MOUNT VERNON – Rick Dzik’s last day as Mount Vernon’s Safety-Service director will be Sept. 8 and during his last days before starting a new job for Huber Heights, he is helping Mayor Matt Starr with transition plans.
“Right now we are working with a transition plan where some of his duties will be divvied up among different department heads and other elected offices for an interim time period while we conduct a search,” Starr told the Mount Vernon News.
The mayor said he wants to perform a search for Dzik’s replacement differently from previous administrations. He will meet with Human Resources Director Denise Neff to start outlining a plan to fill that position.
Starr said the replacement will have some pretty big shoes to fill. Dzik was responsible for developing the city’s first strategic plan, which continues in its second phase.
“He also was instrumental in reorganizing and creating the whole Department of Public Works, which combined our Streets, Public Buildings and Lands, Parks and Cemetery Departments into Public Works,” Starr said.
Dzik also reorganized the Utilities Department and implemented technology solutions for improved data collection and management. That covered three main areas, starting with a work order system called Asset Essentials, which allows the city to track and manage its work order system rather than have to rely on sticky notes, Starr said. The city can manage its inventory in real-time.
The policy and document management system includes Mount Vernon’s entire work rules, policies and other documents. And he had security upgrades done in City Hall.
Traffic signals on Mansfield nearly complete
The posts and arms for new traffic signals at Mansfield Avenue and Belmont, and at Mansfield and Nash/Nuce had been installed and Starr said they were waiting for parts to finish the wiring for the signal installation.
“Hopefully that’s going to be done this week, and we’ll be out of the hair of Dan Emmett Elementary School,” he said.
Wastewater superintendent sought
The city has posted job notices for a wastewater superintendent position. Sherry Fair, who filled that position for a brief time has taken another job closer to home, Starr said. Fair had done a great job for the city in that time, so they want to continue the momentum she started.
Industrial park, street work to begin
Drainage work has begun in the industrial park, Starr said.
“We needed to do not only repaving this year but also put in a stormwater system and get to manage the stormwater,” he said.
Smith Paving & Excavating of Newark will start some smaller paving projects. Work on Center and Sandusky Streets will not begin until October.
Hydrant flushing, valve checks planned
Work will soon begin on flushing the city’s fire hydrants. Utilities Department workers will go out with the crews doing the flushing to inspect any valves attached to those fire hydrants and to perform maintenance.
“The last thing you want to have happen is if you go to turn that fire hydrant on and the valves are not good,” he said.
The $2 million Small Cities Grant the city received for Edgewood Road between Gambier and High Streets will fund a major reconstruction including all utilities, curb and gutter, and sidewalk, Starr said.
A large number of water line breaks have occurred along that stretch of road.
Treasury Department enables floodplain studies
The U.S. Treasury Department announced that Mount Vernon can potentially use ARPA funds for work related to floodplain studies on the west end, Starr said. The city will look to move the funding to the right accounts to make that happen, he said.
