The City of Knox is ready to apply for a federal grant and loan to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant.
Much of the infrastructure is more than 20 years old and no longer runs efficiently. At a minimum the city is looking at upgrades to the headworks to better deal with grit removal and screening. The necessary equipment carries an estimated cost of $500,000, according to a study done last year for the city. Improvements to the aeration side of the plant are also proposed. Continue reading
Knox officials are still collecting income surveys from city residents in an effort to proceed with a state grant application. They’re applying for funds from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs to add on to the south side fire station. The grant application requires an income survey be done as part of the process. Continue reading
The Knox Board of Works has agreed to a timeline with an out-of-state property owner to make significant repairs to the structure. The building at 6 N. Pearl St. next to Poppin’ Off Popcorn was purchased at tax sale, sight unseen, by a California resident. Continue reading
The Knox Board of Works last week rejected the lone bid received for sewer relining. Wastewater Superintendent Kelly Clemons sent three packets but said two of the contractors did not have time to submit proposals due to holiday breaks. Continue reading
Due to a clerical error, some Knox sewer customers will be seeing a rather steep increase in their sewer bills. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston told the Board of Works last week a step was missed in his office to account for the non-metered customers when the first phase of the rate increase took effect in April of 2016. Continue reading
The two Knox City Police officers involved in last month’s fatal shooting are on paid administrative leave pending the completion of the Indiana State Police investigation into the matter. Continue reading
The Knox Board of Works last week affirmed a demolition order for a vacant house and took steps to acquire a second blighted structure. Continue reading
The Knox Police Department has an opening for a full-time patrol officer. Police Chief Harold Smith told the Board of Works last week Cpl. Clint Norem resigned earlier this month to take over as Hamlet Town Marshal. Continue reading
The Knox City Council approved various schedules for 2017 during Tuesday’s meeting. Next year’s holiday schedule calls for two fewer days off for city employees. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston said that while Election Day has traditionally been a holiday for the city, the fact that no elections are scheduled next year means employees will be required to work those two days. Continue reading
The City of Knox used one-time money from the state to pave additional streets this year. Street Superintendent Jeff Borg told the Board of Works on Wednesday they used $74,000 in Community Crossings grant funds along with the $54,100 in local money budgeted for street paving to have Rieth-Reilly Construction Co., Inc. do the work and said he’s happy with the finished product. Continue reading
Knox City Police Department K-9 O’Neill and his handler, Officer Chad Dulin, are halfway through their training. Police Chief Harold Smith told the board of works Wednesday things are going well. Continue reading
New pumps have been ordered to replace the two that failed earlier this month at the east Highway 8 lift station. Knox Wastewater Superintendent Kelly Clemons blames commissary trash from the jail that inmates flush down the toilets for the problems they’ve been having since the facility opened last summer. Continue reading
Code enforcement efforts by the City of Knox have hit a bit of a snag. Building inspector Bruce Williams has had no success contacting the owner of the house at 202 N. Pearl Street. During their June 22nd meeting, the Knox Board of Works gave him a maximum of 60 days to make significant interior and exterior repairs to the property. Continue reading
Employees at the Knox Wastewater Treatment Plant put in quite a bit of overtime during last week’s torrential downpour. Superintendent Kelly Clemons says it brought in 8.2 inches of rain in less than 24 hours. Of that, more than 7 inches fell between 5:30 and 11:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 15. Clemons told the board of works Wednesday employees spent the night at the plant to ensure everything was operating properly. Continue reading
08-25-16
The new patrol vehicle for the Knox Police Department’s K-9 officer has been delivered. Police Chief Harold Smith told the Board of Works yesterday the kennel has been installed in the Chevrolet Tahoe. It’s currently in Plymouth getting emergency lights and a radio installed and will be on the road by Sept. 1st. Continue reading
The City of Knox is making progress in the quest to clean up dilapidated houses. Mayor Dennis Estok told the board of works last week the first four houses acquired from willing sellers with blight elimination grant funds have been torn down. After the contractor cleans up debris from each site, the lots will be seeded. Continue reading
The Knox City Police Department is within $1,000 of being able to add a K-9 to its ranks. Police Chief Harold Smith told the board of works Wednesday their cost has dropped from $16,000 to $13,000 for the dog and training for Officer Chad Dulin. Continue reading
The new lift station in the Knox Industrial Park is now the responsibility of the business for which it was added. The Knox Board of Works last week formally transferred ownership to Traffic Control Specialists, Inc. Continue reading
The City of Knox has sold off its surplus dump truck. Continue reading
The effort to tear down dilapidated houses within the Knox city limits took another step forward yesterday during a special-called Board of Works meeting. Members opened three bids for the demolition of four more houses with money from a blight elimination grant from the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority. Continue reading
