MOUNT VERNON — City council members agreed on Monday to accept the donation of two Prospect Street parcels from the Wesley L. Kline Trust. The parcels total .52 acres.
The lots have a large spring. City Engineer Brian Ball explained at the Nov. 13 council meeting that if the runoff is not maintained, it will run downhill onto other properties.
Council members questioned why the city should accept the donation and what the financial burden might be if the city does so.
“The purpose of us assuming this property would be to make sure it’s not developed,” Safety-service Director Tanner Salyers said.
“It’s also to protect people downstream from intentional or unintentional consequences of stormwater runoff because of potential development that would go in there,” Mayor Matt Starr added.
Several years ago, the city placed a drain on the property to control runoff. The city maintains the catch basin and will also maintain the drain.
Law Director Rob Broeren said the city would not be liable for drain issues if the Kline Trust retains ownership.
Councilman James Mahan referenced other situations where imperfect lot transactions led to stormwater problems.
“If this is a situation where we can protect the citizens in the development from having stormwater problems … and if we’re not taking on a significant burden, I think that might be a good idea,” he said.
“We assume some liability if we take on this property, but I assume it’s negligible,” Salyers said. “There’s not going to be a lot of activity. There might be a significant overflow, but that’s why we would take it on: to control that significant overflow.”
Council members voted 4-3 to strike the emergency clause from the legislation and then voted 6-1 to accept the donation.
Public notices
Council members approved by a 5-2 vote changes to the way the city posts public notices. Council members Janis Seavolt and Amber Keener voted no.
Keener said she voted no because she does not like that there is no requirement to put the notices in print.
“I feel like if there’s no requirement, we won’t do it,” she said.
Before the vote, Hillier moved to strike the emergency clause from the ordinance. The amendment failed by a 5-2 vote. Hillier and Seavolt cast the no votes.
The Ohio Revised Code previously required municipalities to publish public notices in a print newspaper. The budget bill Gov. Mike DeWine signed in July eliminates that requirement, offering instead the option of posting them to a municipality’s website and social media.
Law Director Rob Broeren said the new ordinance puts the city in compliance with the ORC. However, it does not preclude the city from publishing notices in other outlets if it so chooses.
SSD Salyers said the city plans to update its technology products, including a website redesign. The new software includes a newsroom page where the city will post the notices.
Part of the redesign will take part in 2024.
Lodging tax distribution
Council members gave the second reading to legislation changing how the city distributes lodging tax (aka bed tax). The following organizations receive money under the ordinance:
•City retains 5% for administrative costs
•Mount Vernon Parking Company 10%
•Heritage Centre Association, DBA Experience Mount Vernon, 30%
•Knox Partnership for Arts & Culture, DBA The Woodward Opera House Conservancy, 25%
•Knox County Convention & Visitors Bureau 20%
•Available Petition Fund 10%
Previously, the Foundation Park Conservancy received 5% (approximately $7,000) and the Woodward Opera House 20%.
The Greater Downtown Management Council oversees the application process and determines the funding. According to Auditor Terry Scott, some GDMC board members represented organizations that applied for funding. They, therefore, recused themselves from the vote.
“It was the committee’s decision to ask that the conservancy come to us and petition for approximately $7,000 from the petition fund,” Scott, who sits on the board, said. “They wouldn’t be out any money at all. There’s the backup to changing the formula in this legislation.”
Scott said the petition fund’s balance is about $80,000.
He acknowledged there was no guarantee that the conservancy would always receive funding but noted that the GDMC has never denied a request.
Councilwoman Keener said the council should give the flat 5% to the conservancy because the conservancy fulfills the mission of bringing visitors into the city.
Conservancy board member Mike Miller presented data showing the results of the conservancy’s marketing efforts and asked council to reconsider eliminating the flat 5% to the conservancy.
Legislative action
Council members took the following additional actions in Monday’s meeting:
•Extended the Coshocton Avenue TIF district for another 30 years
•Appointed Russ Mentzer to the Board of Property Maintenance Appeals and Samantha Ramsier to the Civil Service Commission after waiving the required three readings
•Approved supplemental appropriations and fund transfers
related reading
•Voted to rezone 33.89 acres on Upper Gilchrist Road to PND (planned neighborhood development)
•Gave the second reading to legislation accepting the annexation of 4.325 acres owned by the historical society
Public participation
On behalf of the Knox County Landmarks Foundation, former Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Mavis presented a plaque to Mona Nacey, owner of The Russell-Cooper House.
Nacey bought the house at 115 E. Gambier St. in 2019. The plaque, which depicts a picture of the house, recognizes the extensive renovations Nacey did to the home.
“It was a labor of love,” Nacey said. “It’s a beautiful house, and I’m happy to put it back the way it should be.”