Mount Vernon News

MOUNT VERNON — The growing amount of graffiti on park buildings is getting under the skin of city officials.

Mayor Richard Mavis said he has noticed a sharp increase in the number of police reports about graffiti on park buildings, and the city parks department staff also attests to the increased graffiti. He said there is noticeably more graffiti on those buildings than in the past.

“That means more taxpayer money that has to be used to clean it off,” the mayor said.

According to recent police reports, the same graffiti designs have been used in multiple locatons.

Mavis said city employees try to wash graffiti off whenever possible, to paint over it, or, in some cases, leave it, adding that he prefers not to just leave graffiti on public buildings. The mayor said he has discussed the matter with the police department administration, and there will be a greater evening presence of police officers in the parks.

City parks close at 11 p.m., but the mayor said that in some cases, exceptions are made, such as for people playing in or attending a sporting event that runs past 11 p.m. or for people fishing at Foundation Park.

On the topic of the water park, the mayor reported a May 31 opening date, which is a Saturday. The administration has offered employment to about 90 people for seasonal water park positions such as lifeguards, concession stand workers and maintenance workers. The largest group is made up of lifeguards.

“I don’t want to exaggerate, but I have heard people tell me that they do not plan to travel as much this summer because of gas prices,” Mavis said. “At this point, I have no evidence that this will happen. We’d be happy with a larger crowd this year. We are hoping for a bigger and better year.”

City auditor records show that 287 memberships, family and individual, have been sold so far this year, compared to 717 for last year.

The mayor added that there is discussion about adding a variety of new activities to make the water park more enjoyable for the regular pool-goers. Mavis said a schedule of swimming classes at the water park is being formulated and will be announced soon.

Membership applications are available at city’s Web site, www.mountvernonohio.org.

In other city news:

•Mavis said the administration has sent out numerous letters to property owners with high grass, over 70 since the first of May. He said this is an annual problem, but this year, city officials are somewhat sympathetic to property owners with high grass because of prolonged rain in recent weeks, which has delayed city residents who are normally good about mowing their lawn. But at the same time, he said, city leaders have to make sure property owners comply with the high grass ordinance, as it is an annual problem.

•Bids will be opened on the Blackjack Road-Newark Road traffic signal project and the 2008 resurfacing project on Thursday.

•Work will begin on a stormwater project in the area of South Main and Vine Street next week. A storm sewer will be installed along a portion of Vine Street, over to South Main and over to the south side of the street along the Woodward Opera House. He said the project will take about two weeks to complete and work will block traffic in the area.

•The city’s new engineer, Cameron Keaton, will begin work Monday. The mayor said Keaton will be involved in a number of city projects as soon as he begins, including the brick street replacement project on Curtis Street.

•Those interested in participating in the Memorial Day parade can still get applications from the mayor’s office in the coming week.