By Marty Trese, KnoxPages.com Editor
MOUNT VERNON – City Council members voted Monday night to approve an ordinance authorizing the vacation of a portion of Whiteheirs street from the south line of Coshocton Avenue right of way then south to the north line of New Street right of way in the Whiteheirs addition.
Council gave first reading to a resolution to authorize the Safety Service director to enter in a contract with the Director of Transportation for reserfacing and related work on portions of U.S. Route 36 and State Route 768.
Appointments were approved unanimously including Gail LaBenne’s reappointment to the Historical Review Commission and the appointment of Pat McLarnan, Ken Reynolds, and Gordie Yance to the Board of Tax Appeals.
Prior to the legislative session, Jim Brown gave a Shade Tree Commission Update announcing 78 trees will be planted on East High Street from Gay Street to Park. Money for those trees is coming from grants provided by the Ariel Corporation and the Ariel Foundation.
Pat Crow, representing the Woodward Development Foundation, gave an update on the Woodward project. Construction will begin in the near future, anywhere between 4 weeks and 6 months from now depending on progress of tax credit acquisition. Work will include part of the annex building at 107, 109, and 111 South Main Street. Workers are also scheduled to restore the gables on the building. Crow estimated what he called “hard construction costs” will total $16 million on the project.
Knox County Emergency Management Director Mark Maxwell presented council members with an elected officials guide to disasters. When a disaster strikes, Maxwell indicated that agencies involved in safety such as police, fire, EMA and the Red Cross are prepared to work together. The public will be informed in the event of a disaster by media, (online, newspaper and radio reports) and through Knox Alerts. Those with access to email and/or cellphones are urged to sign up for Knox Alerts at this link: http://entry.inspironlogistics.com/knox_co_oh/wens.cfm?unsubscribe=YES&ep_id=
