic lineup of events.
We look forward to a fun summer of programs and are thankful for the entire Parks & Recreation team for their work in executing these events. You can check out the full schedule here.
Karen Ritter celebrates her 60th birthday
Karen Ritter, payroll clerk for the Office of the Treasurer, celebrated her 60th birthday in April.
Karen, also known as "Kritter", has worked for the County for 11 years. She is a Campbell County resident, has a twin sister named Kim, makes tasty cheese balls and enjoys mystery novels.
Happy belated birthday, Karen!
Team member milestones
The Kenton County Detention Center (KCDC) celebrated the six-month milestone for team members, including:
- Ashley Shelton, booking clerk
- Hannah Hammock, booking clerk
- Sarah Seitz, deputy
KCDC also appointed two new field training officers:
- Christopher Lord, deputy
- Evan Thamann, deputy
Plus, one deputy earned his spot on KCDC's Tactical Response Team:
- Tyler Hammons, deputy
Meanwhile, the Fiscal Court approved two new hires and two promotions.
New hires
- Brennan Scott, parks technician 1, Parks & Recreation
Promotions
- Adam Ryan, public services supervisor
- Shaun Lauderman, parks services supervisor
What's Happening: Fiscal Court
In April, the Kenton County Fiscal Court approved the three recipients of this year’s Pioneer Awards. Now in its seventh year, the Pioneer Award recognizes residents who have a record of outstanding service to the community and exemplify the highest standards of personal integrity.
This year’s recipients are:
- Sister Jean Marie Hoffman. Hoffman is the former executive director of the DCCH Center for Children and Families in Fort Mitchell, where she worked to foster a safe space for abused and neglected children to receive the quality care they need. She spent more than 40 years with the organization, half of which were as its executive director, and currently is its director emeritus. She continues to have an active role with the Sisters of Notre Dame.
- Donna Salyers. Salyers is founder of Fabulous-Furs, a Covington-based fashion brand that has redefined the faux fur industry, as well as Fabulous-Bridals. Salyers played a key role in the revitalization of Madison Avenue in Covington through her ownership stake in the Hotel Covington and Madison Event Center.
- Jeanne Schroer. From her early career working with Corporex to the launch of the Catalytic Fund, Schroer works to help communities meet their true potential. Schroer has grown the Catalytic Fund into a thriving organization that has been behind the scenes supporting transformational projects like the Mutual Building, Hotel Covington, Duveneck Square, the OneNKY Center and residential projects in Ludlow, Newport and Bellevue.
Also in April, the Court took the first step in planning our 2024 Employee Awards Banquet! This year’s event will be hosted at The Gardens of Park Hills on Friday, Nov. 1. We’ll be rolling out more details regarding this year’s event in the months to come, including its new theme.
Day in the Life: Kenton County Animal Services
In April, we showcased the Kenton County Animal Control officers in recognition of National Animal Control Officer Week.
Watch the newest episode here.
Thank you Sgt. Jackson and the entire KCAS team for their participation.
Next up: Kenton County Detention Center