MOUNT VERNON — The city will post at least one open Public Works technician position for the Cemetery Department, and possibly a second for the Street Department.
Public Works Director Tom Hinkle said internal posting has been completed for the Cemetery position, which will be done soon for the other position. He said they hope to have a Civil Service test by the third week of June. That test would be used to fill both positions.
The city’s Cemetery Department has been working with Chief Probation Officer Dave Priest to have some probationers and Riverside Recovery on projects around the cemetery such as string trimming, blowing debris off headstones and painting the sign at the cemetery entrance, Hinkle said.
Conversion to LED lights continues
Public Buildings and Land crews continue the work of replacing all lights in city properties and buildings with LED lights, Hinkle said. The latest project has been replacing the incandescent lights in the administration offices, locker rooms and concession building with LED lights. The switch was completed at the pump house previously.
New mulch and flowers were being placed at the Public Square on Wednesday. Minor plumbing repairs are necessary before they can turn on the fountain, Hinkle said.
Crews also are conducting HVAC inspections in the Plaza Building. They discovered a heat pump unit must be replaced in the law director’s office, which was being done this week.
Potholes patched, culvert replaced
Pothole patching continues with Street Department crews using “leftover” asphalt from repairing streets from water digs to also fix nearby potholes. The street-by-street pothole repair schedule has not started yet, Hinkle said.
He said they repaired the street in front of 117 E Sugar St. where a water dig was made.
They also replaced 35 feet of culvert under Highland Court at Edgewood. The project was completed and included reseeding with grass.
Crews are taking a break from street sweeping next week as they concentrate on alley grading in the coming week.
Swing sets, picnic tables installed
New swing sets have been installed with one each at Memorial, Arch and Hiawatha parks, Hinkle said. Once rubber mulch has been installed below each set, they can be used, he said. The Parks Department’s order for the mulch was made in February, and the 4,475-cubic-yard bags of rubber mulch have been shipped to the city, he said.
Picnic tables have been installed at Memorial Park on the concrete pads that Knox Career Center students installed, he said. Dugout screens also have been installed at the ball fields at the park.
Hinkle said they’ve had the contractor inspect city ballparks to create a liability list, mainly concentrating on fencing issues. They’ve listed areas where the bottom of the fence is exposed, such as when it’s pulled away or not fastened correctly.
“We finally got our contractor hired to continue replacing some of our porcelain toilets and urinals in our public restrooms,” Hinkle said.
Stainless steel toilets, urinals and sinks are being installed at park restrooms, he said.
Water is in the pools at Hiawatha Water Park with chemicals added and it is heating, though more work still needs to be done before its opening, he said.
Mayor Matt Starr said training for water park staff was held last Saturday for employees who are in leadership and supervisory roles. A financial incentive is attached to the training, he said.
Mount Vernon seeks an assistant law director
Mount Vernon has opened the hiring for an assistant director of Law, Human Resources Director Denise Johnson said.
“We are seeking a new or seasoned attorney to work as a criminal prosecutor in a fast-paced Municipal Court," she said. "The team is small but mighty."
The attorney would manage their own docket from arraignment through trial, with an emphasis on the prosecution of drunken driving and other serious traffic cases, she said. Applicants must have a juris doctorate or equivalent degree from an accredited law school and must be licensed to practice law in the state of Ohio.
Johnson said the city offers a benefits package that includes medical, dental and life insurance, and the person hired would participate in the Ohio Public Employee Retirement System. Interested candidates can apply by submitting a cover letter and resume to lawdirector@MountVernonOhio.org. Or visit the city's website under the Human Resources page for a full job description, qualifications and duties, she said.
A city LinkedIn page has been created and Johnson said they want to reach many followers. She advised including Ohio in a search for the page to find the correct Mount Vernon. Follow this page for upcoming announcements and job openings, she said.
Surveyors need access to solve drainage problems
City Engineer Brian Ball said the city’s partner, Richland Engineering, is doing survey work in the Mansfield Avenue area, bounded by Belmont to Northgate and Decatur to Mulberry Street.
Expect to see surveyors in backyards as they work to help solve some old drainage problems from the neighborhood, he said. The city has sent out mailings previously but may send out another round and put out door hangers in the neighborhood so no one gets surprised.
The city has held five or six public meetings in the neighborhood, but a project like this will take many years to complete, he said.
The project is in the Dan Emmet area and is funded by a Community Development Block Grant.
The city has been asked to extend water service to its neighbors in Clinton Township, Ball said. The Engineering Department is working on the water line design. A mailing will be sent out asking if people want to hook up to city water and if they want to talk to city staff about it.
The Mount Vernon Utility Commission authorized the department to design and construct a water line, he said.
