By Cheryl Splain, KnoxPages.com Reporter
MOUNT VERNON — Prior to city council’s legislative session on Monday night, council members held several committee meetings related to fire coverage, parking and recycling.
Fire, Police and Civil Defense
City Council members did not voice opposition to the Mount Vernon Fire Department expanding its coverage area to Liberty Township, but they did voice some concerns.
The Liberty Township trustees contacted Mayor Richard Mavis about a year ago regarding fire and EMS coverage through the MVFD. Liberty Township Trustee Kim Allen told council that township residents were satisfied with the protective services provided by the Central Ohio Joint Fire District but that the COJFD board was dysfunctional. Things came to a head when Hillier Township recently pulled out of the COJFD.
Mavis said the township has between 100 and 115 runs a year; the MVFD had 5,000 runs in 2015. “This would be two runs a week for us,” said Mavis, adding that the MVFD provided 10 to 12 mutual aid runs last year to Liberty Township. “Fire Chief Chad Christopher felt we could handle it without additional manpower.”
The MVFD would provide coverage for the same amount township residents pay the COJFD: 5.5 mills. Township residents must approve a ballot initiative changing the millage recipient from the COJFD to the MVFD. The deadline to request a ballot initiative is Aug. 10.
The MVFD transports its EMS patients to Knox Community Hospital; COJFD often transports to St. Ann’s Hospital or Children’s Hospital, although 85 percent of the Liberty Township patients were transported to KCH. Councilwoman Nancy Vail requested Mavis to look further into what departments would provide mutual aid should the MVFD be unable to respond to Liberty Township.
Councilman John Booth said he would like to see a map of the coverage area of the MVFD, currently and expanded to include Liberty Township. Recalling when the city expanded coverage to Clinton Township, Booth said, “I know this can work, we just have to make sure we have the manpower.”
Employee and Community Relations Committee
As KnoxPages.com reported on June 9, Rumpke Waste and Recycling will close its doors on Dec. 31. Mavis said that Rumpke will still offer curbside recycling to its city customers, as will the other waste haulers in the city. Council discussed the possibility of having Dumpsters at various locations throughout the city for residents who currently take recyclables directly to Rumpke’s Columbus Road facility; problems with an unmanned Dumpster include trash pileup and people dropping off items other than recyclables. Mavis said that when the city looked at this possibility previously, it was determined that Mount Vernon would need four such drop-off locations.
Randy Canterbury, Knox County’s recycling and litter prevention coordinator, said the Delaware-Knox-Marion-Morrow Solid Waste District is willing to provide Dumpsters for drop-off locations but he “highly recommends” not going that route. He said he finds all kinds of trash at similar drop-off locations in Apple Valley, Centerburg and Danville and that the DKMM hired local organizations to keep those locations clean.
Canterbury said he still recommends the city consider going to bid for one waste hauler to provide recycling to city residents. Councilman John Francis said he has had several phone calls regarding the loss of choice of haulers if the city goes to bid.
Streets and Public Buildings
Parking Enforcement Officer Mike Hillier provided some numbers on parking violations between April 4 and June 17. The top three locations where he wrote tickets are Public Square, South Main Street and West High Street. Of 205 violations, 114 were for exceeding the two-hour parking limit.
Booth said parking in front of the Post Office is his concern; he felt parking should be reinstituted in the three spaces on West High Street directly west of Mulberry Street but restrict the parking to cars only. Francis said he received three calls with the callers saying they disliked the elimination of the three parking spaces; Hillier said he received one such call.
Councilman Sam Barone said he has received comments whether the two-hour parking limit in the city’s primary shopping district is long enough and should the city consider extending it to three hours. Hillier noted that there is plenty of parking available in the parking garage off Public Square. He also said several merchants still feel they should be able to park all day in the space in front of their businesses.