MOUNT VERNON — Rather than waive the required three readings and pass it as an emergency, City Council gave a first reading to an ordinance accepting an annexation agreement between the city and Clinton Township for the American National Can property.
According to Safety-Service Director Dave Glass, the agreement does not actually annex the 44.177 acres, but allows the city to begin the process. Council will still have to go through a formal annexation application, complete with hearings and a public comment period. However, in order for the city to apply for grants to clean up the site, the property has to be inside the city’s jurisdiction.
“We’d like to begin the annexation process ... and it’s necessary for the land to be in the city to apply for grants,” said Mayor Richard Mavis. “If we are the government of jurisdiction, then we can officially apply for [clean-up] grants.”
He said annexing the property does not require the city to follow through on any cleanup process, but having the land inside the city allows city officials to go on site and make the necessary assessment. Following the assessment, if the city decides to continue, it could then apply for Clean Ohio funds to begin the actual, physical cleanup.
In addition, said Mavis, having the property inside the city gives the city ownership of the dikeway for future use regarding drainage issues.
According to Mavis, the city could have begun the annexation process through an expedited Type 2 annexation. However, the property taxes would go to the township forever.
“This agreement defers to the township for 12 years,” he said. “At the end of that time, [property taxes] reverts back to the city.”
Mavis said the revitalization process would probably take about four years. At that point, he said, something could be done with the property so the city would realize the revenue from a viable industry on the site.
Councilman Burt Hanson was in favor of the agreement.
“This is one small step in a huge, long project,” he said, noting that the four-year estimate for revitalization was a relatively short time frame compared to how long the city’s been discussing the issue.
Councilman John Fair said he was not against the agreement, but was not comfortable voting on the issue at Monday’s meeting without more discussion. Councilwoman Rebecca Jordan, chairwoman of the Planning and Zoning Committee, also was not comfortable voting Monday, and therefore requested the ordinance be given one reading.
Council did adopt a one-year contract with the Knox County Commissioners for the housing of prisoners in the Knox County Jail. Councilman Derk Demaree, chairman of the Finance and Budget Committee, said the contract reflects a 4.5 percent increase from last year, as council previously discussed with the commissioners.
According to Mavis, the commissioners said there were 8,233 prisoner days for the city last year.
“We are their single largest user,” he said, adding that the cost works out to about $35 a day, which he thought is a good deal.
“We are getting a great deal, but our residents are paying tax dollars as well,” said councilman Mike Hillier.
Councilman Chuck Dice requested Mavis to impress upon the commissioners that council wants to continue to receive such information from the commissioners.
In other business, council:
•Approved transfer of funds by City Auditor Terry Scott, including approximately $210,000 of which would go into the 2009 capital improvement budget for the Plaza Building repair and Foundation Park rest room.
•Authorized Scott to make supplemental appropriations, which includes $1.125 million into the capital improvement fund; $125,000 to the Blackjack Road project; and $4,480, which represents a grant received from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, to be used for police training.
•Authorized Scott to pay bills, which includes $99,113.39 to Lake County Sewercol. Inc. for analysis done on the Kokosing and Center Run projects; and $24,956.05 for the Blackjack Road improvement project.
•Passed an interim budget for 2009. According to Scott, it is estimated the total budget for 2009 will be slightly over $8 million; the 2008 budget was $5.143 million. Scott said the additional $2.8 million reflects the two major projects on tap for 2009, the Blackjack Road project and the water/wastewater upgrade.
Nat Dotson spoke to council about the homeless shelter recently started in the city. Dotson said he did not feel the city’s homeless were being well served by the shelter, and that in fact, the shelter is being used as a way to take care of felons and find them jobs. He alleged that the Mount Vernon Police Department broke privacy laws and conducted fraudulent investigations in connection with the shelter, and said he was recently robbed of donations to be handed out to the homeless not being served by the shelter.
At the end of the legislative session, council adjourned into executive session to discuss city employee negotiations. No further action was taken.
