MOUNT VERNON — The City of Mount Vernon’s Oct. 16 presentation to the Transportation Review Advisory Council included an ask for $5.59 million in Route 13 construction costs.
The project involves relocating State Route 13 through South Sandusky Street.
Engineer Brian Ball said the city received revised commitments for construction funds from the following:
— ODOT Small Cities Congestion mitigation funds, $2.5 million.
— Ariel Foundation $50,000.
— United States Department of Housing and Urban Development $425,953.
The city’s share will be approximately $3.1 million of construction.
Ball and Michael Hobbs, senior director with GPD Group, presented the request to the Ohio Department of Transportation’s TRAC. Mel Severns, Mount Vernon city councilman at-large and chair of the city’s streets committee, also attended.
Public utilities
Utility department billing office
Aaron Reinhart, director of public utilities, reports that customers will notice a new look in their water and wastewater bills this month. He said that outsourcing the printing and mailing enabled the department to provide better service by including a return envelope and perforated bill.
The bill also provides an updated phone number and hours of operation and includes a usage history for the past 13 months.
Distribution, Collections & Meters
—Work continues on the Dan Emmet and Mansfield Avenue projects. Water disruptions will continue in the area as these projects move forward.
—Staff completed the fire hydrant flushing for the year.
—The city completed and submitted to the EPA the Ohio EPA-mandated lead line survey.
“We are happy to report that no lead lines were found within the city,” Reinhart said.
Water treatment plant
—Crews are completing final preparations on the clarifier painting project, and they should wrap up within the next week or so. Following the completion of this project, crews will have painted both of the water treatment plant clarifiers.
—Design continues on the new lime silos and slaking equipment.
Wastewater treatment plant
—Work continues with plant design on the OEPA-mandated phosphorus removal upgrades.
—The plant welcomes Shawn Randleman as its newest shift operator.
Public Works
The city began fall clean-up on Oct. 1. Director Tom Hinkle cautions residents that it can take a few months for staff to complete the clean-up depending on the number of scheduled burials and other tasks.
If an item has been removed from a grave and is not broken, torn, or otherwise destroyed, workers place it inside the fenced section next to the city’s maintenance building for pickup by the owner. Rules and regulations can be found on the city’s website at www.mountvernonohio.org. Under the “Departments” heading, choose “Cemetery.”
Staff also performed burials and foundation lay-outs as needed and minor maintenance and cleaning of mowers.
Public buildings & land
Crews performed a variety of maintenance tasks:
—Inspected exit/emergency lights at multiple city locations and performed repairs/replacement as needed
—Drained, cleaned, and inspected fountain on Public Square and shut it down for winter
—Oversaw heat pump replacement in courtroom at Plaza Building
—Replaced garden border wall at Water/Tax Office
—Shut down drinking fountains on Public Square for winter
—Power-washed fountain and Walk of Honor areas on Public Square
—Performed minor plumbing maintenance at multiple city properties
Street department
Trey Conan joined the department as a light tech on Oct. 7. The street department is fully staffed at this time. Crews also performed the following responsibilities:
—Finished second and final round of arm mowing
—Trimmed alleys in north/northeast end of the city
—Installed new DORA signs downtown
—Repaired several catch basins on the West End
—Completed another round of pothole patching; crews will resume pothole patching after leaf season
—Installed new “ALL COMMERCIAL TRUCKS MUST STAY ON STATE ROUTES” signs on all state routes within the city
Crews will begin leaf pickup on Nov. 4. Hinkle noted that as the days become shorter, citizens might notice street lights that need service. AEP services the lights, but residents can submit a form to AEPohio.com requesting service. If citizens need help with the form, they may call the street department at 740-393-9501.
Parks department
The city will close the restrooms at Riverside Park soon due to construction of the splash pad. A portable restroom was placed on Dike Road in the parking lot on Oct. 15 for citizens to use.
“We will be leaving it there until we reopen the restrooms in the spring,” Hinkle said. “The rest of the park restrooms will remain open for as long as the weather allows.”
Staff will remove the portable restrooms (Riverside Park near the ball field, Arch Park, and Ariel Foundation Park) on Nov. 15 for the winter. However, the city will place a portable restroom near Harmony Playground in Memorial Park on Nov. 1 for throughout the winter due to the high usage of the trail.
