MOUNT VERNON — The city recently began a project to improve the look of Public Square, according to the Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Mavis.
The mayor said the city parks department has taken up old shrubs at each corner of the square, as well as some fairly old ornamental trees that were difficult to trim. He said that at each corner, a small stone wall will be put in place along the sidewalk. Behind these structures, flower beds, new shrubbery and an ornamental tree will be placed.
“The square will take on a little different and appropriate look,” he said.
Mavis said the old concrete benches will be replaced with wrought iron benches to match the fountain. The old parking meter poles will also be removed. He said department staff recently removed the telephone booths from the square.
The street department has also been hard at work this week, Mavis said. On Wednesday, the department staff began patching potholes with hot mix material, which can provide a relatively permanent patch.
“The department is patching hot and heavy now,” he said. “They’ll be patching at full force, probably from April through May, and as needed after that. Between now and the first of June we should be able to patch much of the area with hot mix.”
The mayor said the street sweeper has also been out. East and West High streets have been swept, and the street department will be sweeping streets throughout the city in weeks to come. He said there is a good amount of gravel debris left over from snow removal this winter, when the city had to mix salt with fine gravel material to make the available salt supply last longer. Youngsters from the juvenile court will be helping in the effort to remove the debris on upcoming Saturdays. They will sweep debris into the curb along much of Coshocton Avenue where it can be removed by the street sweeper.
“Hopefully over the next month we’ll be able to get all that done,” Mavis said, adding that the debris can make for a large amount of dust after a string of dry days.
In other business, the mayor said:
•The Patriotic Memorial Committee has been preparing this year’s Memorial Day Parade and ceremony for Monday, May 26. This year the city will be dedicating the new flagpole on Public Square and will be honoring local veterans. A letter will be going out in the next 10 days to previous parade participants; those interested in participating this parade should be thinking about their entries.
•The new brochure with updated rates and rules for the Hiawatha Water Park/Pool on Sychar Road will be sent out the end of next week. Water park memberships can be purchased or renewed at the city auditor’s office in City Hall. People who buy their memberships before May 10 will receive a discounted rate.
•On Tuesday, the mayor met with representatives of Ohio Heritage Bank to discuss two patches of wetland on the bank properties. The wetlands lie in an area where the city plans to have a new roadway built to link Coshocton Avenue with Yauger Road. There is .41 acre of wetland, and, because the amount of wetland is over .20 acre, the city will have to work with the Ohio EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers.
The roadway would run along the western edge of the bank property, as well as the Lowe’s property. He said he is still waiting for the Lowe’s company to provide additional support to help move the project along; company representatives say they are still reviewing preliminary designs for the project.