MOUNT VERNON—City council members on Monday waived the three readings and adopted legislation to proceed with constructing a new salt barn.
The legislation authorizes the city to identify and contract with a company for design and construction. Council passed the resolution with the emergency clause.
The current salt barn is a former Ohio Department of Transportation highway patrol post the county now owns at 25 Columbus Road. The county plans to vacate that property when Knox Area Transit moves to its new hub on Chestnut Street.
“I don’t believe we want to buy this old facility. Plus, the salt barn is too small and in poor condition,” City Engineer Brian Ball told council.
The city will build the new salt barn at 1700 Old Delaware Road adjacent to the street garage. It will be larger than the current one and include material storage.
“One side will be for street [department], the other side will be for distribution and collection,” Ball said.
The estimated cost is $600,000. Council appropriated $800,000 in the 2024 budget.
Ball said material storage has fallen out of the budget every year since around 2012.
The street department currently stores its materials outside and buys stuff as needed. Collection and distribution stores its materials with the park department.
Ball expects to bid the project by the end of July or early August. Construction will be complete by Dec. 31, 2025.
“Since this is our project, we can give them all of next year, or Thanksgiving 2025, and that will bring the price down about $100,000,” Ball explained.
The county must give the city two years’ notice to move out of the Columbus Road building, but it has not done so.
Legislative action
In addition to the salt barn resolution, council passed the following legislation in a similar manner:
•Appointing Russ Mentzer to the Shade Tree and Beautification Commission
•Supplemental appropriations and paying bills
•Applying for a $20M U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant
•A wage and benefit agreement with the union for police sergeants and lieutenants, police officers, and police records clerk
•On the second reading, amended Chapter 183 of the codified ordinance (income tax) to comply with state mandates
Council members gave a second reading to legislation rezoning 0 Vernonview Drive to PND and 875 Harcourt Road to General Business. The city scheduled a public hearing on both ordinances for Monday, June 24, at 6:40 p.m.
Legislation receiving a first reading involves fixing the number of employees in the Public Works department.
Public participation
Susan Delozier said there are real and valid concerns with rezoning 0 Vernonview Drive to PND. She asked why the city is going out of its way to accommodate the developer and noted confusion on the relationship between former developer Joshua Williams and current developer Clint Huhra of KNG Equity.
“I realize the need for housing in the area. I just don’t believe it should be in this area,” she said.
She asked the city to pause the rezoning to see how other proposed developments will perform with rentals.
Former councilman Mike Hillier and resident Robert Beck also questioned the relationship between the developers.
Hillier noted the community opposition at the April Municipal Planning Commission meeting, and Beck asked whether KNG has filed any updated plan as noted in a prior council meeting.
Susan Homan voiced concerns about runoff and possible flooding, traffic, and upkeep of the detention and retention ponds.
Council member Amber Keener and Mayor Matt Starr said they have heard nothing new from KNG.
Miscellaneous
Starr noted he has received comments on the Pride flags Experience Mount Vernon has placed throughout the downtown. Although he has been pressed to remove them, Starr said the city cannot engage in discrimination. Private entities fund the flags.
The city will soon release pictures of child vandals who set fire to toilet paper at Hiawatha Water Park. Safety-service Director Tanner Salyers warned parents that the city will prosecute vandals.
