MOUNT VERNON – Water and wastewater infrastructure legislation was the central topic of the Mount Vernon City Council’s legislative session on Aug. 12.

Council members waived third reading and approved awarding a contract to Civil and Environmental Consultants Inc. to design a west end sewer replacement project.

The main areas are Beech Alley, North Adams Street and Buckeye Alley to Lewis.

However, the project plan includes three stretches south of High Street that must be repaired before work north of High Street can begin, according to city engineer Brian Ball.

Ball estimates that planning costs will be between $75,000 and $100,000. The costs will be covered by the utility budget.

Once construction begins, Ball said the project will be completed in phases over several years.

“Some construction work could take place in 2025,” he said.

Exhibition grounds street

Council members waived the three readings and authorized the Director of Safety Services to submit a bid and contract for the Fairgrounds Road utility and repaving project.

The project includes the construction of a water main from the east gate of the fairgrounds to Mansfield Avenue and the extension of the sewer line from the racehorse stables to the top of the hill.

By being classified as a main line, residents are no longer required to pay a service access fee.

The sewer expansion is necessary if the city needs to build a new pumping station in the Clintonville neighborhood (Fern/Grange/Pearl Avenue) or on Latitude/Longitude Drives in the future due to growth.

In this case, the city can pump the wastewater east instead of to the pumping station on Clinton Road.

The project is a joint effort with the county commissioners and the county engineer. The county will provide approximately $150,000 to repair the storm sewer and resurface the fairgrounds.

In addition, the commissioners contributed $750,000 from the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act).

The town will use a grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission and surcharge fees collected under a city-county contract to provide services to township residents.

The water utility funds will be used to repay an interest-free loan from OPWC of US$260,000.

“Ultimately, it’s a project valued at just over $2.2 million, but it’s coming from a market fund,” Ball said.

Norton Street

Council members also waived the three readings and authorized the administration to bid and award the contract for the project to extend the Norton Street water main from Burgess Street to Pleasant Street.

Once completed, a 12-inch water main will run from High Street to Pleasant Street.

The city provided ARPA funds to replace the water system at Heartland Commerce Park. In 2016, Siemens Energy asked the city to shut down part of the system, but the city was unable to do so until this spring.

“At the end of this project, each building will have its own water meter and its own sewer and water accounts, and we will have everything separated,” Ball explained.

“There’s about $300,000 worth of work left to do. About $100,000 of that is outside the gate.”

He said it was hoped that HCP’s development company would complete the entire line.

However, the company does not want to leave the sphere of influence of HCP.

Further legislative measures

Following a board meeting to discuss the property acquisition, council members placed a resolution on the agenda authorizing the purchase of property on Beech Street.

Legal Director Rob Broeren said the city agreed to the estimated price but declined to disclose the amount because the contract has not yet been finalized.

The reason for purchasing the 6.27 acre property 66-09399.000 is to provide flood protection for Center Run.

If the purchase goes through, the city plans to remove dirt and level the ground to create a place where water can drain away rather than run into a canal.

Council members took the following additional measures:

•Has given a second reading to establish a credit card policy

•Waid the three readings and appointed Paul Mayville to a six-year term on the Public Service Commission

•Approval of disposal of vehicles in the water/sewerage and police departments after waiving the three readings

•Approval to donate the police department’s old portable radios as replacements to smaller departments and probation officers

•First reading of a regulation laying down the benefits for police and fire service supervisory personnel