MOUNT VERNON — In a straw vote, City Council unanimously said no to the idea of purchasing the old armory building on North Main Street during a committee meeting on Monday.
The Ohio Adjutant General’s Office offered the city the opportunity to buy the building about two months ago, and gave city officials two months time to decide to buy or to pass on the building. Council was obliged to make a decision on Monday.
Councilman John Fair said he was not interested in paying $135,000 for the 18-year-old building, but added that, if the city decides against the purchase, and the county, which is next in line, also declines after its two-month period, then council might consider bidding on the building when it comes to an auction. He said a potential use for the armory could be identified in the future and said it might be better to pay $35,000 or $25,000 at an auction just to avoid allowing the building to turn into an eyesore like the old middle school on Mulberry Street.
Councilman Chuck Dice voiced his opposition to buying the building, and said the building requires so many things that the city could end up paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to upgrade it. Among other things, the building needs a new heating and cooling system, new windows, asbestos removal and new flooring. Dice said he considers protecting the tax money of city residents as one of his main duties as a councilman, and he doesn’t want to devote taxpayers’ money to a building for which there is no current or future use, and one that would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to upgrade.
Councilman Burt Hanson said the street department needs a new garage and he doesn’t want to throw money into buying and upgrading the armory when there is a more pressing need.
Councilman D. Derk Demaree said there will be a large bond payment required this year for the city’s new water park as well. Councilman Mike Hillier noted the topic could come back to council for discussion later if the building does go to auction.
Councilman Bruce Hawkins said getting the building up and running as a public facility would involve paying utility bills as well as pay for staff, over and above the purchase price and the cost of renovations and upgrades. If the building goes to auction, he added, any future discussion about the amount the city would be willing to bid should be discussed in executive session.
In other business:
•Fair voiced support for lowering the speed limit on East High Street from 35 mph to 25 mph to make it safer for students to cross the street, and for lowering the speed limit from 45 mph to 35 mph on a stretch of Gambier Road that runs from about Eastern Star Road to Quarry Street.
•Council held an organizational meeting which includes approving the meeting dates for future council meetings, setting the members and leaders of the city’s various committees, appointing council members to represent the city on local organizations such as the Knox County Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, Heritage Centre Association and Knox County Regional Planning Commission.
