Whether or not Hamlet’s insurance will cover the cost of fixing a recent water main break was discussed during Wednesday’s town council meeting. The town has ended up with nearly $28,000 in repair bills from January’s water main break. It happened when Shoulder Bolts and a valve failed, according to Water and Street Superintendent Fred Rowe.
Starke County Park Board Seeking Grant Funding for Forest Access Project
The Starke County Forest may soon get some parking upgrades. The county park board is applying for a grant from the Hardesty Memorial Foundation Fund at the Starke County Community Foundation to help improve access to the forest.
Knox Water Superintendent to Step Down
Knox Water Superintendent Todd Gardner announced his resignation at the Knox Board of Public Works meeting on Wednesday morning.
Culver Town Council to Make Amendments to Salary Ordinance
The Culver Town Council members will take a closer look at amendments to the 2018 salary ordinance.
A proposed change was made in the EMS and park departments. The EMS Vice Director would be amended to be a full-time ALS-EM2 position with an hourly range $11.75-$17.50.
Knox School Board Moves 2019 Graduation Date
The Knox High School Class of 2019 will get to graduate a week sooner. The school board last week voted to move next year’s commencement ceremony from June 6 to May 31.
Wythogan, Heritage, Sandy Acres and Potential New Park Discussed During Public Hearing
Several community members, as well as a few city officials, sat in during Monday night’s public hearing for the Knox Parks 5-Year Master Plan.
Architect Mike Reese with the Troyer Group explained that a draft master plan was written up with suggestions from the initial public hearing, the stakeholder meetings, the community survey and recommendations from the DNR. Continue reading
Knox Clerk-Treasurer Learns that the School’s Bond Will Not Have Negative Impact on Tax Caps
Knox Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston told city council members of a potential impact Knox Community School’s bond pursuance may have on the city’s budget.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Houston told members he was under the impression the school’s bond may affect the city’s circuit breaker tax caps but he wasn’t sure about how much of an impact it would have.
He explained that the Knox School Corporation has recently been going through a process similar to what the city did when they took on community center renovations where a bond is set up through a separate building corporation that then leases the building back to the entity. Continue reading
Winamac Park Board to Pursue New Toddler Playground Equipment, Thanks to Donations
The Winamac Kiwanis Club’s offer to help buy new playground equipment for the Town Park has led to an outpouring of support from other town organizations. The Kiwanis Club hopes to contribute about $4,000, using a mix of its own money and grant funding. But when town officials researched costs, they learned that money wouldn’t go as far as they’d originally thought.
Pulaski Courthouse Elevator Construction Prompts Changes for Government Business
Construction’s set to start today on a new elevator at the Pulaski County Courthouse. That will cause some changes for government business for the next several months.
Emergency Response Vehicles Delivering Food and Clean-Up Kits Around Indiana
On Wednesday, Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles started delivering food and supplies to flood-affected areas around Indiana, including the counties of Marshall, Starke and Pulaski.
Lead Disaster Action Team Member and Local Red Cross Volunteer Sherry Fagner spent the beginning of this week working with the Mass Care Feeding League at Red Cross Headquarters in South Bend, organizing contracts with areas requesting assistance and preparing kits to deliver to the spots that were hit the hardest by the recent floods. Continue reading
Starke County Community Foundation Provides a List of Local Agencies That Could Assist Those Affected by the Flood
Many questions have been going around about how individuals can assist those who have been impacted by the recent flooding.
As a way to direct people to the right channels, Starke County Community Foundation’s Director of Development Sarah Origer provided a plethora of local resources that work year-round to assist our community. Continue reading
Starke County Election Board Sets Early Voting Hours Ahead of May Primary
The Starke County Election Board has finalized early voting hours, ahead of the May primary. The in-person absentee voting period runs from April 10 to May 7. During that time, Starke County voters will be able to cast their ballots on the first floor of the County Courthouse in Knox weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Those hours will be extended to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 27 and Friday, May 4.
Chief Probation Officer Tenders Resignation
Starke County’s Chief Probation Officer is leaving the position after 10 years.
John Thorstad’s resignation is effective today (Thursday, March 1). According to Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall, Thorstad was recently recognized by the Judicial Conference of Indiana with the highest award for a probation officer who “exemplified professionalism and commitment to transform lives, making our community safer for everybody.”
City of Knox Streets Open, Wastewater Treatment Plant Back to Normal Functions
All of the roads closed due to flooding in the City of Knox are now open. Knox Street Superintendent Jeff Borg told the Board of Works members Wednesday morning that rerouting the truck traffic helped keep trucks out of danger and be on more solid roads.
The city had 60 tons of sand available for sand bags and the county brought in another 50 tons of sand to fill sand bags. Borg said about 10 tons of sand remain for city use. Any sand bags that are no longer needed may soon be collected and the sand re-deposited at the city street department.
New Garbage Contractor Takes Over in Hamlet
The Town of Hamlet is ready for its new trash pickup provider. Local Affordable Disposal has completed the delivery of residents’ new garbage totes, and the company’s first garbage pickup day is Tuesday. “The transition has been very smooth,” Town Council President Dave Kesvormas reported Wednesday, “and we encourage any residents that have any issues to let us know immediately.” Town officials also reminded residents that large items will be collected the first Tuesday of each month.
Knox School Board Approves Budget Transfer for Potential Bus Purchase
The Knox Community School Corporation may be able to purchase an extra bus, thanks to some leftover funds. Treasurer Sherry Fort told the school board last week that the corporation’s Bus Replacement Fund has built up a significant cash reserve over the years, but this year’s budget only gives them permission to spend $325,000.
Starke County Park Board Gets $5,000 Grant for Bass Lake Beach Erosion Prevention Project
Efforts to prevent and repair erosion at the Bass Lake Beach have gotten a financial boost from the Starke County Community Foundation. The Starke County Park Board announced Tuesday that it was recently awarded a $5,000 Community Support Grant for the installation of glacial stone, as well as additional sand.
Knox City Council Adopts ADA Procedures Ordinance and Appoints a Coordinator
Knox City Council members appointed Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston to the position of ADA Coordinator when they met Tuesday night. Members also approved an ordinance pertaining to ADA procedures.
Houston informed the council of the seven suggested steps that public entities must take, related to the American’s with Disabilities Act.
The first step is implementation. Houston explained they initially took this step a few years ago when they renovated city sidewalks to be ADA compliant. Continue reading
Winamac Park Board to Discuss Restroom Project, Toddler Playground
Updates on a couple projects at the Winamac Town Park are expected during tonight’s park board meeting. Town officials have been working with an architect to design new restrooms for the Town Park, but the proposed design raised a few questions during last month’s park board meeting. The concerns involved things like the number of toilets and the differences between the men’s and women’s restrooms.
Culver School Superintendent Updates Town Council on Safety
The Culver Police Department is making their presence known around the Culver Community School Corporation.
