MVFD enters Automatic Aid Agreement with Black Twp.

By Lois Mittino Gray

Just before attending the March 4, Mount Vernon Common Council meeting, Mount Vernon Fire Chief Robert Wilson had to put into action the city’s new Automatic Aid Agreement with Black Township Fire and Rescue. He received a call that the fire alarm at the local nursing home was going off and Black Township was called in at the same time to respond, too. Both agencies have entered into this collaboration, with the anticipated outcome of getting lower insurance ratings for local citizens if they help each other on calls.

“One way to lower our ratings is to have more trucks and personnel on a fire scene with an increase in manpower. If there is a fire alarm or structure fire, both departments will now respond. After many hours of research and discussion, Jay Price and I finalized the plan and put it in place on Monday, March 2. So far, it has been working great, like today,” Wilson observed. Councilman John Gerton agreed it is a great idea that will benefit city residents.

Beth Russell appeared before councilors as a private citizen with a concern for public safety at the intersection of Eighth and Main Streets. “It is a traffic hazard, especially when coming down the Eighth Street hill to Main Street. You have to pull pretty far into the intersection to see oncoming traffic with those little brown boxes on the poles and it affects visibility,” she described. Gerton added that is also a narrow corner.

Mount Vernon Mayor Steve Loehr agreed to look into it and said they are electric fire boxes. “I think they can be moved relatively easily, since I don’t think the electric has been hooked up yet.” Councilman John Gerton asked if these are cellular repeaters and the Mayor replied in the affirmative. The Mayor asked Mount Vernon Police Chief Justin Rutledge to check out the area and fill in the appropriate report to make the move and the Chief agreed to do so. Russell was thanked for getting involved.

During the Legal portion of the agenda, Loehr opened a Public Hearing on the Ordinance Pertaining to the Standard and Conditions of the Issuance of the City of Mount Vernon, Ind., a Road and Right-of-Way Works Permits and Service Charges. No one was present to comment so he closed it quickly. The hearing was required by law since service fees are involved. A motion to pass the ordinance on third and final reading carried 4-0 and was numbered 26-09. Councilman Rusty Levings was not present to cast the fifth vote. City Attorney Beth Higgins stated the work permit application form will go to the Board of Works in the morning for approval.

Councilman Andy Hoehn moved the Unified Development Ordinance pass on second reading, with amendments they made at the last meeting on the first reading. It passed by a roll call vote of 4-0. The amendments added are to have no RV’s allowed in mobile home parks and electronic message boards at 300 feet distances. There will be a Public Hearing at the March 18 meeting on the UDO and then it will be up for third reading and passage by the Council.

Higgins stated the next item is a Public Hearing of Additional Appropriations in the EDIT Fund of $33,300. She added Council has seen this resolution before.

Loehr opened the Public Hearing and Lois Gray asked if this is new money or just an assigning of funds. Clerk-Treasurer Cristi Sitzman replied no new money and added it is money in the cash balance of the EDIT fund already. The resolution just appropriates the money into a line in the budget so they can spend it. Councilman David Dodd moved the resolution be approved and the motion carried and is numbered 26-10.

Higgins introduced another item as a replat of 1325 E Sycamore. Several lots will be made into one. She said no response from Council indicates no objections. Councilors made no comments, so it will go back to the Area Plan Commission as approved.

There were no district reports. Under Mayor’s Announcements, Loehr stated work continues on the Hagemann Event Center. There was a slight delay concerning a ground stabilization issue. Councilwoman Jillian Brothers asked when the Event Center is expected to be finished. Loehr replied April of 2027. He added they should also start to see work on Tile Factory Road very soon. “Tile Factory Road improvements should be done in six months. It’s a win for the community,” he commented.

At the Water Utility Board meeting held prior to the Council meeting, Water Superintendent Chuck Gray stated construction on the new main in moving along about as well as can be expected considering past weather. His office will be closed at some point due to no access to the building because of the construction. “We are making headway, but it is really a mess right now,” he noted. “That’s called progress, Chuck,” Loehr said with a shake of his head and a smile.