MOUNT VERNON – The city auditor offered a sobering view of COVID-19's financial impact on Mount Vernon, which includes a year-to-date budget shortfall of more than $1.5 million, while the mayor noted that the moratorium on paying water bills is coming to an end.
"We have only three weeks of income (August) that we've collected so far, we have one more week to go yet, and the picture did not get any better," City Auditor Terry Scott said at the Aug. 24 city council meeting. "We now [have] an estimated $1.7 million shortfall, complete year to date."
Scott said that operational efforts continue to reduce the budget shortfall. So far, the city has cut $12 million from the spending plan.
"Keeping our line on our expenses is what is actually keeping us afloat," Scott said. "Everybody continues to be due diligent in regards to their operating expenses."
During the remarks from the administration, Mayor Matthew Starr said that water shut-offs would begin on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020.
"If you haven't paid your bill by September 8 or don't have a payment plan, we're going to start shutting off the waters again. It's a utility, not a charity." Starr said.
Though addressing and updating the city's financial health was important, council members also had several pieces of legislation to tackle during the meeting.
Council members held a reading of the Knox County Tax Incentive Review Council (TIRC). The TIRC will review economic development incentives, utilizing Community Reinvestment Area, Enterprise Zones and Tax Increment Financing. The city council has 60 days to approve, reject, or modify the TIRC's findings.
The governing body also voted on resolutions regarding the Armstrong Run Sub-Watershed. City Engineer Brian Ball told the council about obtaining grants from the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy and the Ohio Public Works Commission Natural Resources Assistance Council to fix Kokosing River erosion between Main Street and Phillips Drive, the West Lake dike wall collapse at Ariel-Foundation Park.
Council members had to move the resolutions through the legislative process quickly since the grand deadline is in September. The resolutions passed with a suspension of the rules and unanimous support, with Council President Bruce Hawkins adding "Go forward with haste."
The council gave first reading to adopting the Knox County Hazard Mitigation Plan. The plan is meant to help decisionmakers with mitigation efforts to "reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property," the resolution said.
Council members also had a first reading about an ordinance with zoning changes to the Country Club Rehabilitation Campus, 1350 Yauger Road. The zoning is Residential-3, a multiple family district. The recommended change from the Municipal Planning is to allow for Office Institutional District, bringing the facility up to code. A public hearing is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, at 6:50 p.m.
The governing body also amended and passed a change to the parking times in front of Finishing Touch Day Spa on West Vine Street.
On a lighter note, the auditor informed the council that VFW Post 4027 made two $500 donations to the Police Department for K-9 unit and Bike Patrol. Councilmember Julia Warga read a proclamation heralding Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2020, a "Women's Equality Day" in Mount Vernon. Warga noted that the current city council had a female majority.
First Ward Councilmember Samantha Scoles said that "Coffee with Council" will happen virtually starting in September. More details will be announced at the next meeting of the council on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020.
Addressing police accountability
Residents Evelyn Keener and Anna Long spoke about police accountability within Mount Vernon. Keener said the city has 15 ordinances dealing with just bicycles, but only one law when it comes to police accountability. Long spoke about a variety of issues but focused on a recent incident of phone harassment while at work.
Third Ward Councilmember Tammy Woods addressed the concerns later in the meeting, which has been directed to the council the last few months.
"I don't want to be the person that perpetuates that thought that all cops are bad, because they're not," Woods said. "... We can't make the assumption that all cops are bad anymore than we can make the assumption that any group of people is bad based [on] their race or the religion or the age and certainly not their occupation."
Woods said she would not support any Mount Vernon governing body initiatives that call for police reform.
"I would not support anything that goes into Mount Vernon city ordinance that would support police reform, the ability to sue our police force, to enshrine police policy into law, or create a citizen review committee," Woods said. "Our police are well-trained, they have good policies, they've done a great job of protecting the city."
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