MOUNT VERNON — Mount Vernon City Council members voted Monday to transfer two Coshocton Road parcels to the Knox County Land Bank.
Parcels 66-01698000 and 66-00733000 are the site of a former Clark gas station. They comprise an island surrounded by Coshocton Avenue, Vernonview Drive and Eastview Drive.
The city bought the land in March 2013 and demolished the former gas station in September 2013.
Council members discussed the transfer in an executive session before Monday’s legislative session. They waived the three readings and approved the transfer with no comment.
The Land Bank, formally known as the Knox County Land Reutilization Corp., agreed to take possession of the parcels for economic development.
Land Bank board members authorized board President Sam Filkins to work with the city after an Aug. 21 executive session.
“The land bank’s mission is to take unproductive land and put it into productive use,” Filkins told Knox Pages on Tuesday morning.
“The city asked us to help facilitate moving this property into productive use again. This is land the city does not want to continue to own.”
Also on Monday, the council suspended the rules and adopted legislation granting a 0.325-acre easement to American Electric Power in Arch Park.
The agreement enlarges an existing 1.51-acre easement in the northwest section of the park.
AEP is replacing transmission lines from Pittsburgh Avenue south of Rastin Tower to Arch Park and back to the substation on McKenzie Street. City engineer Brian Ball said the additional easement will not affect the city’s plan for park improvements.
AEP will pay the city a one-time fee of $10,000 for the easement.
Council takes additional action
Council members took several other pieces of legislation to their final reading:
•Adopting an ordinance that enables the city’s New Community Authority to issue up to $3 million in bonds to fund the infrastructure in Liberty Crossing subdivision.
•Disposing of police vehicles: two are former police cars the department replaced. The other 10 are unclaimed vehicles at the impound lot.
•Participating in the Ohio treasurer’s online checkbook program.
•Renaming a fund to better track grants received by the probation department.
•Adopting a modified budget for 2026: The county auditor’s office previously estimated the city would receive about $972,000 in property taxes in 2025. The county increased that estimate to $1.266 million for 2026.
•Appointing Councilwoman LeNan Hager and resident Samantha Ramsier to the city’s Compensation Review Commission.
•Accepting supplemental appropriations of $75,000 in lodging tax. Last year, the lodging tax brought in just under $160,000. Safety Service Director Tanner Salyers estimates that it will increase by 15 to 20 percent with the Hampton Inn coming online.
Council members took the following additional actions:
•Gave a first reading to legislation authorizing the safety-service director to advertise and contract for building demolition related to relocating Ohio 13 to South Sandusky Street.
•Passed on third reading revised regulations relating to inoperable and junk vehicles.
•Heard the second reading of an ordinance vacating an unplatted alley.
•Gave a first reading to legislation to apply for an Ohio Public Works Commission grant. Clinton Township will partner with the city to extend water lines to Crystal Avenue.
Mount Vernon resident David Ruckman thanked council members for their code enforcement efforts.
Max Heindl asked the city to acknowledge the contributions of Henry Knox, Curtis Kinney, and Daniel Decatur Emmett during the America 250 celebration.
