Mayor Sean Patterson Howard on Monday used the city’s "Mount Vernon Mondays" series to highlight Department of Public Works operations and outline near-term projects and public-safety guidance.

The presentation focused on four substantive items: storm and flood mitigation in the Huntswood area including an Edison Avenue pump-station replacement, a fall street-resurfacing operation with detailed phase lists and parking restrictions, a water-safety advisory for standing water in Huntswood after testing found elevated contamination levels, and stepped-up enforcement of property-maintenance and sidewalk responsibilities.

"Mount Vernon Mondays is an opportunity for us to bring information to our residents, to our stakeholders about what is happening in the city government of Mount Vernon," Mayor Sean Patterson Howard said as he introduced the session.

On storm mitigation, a deputy commissioner reported the city hired a stormwater coordinator from within and engaged an outside engineering firm after an RFP to develop permanent and temporary solutions. The deputy commissioner said the city is executing a grant-funded repair and partial replacement of the Edison Avenue pump station to address flooding in the Columbus Avenue/Salvation Army outflow area. Work listed includes demolishing side rails, installing a new grinder unit, replacing submersible pumps and raising the pump station "about 6 feet." The speaker said manholes and structures have been cleaned and set, plumbing work is under way, and the project is on target for a December 31 completion date.

DPW supervisor Joey Coretta described the fall street-resurfacing program and urged residents to obey posted parking restrictions on active paving days. "Starting this week, the city of Mount Vernon, Department of Public Works will begin its Fall Street resurfacing operations," Coretta said. He described milling, resurfacing and curb-to-curb restoration tied to the city's annual street condition survey and community feedback and listed the streets in Phase 1 and Phase 2 (phase lists were read in full during the meeting). Advanced signage will be posted at least 24 hours before work and vehicles left in active paving zones may be towed; the city said to expect temporary detours and parking restrictions.

Coretta and Mayor Howard explained that paving is coordinated with subsurface work and utilities. The mayor said the city coordinates with Con Edison, the water department and sewer/storm crews to avoid repaving streets and then having to immediately reopen them for underground work. The mayor characterized the paving schedule as based on infrastructure needs rather than political requests.

Second Deputy Commissioner Ryan O'Rourke provided a Huntswood-area water update. He said recent testing identified contamination levels "above standard safety levels" in certain water sources and that, "out of an abundance of caution," the city is advising residents to avoid puddles, streams and stormwater accumulations in and around Huntswood, particularly following rainfall and flooding events. O'Rourke said environmental and public-works teams are coordinating with state and county partners and that further updates will be provided.

Deputy Commissioner Solovich and other DPW staff described targeted repairs already made to structures in the Huntswood area, including masonry and parging repairs and raising certain structures nearly 6 feet in preparation for worst-case flooding. Solovich said a Phase 2 operation will televise and inspect underground piping in the area to ensure contamination is not entering streams from stormwater pipes. Solovich also said at no time did sewage leave city structures into Huntswood.

The mayor reminded residents that Mount Vernon’s drinking water is safe but advised against letting children or pets drink from standing water, noting contamination risks such as animal waste.

On trees and property maintenance, officials said crews identified 38 unhealthy trees that will be removed and that the city plans to plant about 80 trees this season (about 40 already planted). The mayor and staff clarified responsibilities: the city trims and maintains trees in the public tree strip that the city planted; property owners are responsible for trees on their private property and for repairing sidewalks adjacent to their property unless a city-owned tree caused the damage. Ordinance officers are resuming active enforcement, officials said, and the city will place blue nuisance-abatement signs on private properties that violate maintenance standards; property owners will have five days to abate before fines and court action may follow. The mayor said notices will be sent through water and tax bills.

The session closed with the mayor thanking DPW staff and saying the city will return with follow-up Mount Vernon Mondays sessions to cover additional DPW divisions.

Provenance: See transcript excerpts for the start and finish of this DPW presentation.