By Marty Trese, KnoxPages.com Managing Editor
MOUNT VERNON – Mayor Richard Mavis delivered the annual state of the state address to members of the Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon Monday. He reported that after a multi-hour session this past Saturday, City Council has tentatively approved a $40.5 million overall budget for the city. Included in that is $11.3 million for general operating expenses including allocations for the police and fire departments. Council will vote on the spending plan at its regular meeting next Monday. Mavis said the budget is balanced and the city will provide a “high level of services throughout.”
Mavis cited the McGibney Road/ Wooster Road paving and curbing project and the opening of the new utility building as accomplishments in 2014. Looking ahead to 2015, the mayor said two bridges will be improved on Sychar Road and Catherine Street. The connector trail will be built south of the viaduct to Memorial Park. And $400-thousand will be used to build, repair and replace the retaining wall around sections of Mound View Cemetery.
Mavis then turned his speech to a discussion of the biggest problem saying, “We have a problem with drugs in this community.” One way to combat the problem is the hiring of a school resource officer or SRO. That officer’s duties will be split between Mount Vernon High School and the Knox County Career Center. 50 percent of that officer’s salary will be paid for by the school board, 25 percent by KCCC and 25 percent by the City. While the SRO has not been named yet, the field of qualified candidates has been narrowed down to four.
Jobs are another concern for the city. The issue centers around the fact that many prospective employees can’t pass a drug test or their work ethic is missing. He cited the need of working parents for child care. Mavis encouraged everyone to work together on the employment issues. “If what we really have is an opportunity for enough jobs but just not the workers who do it, maybe as a community we need to come together to do that.”
On the issue of transportation, Mavis says Coshocton Avenue will be restriped in 2015 to help ease eastbound traffic. The repainting, not a long term solution to traffic congestion, will make the north lane closest to the shopping plaza both a turn lane and a through lane.
Long term transportation projects include building connector roads from Route 229 to Route 36 and the Sandusky Street improvement project. Mavis said the city will need solid leadership to make those projects happen.
To hear Mavis’ State of the City address, KnoxPages.com is making a mini-podcast of the event available. Click this link to listen.
