MOUNT VERNON — The city of Mount Vernon got some news for the future — maybe.
Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Mavis reported the city received word it was selected for a department of transportation grant for the walking trails along the parks and Kokosing River. The funding from the grant is scheduled to be available in 2011 or ’12, but Mavis said the letter he received included a stipulation that the money would depend on the economy and that it may be pushed back a few years.
“It’s contingent on future funding,” Mavis said. “Even though they said the project is worth funding, they may not have the money available at that time. ... It’s good news, but tainted in the fact we do not know for sure about the money.”
The project, for which the preliminary estimated cost is around $2 million, would include a trail hub in Foundation Park and the pedestrian bridge across the Kokosing River. The hub would connect the proposed Heart of Ohio Trail out of Centerburg with the current Kokosing Gap Trail and a proposed Kokosing River Parkway that will run from Tilden Avenue to the dikeway trails.
Even though money may not be available for some time, the city will be meeting with ODOT District 5 representatives about planning for the project sometime in January, Mavis said.
There may also be good news on the community pool. Mavis said the city and pool personnel have discussed replacing the baby pool with a spray yard, an area where water squirts from various holes at different times and directions.
Mavis said they will talk with Patterson Pools, the company who put in the pool, to determine if the project is cost effective. He said they hope to make a decision in January so the project would be ready by the time the pool opens in June.
After meeting with engineers about the Gay Street project, Mavis said the city is leaning toward the idea of closing down the road one block at a time. The project, which will include a water line improvement and clearing the bricks out for an asphalt road, is expected to take about five to six months to complete.
“After talking with the engineers, we’ve determined that if we’re to meet the five- to six-month schedule, it’s not possible to maintain one lane of traffic throughout the construction,” Mavis said. “They are proposing we close the road off one block at a time. That’s going to necessitate meetings with the various businesses and residences on Gay Street.
“It’s certainly going to cause some inconveniences, but there’s no other way to do it effectively and meet the timeframe. ... We’re working on detours and traffic patterns, trying to keep from disrupting the business areas. We don’t want to hurt the businesses. On the other hand, we think the project will be a benefit to the community.”
Mavis also reported the city is attempting to streamline the process by which a dilapidated building is dealt with in the city. The major point will include being more aggressive at the upper levels, after a property has been determined to be dilapidated and earlier efforts with the owner were unfulfilled.
“Our hope is that some properties that slipped through the cracks get taken care of,” Mavis said. “I think we’ve put into place a plan that allows us to more easily, once a property gets to a certain level, take action.”
The city is wrapping up some work on the culvert replacement on East Pleasant Street. Mavis said the water, sewer and gas lines have been taken care of and the box culvert is in place. The city will make the road passable soon and will finish the pavement in the spring.
Work also continues on the parking garage under the police station. Engineers broke open some concrete in the garage and checked out the joints, which they determined to be all right.
Mavis also noted that city offices will be closed Wednesday and Thursday for the Christmas holiday. The offices will reopen for normal hours on Friday.
