MOUNT VERNON — According to Mayor Richard Mavis, the Mount Vernon Police
Department held an auction May 8 to dispose of unused and forfeited items. The
auction, which raised $4,632, was held at the city impound lot on Greenwood Avenue.
There were over 220 item lots, with 89 registered bidders. David, Steve and Maria
Wagner of Wagner Auctions donated their time and services. The MVPD sold approximately
85 bicycles, 550 parking meters and parts, and numerous pieces of office furniture
and equipment. Over $1,500 came from the bicycle sales.
Mavis said the city is working on getting all of the titles of vehicles in the
impound lot in order to sell the cars at auction, both drivable vehicles and
inoperable ones, which will be auctioned for scrap value.
In other municipal business this week:
•From City Parks director Geoff Oliver comes a request for all people who
walk dogs on Public Square to clean up after the animals, just as they would
on a street sidewalk. Although much of the square is open grass, Mavis said the
city is concerned because many events, field trips and picnics are held on the
square.
•The municipal pool is still on target to open June 8, Mavis said, adding
that additional maintenance has been performed, including asphalt patching of
the basketball court, installation of new concrete catch basins where water had
been doing some damage, two fountains and a frog slide for children. Mavis said
a season pass for the pool comes with free swimming lessons for children. Parents
can sign up at the lessons, which will be held May 25 through 27, from 4 to 7
p.m. at the water park.
•Mavis said alley patching is continuing in the city, along with intensive
street sweeping to remove leftover winter debris.
•The mayor and his wife recently had dinner with Janice Johnson, daughter
of the late Vernon Johnson, the noted Mount Vernon artist and businessman. Janice
Johnson is finalizing plans for a book celebrating her father’s legacy.
The book will be published late this summer.
•According to Mavis, Judy Cordle has been working on identifying and correcting
errors on the city’s zoning map, such as lots that were inadvertantly split.
The revisions are on Yauger Road, Sandusky Street, McGibney Road at Sychar Road,
Coshocton Avenue and Blackjack Road. Residents have been invited to attend upcoming
meetings of the Municipal Planning Commission if they have any questions or concerns.
•Resident Ray Grandstaff has asked for rezoning of some of his properties
by the Municipal Planning Commission. He owns a quonset hut at the intersection
of West Gambier and Fountain streets which is zoned R1, although it’s not
likely anyone would like to use it as a residence. His other properties are at
Maplewood and Jackson streets, and at the terminus of West Gambier Street.
•The Historical Review Committee of the planning commission received three
requests for alterations. First was an application for zoning permit for 122
E. High St. to install a new 18-square-foot sign on posts in the front yard.
Second was a certificate of appropriateness at 504 E. High St. for improvements
to the home’s garage/storage area. Third was an application for zoning
permit to add a 4-by-16-foot extension to a deck on the house at 121 E. Gambier
St.
All three were approved, as was an “administrative approval” document
to allow the service director to OK simple requests that don’t need to
be brought up before the full committee.
•Mavis said the city is examining the potential costs and sites for security
cameras to curb vandalism. Sites being considered include Riverside Park, the
municipal pool, the city impound lot, City Hall and Foundation Park.
•Adjustments have been made to the signal cameras on the intersecting roads
with North Main Street, Mavis said. The adjustments should improve response time
for the light to change, and should also help the cameras register smaller vehicles,
such as motorcycles and bicycles.
•The DKMM Solid Waste District is rewriting the district’s recycling
plan. Last summer, Mavis said, the Attorney General ruled that health departments
do not have jurisdiction over the licensing of trash/recycling haulers. To meet
the district’s state-mandated recycling requirements, recycling must be
offered, so Mavis is looking into ways to handle hauler licensing through the
city.
He said his initial survey of waste hauling companies showed that only 25 percent
to 30 percent of their customers are taking advantage of curbside recycling.
•Layton Excavation of Newark was awarded the bid to perform several Community
Development Block Grant jobs this summer, including the installation of sidewalks
on a portion of Wooster Road, part of Sychar Road, and blacktopping of the gravel
lot at the pool.
