Thousands Saved in Refinancing Water Bonds

Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council’s decision to refinance water works bonds will save the city quite a bit of money over the remainder of the life of the bonds.

Umbaugh and Associates representative John Julian approached the city council members in December to recommend refinancing $1.5 million on water bonds from 1988 and 2006. At the time, Julian said the action could save the city up to $10,000 a year.

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Knox City Council to Meet Tonight

Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council members will review another revised dumpster ordinance for approval on the second reading when they meet tonight.

City Attorney David Matsey had slimmed down the ordinance after receiving comments from the Knox Plan Commission members. The ordinance only restricts the use of dumpsters zoned R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4 on the public right of way. It also includes a restriction of dumpsters on private property. The revised version that the council will look at tonight will include wording that dumpsters are allowed on private property as long as they are behind the front of the house in a fenced area and they are permitted to be there by a building permit. A dumpster may also be placed on the property for 10 days out of a 30 day period once a year. It was also suggested to include the ordinance bureau guidelines for fines.

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Knox City Council Members Table Dumpster Ordinance

Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council members again tabled the second reading of the dumpster ordinance last night.

City Attorney David Matsey was able to pare down the ordinance, so it suits the city and focuses on the residential district. Matsey said the ordinance restricts the use of dumpsters in areas zoned R-1, R-2, R-3, and R-4 on the public right of way. As the discussion went on, the council wanted to go further to include the dumpsters on private property. Mayor Rick Chambers suggested allowing dumpsters on private property as long as they are behind the front of the house in a fenced area and permitted to be there by a building permit. The dumpster may be placed on the property for ten days out of a 30 day period once a year. Discussion also surrounded proper registration by the contractor placing the dumpster on the property.

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Quotes Approved for New Street Department Truck

  
 

The Knox Board of Public Works met Monday morning where quotes were opened for a cab and chassis plus equipment for a truck for the street department.

The board members approved the lowest quote for the cab and chassis for a 2016 International from Wiers International for $64,143.75 and an equipment quote from Lindco Equipment for $54,665 that includes hydraulics, salt spreader, plow, electrical, dump body, and hoist system. The quotes will be reviewed by Street Superintendent Jeff Borg and City Attorney David Matsey.

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Knox City Council to Meet Tonight

Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council will meet tonight where more discussion will be held regarding a dumpster ordinance.

When the council members last met, City Attorney David Matsey issued policy copies from other municipalities and to choose specific options that would pertain to city. He noted that the main goal is to restrict the time in which dumpsters can be placed at a site where a project is in progress. More information will be sorted out during tonight’s meeting.

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Knox City Council to Consider Dumpster Ordinance

Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council members will soon be putting together a dumpster ordinance.

Several complaints have been received concerning the placement and longevity of dumpsters at a locations throughout the city. The council members will fashion an ordinance that is suited to the needs of the city to regulate the use of the containers.

City Attorney David Matsey gave the council members a comprehensive draft of an ordinance that he put together using information from several different ordinances from different municipalities. He urged all of the members to look through the document and select items that may be relevant to the city. They will look at paring down the language at the council’s next meeting on Monday, Nov. 10.

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Easement Paperwork for New Jail Water Lines Hits Snag

Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council discussed an easement agreement for the water project for the new Starke County Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center. The city is putting in water lines that will extend to the property from Henry Drive.

City Attorney David Matsey explained that one of the owners of the property would like to strike a sentence in the agreement which states, “Provided further, that if Owner makes any use of the easement that increases the city operation and maintenance and or restoration costs, then the Owner shall pay for the increase in costs.”

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Knox City Council Pose Questions Concerning Jail Water Project

Knox City Council
Knox City Council

Knox City Council Attorney David Matsey is looking to draft a Memorandum of Understanding between the city council and the Starke County Commissioners regarding the jail water project.

The council thought that it should be spelled out what every party is responsible for, especially when it comes to payment of vouchers. One question that Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston had was how to pay the vouchers. Would the city need to pay up front and wait a possible 45 days for the county council or commissioners to approve the claims in order to reimburse the city?

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City of Knox May Soon Purchase Marsh Manor, Vacant Laundromat

Marsh Manor

Knox City Attorney David Matsey says the city may soon be purchasing two properties. The properties belong to Don Nordstrom, and the city is currently waiting on a proposal from the owner regarding the purchase price.

Matsey identified the properties as 304 S. Main St., formerly known as Marsh Manor, and the vacant laundromat located across the street from the Knox Community Center.

City of Knox to Create New Districts

Back Row: Greg Matt, Mayor Rick Chambers, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Donald Kring, City Attorney David Matsey. Front Row: Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg and Ron Parker

The City of Knox has to create an ordinance establishing new districts before December 31st, 2012. The new districts have to be changed if new precincts are created.

City Attorney David Matsey said new districts do not have to be established because of population shifts as everyone votes for all council members regardless of districts. Some districts have double the population count as others, as the maps are drawn geographically.

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Knox City Council Discusses Risner Suit

The pending lawsuit from Edward Risner against the city of Knox was discussed further at the recent meeting of the Knox City Council. Risner claims in his suit that the city committed a breach of verbal contract, and requests $40,000 in reimbursement.

The suit was originally filed in federal court, but was dismissed and has been re-filed. Unfortunately, because the city’s liability carrier does not cover this kind of suit, the city will have to hire its own counsel out-of-pocket. Two firms expressed interest in handling the case: a firm out of LaPorte that quoted the city $150 per hour and estimated a total of nearly 130 hours for the case. The firm of City Attorney David Matsey quoted $120 an hour, and Matsey said that he hopes to get the case thrown out before it ever gets to trial.

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Wythogan Park Train Bridge to Undergo Risk Management Inspection

City Attorney David Matsey mentioned during the recent meeting of the Knox City Council that he had received a claim from an attorney in Connecticut in regards to a drowning victim in the Yellow River. The claim will be handled and covered by the city’s insurance carrier, but Knox Mayor Rick Chambers told the council that he plans to set a date for a risk management inspector to inspect the train bridge over the Yellow River.

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Knox City Council Discusses Abolishing City Court

The Knox City Council recently discussed abolishing Knox City Court. Even though the court takes away almost $100,000 from the City’s General Fund, Mayor Rick Chambers says there’s no opportunity to abolish it until 2014.

“State statute states during 2006 and every fourth year after that, a second or third class town, or city may, by ordinance, establish or abolish a city or town court,” said Chambers. “So, we can’t just snap our fingers and say no more City Court next year. By state statute, every fourth year you have to do an ordinance.”

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Knox City Council Discusses Two Mile Jurisdiction

Knox City Council #2
Back Row: Mayor Rick Chambers, Ed Blue, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Greg Matt and Attorney David Matsey. Front Row: Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg and Ron Parker

The Knox City Council recently discussed the two mile jurisdiction for zoning purposes. The city has the right to go outside the borders two miles into unincorporated areas.

City Attorney, David Matsey, addressed a conflict in the ordinance as it is written. The ordinance and maps have to be brought into compliance by using digital mapping software, giving the city’s Building Inspector the authority to issue permits in the two mile jurisdiction.

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Knox City Council Discusses Refinancing Knox Community Center Bonds

Knox City Council #2
Back Row: Mayor Rick Chambers, Ed Blue, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Greg Matt and Attorney David Matsey. Front Row: Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg and Ron Parker

The Knox City Council heard a report from Mayor Rick Chambers this week on a proposal to refinance the Knox Community Center bonds.

“John Julien from Umbaugh and Associates called the other day and he had mentioned this to Jeff (Houston) and I about a year ago,” explained Mayor Chambers. “The interest rates are down. The interest rates on our current loan is 5.5% and he thinks interest rates for 2.9% could be had if we put this out for bid. This loan will be paid off in 2019. Over the length of that loan, if we can bond for 2.9%, we would save $55,000. That’s a little misleading because we have $32,000 currently in an escrow account with First Monterey Bank. So, with the expense of redoing that bond and being able to use that $32,000 now, subtract the $32,000 from the $55,000 – over the course of this loan we’d be saving $22,000.”

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No Vote Yet on Pawn Shop Ordinance in Knox

Knox City Council #2
Back Row: Mayor Rick Chambers, Ed Blue, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Greg Matt and Attorney David Matsey. Front Row: Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg and Ron Parker

The Knox City Council members are currently in the process of gathering information on a Pawn Shop Ordinance and at their last meeting, they reviewed an ordinance prepared by City Attorney David Matsey. Because it was just an information item, there was not a vote to move it to first reading. Mr. Matsey said his ordinance was modeled after similar ordinances in Bloomington and Indianapolis.

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City of Knox Workmans Comp Insurance Drops

Knox City Council (L to R) Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg, Ron Parker, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Mayor Rick Chambers, Attorney David Matsey, Ed Blue and Greg Matt

The Knox City Council got good news this week from Clerk-Treasurer, Jeff Houston. The Worker’s Comp Insurance has dropped $6,000. Houston said the carrier explained the reduction was because the loss rate has dropped. Knox has been attempting to get out of the high risk pool, and as Houston said, “It looks like we’re becoming successful.”

In other news:
It appears that Knox City records are taking up a lot of space at City Hall.

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