Knox City Council to Consider Community Center Use

Posted on Author WKVI
Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center
Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center

The Knox City Council members will meet tonight where they will resume a conversation pertaining to the use of the Nancy J. Denbowski Community Center by church groups to serve free meals without paying the rental fee.

The request to host the meals was made several months ago by Deb McIntire who explained in a letter to Mayor Rick Chambers that different church groups would cook and serve meals in the community center for the general public. The center would be used one day a week for four hours.

Continue reading →

City of Knox Receives Thanks from WoodStarke Representatives

Posted on Author WKVI

woodstarkeThe Knox City Council members received praise from the WoodStarke representatives this week for their support of the first festival of its kind on Sept. 13.

The city was presented a thank you note for their efforts. The festival featured local artists, local music, HealthLinc’s mobile dental unit, a cornhole tournament, dance and exercise classes, a Moving Starke County Forward One Mile at a Time walk and a county-wide scavenger hunt.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council Entertains Request to Purchase Parkview Property

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council heard a request from a homeowner on Giles Court in the Parkview area about buying the trailer and lot in the amount of $4,500.

Destiny Breeze previously offered the property for $6,500, but the council denied the request. She was back before the council Tuesday night with an offer she thought was fair, but Councilman Greg Matt said a similar transaction the city completed was at an even cheaper price. The city would have to demolish the dwelling as well as an outbuilding which means more money spent by the city.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council Tables Discussion on Use of Community Center

Posted on Author WKVI
Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center
Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center

The Knox City Council members tabled discussion on the use of the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center for free meals catered by local church groups.

The request was made by Deb McIntire who offered the idea that the community center be used one day a week for four hours to prepare and serve free meals. The members of different churches would take turns each week and clean up afterwards.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council Reschedules Budget Public Hearing

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox City Council will have the public hearing on the 2015 budget on Tuesday, Sept. 9.

Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston told the council members this week that the date was modified from its original calendar date due to an error in the publication. Houston said he notified the Department of Local Government Finance and they are aware of the change and approved it. The budget needed to be re-advertised for two weeks which has caused the delay in the public hearing.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council to Move Forward with Refinancing Water Bonds

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council will be considering refinancing the water bonds to save money over the life of the bonds.

Mayor Rick Chambers explained how much the city could save each year of the life of the bonds.

“We’re currently paying on two water bonds. The first one will be paid off in 2025 and we owe about $650,000 on that one. The second one will be paid off three years later in 2028 and we owe about $950,000 on that one – so, about $1.6 million. Right now we’re paying 4.75 percent interest on one and almost five on the other. Umbaugh believes we re-bond in the low threes. Over the life of 14 years, we could save about $150,000,” explained Chambers.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council Tables Community Center Use Request

Posted on Author WKVI
Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center
Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center

The Knox City Council members held discussion on the use of the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center by area church groups.

The request was to use the facility free of charge once a week to provide enough space to serve meals to community members in need. The great room or executive room would be used along with the kitchen in order to prepare the meals for service. A different church group would use the facility once a week to host the meals and four hours would be set aside for preparation, service and clean-up.

Continue reading →

Fire Marshal to Investigate Factory Fire, City Council Praise Efforts of Firefighters

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

An investigator from the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office will be in Knox tomorrow to determine the cause of the fire at Standard Pallet on 300 East on Friday. Firefighters from four different fire departments were on the scene for nine hours to ensure that the fire was extinguished.

On Tuesday night, the Knox City Council members expressed their gratitude to the firefighters for their dedication to the safety of the citizens of Knox. It was noted that the firefighters are volunteers and it’s their life and time they put on the line to respond to a fire and to assist the needs of residents. Some firefighters made sure to notify employers of the situation last week and stayed on the scene to make sure that the area was secure before leaving.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council Approves Grant Match for Blight Elimination Program Grant

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council approved a 10 percent match to attempt to get a grant to rid the city of some unsafe homes.

It’s part of the Blight Elimination Program which would assist the city in purchasing homes that are listed as unsafe and blighted and demolish them. The majority of the homes that would be considered for this grant are in the Parkview Heights area.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council to Meet Tonight

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council will discuss a 10 percent match from the city to go toward a $180,000 grant in the Blight Elimination Program.

A match and commitment letter will be considered by the council tonight.

The grant will assist the city with identifying unsafe or abandoned properties to be acquired by the city, estimating the costs of any project, and preparation of the application for funding and developing a strategy.

Continue reading →

Knox Park Department Completing Projects

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Knox Park Superintendent George Byer gave an update to the Knox City Council members last night on the state of the city’s parks.

Byer said since the vandalism has tapered off a bit, the park crews have been able to work in Heritage Park. They’ve installed a bench, a swing set, teeter-totter, and rehabilitated the monkey bars. Water Superintendent Todd Gardner will be helping the park department with running a line for a water fountain at the park. The board has plans to build a shelter at the park next year.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council to Meet Tonight

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The Knox City Council members will meet tonight at 7 p.m. CT at Knox City Hall.

The council will move forward with the 2015 budget calendar and discuss the 2015 budget tonight in a public session. Mayor Rick Chambers and Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston will have a report and members of the public are welcome to share comments during this meeting.

Continue reading →

Knox Mayor Gives Update to City Council

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

Knox Mayor Rick Chambers informed the city council this week that a new crossing guard is needed for the new school year. It’s a part time position and the candidate will be required to assist children in the morning and in the afternoon at the intersection at Main Street and Culver Road all school year. Any interested candidates can call the mayor’s office at 772-4553.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council Approves Tall Grass Ordinance

Posted on Author WKVI

The tall grass ordinance was approved on the third and final reading by the Knox City Council members Tuesday night.

There was no further discussion. The minimum height any grass or rank vegetation may reach before being subject to an ordinance violation is eight inches. If there is a violation, the penalty will be $75. Any ignorance of the warnings given will result in a contractor mowing the property and a tax lien filed against the property owner.

Continue reading →