(MOUNT VERNON, IL) — The Mt. Vernon City Council met in regular season last night at the Rolland W. Lewis Community Building. The Council approved $964,331.42 in consolidated vouchers for funding advertising related to Mt. Vernon’s Friday Festivals and Saturday Market Days. Interim City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel told the council that while the Market Days Event is starting to “Take off” with increased vendors and sellers; the Friday Festival Events have struggled with attendance. The Final 2015 Friday Festival Event is scheduled for October 9th. The Council considered the second reading of an ordinance that would allow parking passes to be purchased by downtown residents who wish to park in city parking spaces. Upon hearing unspecified concerns from a business owner the idea was tabled. The Council also appointed Charlonda Haywood to the Parks and Recreation board and heard complaints from city resident Jim Rippy regarding the fact that two Mt. Vernon City Council Members recently met with American Water Company while in Chicago. Rippy asked the council to keep the public aware of the negotiations and was told by Councilman Dennis McEnaney that there was no intent to mislead and that the next step would likely be the formation of a committee that will start from scratch to find solutions to the city’s aging water and sewer system. The city previously aborted an attempt to sell the city’s water and sewer system earlier this year, amid numerous public outcries. This attempt has the Mayor and previous council under an Illinois Attorney General Investigation for alleged possible violations of the Open Meetings Act. Before adjourning the meeting, Councilman Donte Moore reminded of a public meeting on Tuesday, September 29th at 6:00 PM at the Rolland Lewis Building to discuss combating violence in the King City.