MOUNT VERNON – Utilities Director Aaron Reinhart told the Mount Vernon News that the city is filling two new positions, the assistant director of collections and distribution through an internal promotion of a crew chief. On March 20, a new wastewater superintendent will start work for the city, he said.
“The assistant director is Joshua Beltz,” Safety-Services Director Rick Dzik said. “He is certified in class one collections and class one distributions and is close to picking up his class two collections license, so that would align with our distribution collection system and those licenses we need there.”
Sherry Fair will be the wastewater superintendent. She has been working for the city of Ashland. Fair has class three water and water plant certifications, in addition to a class four wastewater operations certification, Dzik said.
A civil service test for operations & maintenance tech I, an entry-level water/wastewater plant operator, will be held from 6:30-9 p.m. on March 29 at the Knox County Career Center, he said. The application deadline will be 1 p.m. on Friday, March 24.
Applications are available online, in the Office of the Safety Service Director and the Civil Service Office or at Opportunity Knox at 17604 Coshocton Rd.
Street Department repairs potholes, storm damage
Public Works Director Tom Hinkle said the street department picked up some hot mix to repair potholes. They’ve also fixed a couple of “dig holes” on brick streets where the water department had to make some repairs.
A storm that came through the city on March 3 caused a tree to fall and block North Catherine Street. Staff worked overtime to open the roadway.
Parks Department replaces playground equipment
Old playground equipment at Hiawatha Park is being removed, Hinkle said. The parks department will install modern equipment starting this year with a new swing set.
Staff had to install some delineators to stop motorists on Columbus Road from turning onto the bike path at the CA&C Depot to park next to the building where they see an apron and some benches, he said.
A dig fence was installed underneath the community garden at Arch Park “to eliminate the possibility of any type of critter digging under the new fence to get into the garden,” he said.
Engineering gears up for transportation plan update
The engineering department is working on a citywide transportation plan update. City council authorized the department to work with GPD Group of Columbus and Akron. Staff is going through its files to gather transportation reports and information to get started, City Engineer Brian Ball said.
“If people have any concerns or any suggestions on how they’d like to see transportation improvements done, they’re welcome to send those to engineering,” he said.
Limited tree clearing will be done on Mansfield Avenue from Nash to the fairgrounds to get rid of some trees people have asked to be removed, he said. Another area will be North Sandusky Street north of Burgess Street to prepare for sidewalk replacement, Ball said.
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