MOUNT VERNON — If you’ve got a fish story from The Lakes at Ariel-Foundation Park, the Mount Vernon Parks department wants to hear it.
Park and Buildings and Grounds Superintendent Dave Carpenter said Friday that his department stocks the lakes every year, but don’t know how the fish are doing.
Anyone who wishes to give fishing reports can call the park district at 740-393-9577 or post them on the city’s Facebook page.
The lakes will be stocked this year with as follows: Middle Lake, 100 Walleye, 2,000 minnows, 275 Bass, 275 Crappie, and 290 hybrid Bluegill; East Lake, 275 Perch, 275 Crappie, 290 regular Bluegill and 2,000 minnows.
When stocked, all fish are 3 - 5 inches except for the Walleye, which are 6 inches. The minnows are feeder fish for the larger species.
Carpenter further reported that Mound View Cemetery will be doing its fall cleanup after Oct. 1. Plantings or decorations that are in bad shape should be removed before Oct. 1. The cemetery will begin its clean up after the first.
Carpenter said plastic displays and plantings that do not survive the winter should be removed.
Crews were out at Hiawatha Park getting it ready for winter, but a fence relocation will probably have to wait. The fence needs to be moved about 20 feet as part of the new heater room project, but has to wait for permit approval by the Ohio Department of Health, Carpenter said. The application for the permit cost $832 and takes about 30 days to process.
A rubber roof installation for the elevator at the Plaza Building was completed this week. The new roof should prevent water from getting into the elevator’s control room, a much less expensive option than relocating the room, Carpenter said.
Streets
On-street parking will be prohibited on Hamtramck Street through Wednesday as new concrete pavement cures.
Street Superintendent Tom Hinkle said the work, which corrects ruts in the brick surface, wrapped up Wednesday. The concrete needs seven days to cure properly.
During that time, the areas previously used for parking will be used as the traffic lane. The concrete area has been opened for access to driveways.
The bricks taken from the street and replaced with concrete will be stored by the city until a scheduled full rehab of Hamtramck can be completed.
The flower baskets in downtown have been taken down and cleaned. Holiday baskets will go up next, Hinkle said.
Utilities
Utilities Superintendent Mathias Orndorf said three leaking water lines were repaired last week, but repair on a fourth leak, in a hydrant, will wait.
The repair to a line on Sunset Street necessitated a boil advisory, but repairs to a 6-inch line on New Gambier Road and a service line on Lamartine Street were carried without a loss of pressure. The leaking hydrant, on Jones Street, is within part of an area that is scheduled for a grant-funded project and will be fixed when the project is underway, Orndorf said.
The water lines on Newark Road have passed the chlorination test and will be tested next week for bacteria, Orndorf said. The lines are part of the Newark Road/Dixie Drive project. The project is currently at a standstill as it awaits the delivery of the water pipes for the Dixie Drive section.
So far, 19 property owners have applied to tap into the line.
City Engineer Brian Ball reported that an old culvert pipe was uncovered during the waterline installation. The culvert was plugged, and water was discharged into the ground beneath. Ball said the culvert will be replaced.
Mayor
Mayor Richard Mavis said a 2019 ambulance will be delivered to the Mount Vernon Fire Department in early October.
The ambulance will join two others in the department, which are 2015 and 2016 models, Chief Chad Christopher said. The ambulance includes a power cot system.
Christopher further reported that his department has received a $155,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency grant, which will be used to purchase 25 new air packs and face pieces.
