MOUNT VERNON – Mount Vernon has a new recreation director, who will start his duties before the school year begins.
Mayor Matt Starr said Bill Palmer was chosen.
“He's one who's been through the recreation programs in his youth and as a coach and as a participant in softball,” Starr said.
Palmer will work with the school system in his position. One of his first tasks will be reconvening the Recreation Board of Directors now that the city has a quorum of members to make decisions.
The Recreation Board has a quorum of members because City Council approved Starr’s appointment of Leslie Buehrer to it. She will fulfill the unexpired term of Scott Brenneman, which ends on Dec. 31, 2024.
Buehrer has lived in Mount Vernon for 22 years and has three children. She works as the preschool director at St. Vincent de Paul’s School, and has volunteered at church and at East Elementary School, Starr said. She’s also a tennis teacher.
“This board particularly had a very, very difficult time getting together since the very big shoes of Jerry Clinger left that position,” he said.
Brinkman joins Knox County Health District Board
Another vacant board position was filled with the approval of the appointment of Dan Brinkman to the Knox County Health District Board.
He fills Ernie Pido's unexpired term, which expires on March 23, 2026.
Brinkman served as the township trustee for DuPage County, Ill., from 2017 to 2021. He worked in the Illinois House of Representatives for five years. A small-business owner, he earned his law degree from Loyola University.
Probation administrative assistant pay hike
The City Council approved increasing the pay of the Municipal Court’s part-time probation administrative assistant/deputy clerk by $1 an hour to $19 an hour, effective April 1.
The funds for this position’s pay and benefits will come from the Justice and Rehabilitation Incentive Grant until funding has been exhausted. After that, the Probation Services Fund will cover those costs.
Opioid settlement account created
City Council approved the creation of a fund for the OneOhio Opioid Settlement Funds that Mount Vernon will receive from settlements with drug companies.
Auditor Terry Scott said the city already has received $7,500 from the settlement.
Final police cruiser put up for sale
A 2016 Chevrolet Impala that was the final sedan police cruiser operated by the Mount Vernon Police Department will be sold. Current police vehicles are SUV style.
Joining it on the sales block is a 2012 Ford Transit Connect van that had been used by the Parks Department. Both vehicles have electrical problems, Safety Services Director Rick Dzik said.
Scott said previous vehicles sold by the city through Gov Deals have netted $8,000 and $7,800.
Rent money set aside for utilities, maintenance
Scott asked the City Council to approve putting approximately $90,000 from rent the city received into accounts for utilities, maintenance and repairs.
“I would like to isolate those dollars and then be able to only use them in regards to the utilities and maintenance and repairs that we need to do until we get somewhere further,” he said.
For the rest of the year, the city will receive $89,480 from four properties at 300 West Pine, South Mulberry, North Main, East Chestnut and East High streets. Scott said he wants to use rental dollars for those properties until the city gets to the point it begins demolitions or renovations.
Conditional use process change postponed
City Council approved Councilmember Mike Hillier’s motion to postpone indefinitely an ordinance that would revise the process to grant a residential conditional use for properties in office-institutional zones.
During a committee meeting, Hillier said at least three amendments would be needed to the ordinance as it might affect general business and neighborhood commercial also.
“It's probably best to postpone it until it can be properly thought out or taken care of through a rewrite of the zoning code which we're currently doing right now,” he said.
