MOUNT VERNON—On Tuesday, Public Works Director Tom Hinkle gave a special shout-out to Andrew Taylor of the Knox County Board of DD. Taylor coordinated a campaign that raised enough funds for seven accessible picnic tables in city parks.
“These will replace some of the old picnic tables that are there now in these pavilions,” Hinkle said.
Riverside Park and Harmony Playground will receive two accessible picnic tables, while Hiawatha and Shellmar parks and the CA&C Depot will each receive one table.
Once crews complete the improvement project, the city will install the depot’s table at the pavilion or on a nearby pad.
Now that Hiawatha Water Park is closed for the season, park staff are helping Columbus Pool Management winterize the pool. They are also repairing the lawn irrigation system.
Streets
In preparation for starting a new school year, crews painted all school zones, turned on school flashers, and repaired a flasher at Nuce Road.
“I do want to remind the public to slow down when you get into the school zone and make sure you’re doing the 20 miles an hour,” Hinkle said. “School’s back in session, so be careful when you go through the school zones and the crosswalks.”
Workers continue replacing catch basins, repairing tiles, and cleaning ditches.
Cemetery
Crews are busy mowing and trimming Mound View Cemetery. Hinkle said they also redid the wall that contains topsoil for storage.
Other projects include painting the inside of the old maintenance shop. Plans are to remodel the building and convert that space into a break room and records storage for the cemetery.
Public Building & Lands
Repairs and maintenance on the city’s rental buildings keep buildings and land employees busy. Crews drained and painted the fountain on Public Square and are assisting with the CA&C improvement project.
Other ongoing projects include removing a damaged tree at The Station Break, removing cobwebs and bees’ nests in buildings, and applying herbicides for weed control.
Hinkle said 16 candidates applied for three positions in the Public Works Department. Two are technician spots in the parks department; the other is a traffic signal tech job in the street department.
Interviews are underway; he anticipates completing the first round this week.
City engineer
Knox Concrete Construction had the low bid on the splash pad project at Riverside Park, coming in at $1,451.571.40. Shrock Premier Custom Construction submitted a bid of $1,641,087.63.
The engineer’s estimate was $1.5 million. City Engineer Brian Ball recommends awarding the bid to Knox Concrete Construction.
Other items of note:
•Crews finished reroofing the CA&C and B&O depots. Both roofs have a 75-year warranty. Ball noted that Ariel Foundation funded a good portion of both projects.
•Work on Catherine Street has progressed to the last row of bricks at Vine Street. The last item to complete is rebricking the intersection workers dug up to make water connections.
•Ball said the updated zoning code city council adopted in July has averted between seven to 10 Board of Zoning Appeals hearings thus far.
Water and wastewater
Public Utilities Director Aaron Reinhart reports the wastewater department continues plant design for EPA-mandated phosphorus removal.
“We’re visiting several other cities looking at different processes and starting to narrow it down quite a bit to get on to design,” he said.
Additionally, the department will offer an operator’s test in early September.
Water
Crews continue cleaning and sandblasting clarifier #2. Samuel Spence recently joined the staff, bringing the department up to full staff.
Design work continues on the lime silo replacement.
Distribution and meters
Reinhart said hydrant flushing will begin Sept. 3 and run through Sept. 30. Flushing will start at 8 a.m. and end by 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Information from the hydrant flushing affects the fire department’s ISO rating. In the last ISO study, the department was bumped up to a higher level of service. A higher rating potentially reduces the rate of increase for homeowners insurance.
Below is the schedule for the various neighborhoods.
•Staff continue mapping the city’s lead lines, with a deadline of Oct. 17 to complete the mapping. Reinhart said residents might notice the blue paint along curbs, yards, or streets.
•The Dan Emmett improvement project continues. Reinhart said households are receiving notice of service disruptions.
•Residents who want to receive the city’s private swimming pool credit for 2024 can call 740-393-9504 or visit 3 N. Gay St. By accessing the credit, residents can eliminate paying wastewater fees on the water used to fill the pool. The deadline is Sept. 1.
