Council chamber furnishing budget approved
The last step of the city council chamber remodels, the purchasing of furniture, was approved with an amount not to exceed $50,000.
City administrator Chris Nosbisch said that the room divider currently in council chambers will be removed, as the cost of a new room divider was more than $40,000.
“The only time the room divider is absolutely necessary is when elections are held, to give election workers space separate from the ballot area to take breaks,” Nosbbisch said. “We’ve spoken with Linn County and will work with them to make sure that the conference room upstairs in city hall is open to election workers during those times instead.”
Council member Scott Rose questioned the $2,000 for a beverage center expense. Nosbisch explained that was meant to be part of the upstairs conference room bid originally, and would allow for the conference room to operate independently of council chambers downstairs, that if a group just needed the conference room, they wouldn’t have to trudge downstairs for those amenities.
“It’s a nice feature to have upstairs for people using that conference room,” Nosbisch said.
The furniture bid is from Pigott and also includes seating for council chambers, conference tables and audience chairs for the council chambers, as well as updated kitchenette cabinetry and countertop.
City of Mount Vernon signing onto ground study of Silurian Aquifer
The city of Mount Vernon approved a $1,753 expense to participate in a study of the Silurian Aquifer with the Johnson County Board of Supervisors.
City administrator Chris Nosbisch knows that the contract is within the amount he can move forward without seeking council approval, but wanted the council to be aware of the city participating in the study before agreeing with the contracted amount.
The study will help determine the effects on drawing on the aquifer from 2020 to 2045. The Silurian Aquifer covers a large section of Eastern Iowa, including the Mount Vernon area.
The study will last more than four years, at an overall cost of $463,700. The USGS will fund $153,000 of the study.
Budget hearing date, parking fine hearing dates scheduled for March 20
The hearing dates for the city’s budget and the parking fine hearing are both set for March 20 at 6:30 p.m.
Main Street study to begin
A study on the proposed improvements to First Street in Mount Vernon will be moving forward to be completed in roughly year to year and a half.
The study will look at options for infrastructure repairs to the First Street, as that project will impact many businesses in uptown as well as potentially impact several festivals that happen in Mount Vernon.
Diversity Equity and Inclusion statements being worked on for city
The City of Mount Vernon will be working on a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion statement for the community in coming weeks. Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group is also working on a statement moving forward to help with an application for the Great American Main Street Awards in the future.
Mount Vernon city council briefs March 2
March 2, 2023