Knox officials continue to voice their opposition to proposed cuts to rural water funding through the USDA. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, along with representatives from the city’s water and wastewater departments, recently met with staff from U.S. Representative Jackie Walorski’s office.
Last month, Houston sent Walorski a letter, urging her to support the USDA water and wastewater loan and grant programs. They would be eliminated under a proposal from President Donald Trump.
On Tuesday, Houston told the city council he received a response from Walorski. “It’s noncommittal, and it just says that she’ll keep our funding priorities in mind as she considers appropriation bills in the upcoming year,” Houston said. “So I guess that’s about the most we could ask for right now.”
That funding also helps pay for training and technical assistance offered by the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water. Council member Jeff Berg reported that he and other city officials recently attended a workshop on effective utility management that was put on by the organization in Winamac.
