MOUNT VERNON — What does the future of Mount Vernon look like?
That rhetorical question was asked by Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr at the “state of the city” at the 4-H Center at the Knox County Fairgrounds on Thursday.
Starr reviewed several factors in the city and its numerous departments, including engineering, utilities, parks and recreation, police and fire department.
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Mount Vernon Police Department’s total calls for service last year was over 16,000 calls —broken down to 1,357 a month, 313 a week or 45 calls for every 24-hour period.
The police department want to add a second traffic patrolman to cover the late shift and after-school hours, Starr said.
“One of the things that started to leap out at me over the last couple years was the number of suicides and attempts to commit suicides,” Starr said.
There were 89 reports last year, though the reporting started in April.
The fire department had 4,559 calls for service, identical in 2022 and 2023.
Starr on creating a sustainable Mount Vernon
Starr touched on the Sustainability 2050 program, defining the now-politicized word as a “delicate balance between people, planet and profit.”
“Somehow, somewhere, someone, for some reason, has hijacked this term and made it all about renewable energies,” Starr said. “It is far from that.”
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When thinking about sustainability, Starr questioned if the city is offering improvements to physical, metal and emotional health.
“Is it offering social and cultural experience? Are we preserving natural resources for future generations? Are we pursuing solutions that have the highest benefit to cost ratio?” Starr asked.
The mayor emphasized the city isn’t “coming after your gas vehicles or stoves.”
Infill vs. Sprawl
Starr reviewed the city’s need for housing, referencing the balance between density and sprawling neighborhoods.
The city has 289 parcels, which translates to a little over 1,000 acres that can still be developed. The city is also updating its zoning code; with the first draft scheduled to be released to the public soon, Starr said.
“What we’re trying to do is get the government out of the way,” Starr said. “Let’s put a little faith in the free market. Let’s not be so restrictive.”
For example, Starr said the current minimum square footage to build a new home in Mount Vernon is 1,500 square feet.
“If you’re looking at building one of those, you’re looking at $300,000,” he said. “That’s not affordable for a family starting out.
“We’re looking at other options for accessory dwelling units for loft spaces and so forth to provide not only the new market-rate apartments but also what some of these creative ways we can take care of opportunities to protect us from sprawling.”
Looking ahead
Starr ended the address with his imagination of how he sees the city.
“Imagine a city that shows prosperity promise, that’s vibrant. A picture tells a thousand words. So imagine that you live here. What stories do you see? What would you look at that?
I see one of our police officers sprinting across public square to save a life,” he said.
“I see our street department personnel checking every one of those traffic lights. I see our street department collecting the snow. I see festivals. I see parties. I see celebrations.
“What stories do you see in the future?”