MOUNT VERNON – Mount Vernon residents should avoid the city’s water billing office on Thursday morning, Dec. 16.
“We will be closing the water billing office for half the day. So we will not open until noon. And the reason for that is is we're having another training course session with our billing software vendor to keep getting the system upgraded that day,” Safety Services Director Rick Dzik said.
The date falls right after water bills are due, so the city doesn’t expect as many people to come into the office.
The city plans to shift to its new billing software in March. An update on what the approximately 7,000 customers will need to do will be sent out in the next billing.
“I think the biggest thing that people will need to know when we switch over is that if they use online payments they're going to have to register a new account,” Dzik said.
City staff meets weekly with its billing software vendor and project managers.
Budget talks begin
Department heads have been meeting with auditor Terry Scott, Mayor Matt Starr and Dzik plan to discuss department needs for next year’s city budget. Scott will put together the administration’s proposed budget for 2022. It will be reviewed by City Council in January.
Bricks installed
Brick re-installation on Catherine Street has been completed. Crews began work on Oak Street but found more broken bricks than expected. The contractor worked with Public Works Director Tom Hinkle to get more bricks.
“We have a stockpile of bricks that are in good condition that we were able to supply them with to wrap that project,” Dzik said.
Multi-use path around Middle Lake
A new multi-use trail bike path at Ariel-Foundation Park was completed that runs around Middle Lake. Smalls Sand and Gravel completed the project. Dzik wanted to remind residents this is a multi-use trail and is not intended for vehicular traffic.
Waterline connections completed
A new waterline has been installed on McKinley Street. Between the waterline work and Columbia Gas pipeline work in this area around Pleasant Street, the city put paving plans on hold. Pleasant Street will be paved in the spring, Dzik said. The contractor completed connections to the new 8-inch waterline for that road on Wednesday.
In addition, a 25-foot section of copper waterline was connected to the existing 1.25-foot water line on Spring Street in preparation for a replacement project next spring.
The contractor worked on East Street waterlines Thursday, connecting residential water services to the new 2-inch copper water lines. They will return in early spring to complete whatever landscaping or leveling that’s necessary after the project settles.
Trucks prepared for snow
Assistant Public Works Director Darren Tyson, who oversees the Street Division, said they are finishing leaf pickups this week. They already scaled down to a single truck used for pick ups, with the remaining trucks having plows installed for snow removal.
“Because obviously the weather's changing and they've had to set up all the vehicles for plowing,” Dzik said.
