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