Mount Vernon council approves series of contracts, budget amendments and labor agreement

The Mount Vernon City Council on Feb. 12 approved a package of contracts, a budget amendment and a three-year collective bargaining agreement for the fire department's battalion chiefs.

Council accepted final work on the wastewater treatment plant influent pump station header replacement and approved agreements for park restroom engineering, temporary construction easement extensions, virtual garage security monitoring for the Library Commons and an active-transportation plan update. The council also approved amendments to the 2025 budget and raised the finance department change fund.

The council accepted the pump-station work completed by Strider Construction. Gary Duranzo, wastewater division manager, told the council the replacement of the influent header reduced flow velocity to a “safe operating range” and that the completed work “has exceeded our expectations.” Duranzo said the pump station, originally designed in 1988 for a 6,000,000-gallon capacity, handled just under 30,000,000 gallons during the single large rain event since…