The Mount Vernon City Council voted on April 14 to authorize the Safety-Service Director to apply for a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Program grant. The grant would fund the construction of a new Police Department building at 71 Sychar Road.
"This discussion is happening now because of 5 North Gay Street. This 51-year-old building has been reinforced three times in less than 20 years, in 2008, 2012, and 2023, the third time under emergency conditions. Therefore, the remaining life of this building should be considered to be zero," Andrew Pike of West High Street told the city council during public comment, according to a YouTube recording of the meeting. "The city, in my opinion, will not get another warning before failure."
According to the recording, Pike supported Mayor Matt Starr's State of the City address during which he suggested relocating all city services downtown, including city council, mayor's office, auditor's office, engineering department, tax office, water department, billing department, etc., to a 60,000-square-foot office building at Heartland Commerce Park on North Sandusky Street. The municipal court and law director's offices would move to city hall and expand into a planned north annex. Pike said that should be done to clear out 5 North Gay Street before someone is hurt or killed.
Councilman James Mahan, chair of the Fire, Police, and Civil Defense Committee, said he was moving for adoption of the application approval during the meeting. Mahan said the city would make an application for federal aid that would not obligate the city to anything.
City Engineer Brian Ball explained that the primary purpose of the application would be for a low-interest, long-term loan as the USDA has substantially more loan funds available compared to grants. Ball said they would return before the council four more times for approvals before any construction begins on the police department project. The next step involves architects presenting a guaranteed maximum price for the project.
Ball noted that there is urgency due to over $2 million in funding allocated for the Police Department project with an eight-month deadline for use. Safety-Service Director Tanner Salyers emphasized that while deadlines for USDA grants or loans are not pressing issues themselves, it is crucial to initiate progress because of this $2 million from a one-time Strategic Fund that needs timely utilization.
