WQIO Ohio's Super Station
The City of Mount Vernon is pursuing several funding avenues as work continues on infrastructure and development projects across town. During Monday’s meeting, City Council approved advertising for bids on two projects and heard updates on potential funding for two others.
Council authorized going out for bids on a street chip‑and‑seal project focused on the south side, as well as for renovation work on the first two floors of the COTC building at 236 S. Main Street. Once complete, the building will house new municipal offices. The chip‑and‑seal work will cover several side streets between Newark Road and Martinsburg Road, where Columbia Gas is also preparing to install new pipelines.
Council also advanced two resolutions tied to Sandusky Street improvements. One seeks Brownfield Remediation Program funding for demolition work at the future justice center site, where asbestos‑containing buildings will be removed. The same application would help address contaminated soil discovered during property acquisition for the planned State Route 13 realignment near the former Quik Lube. City Engineer Brian Ball said the city hopes to secure up to $1 million for the combined projects.
A second resolution would allow the city to accept roughly $525,000 in ODOT funding and begin planning safety improvements at the North Sandusky Street and Upper Fredericktown Road intersection, an area with a long history of crashes. Knox County and Clinton Township are partnering with the city on potential solutions.
Council also handled several routine items in a single block of business, including adopting the Knox County Multijurisdictional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan and confirming board reappointments — Kathryn Brechler to the Knox County Health Board, along with Lorraine Boss, Jordan Shremshock, and Aaron Moreland to the library board. Members authorized the disposal of impounded vehicles on govdeals.com, approved payment of bills, and gave second readings to ordinances related to city clerk compensation and amendments to city code. They also issued first readings on resolutions tied to Safe Routes to School funding, design services for a south‑end pedestrian improvement project, and compensation for an executive administrator for public utilities and code enforcement.
The next Mount Vernon City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 23, at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.
