MOUNT VERNON – Mount Vernon City Council set hourly wages for part-time firefighters it plans to hire to help fulfill its contract to provide fire and EMS services to College Township at $13 to $15 an hour.
The council met on Monday, June 14, with one vacant position after Tanner Salyers’ resignation to accept the Knox County recorder’s post and member Samantha Scoles out sick.
Fire Chief Chad Christopher said he plans to have enough part-time firefighters hired by the end of August to begin staffing the fire station in Gambier, though the City’s contract does not require that before Dec. 31.
Firefighters hired with a basic EMT certification would be paid $13 an hour. The rate would rise to $14 an hour for an advanced EMT certification, and a certified paramedic would receive $15 an hour.
Christopher said the City needs between 12 and 18 part-time firefighters to man the Gambier fire station and the city’s own fire station. Six or seven applications have been received.
Gilchrist Estates development approved
A public meeting on a proposed development on Upper Gilchrist Road had council members making sure stormwater fees would continue to be paid after the homes were sold by their original owners.
Schlabach Builders plans a 109-lot subdivision called Gilchrist Estates on 72.8 acres and approximately 63 condo units on an adjacent 12.7-acre tract.
City engineer Brian Ball said owners of each lot would be required to pay the City’s stormwater fee plus an additional fee set aside to fund maintenance of the stormwater system within the development.
Those fee requirements would be recorded on the properties’ deeds, covenants attached to the deeds and in the City’s stormwater billing.
The Knox County Realtors Association supports the development, John Yoder said.
“We’re all on a daily basis dealing with the fact that there is no inventory for our buyers in the marketplace,” he said. “This is especially impacting first-time homebuyers, who are really struggling with affordability right now.”
Council approved the development plan.
Low wages may be cause of lifeguard shortage
Councilman Mike Hillier said when football practice begins in August, the Hiawatha Water Park may not have enough lifeguards to remain open.
“I did have a conversation with a couple of people today for the water park, and there seems to be some concern about wages and lack of the numbers of lifeguards,” he said.
Hillier wants the City to investigate lifeguard wages paid in the area to determine if that is the problem.
Safety-Service Director apologizes to council
Safety-Service Director Rick Dzik apologized to the Mount Vernon City Council during its June 14 meeting for trying to manipulate votes by its members, an action that led to his suspension for two weeks without pay.
“Council members, I wanted to take this time to apologize for my action, modifying council voting order on May 10,” he said. “It’s clear to me now that it is not my place to make these changes to Council’s process,” he said.
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