MOUNT VERNON — A tech committee has been set up by Mount Vernon that will examine ways to bring permit filing and other city applications online.
Safety Services Director Rick Dzik said Friday that the committee, which met for the first time this week, is examining multiple areas of city administration and security to identify where more paperwork and filings can be brought to an online format. Also, the city is looking at integrating all security cameras at all buildings so they can be viewed from any security terminal at any time.
Dzik said the city is interested in retaining the video footage, but how long the footage can be retained depends on the city’s server storage capacity.
In-house city areas to be examined include going to a paperless purchase order system and getting all policy manuals and job descriptions online.
Streets
The traffic light poles for the Gambier/South Main Street intersection have finally arrived, but it will probably be two weeks before they are up and running, Street Superintendent Tom Hinkle said.
The poles were ordered from Union Metal and there have been numerous delays in delivery. The delays held up the intersection project start date at least twice.
Hinkle said the poles and mast arms will be installed and wired next week by the project contractor.
The week after that, city crews will hook up the traffic lights.
There may be some traffic disruptions, but Hinkle said at least one lane traffic should be maintained. However, the contractor may have to close two lanes when setting the poles, Hinkle said.
The snow event Wednesday and Thursday used up 94 and a half tons of salt and twenty hours of overtime. Hinkle said crews were out Wednesday night salting hills and main streets, and returned Thursday morning to hit all streets.
Street crews also laid in gravel on an alley between North Harrison and North Jackson streets after receiving complaints about the alley surface from residents.
Utilities
Two vehicles that remained parked over water meters were towed after receiving several warnings to move from the water department, Utilities Superintendent Mathias Orndorf said.
Warnings were sent out to a total of five vehicles, and three were moved voluntarily.
A sewer back-up problem on Newark Road has been traced to a commercial water/sewer customer. Orndorf said city crews appear to have cleared the sewer lines and are working with the business to correct the problem.
Residents will find a recycling flyer in their water bill. The flyer details what types of recyclables are acceptable for curbside collection, Orndorf said.
Engineer
Assistant City Engineer Jason Epley reported the new 6-inch water line on Belmont Avenue has been installed and has passed preliminary testing. The first of four-line tie-ins should start next week.
The project will again close the street next week. The street will be open through the weekend.
Work is scheduled to restart on the Newark Road sidewalk project on March 8.
Work on the hydrant project on the north end of town in the area of Sandusky Street is completed. If some hydrants now appear to be taller than the old ones, it is because they are.
Epley said the contractor ordered five-foot tall hydrants when four-foot hydrants would have been more appropriate. However, Epley said it is hard to know how tall of a hydrant is needed until excavations are underway.
Civil Service
Some 16 applicants passed the Mount Vernon Police Department patrol officer’s test and are eligible to be considered as hires, Civil Service Administrator Tony DeIuliis said. Candidates will be hired after interviews with senior MVPD staff.
The two patrol officers were approved to be hired by the city council Monday. Entry-level pay is $22.96, with a raise to $23.79 after training is completed.
DeIuliis said the city will further test for an entry-level position in the water department on March 12.
The successful applicant will need to complete certifications related to wastewater operations within 18 to 24 months of hiring, DeIuliis said, and the starting wage is $21.37.
Mayor
An initiative to get public WiFi for the square was announced Friday by Mayor Matt Starr. The idea is to have WiFi available for vendors on the square, most notably those in the Farmer’s Market. Starr said many of the vendors take card payments on their cellphones, which is “eating up their data.”
Starr said he would like to further extend the WiFi down Main Street into downtown, for use by vendors during festivals and other events.
“We want to make it as easy as possible to do business on the square and in town,” Starr said.
Starr and other city officials also visited with St. Vincent De Paul school Friday to examine traffic patterns at the High Street/South McArthur Street intersection as school lets out.
East Chestnut Street is currently under scrutiny for pedestrian safety upgrades, Starr said, and Friday’s observations of traffic at the school are part of that.
Mount Vernon Fire Department Chief Chad Christopher further reported that CPR classes for all city employees have been completed. The classes were conducted by MVFD’s certified CPR instructors, Christopher said.