MOUNT VERNON – Mount Vernon has begun a parks master plan with an immediate focus on Riverside and Memorial parks, Mayor Matt Starr said.
“We’re going to need to get input from the public in terms of what is it about these parks that we still need freshened up, like anything from year-round bathrooms to storm drainage to playground equipment to parking,” he told the Mount Vernon News.
The City wants to develop a comprehensive list plan to look to what the parks are doing now and what services might come in the future.
Starr said the public will have a huge part in determining the parks master plan. While the master plan is a priority for this year, changes won’t be made to parks at this time.
Police Department
Chief Robert Morgan said his department has begun to receive the body cameras that City Council approved.
Delivery, set up and installation will take approximately three weeks, Starr said. The body cams and patrol car cameras will help the department keep much better records.
Because it is nearly summer, Morgan asked motorists to watch out for kids who will be out on bikes and walking, as well as motorcycles and scooters.
“We wanted to caution our motorists to slow down,” Starr said.
The city is getting more traction on the Bird scooters available for rental in the city, Starr said. A podcast the City posted, local news articles and a presentation by Nathan Smith — who brought the scooters to the city — have helped get information out to residents.
Fire Department
The Fire Department received training from the Ohio Fire Academy and its fire behavior lab. The firefighters enter the lab in small groups. Instructors build fires in the back sections so firefighters can observe how fires react in a controlled environment.
“This was extremely helpful in refreshing the skills and the knowledge on what is known as flashover,” Starr said. “It’s really the most dangerous point in a structure when all vapors ignite in a room.”
Utilities
Mathias Orndorff had his last day as a City employee, retiring as the Utilities director and ending his 31 years of service to the city.
“We are going to miss him greatly,” Starr said.
Homeless
Another meeting of city residents, City and County officials, ministers and representatives of social agencies in Knox County will be planned to continue examining ways to deal with issues related to a homeless camp on the west end.
Starr answered one resident’s request by distributing via email and U.S. mail a map to show the city limits with the island of Clinton Township near the Kokosing River. The homeless camp that has caused problems for nearby residents is located on property in that section of the township.
Starr said he has been meeting with additional people who want to help out with social services.
“What was most important — if nothing else — that very first step that we took on Tuesday night, is the neighborhood needed to express their frustration and their anger and their fears,” he said. “And we heard, we heard.”
