Kenton jail decision feels right

Sometimes the process works. The people speak and the politicians listen.

That was my first reaction today when I read that the new Kenton County Detention Center will be built on a site off Mary Laidley Drive in south Covington, instead of a controversial site at new KY 17 and Pelly Road near subdivisions and schools in Independence.

Kenton County Judge Executive Ralph Drees and the Fiscal Court got plenty of criticism with the original plan, not only for the suitability of the site itself but also for the way they handled the process. Officials skirted the state's open meetings law. And not nearly enough was done to prepare nearby residents for a decision sure to raise questions and alarm them.

Maybe, probably, some of the concerns were overblown, but the reaction was understandable and broad enough to move the decision makers. What's important is that Drees and other Kenton County officials went back to work, starting a year-long process to research alternatives.

It's not a done deal yet, but this site could be a winner. Actually, its proximity to the center of the county and major thoroughfares make it more logical than the Independence site ever was. Drees and other Kenton officials deserve credit for listening, learning and moving forward.

Addendum: I'm glad people are sharing their views, but the amount of stereotyping and Covington-bashing on our comment board is a depressing reminder of the big rifts that divide us -- not just in Kenton County but everywhere.