MOUNT VERNON – City Council approved spending up to $75,000 to haul lime material from its temporary storage site to agricultural property where farmers want to use it.

Law Director Rob Broeren also said during the Oct. 10 Mount Vernon City Council meeting that the city has an agreement with the Ohio EPA about dust from the site at 1700 Old Delaware Road. The city is under an order from the Ohio EPA director to remove 7,500 cubic yards by the end of the year and the remaining lime material from that property by the end of 2023.

Lyle Daniels, whose backyard abuts the city property where the city moved the lime sludge, spoke to the council to complain about the dust and what he said was the failure of the city to remove the lime that flooded onto his property during storms in July.

“You'll notice that is a massive cloud, a wall of dust I'm talking about; it’s massive,” he said, referring to images and a video he shared with council members and city staff via text message and email.

Daniels said he’s not aware of a single time the city did anything to reduce the dust. He has asked for a copy of the apparent dust agreement Broeren mentioned.

Auditor Terry Scott told the council that they had initially approved $750,000 to move the lime sludge off out of one of its lime lagoons and onto the temporary site. The cost was cut, leaving the city with $100,000 for the project.

“We're not using our vehicles,” Safety-Services Director Rick Dzik said. “So we estimate 5,000 tons and approximately $7 a ton to haul it to the beneficial use sites.”

He said this should enable the city to meet its first deadline for lime material removal, which falls on Dec. 31.

Meeting the deadline to remove the remaining lime material by December 2023 is not likely, Dzik said.

“We're talking in the millions if we have to landfill this. Not only do we have to pay for the trucking, but then we have to pay the landfill fees,” he said. “If we just have to truck to the beneficial use sites, it’s significantly less expensive.”