I recently received a letter encouraging me to attend an upcoming Mount Vernon City Council meeting on Monday, March 25, pertaining to Resolution 2024‐23. The letter stated that important matters, including items noted as emergency, were to be discussed and then taken to vote by council. Since I felt it was my civic duty, and I live near the area that would be affected by the proposed undertaking, I attended the meeting.

The Resolution pertains to the widening of Edgewood Road between US 229 and US‐36, along with some infrastructure improvements such as a new sidewalk and utility upgrades. The meeting was well attended, with standing room only in the council chamber. About eight of those attending took the podium to give their opinion on whether the city should move forward or discard the project. Note that the proposed widening of Edgewood would impact about 30 residences just between US 229 and Marita Drive. A major complaint was the lack of “transparency” by the council by withholding details of the project. The term "transparency" was often mentioned by those individuals addressing the council. Some objections were also due to the use of the word "emergency" in the proposal. Those addressing the council didn’t object to utilities being upgraded but failed to see it as an emergency as no lives seemed to be in imminent danger. Neither the need for a sidewalk nor the widening of Edgewood warranted being termed as an emergency. Now many, especially those 30 or so owning homes along Edgewood, who would lose some amount of property, if not a garage, porch or front door, would question the need or logic of creating a major thoroughfare through a residential neighborhood.   

However, there were three attendees who were in favor of the proposal. One cited it would be more convenient for MVNU students who wanted to drive from campus to the shops on Coshocton Avenue. I question if 36 months [four years at nine months per year] of inconvenience outweighs a lifetime of inconvenience for the residents. Another proponent of the project was a jogger who would welcome the sidewalk and suggested that property values would likely go up. [Although probably not for the 30 or so]. I suppose I would use the sidewalk by driving to the Kokosing bike path parking lot and then jogging safely to Coshocton Road. [Note, there are no sidewalks on any of the streets between US 229 and Marita Drive that lead to Edgewood]. A third person in favor of the proposed street widening, coming outside of the city, drives to the Downtown area by zigzagging to Edgewood, then driving west on High Street. Admittedly, it is a more scenic route than straight down Coshocton Road to downtown.       

Interesting to note, that better access to Coshocton Road shopping from the south end is not a new topic. At one time a study was made to extend Upper Gilchrest Road to US 229. However, I heard the study was scrapped as someone would not sell the city the needed land. Perhaps it is easier to apply eminent domain to 30 individuals than one.    

Anyway, going back to the lack of transparency claim, the city has obtained a sizeable grant from the State for infrastructure improvements. Those voicing the lack of transparency by the city asserted there must have been a great deal of information submitted to the State and the Department of Transportation to obtain the grant funding. One attendee said the city only offered a one‐page explanation of the submittal when repeatedly requested and was told that was all there was. Surprisingly, a local attorney presented the city with a one‐inch thick document obtained from the Department of Transportation, presumably pertaining to discussions between the city and the DOT.

The term “transparency” wasn’t used too often 30 years ago. Perhaps we want to be more politically correct or not too offensive or hurt feelings, but if the DOT document does, in fact, pertain to the Edgewood Road and submittals by the city, my 6‐year‐old grandson would say, "Someone lied to you, Papaw."

M. Dudevszky

Mount Vernon