Mount Vernon residents can now use their burn barrels or fire containers in their backyards.
But don’t burn trash or dimensional lumber, as those are illegal.
Fire Prevention Officer Terry Davis of the City’s Fire Department said with the warmer weather backyard fires are allowed in the city with no permit required. They can only burn clean, seasoned firewood or the equivalent, which would be charcoal, natural gas or propane.
“If it’s putting off an obnoxious amount of smoke, or if it has got a heavy odor, as with trash, and the neighbors call, then we’ll come in,” Davis told the Mount Vernon News. “If there’s trash, we’re going to put it out.”
Firefighters will educate the homeowner on what is allowed. If they get called again, a citation will be issued.
Dimensional lumber must be disposed of as solid waste, Davis said.
While city residents are not supposed to burn tree limbs in their backyards, if the wood is seasoned and is being used as kindling, the Fire Department is not as concerned.
Davis said to think about neighbors. If a neighbor’s fire starts sending smoke into their home, they’ll call the Fire Department.
Homeowners must limit their fires to three feet around and two feet high, he said. A container is required. Cinder blocks are sufficient. They can also use a “burn barrel.”
Call Davis at 740-393-9571 or visit the City’s website.
Streets
A public meeting was held last week on the Oak Street and Catherine Street brick street project that begins in May.
Some of the neighbors plan to update their plumbing, taking advantage of this work.
“It’s a lot cheaper to do while you’ve got the crew there,” Mayor Matt Starr told the News. “They have to hire their own plumber obviously, and they can just let us know.”
Once the new infrastructure is installed, the bricks will be reassembled, but on top of seven inches of concrete. Some of the older brick streets had a problem when they were built on clay or other less solid foundations, causing cars to scrape their bottoms on the bricks.
Starr said the project is funded by the new stormwater utility fund and Community Development Block Grant funds.
The Street Department’s share of work at the five-point intersection at North Main, Wooster Road and Old Mansfield Road is done.
“In preparing for the state ODOT project, our crews have moved on to rebuilding the catch basins on Wooster Road,” Starr said. “We will have all of our work done on Wooster Road by the time our contractor shows up to resurface State Route 3 this summer.”
The City has used approximately four tons of hot mix asphalt patching potholes.
Grading work will continue in the city’s alleys as the weather permits.
Engineering
The Ohio Department of Transportation is working on the Mount Vernon Avenue Bridge, adding protective coatings to all the lanes, Starr said. Two of the three lanes were open during the work, so traffic will continue to flow in both directions.
Layton Inc. is installing a new water line for the fire suppression system at the Schnormeier Event Center at Ariel-Foundation Park. The project will be finished in a few weeks.
Parks
All concession stands at city parks are ready for recreation leagues.
“I do know that the Mount Vernon Girls Softball League opening day is May 1,” Starr said.
Preparation of the pool at Hiawatha Park continues for its Memorial Day weekend opening. Lifeguards are still needed.
Public Buildings, Lands and Cemetery
The Cemetery Department is hauling a lot of trash during the spring cleanup.
Flags are ready to be placed on veterans’ graves just prior to Memorial Day, Starr said. The Knox County Veterans Service Office provides the American flags. Students from the St. Vincent’s School each year place them on the flag holders, where they will stay until just after Independence Day.
John Albert, the assistant director for Public Buildings and Lands, asked that the public mark the flowers they place on graves with some sort of waterproof label with the name of the deceased and the grave’s location. That will enable cemetery personnel to put them back when wind blows them away.
RCI Mechanical continues to work on the drains of the lower levels of the parking garage located under the building plaza to help with drainage, Starr said.
Work on the HVAC system at City Hall should begin approximately May 4.
Utilities
The Utilities Department repaired a 12-inch valve on Vernonview Drive after repairing a fire hydrant. The department also relocated a fire hydrant on Chestnut and Main streets at the intersection project.
“We’re widening the turning radiuses on the northeast and northwest corners of that intersection to accommodate the curbs and gutters,” Starr said.
The department also installed a water tap for the main extension on Old Delaware Road.
The digester and the holding tanks at the wastewater plant have been emptied and cleaned, he said.
