MOUNT VERNON – Mount Vernon residents are collecting signatures in hopes of putting a referendum on the passed Edgewood Road improvement legislation before it goes into effect.
The Edgewood Road improvement resolution passed 4-3 with councilmembers Amber Keener, Tammy Woods and Janis Seavolt opposing.
The resolution passed as an emergency, meaning it can go into effect without the 30-day waiting period. However the emergency clause is void due to the two-thirds majority vote threshold not being met.
Approximately 10% of Mount Vernon registered voters’ signatures need to be collected in the 30-day window before the legislation becomes law, in order for the referendum to be placed on the ballot.
The signature amount is calculated by the last 10% of voters who participated in the last gubernatorial election. All signatures must be registered voters and residents of Mount Vernon.
Approximately 497 signatures need collected, according to Mount Vernon resident and opponent of the resolution, Dennis Swingle.
What happens when signatures are collected?
Once signatures are collected, they are sent to the city auditor to transmit the petition to the Knox County Board of Elections.
The board of elections would submit the measure for approval or rejection at the next general election, according to Ohio Revised Code.
“We have volunteers ready to collect signatures,” Swingle said.
Swingle, among others who spoke at Monday’s meeting, are opposed to the resolution, citing lack of transparency with city administration, safety concerns and property rights.
“I know for a fact that the administration has a significant amount of more detailed information, including write-ups explaining details of the plan, concept drawings and data details about the alteration of Edgewood Road, as well as many other factors that have been kept secret from the public,” Swingle said at Monday’s meeting.
“It is obvious to me that the administration has not only kept the truth secret from the public but apparently city council as well. It’s definitely time to reject or table Resolution 2024-23 until such time that the administration makes details and explanations of the data they have available to the public.”