Mt. Vernon Board of Aldermen passes $14 million city budget for 2021

Board votes to split up city lot for Lawrence County Soil and Water Conservation District; Neely honored
 
The Mt. Vernon Board of Aldermen passed the city’s 2021 budget during their meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 8. The budget, as presented, projected $13,308,660 in revenue and $14,034,640.08 in expenses, leaving a projected negative balance of $725,980.08.
Also, during the meeting, City Administrator Max Springer told the board that he’d been approached by Christian Wooldridge with the Lawrence County Soil and Water Conservation District about the city leasing or selling the district some land on which they could put a small storage building. Springer told the board that the city had two parcels in the Northwest Industrial Park; one 2.6 acres, and the other 4.22 acres.
Springer told the board that the smaller parcel has a ravine about 15-feet deep in the southern part of the parcel, which he described as more of a drainage ditch for lots to the north and the east. Adding that at one time, it was part of the old city dump. Since it is not a buildable lot, he proposed dividing the parcel into two pieces and giving them to the owners of the adjacent lots. One, which would measure 200.09 by 273.58-feet, would be given to Ulmer Excavating, while the other would measure 200.01 by 281 feet and be given to Cutting Edge Machine.
On the larger parcel, where the fire station is located, Springer recommended granting a strip of the parcel’s west end to T & C Stainless that would run the length of the parcel and 20-feet wide to straighten up the west property line of the lot. He also proposed surveying off the north one acre of the parcel and leasing it to the Soil and Water Conservation District for a “nominal amount.”
Alderman Lowell Phillips asked if a driveway that runs through the north acre of the lot would remain open; Springer said it would be closed off. Phillips stated the fire department drives ladder trucks on the road. Springer said he believed they would be able to lay out the plot differently to keep the road open. Ultimately, the board voted to approve the proposal.
New backhoes
Also during the meeting, the board approved paying Potter Equipment Company an additional $1,300 for one of the new backhoes the city will be purchasing for the year on top of $18,500 already budgeted for the machines; Springer said the city has an agreement in which they get new backhoes each year from Potter and trade in the ones from the year before. He also told the board that the reason for the extra expense was a change in the production of the machines, and that one machine specifically leased by the city would be considered a specialty.
Trees trimmed, cop cars get new electronics
The board also approved a bid by JASCO Tree Service trim trees in the City’s Right of Way for $115 per hour, and approved a request to pay $11,212.78 to pay to have docking equipment for computers installed into the city’s police cars, for $1,687.90 per car.
Board recognizes longtime clerk Neely
The board also recognized outgoing City Clerk Shannon Neely with a small reception prior to the meeting. Neely, who has served as city clerk since Oct. 30, 1995, announced her retirement earlier this year. Her departure becomes official Thursday, Dec. 31.