Mt. Vernon to commemorate 175th anniversary in 2020 with Founder’s event

The Mt. Vernon Board of Aldermen voted to begin planning a community event to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the city’s creation during their meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 26.
The idea was suggested by City Administrator Max Springer, who asked the board if they wanted to consider planning something to commemorate the anniversary.
“I just want to know if you want us to begin looking at something or if you guys want to think about appointing a citizens committee to get involved and get some input from the community,” he said.
Springer also mentioned the city and the county could hold a joint celebration, as both were founded in the same year and had a celebration, called Founder’s Day, on July 4, 1845.
“I’ve talked to the commissioners, they might be willing to do something if we all want to get together and celebrate that,” he said.
“I think the city should (do something), don’t you, guys?” Mayor David Eden asked the council. The council agreed, and also agreed to also plan the event themselves, leading Eden to joke they would be “our own subcommittee.”
Springer later said he thought the city could commemorate its founding by observing something each month during 2020.
“I really believe it would be great if we celebrated something each month throughout 2020 and possibly have our big community event during Red, White and Boom,” he said. “The county and city celebrated the birth of the county and city together on July 4, 1845. We could include historical trivia with the school system. We, at one time, had a substantial African-American population which could be celebrated during Black History Month in February and themes for the other months could coincide with other events in our history.”
In other business, the board passed an ordinance authorizing Eden to apply for financial assistance from the federal government for the city and “to execute any contracts” between the city and the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission that might come about as a result of applying for the funds.
The board also authorized Springer to sign a new agreement with the Missouri Public Utility Alliance, as the MPUA has revised their apprenticeship program to meet new federal guidelines, voted to advertise lifeguard and park program positions for the upcoming summer, and approved a list of recommended appointees for TIF Commissioners. The appointees are: Earl Alexander, Ruth Childers, Kathy Fairchild, John Bennett, Paula Brockman and Scott Sifferman.