MOUNT VERNON — The new maintainer is here and ready to go.
Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Mavis said the city received the maintainer recently and crews are ready to start grading the gravel and dirt alleys around the city.
“We’re going to start on North Sandusky Street, first the east side, then the west. But we probably need a few more days without rain,” Mavis said. “There are some alleys up there that get a lot of traffic. We know they are bad and will work on them as soon as the weather allows.”
The city also received its first batch of hot mix asphalt, and worked on filling potholes on New Gambier Road on Thursday and Friday. Once that road is completed, crews will begin making their way around the city.
In other news,
•Mavis reminded residents of the city’s cleanup program, which will begin Saturday, May 2. Mount Vernon will pick up half the tab of any trash taken by city residents to Allied Waste/BFI Waste Systems, 107 Tilden Ave., on the first Saturday of each month through September. The weeks of May 4-8 and Aug. 24-28 will also be times residents can take their trash to the facility. The facility is open Saturdays from 8 to 11:30 a.m., and during the two weeks, it will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. No hazardous waste, roofing or concrete will be accepted and an ID will be required to verify residency.
•The city opened bids this week for the new emergency squad. Only one bid was received, $161,482 from Buckeye Emergency and Specialty Trucks out of Bluffton. That was just under the city’s estimate and will be reviewed before it is accepted.
•The city’s Memorial Patriotic Committee has mailed out parade entry forms. Mavis asked anyone who has not received the entry forms to call the mayor’s office at 393-9517.
•City officials met with officials from the Ohio Department of Transportation about the Foundation Park project. The city is being considered for a grant that will pay 80 percent of the cost ($1,540,000) of the project, which will include a pedestrian bridge over the Kokosing River and that will be completed in 2012. Mavis hopes to have a design engineer on board by the end of this year.
•Mavis said the Gay Street improvement project is still on schedule and is going well, even though it has caused some inconveniences for drivers around downtown.
•The mayor reported the pool committee is hoping to have the pool filled early so they can have a lifeguard training class prior to its opening in June. Mavis said there are eight to 10 youths who have expressed interest in being a lifeguard but need the proper training. He also reported it looks like the scholarship funds for pool memberships has dried up, but the city is looking at different ways of raising the funds. The city will not accept applications for the scholarships until funding is secured.
