MOUNT VERNON – The steel support beams Mount Vernon had galvanized have been delivered to the Municipal Parking Garage, and installation has begun to shore up the structure.
“All the galvanized steel is in there. And so we're making a lot of progress there,” Mayor Matt Starr told the Mount Vernon News.
Fire Department trains on water supply
The Mount Vernon Fire Department had crews out at Ariel-Foundation Park last week training to improve their water supply and drafting techniques, he said. The firefighters learned the most efficient way to get the water to the engine.
Firefighters surprise 100-year-old resident
City firefighters and police officers surprised 100-year-old Helen Snyder with a “drive-by” on Thursday. That followed a city proclamation at her birthday party earlier in the week.
“She actually during World War II was one of the Rosie the Riveter riveters at the Westinghouse factory in Mansfield, where she manufactured bomb detonators for the war effort while her husband was fighting in the Battle of [the] Bulge,” Starr said.
Her family owns and operates Snyder Funeral Homes.
Mount Vernon begins paving on Pleasant Street
The city also has begun street resurfacing, starting with Pleasant Street from Gay to Center Run and McKinley Street, north of Pleasant Street, Starr said. Next, West Gambier Street will be paved between Main Street and Mulberry Street in the area where the city had a large water break.
“Pleasant Street is top of the list because that's in a school zone. We want to make sure we're well done with that before school starts,” Starr said.
The new traffic signal on Columbus Road at South Main Street is operating. Once lines are painted, the new lanes will switch over to the new signal.
“The line paint had been delayed because every time we had it scheduled it rained and there's no way you can paint in the ranch especially traffic lanes,” he said.
Layton Inc. of Newark is back on site for the Clintonville stormwater and wastewater project to finish out some punch list items he said.
The Engineering Department also opened bids for the Mansfield Avenue traffic signals, and the city received very good results, Starr said. Greenwich Electric Inc. of Medina was the apparent low bidder at $338,985. The city’s estimate for the project was $410,000.
This project will replace both traffic signals near Dan Emmett School and will be a significant safety upgrade, he said. Once the bids are reviewed and verified, a contract will be awarded.
Columbia Gas was working in the area north of that section of Dan Emmett and south of the fairgrounds in preparation for the city to replace a couple of failing culverts, Starr said.
Upper Gilchrist-Coshocton intersection study
All of the development in Mount Vernon has prompted the city to work with GPD Group to complete a planning study of future improvements to the Upper Gilchrist and Coshocton Avenue intersection, Starr said.
Retirement spurs Civil Service testing
The pending retirement of a fire captain will require the city’s Civil Service Commission to hold written and oral assessment exams for eligible fire lieutenants. This will happen sometime in September-October based on the assessment team’s availability.
A lieutenant’s position will open up as a result of the retirement and promotion. A firefighter-paramedic from the promotion list will move up to the ranks of lieutenant. That in turn will create a firefighter-paramedic position opening.
That firefighter position could be filled through a lateral transfer from another municipality, Starr said.
Street Department removes trees
Crews removed a tree that fell on South Main Street just north of Parrott Street that was blocking the road after a storm, Starr said. Another fallen tree on Elm Street that blocked the road also was removed.
The Street Department also has been rebuilding catch basins as crews continue scheduled street sweeping and mowing.
Parks Department installs mulch, cleans fountains
The Parks Department installed more rubber playground mulch around the Rotary Playground at Riverside Park and also new rubber mulch in the playground east of the main pavilion by Field No. 4 at Memorial Park.
“They've also been continuing to do removing tree limbs and cleaning out debris in our fountains we had in the storm,” Starr said. “A whole bunch of debris ended up in the fountains so we can clean that up.”
Permits required for historic district work
Anybody who lives in either of the city’s historical districts needs a certificate of historical appropriateness before starting on any exterior work, something that's very important, Starr said.
The application is available on the city’s website on the documents tab. Residents can call or check with the Auditor’s Office to determine whether their home is in a historic district, he said.
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