MOUNT VERNON – Water customers in Mount Vernon can expect a 5% water rate hike that the city’s Utilities Commission proposed to go into effect on March 1, 2023. This is the first increase for the water side of the utility since 2018, Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr said.
Developers in particular may start paying higher capacity fees for their projects. This fee has not been increased since 2008, Starr told the Mount Vernon News.
A major repair project was conducted at the sewage pump station at Colonial Terrace Trailer Park in a collaborative effort between the city’s distribution and collection mechanic and Palmer and Son Excavating, Starr said. Groundwater had been getting into the sewage system. That problem has been fixed so that clean water is not going to the wastewater treatment plant from that area of town, he said.
In another project, two water valves were added to the water system. One was being added to Norton Street between Sugar and Chestnut, with the other being installed at Edgewood Road near Vine Street. Starr said these measures will help the city reduce the size of water outages when water line breaks happen in those areas.
Crews fixed another water leak by replacing an old leaking fire hydrant at the North Sandusky Street and Hamtramck Street intersection, Starr said.
On Tuesday, the west clarifier was scheduled to be recommissioned at the water treatment plant. That clarifier’s rehabilitation has been completed. The contractor has been testing the equipment since completing the work, but this will be the first time in two years since that clarifier was in operation, Starr said. Maintenance of the east clarifier will start in Spring 2023.
Sewage and lime sludge
The City Council authorized more funding to load and transport lime sludge as well as perform site maintenance at the temporary storage location near the treatment plant.
Interested farmers can contact City Hall to be added to the list for a site inspection of their farm field required by the beneficial use permit. Participants on the list will be contacted as weather conditions are suitable for hauling lime.
Birch Hydro received a contract to continue the removal of sewage sludge from the wastewater treatment plant, Starr said. This will likely include the use of a semi-truck mounted belt press so the sludge can be reduced to a more solid material, reducing the moisture content which will allow for the transporting of the sludge to be hauled in a standard dump truck.
Grant helps fund North Catherine brick street project
Approval of Mount Vernon’s Community Development Block Grant request will fund the North Catherine brick street critical infrastructure project, Starr told the Mount Vernon News.
The city’s share of the funds has been budgeted and will go to City Council for approval.
“We're going to be sending that out to bid later this month and then, hopefully, awarding the bid in February," Starr said. "This has been a sore spot in the community for many years."
The project will stretch from Vine Street to Coshocton, Starr said.
City supervisors propose projects in leadership training
According to Starr, the city is undergoing a second round of leadership training. The curriculum includes topics such as Embracing Change, Influencing Above, Below and Sideways, Tremendous Teams, and Model the Way: Leader Versus Manager.
Projects include proposals for an employee incentive and retention program, a public relations program that would help recruit new staff and volunteers, assistance to health care providers in supporting medical treatment for overdose emergencies, developing a system of handling public records requests within the Engineering Department, aiding in the municipal courthouse relocation, and formalizing a referral system for assistance with utility bills, Starr said. Every project considered the city’s strategic plan in its development.
“It was nice to just see how all these projects all tied back into that,” Starr said. “That strategic plan is a living, breathing document and a guiding force for us.”
