MOUNT VERNON — On Monday night, the city moved another step closer to eliminating the environmental hazard at the former American National Can property at 201 Madison Street. City Council moved the process forward by authorizing Dave Glass, safety-service director, to advertise for cleanup bids and also to enter into a contract with an engineering firm for professional services during the cleanup process.
The project will be paid for with money from the Clean Ohio Grant Fund and the property owner, Rio Tinto Corp. City Auditor Terry Scott said the project will cost about $2.2 million; $1.6 million will be in grant funds and $553,000 in owner funds. The city will receive the money from the state and Rio Tinto Corp and, in turn, disburse the money as expenses occur. Council appropriated $64,850 in grant money and $62,000 received from Rio Tinto Corp. to the cleanup fund. Scott said Rio Tinto Corp. agreed to wire the balance within two days after the city receives a favorable bid.
Grant regulations require the project to be under contract by Oct. 12. Professional services required to comply with the grant include soil sampling, contractor oversight and project management. Ownership of the property will not change until the end of the project; the ultimate owner will be Blight to Bright, a solar energy company. The city will retain ownership of 16 acres west of the dyke and the drainage ditch on Madison Street; Blight to Bright will own the remaining acreage.
Waiving the required three readings, council members passed legislation involving the city’s ½ percent income tax. Scott explained that the revenue had been placed in the general fund since the levy’s passage in 1982. The state recently determined that money from special levies must be credited to a specific fund dedicated to the purpose for which the levy was passed; in this case, fire, EMS and police. The legislation established the new levy fund and transferred $955,000 from the general fund to the new fund.
In other business, council:
*Waived the third reading and approved legislation authorizing Glass to enter into a contract with the Ohio Department of Transportation for resurfacing the city’s portion of Blackjack Road from Granville Road to Ohio 13.
*Passed a resolution reappointing Tom Wall to the Shade Tree and Beautification Commission
*Waived three readings and passed a resolution authorizing Scott to appropriate $1,328.55 to the Parks-Maintenance and Repairs fund. Mrs. Ruth Shock and family donated the money in memory of Harold Shock; the money will be used to purchase a park bench for the mini-park at the corner of Chestnut and Division streets.
*Authorized Scott to transfer funds
*Passed legislation designating the financial institutions which will act as depositories for the city’s funds
*Gave a first reading to an ordinance authorizing the vacation of an alley between lots 609 and 613 on East Vine Street.
Council members expressed thanks and appreciation to Fire Chief Chris Menapace, who will be leaving to take a position with the Whitehall Fire Department. Councilwoman Janis Seavolt presented Menapace with a pen and pencil set as a token of council’s appreciation.
Menapace updated council members on Monday afternoon’s fire at the former PPG plant. He said that when the fire department arrived three floors were involved. Crews achieved 90 percent containment before the structure became unstable. After consulting with Ted Schnormeier, project administrator for incorporating the PPG acreage into Ariel-Foundation Park, it was agreed that in order to contain the fire some of the structure must be knocked down. Menapace said about 75 to 100 feet of the pavilion will be lost.
Remarks:
*Mayor Richard Mavis: Saturday, Sunday and Monday are the last days the water park will be open; the city is working with Owl Creek Conservancy regarding wetlands on Blackjack Road; demolition of the former Clark station on Coshocton Road should begin Sept. 1.
*Chip McConville, city law director: Knox County’s municipal court has a conviction rate of more than 80 percent for first-time drunk drivers. This puts Knox County in the top 10 percent of the more than 100 municipal courts in Ohio.
*Councilman John Francis: expressed his disappointment in the Mount Vernon Police Department and the police chief.
*Councilwoman Nancy Vail: completed her review of Chapter 13 of the city’s ordinances, which includes property owner’s maintenance and cleanup of property. Public hearings will be scheduled soon.
*Councilwoman Susan Kahrl: requested the administration keep council members informed when news breaks; specifically, she said she does not want to hear about an issue with the police department from a Columbus TV station.
*Councilman Mike Hillier: e-mailed Glass three addresses where illegal fencing, weeds and tall grass have been an issue all summer. He requested that Glass take steps to clean up the properties and send the residents a letter billing the residents for the cleanup.
*Scott Zimmerman, parks and recreation department: 1,050 athletes, 37 teams and 17 school districts participated in the annual Kiwanis Invitational on Saturday. Many favorable comments were received about Ariel-Foundation Park.
