MOUNT VERNON — Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Mavis said Friday the city is ready for the storm that was expected in the county Friday and today.

Mavis said the road crew schedule is set for coverage through tonight at 8. Crews were on eight-hour shifts, then 10-hour shifts so there would be coverage throughout the night Friday and today. It would then be determined whether additional crews will be needed.

The crews work on the main roads and hilly areas first, then will get to the side streets, Mavis said.

“The good news is the shifts are arranged, there’s plenty of salt and the equipment is in good order,” Mavis said.

Although the city is bracing for a huge snowfall, thoughts have turned toward summer and the water park.

Mavis said the Hiawatha Community Water Park/Pool will open for business on June 7, the day after the Mount Vernon High School graduation. It will remain open daily until Aug. 23, then be open the following two weekends until Labor Day. Lessons will begin the week of June 14.

There are some changes to hours, and the complex itself, this year. The pool will open an hour earlier, beginning at 11 a.m., and will close an hour earlier, at 6:45 p.m. The open time for lap swimming will change from 11 a.m. until 6:45 p.m. Mavis said that will allow families and individuals to come an hour earlier and, hopefully, have more people in attendance for the lap swim hour.

If council approves the funds at its meeting Monday, the pool will be getting a frog slide for the baby pool and will add part of the basketball courts into the complex. There will also be a pass gate on the south side of the entrance building.

Mavis said he attended the water/wastewater committee meeting this past week where members discussed the payment of water bills. Two landlords attended the meeting and were happy the city puts a deadline on when residents have to have their bill paid.

“They don’t want the renter to run up a big bill and then move,” said Mavis. “It was interesting to hear from the landlords. They agreed that we should put the burden of paying on those who use the water. It was nice that they complimented the water department and how the ladies there handle things.”

The committee decided to attach a note to the shut-off notice that’s placed on residents’ doors when they are past due on a bill. The note will explain Mount Vernon’s billing policy and help inform the resident how they can avoid the extra fees with a late payment in the future.

Mavis reported that out of the 183 people who were given shut-off notices this past billing cycle, only three residences had the water shut off.

The final drawings are nearly finished for the proposed crossover road between Yauger Road and Coshocton Avenue. Mavis said the the right of way is reduced to just 60 feet, which will still allow room for the roadbed and a sidewalk on the east side of the street. He hopes to have everything finalized so the city can go out for bids by the first of March.

Mavis met with Susan Wyant and Randy Comisford of District 5 of the Ohio Department of Transportation this week. They discussed the district’s new philosophies and their renewed safety efforts in projects around the area.

Several members of the Foundation Park committee met with representatives of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, a landscaping/architecture company based in Cambridge. The committee is looking at putting together a master plan for the park, and the company is one being looked at to help with that plan.