MOUNT VERNON – A small property with a house on it in Pleasant Township was annexed by the city, opening the way for a possible annexation request for a larger property adjacent to it.
Mount Vernon City Council voted for the annexation of the 0.562-acre property on Martinsburg Road at its first meeting of 2023 on Monday night.
City Engineer Brian Ball said the city council had offered the property owner stormwater, but not wastewater. The property already had water service. The property owner could still contract for utility services but would pay a surcharge.
Ball said his understanding after the applicant’s attorney, Zach DeMarco, spoke with city staff, is that they intend to annex the greater property, an approximately 110-acre farm.
“But with the current state rules, they have to have so much footage connection with the city,” he said.
At some point the state passed rules that prevented flag lot annexation, so something like a railroad track could not be used to annex as it has to be bigger than a narrow strip.
The property owners, Phillip A. and Renee L. Greene, want to prepare the larger parcel for development and then sell it to a developer.
“Our understanding is the current owner, at least what they explained to their lawyer, is not directly interested in being a developer,” Ball said.
The annexation was approved on a 5-2 vote, with Councilmembers Mike Hillier and John Francis opposed.
Auditor line-item transfer limits considered
City Auditor Terry Scott spoke with the city council about increasing the dollar amount his office could transfer from line item to line item within the city’s funds from $500 to $5,000.
The legislation was proposed through Councilmember Tammy Woods to increase how much Scott’s office could transfer on its own. For anything above $500, he is required to ask for city council approval. That amount hasn’t changed since it was set in 1998, Scott said.
Councilmember John Francis said the city administration can spend $50,000 without city council approval. He said he always wondered why the small fund transfers were brought to them.
Councilmember Janis Seavolt said they needed to remember the main job of the city council, which is to watch the money. City residents will consider $5,000 a lot of money.
Councilmember Amber Keener said she wanted to see examples of transfers the city council has approved before making a decision.
“I just think that that might be helpful to present to the council so they should have a better understanding of what’s happening,” she said.
Mount Vernon Nazarene University has a faculty assembly that includes action items and information items, Councilmember Jay Mahan said.
“And any person on the faculty floor can bring an information item to an action if needed,” he said.
He asked if city council could be provided with information about the transfers below the limit so they could ask questions and bring them up in meetings.
Scott said that could be done.
He was asked to bring transfer examples to the next meeting when a third reading of the legislation would be heard so council members could have information to help them decide on line item transfer limits.
City renews Knox Regional Planning membership
City council approved the renewal of its membership in the Knox County Regional Planning Commission.
Mike Hillier was appointed as the city council’s representative, with Councilmember Amber Keener named as an alternate. Mayor Matt Starr was named as the city planning commission’s representative. Citizen representatives will be Sibley Poland and Ahmad Takrouri. Development Services Manager Lacie Blankenhorn will be the alternate.
Attorneys represent city in Ohio EPA appeal
Attorneys with Frost Brown Todd LLP will continue to represent the city in its appeal of an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruling that requires the removal of lime sludge from its temporary storage on city property.
“I would just note that Frost Brown Todd is currently representing us in litigation with the Ohio EPA. We're in the middle of it. We're asking counsel to continue that representation with this legislation,” Law Director Rob Broeren said.
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