[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6294363,"mediaKeyId","2521984-fe59cd9b05544cbee4d2a46f4e8643e4","parentId",2521984,"title","Mount Vernon Utilities Commission approves minutes and an adjustment journal; adjourns","audioSeconds",791,"startMs",219470,"endMs",1011280,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2521984-fe59cd9b05544cbee4d2a46f4e8643e4&start=219&end=1011","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2521984-fe59cd9b05544cbee4d2a46f4e8643e4/thumbnail_219470.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6294363/Ohio/Mount-Vernon-Utilities-Commission-approves-minutes-and-an-adjustment-journal-adjourns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6294363-1b3ce9621c3fa34103e641e8deb26d98/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164500&Signature=Mp-EXnZ86o5ks-qA~GbcntET4aub9tMSJFHypIQhElddFjuB73ALd9DjZrnUKKU7ZHc-WuTuXz60TCanvuoAl6pfMOMntv~ZHch4LdZu4gRY-K-18sOKKiMe2FG~5XRcBurZQM5ljiT01cDvrEUuBP-QvY0jaNqnLMhnteXmk7q5gDFRf~eDGQHPlF5JK-2L36s8MFoNLDolFlutRtLB5B0wq1peacG9iHRRMOmo-cS-dsYLPoPZzw5F6~6-Yb5ssOsa0~lBO~F5lUZ5LM9D4Qpyki2WXrenUyZzQcFcG5~5CG9DgwQmvKiBhUwBCK0pr4Cwi2YaEsiDVxBqrH6FBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Mount Vernon OH","date","2025-03-06T13:48:55Z","article","The Mount Vernon Utilities Commission on March 6 approved minutes from its Feb. 6 meeting and approved a single adjustment on the February adjustment journal for Westgate Mobile Home Community.

The commission voted to accept the minutes by voice motion; a roll call later recorded unanimous yes votes. The adjustment journal item adjusted Westgate Mobile Home Community’s account by $2,408.20; the commission record shows the adjustment had been approved by the utility commission during the Feb. 6 meeting and the March 6 vote formally accepted the journal entry.

The clerk called the roll for the adjustment journal vote; commissioners voting yes recorded on the roll were Mister Ball, Mister Salyers, Miss Buzenberg, Mister Reinhardt, and Mister Grama. The motion carried. The commission then completed its business and voted to adjourn at 8:44 a.m.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to accept Feb. 6 minutes — Outcome: approved (voice motion, roll-call confirmation: unanimous yes).
- Adjustment journal for February (Westgate Mobile Home Community account adjusted $2,408.20) — Outcome: approved (roll call: Ball, Salyers, Buzenberg, Reinhardt, Grama all voted yes).
- Motion to adjourn — Outcome: approved (voice vote).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Live Stream - City of Mount Vernon, Ohio","oneSentenceSummary","At its March 6 meeting the Utilities Commission approved the February 6 meeting minutes and an adjustment journal entry for Westgate Mobile Home Community; commissioners then adjourned.","taxTitle","Mount Vernon, Knox County, Ohio","taxId",71655,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6294368,"Mount Vernon outlines multi‑jurisdictional dike work, Shade Tree Commission to start clearing",291,704900,996470,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2521984-fe59cd9b05544cbee4d2a46f4e8643e4&start=704&end=996","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2521984-fe59cd9b05544cbee4d2a46f4e8643e4/thumbnail_704900.jpg","/articles/6294368/Ohio/Mount-Vernon-outlines-multijurisdictional-dike-work-Shade-Tree-Commission-to-start-clearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6294368-6824850b2329a6eb9f736a5a52fea0d5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164500&Signature=B1oUw8DvgA7rERIPyAOlcGPjtnPrMgD3pyTacvBso7LxO8CgU-otoSWprQC7mX4yLjwuzquxOfVDaPTw4Yi~pmFDzE0DBsVnou5De9EZoFGoqmNqT50fqygMQ01Aj41V9ij07zVNV91rO8AUQLiyUY-HKjn-okonKfwhWPOMbBKHVARFuSoT221VDEMCo7N48Gphu4in0Tdd8bw4YEs7YRlWClygAEWsUJxwPYbUq9CQQjL3eJwf1-m3X00oxEd9jxjQDImkBvL~auk5unJLRfSgYX3AoRa8QV5qGpeUdQ6ozxwSewhsDg1xc5PqDZ4Br1COruFeEDD0o54meDFlLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff and commission members told the Mount Vernon Utilities Commission on March 6 that clearing brush and removing trees along parts of the dike is the first step in a longer, multi‑jurisdictional effort to address flood risk and dike decertification.

Commissioners said they hosted a walk of the dike with state legislators — Senator Andy Brenner and Representatives Beth Lehr and Mark Heiner — and staff from the mayor’s office, the Bridal Foundation Park Conservancy, and other local partners to review active projects and request broader support. Tanya Kemp organized the meeting, the record shows.

City staff said the Shade Tree Commission will enter contracts to remove trees and clear brush. The initial contract work will focus on the northernmost section at the former American National Can site (also referenced as Ludlow/Shalimar) and the stretch from High Street south to the dead end of Norton Street. Staff said work was planned to begin as soon as feasible and that they hoped to have the clearing started by an April 1 milestone, though they cautioned not all sections may be finished by that date.

Staff emphasized that cutting trees and clearing brush is a necessary step but will not bring the dike back into full compliance. The commission discussed additional tasks including an elevation study and a rivers and channel study; city staff reported locating memorandums from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that list reasons for the dike’s decertification and said the city would publish a draft narrative and timeline to inform the public.

Commissioners said the project is multi‑phased and will require cooperation with townships, county officials, the state and potentially federal partners. Staff reported they had attempted to contact FEMA and other agencies but had not yet received responses. Tree clearing in some areas must be delayed until October to avoid impacts on protected bat species unless a professional bat surveyor is engaged.

No formal action or funding allocation was adopted at the meeting; staff reported existing contracts carried over from 2024 for portions of the work and that the Shade Tree Commission would manage procurement for tree removal.","Officials and legislators toured the dike and discussed brush and tree removal, an elevation study, and multi‑agency work after dike decertification; Shade Tree Commission contracts and a phased clearing plan were described.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6294373,"Mount Vernon resident says single‑meter duplexes are charged double as commission discusses rate increases",372,312840,684870,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2521984-fe59cd9b05544cbee4d2a46f4e8643e4&start=312&end=684","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2521984-fe59cd9b05544cbee4d2a46f4e8643e4/thumbnail_312840.jpg","/articles/6294373/Ohio/Mount-Vernon-resident-says-singlemeter-duplexes-are-charged-double-as-commission-discusses-rate-increases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6294373-0e65bfb5adf1b629fb6af0bc005638ff/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164500&Signature=HbJOYyVNonOy4OKzIUybUpIOeFpYD4Vhv3YSlphtJpKu9vCJW0d0yzDuTHuxDUbwMkeKISmpO7peoqGOGktA3QTn-ehG5gN9YjSPek84bHVXensMSuIO3cVOmYgD9PWYvrpPcfq-Pz30dKZV7SQBEgaarwJT2C2J20HsVlo1laAVDMzWo5xuGeKTvjTNurngCikF7Aqxi8KNfb59d3~ExpV4B9R~Nf5f4Io1TlRTa0jg2wS-Xy5BOE3JUdh0raUD6eqtxLx2fa4SHtup4Hm4~AlgTGOcmSZgZkZ6ugcDfKfsIwzi5rWSOXqBqPkKBBND7JdpVLjSbyyovZY4Hxr9lQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mike Hillier, a Mount Vernon resident, told the Mount Vernon Utilities Commission on March 6 that owners of properties with a single water meter serving multiple rental units are paying effectively double even when usage is low.

Hillier told commissioners he owns a duplex adjacent to his home and said the rental units “have never had a water bill over minimum usage,” but his bills have been higher because “I have 1 meter for 2 apartments.” He added, “I think I'm being ripped off.”

The comment came as commission members and staff discussed possible rate increases to cover expenses and a new water treatment facility. Hillier said he understood an example figure of a $26 monthly increase had been mentioned but that the increase he and others would face depends on whether wastewater or water rates are changed and how meters are assigned to accounts.

Hillier asked the commission to reexamine metering practices now that the city uses automated meter reading and GPS-enabled meters. A commission member and staff confirmed the city uses a mix of automatic readings and manual checks and that the GPS system can flag unusual increases in usage. Hillier urged the commission to consider separately metering rental units or otherwise adjusting how multi‑unit properties are billed.

Commission and staff discussion clarified that authority over rate changes differs by utility: wastewater and stormwater rate changes require city council approval, while water rate adjustments are handled by the safety service director, according to comments on the record. The transcript reflected disagreement about limits on administrative increases for water; one participant said limits exist in ordinance, while another said the safety service director can raise water rates without council approval. The transcript did not include a citation to a specific ordinance or the safety service director's written authority.

No formal action on metering or rate changes was taken at the March 6 meeting. Commissioners suggested Hillier and other residents return in a future meeting after staff research, and staff indicated they would reexamine the metering issue and the effect of any proposed rate changes.

The Utilities Commission completed its other business for the morning and adjourned at 8:44 a.m.","A Mount Vernon resident urged the Utilities Commission to review how single meters are billed for multi‑unit properties amid discussion of forthcoming wastewater and stormwater rate increases.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Mount Vernon Utilities Commission approves minutes and an adjustment journal; adjourns

Mount Vernon outlines multi‑jurisdictional dike work, Shade Tree Commission to start clearing

Mount Vernon resident says single‑meter duplexes are charged double as commission discusses rate increases