MOUNT VERNON — Chief Robert Morgan said calls for service to the Mount Vernon Police Department are up about 12 percent compared to a year ago and 14 percent over the previous year.
“We are back to pre-COVID levels. Our officers are more busy than they have ever been,” he told city council members on Monday as part of his 2022 annual report.
Arrests rose to 2,819 last year compared to 1,795 and 1,617 in years 2021 and 2020, respectively. Those numbers cover all categories, including felonies, domestic violence, and traffic citations.
The detective division investigated 50 drug cases while the department as a whole seized 2,402 grams of marijuana, nearly 329 grams of meth, 3 grams of heroine, 6 grams of cocaine, and nearly 60 grams of fentanyl.
Morgan said the department is on pace to exceed that this year, having collected more than 180 grams of meth in two incidences the same week.
Firearm seizures increased from 18 in 2021 to 25, and felony cases filed rose from 208 to 275. Charges indicted in 2022 totaled 237.
Dan Jackman of the Community Advocacy Relations Division reviewed more than 2,700 cases and participated directly in 1,300 cases. He responded to the scene of an incident 266 times with 223 direct interventions.
Regarding staffing, Morgan said the department, like other law enforcement agencies, is feeling the pinch in filling positions. The MVPD is currently down one officer.
“Cost-wise, we kept our overtime at a very reasonable rate, but I will tell you that I am going to be asking for three new officers,” Morgan told council, adding that the need is there due to call volume and the growth of the city.
“I worked with [Auditor Terry] Scott and we looked at how we can afford this in the 2023 budget. We looked at numbers, and I think we can support three new officers.”
Morgan concluded his report by saying, “I am proud of my folks. My folks are doing a good job.”
Kenyon interns
Human Resources Director Denise Johnston and Law Director Rob Broeren are interested in having a Kenyon intern in their respective offices.
The HR intern position would consist of 10 hours a week at $11.50 per hour to help digitize employee files. Johnston said in an Employee and Community Relations Committee meeting that the goal is to take all employee files that are scattered department-wide, centralize them under lock and key, and digitize them.
“It’s a small investment but a broad investment,” she said of the intern position. She also plans to work with Mount Vernon Nazarene University at some point regarding interns.
The intern resolution was up for a second reading on Monday. In the committee meeting, Johnston requested council to suspend the rules and take the intern resolution to its third and final reading because she did not want to lose a candidate.
While council did so and passed the legislation by a 5 to 1 vote, several council members voiced concern that a candidate was selected before council approved the position.
“If the legislation is just now up for a second reading, how has the interview process already taken place?” Council Member Tammy Woods asked.
Council Member Amber Keener cast the no vote, noting that she was uncomfortable with the process that transpired, not the position.
City Engineer Brian Ball, who oversees the Kenyon intern program for the city, explained that in the process of interviewing candidates for other intern positions, one candidate stood out who would be excellent in the HR field.
Law Director Broeren will explain his need for an intern at council’s March 13 meeting.
Water treatment plant
Council gave a second reading to legislation authorizing a contract with Gray Matter Systems (GMS) for automating procedures at the water treatment plant.
Previously, the legislation authorized a three-year contract, but only the cost of the first year ($100,000) was known. The legislation will be amended to limit the scope of 2023 work to the filter replacement project as the filters have already failed. Technicians are operating the filters manually, which involves a lot of operators and overtime.
Emily Platt, consultant to the engineer’s office, will return to council with a prioritized list of projects but will assign costs as council approves projects individually over the next three years.
Council took the following additional actions:
•Gave the first reading to legislation authorizing the city to bid and contract for the Stump-Northview water and sewer improvement project
•Gave the first reading to legislation approving the purchase of a pipefitter truck for water collection and distribution
•Approved as an emergency on first reading an ordinance setting the compensation of the probation officers and probation administrative assistant/deputy clerk in municipal court
•Approved as an emergency on first reading an ordinance setting the compensation of the wastewater superintendent at $74,000
• Approved as an emergency on first reading an ordinance setting the compensation of the assistant director of distribution and collection at $64,480; it will rise to $66,950 once a Class II collections license is achieved
•Postponed the third reading of a resolution accepting the development plan for Liberty Crossing, a planned neighborhood development on Newark Road.
