A state error that was announced earlier in the month could provide funds coming back to the City of Knox. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston said last week that a revelation in December found that the state didn’t account for some $320 million in corporate taxes. That triggered an internal audit that resulted in a discovery of a needed distribution to cities, towns and counties of $206 million.
The old Pennsylvania Central Bridge that spans the Yellow River at the east end of Wythogan Park was the topic of discussion during the recent Knox City Council meeting.
The Council has discussed taking the bridge out and possibly having the removal paid for by the scrap iron in the structure. Mayor Rick Chambers put a stop to that when he said the scrap wouldn’t pay for the demolition.
Knox Clerk-Treasurer, Jeff Houston, told the Knox City Council that he had received a budget order from the Department of Local Government Finance. The City is going to be forced to cut $165,000. Between the Clerk, Mayor and department heads, Houston said the cuts have been made.
The Knox City Council discussed the need to do a Water Rates Study. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston explained the situation to the Council.
“We’re asking Umbaugh to do a study on the last three calendar years to determine the trends and the amounts of revenue that we have for the operation, maintenance, cash expenses, debt service requirements in the water department. They will also come up with a capital improvement plan so that we know that we have enough money in the future to cover whatever we need.”
The storm water project has started in the City of Knox. The total cost of the project is just over $1 million. The city is contributing $166,005 toward the project from the City’s EDIT fund, while the rest of the cost comes in the form of a Community Development Block Grant from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs.
Knox residents are being urged to recycle as much as possible. At a meeting with the Knox City Council and a representative from Waste Management two months ago, it was stated that the company would like to get the recycling percentage up to 30%. More tonnage is going into the garbage which could be recycled and that is keeping up garbage costs.
“We got a monthly tonnage report for September and there was 121.10 tons of trash and 13.2 tons of recycling,” said City Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston. “In October, there was 118.40 tons of trash and 14.2 tons of recycling.”
Knox City Clerk-Treasurer, Jeff Houston, discussed the numbers from the Water Department with the City Council members at their recent meeting.
“This year we have a small loss of $54,000 in this utility,” said Houston. “It might come to a little bit less, but that’s what it’s projected to be, but that also includes $66,765 in depreciation.”
Houston said the projection is for the Water Department to lose less money next year.
Workers for the City of Knox are being forewarned that their uniforms that they wear at work might be taxed as a fringe benefit in the near future.
Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston told Mayor Rick Chambers and City Council members of the possibility at the most recent City Council meeting.
“That looks like the way that the Department of Revenue says that we may be going,” said Houston. “There may be a way around that. We might have to pass an ordinance saying that that’s required for the city employees and they may have to take those uniforms off at work.”
The Knox City Council learned this week that the General Fund does not have enough money to pay the health premiums through the end of the year. The Council members had to allow a $70,500 transfer from the city’s EDIT fund into the General Fund.
Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston talked about one of the reasons the premium costs have escalated.
“We’ve added several new members to the plan and just by adding one employee and a spouse results in an almost $18,000 increase per year,” reported Houston.
The Knox City Council members, on the recommendation of Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, passed the budget during their meeting this week. The budget is for $3.1 million and includes a 2% across-the-board raise for employees and officials.
Houston gave the Council some advice before the vote.
“At this point, once it’s been advertised, you guys can vote. Either accept it the way it is or you can cut, but you can not add anything to the budget at this point. You can’t go above what’s been advertised,” said Houston.
In a special session with Knox City Clerk-Treasurer, Jeff Houston on Tuesday evening, the Council walked through the completed budget that will soon be submitted to the Department of Local Government Finance. Presented was a budget that totals $3,112,071.
“At our next meeting, on the 23rd of August, we’re going to have our Public Hearing at 7:00 when we have our Council meeting,” said Houston when explaining the next step in the budget process. “The budget is also advertised and we’ll have our third reading of the salary ordinance.”
“Even though money is tight, I still think we can grant a 2% salary increase.”
That was told to the Knox City Council this week by Knox City Clerk-Treasurer, Jeff Houston. The two percent increase recommended for all employees and officials was passed unanimously by the Council on the first reading of the salary ordinance.
The State Board of Accounts has completed its audit of the 2012 budget.
It’s budget time in the Knox City Clerk’s office. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston told the Knox City Council members last week that the annual audit is being done now, and he is working on the 2012 budget.
Houston said this seems to be a more in-depth audit as the City received over $500,000 in federal grants during the past year.
On July 6th, Houston will meet with the Department of Local Government Finance, and he thought the Council might want to consider a work session before the next Council meeting on July 12th.
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.
The Knox City Council learned that the City of Knox received a storm water infrastructure project grant worth $837,095. The Council will be providing a 20% match of $166,000 toward this project.
Clerk-Treasurer, Jeff Houston, announced that new tables and chairs have been ordered for the Knox Community Center. The dance floor was repaired and the carpets cleaned. The Council plans to review procedures for the Community Center in the near future.
At the recent meeting of the Knox City Council, Starke County Development Foundation Director, Charles Weaver, requested that the Council change the name of the Knox Industrial Park to the Starke County Rail Park. The Council unanimously approved the name change and the proposal will be taken to the Starke County Commissioners for approval. The name was changed to give it a county feel rather than a city feel.
The Knox City Police are investigating damage done to the Knox Community Center after a Saturday event at the facility. During Tuesday night’s Knox City Council meeting, Clerk-Treasurer, Jeff Houston, told the Council that 112 chairs were damaged, the dance floor was ruined and 25 of the 32 tables were damaged. The carpets were stained and the walls had marks on them.
The Knox City Council learned that the budget order came back from the State and the Council will need to cut $71,932 from the 2011 budget. During the Council meeting Tuesday night, Clerk-Treasurer, Jeff Houston, recommended that the Council cut the purchase of a new backhoe that was put in the budget for 2011. That budgeted item was approximately $72,000 and the Council unanimously approved Houston’s recommendation. Houston added that the budget is at the “bare bones” and spending will be tight in 2011. Election costs had to be added to the 2011 budget as well.
