MOUNT VERNON – Mount Vernon City Council approved the creation of an energy special improvement district that will enable commercial property owners to make energy improvements through loans backed by their properties.
The kinds of projects eligible through the program include replacing doors and windows, adding insulation or making other energy efficiency improvements.
The Property Assessed Clean Energy loan program enabled by the creation of the energy special improvement district is a loan program that gets repaid as a property tax assessment.
HR director candidate vacation request limited
City Council was willing to offer a potential new human resources director only one week of vacation in the first year of employment. The offer they were asked to approve would give the person hired 128 vacation hours, earning vacation leave as if the employee had worked for the city for six years.
Councilmember John Francis called that vacation offer a bit excessive because it accompanied a starting salary of $77,860, which is the equivalent of a raise compared to the base salary set for the position.
“Again, we're here for checks and balances of the money of the people,” he said, as well as how the salary stacks up against the candidate’s resume.
“It's impressive. I like it,” he added, speaking of the resume. “But we also have to look out for the money that's being spent.”
Councilmember Mike Hillier said the city gave Public Utilities Director Tom Marshall two weeks’ vacation up front.
Safety-Service Director Rick Dzik said the candidate agreed to no raise in the second year of employment.
An amendment by Francis to change the vacation leave to 40 hours during the first year was approved. The City Council moved the ordinance to its final reading and approved it.
The city’s first HR director, Maurine Perry, left in August.
Quicklime storage silos purchase postponed
A bit of confusion about how many silos the city would be purchasing for quicklime storage led Councilmember Tammy Woods to move to postpone the resolution directing Dzik to make the purchase. The supplier, Integrity Municipal Systems, will be invited to the Oct. 10 meeting to explain what the city would get for its $1.5 million.
Marshall said he received a text from Integrity during the discussion, and the charge was for two silos.
ODOT asked to inspect city bridges
The city will ask the Ohio Department of Transportation to enter a contract to inspect bridges in the city to determine if there are any problems and to set weight limits.
ODOT will pay 100% of the costs for Bridge Inspection Program Services under the contract.
City seeks water park management firm
The council members also approved having Dzik, the safety-service director, send out a request for proposals by firms to oversee Hiawatha Water Park for the 2023 season.
Commission, board members reappointed
Mayor Matt Starr’s request to reappoint members to several commissions and boards was approved. Myra Wilson was reappointed to the Civil Service Commission and Todd Hawkins to both the Library Board of Trustees and the Local Board of Tax Review.
