MOUNT VERNON — Human Resources Director Denise Neff asked city council to increase the hours, pay, and number of college interns for her department.
In February, council authorized Intern #1 at $11.50 per hour up to 10 hours a week. On Monday, Neff requested an increase in pay to $12 per hour for up to 25 hours a week.
Additionally, she asked council to create Intern #2 and #3 positions at $12 per hour up to a maximum of 20 hours per week.
Neff’s goal is to “centralize files and support a stronger HR department.”
“To date, we have centralized all of the police files,” she said. “It took a little longer because those files are extensive.”
She noted that centralizing files is an ongoing project because information is constantly being added to the files.
Neff has spent $2,486.88 for intern hours over the past eight months. She anticipates a cost of $14,000 to $15,000 for a full year.
Following a discussion about whether interns are background-checked, council asked Neff to check into contract services for centralizing the files. She will bring the information to the next council meeting.
Legislative action
Council members gave a second reading to the ordinance creating the new HR intern positions, increasing the hours for Intern #1, and authorizing the pay increase.
They also took the following actions:
•Adopted on its third reading a resolution accepting the comprehensive development plan for 301 and 303 N. Norton St.
•Gave the first reading to legislation committing to the Sustainable 2050 program through MORPC (Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission)
•Accepted supplemental appropriations ($35,000 from Mental Health & Recovery of Licking and Knox Counties for MERIT court and $5,000 from Grand Chapter of Ohio Eastern Star for the police K-9 program)
•Approved fund transfers
•Waived the three readings and approved Park National Bank and STAR Ohio program to hold the city’s funds
•After waiving the three readings, authorized the safety-service director to contract with Ohio Power to lease property between East Vine Street and Lawn Avenue for a community garden
Mount Vernon Police Chief Robert Morgan updated council on the department’s activities.
Public participation
Vicki Fitzgerald, East High Street, spoke about the detrimental effects of rainwater, both to her property and the city.
Fitzgerald said she has had to take “defensive action” since 2020 to protect her garage and driveway from flooding, cracking, and washout stemming from a neighbor’s rainwater runoff.
The neighbor demolished a barn in July. Fitzgerald said the result is a large area of mud that spreads to her property and another neighbor’s.
“It’s been six weeks since that demolition and nothing more has been done on the property,” she said.
Fitzgerald said repeated calls and emails to city officials received no response.
“What is the plan now that the building has been demolished?” she asked. “Where is the erosion and sediment plan now for this property other than letting their water and mud run off onto other people’s property, and why isn’t this being provided to the neighboring houses?”
Fitzgerald also noted concern about the west-end levee being decertified. In addition to asking for help with her property, she asked the city to “take care of business with the levee so that citizens of Mount Vernon don’t have to deal with a catastrophic flood event.”
