Jail Water Line Delay Potentially Costs County $29,000

Posted on Author WKVI
This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Sheriff's Office and Detention Center.
This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center.

The Starke County Building Corporation may have been able to save $29,000 had the water line extension from Henry Drive east to the new Starke County Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center been finished by its April 1 deadline.

The existing water lines to the building on State Road 8 at County Road 550 East are not wide enough to provide enough pressure should the building catch on fire. The county and city opted last fall to run new lines to the facility and contract the work out. The Knox City Council accepted a bid from Mark Milo Enterprises to do the work.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council Approves Money Transfer for the Cost of Snow Removal

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council members approved a transfer to help cover the cost of snow removal.

Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston told the city council that the street department did what they could, but they have gone over budget in the snow removal line item. The contractor that removes snow in the downtown area also worked harder this season and charged a little more.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council Approves Revised Fee Ordinance

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council members discussed a revised fee ordinance Tuesday night.

Under Section 1, Article VI, Sec. 4-251. Location improvement permit fees, a commercial/industrial permit for new construction, additions and remodeling will be left at $5,000. In a previous discussion, the members considered an increase to $7,500, but later determined the $5,000 fee was sufficient.

Continue reading →

Knox Council Once Again Tables Museum Relocation Discussion

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Starke County Historical Society has hit another roadblock as they seek to relocate their museum. The Knox City Council this week refused to give the Historical Society permission to lease the city’s railroad right-of-way on U.S. 35, across from the visitor’s center, but Marvin McLaughlin with the Historical Society said this won’t necessarily stop them from establishing the new building.

Continue reading →

Knox Fire Department Hoping to Extend Sidewalk

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
The 50/50 sidewalk replacement project for the city of Knox may include some work for the fire department’s sidewalk near Five Star. Mayor Rick Chambers told the city council this week that the city has received several applications for the sidewalk replacement project, and the fire department recently asked him if the city would consider extending the sidewalk on the west side of the fire department.

Continue reading →

Knox Council Approves Revised Fee Ordinance on Second Reading

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council approved an ordinance revising fees for the Planning Commission this week on its second reading, leaving just one more reading to be approved for the ordinance to take effect. Mayor Rick Chambers told the city council that he recently met with Charles Weaver, executive director of the Starke County Economic Development Foundation, to discuss the proposed maximum commercial permit fee of up to $7500.

Continue reading →

Possible Relocation in the Future for the Starke County Museum

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Starke County Historical Society is looking to relocate their museum to the area across from the visitor’s center in Knox on U.S. 35, but they’ll need the city’s cooperation in order to do so. Marvin McLaughlin with the Historical Society approached the city council at their meeting Tuesday night with a proposal for a new building to house the museum, but he wasn’t asking for money; rather, McLaughlin said the Historical Society would like to lease the railroad right-of-way.

Continue reading →

Confusion Abounds Regarding Outdoor Displays in Knox

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council last night had a difficult time explaining the desired effect of an amendment to the zoning ordinance regarding outdoor displays. When the owner of Smith Farm Stores in Knox approached the council asking about a portion of the amendment that indicates outdoor displays can only display items that are “in season,” such as jack o’ lanterns in fall or Christmas items in the winter, the question of how items that are not explicitly seasonal would be classified.

Continue reading →

New Look for Utility Bills for City of Knox

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The clerk-treasurer in the city of Knox has announced they will soon be going to a new billing system that uses full-size paper rather than postcards, saving roughly $540 per year because, according to Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, sending postcards is more expensive. Houston said the new bills will be sent out soon, so don’t be alarmed if your bill from the city is different!

Continue reading →

City of Knox Pursuing “Hardest Hit” Grant for Parkview

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council this week approved the purchase of five lots in Parkview Heights, each of which was up for tax sale in the county but, because it was up for tax sale previously and did not sell, the city was able to purchase the properties for $35 each from the county. The city has acquired more than a dozen properties in the neighborhood, and Mayor Rick Chambers said the city is looking into options as far as what they can do to improve Parkview Heights and make it a safer place to live.

Continue reading →

Knox Council Approves Purchase of Parkview Lots

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council this week approved a resolution purchasing five lots in Parkview Heights. City attorney David Matsey said the county has already approved a resolution and this resolution for the city is strongly based on the county’s version.

The properties the city will acquire in Parkview are located at 322 Spruce Street , 424 and 426 Maple Street, and a parcel on Clark Street. The Spruce Street house is actually located on two lots. The parcels will be purchased for a cost of $35 per property, and the city council has expressed interest in using those properties – and other properties in Parkview Heights that the city has acquired over the years – to benefit the city.

The council approved a motion purchasing the lots.

Knox City Council Approves Additional CR300E Project Expense

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council this week approved a motion declaring the County Road 300 East reconstruction endeavor as a economic development project to allow the city to pay for an unexpected expense out of the County Economic Development Income Tax Fund. Charles Weaver, executive director of the Starke County Economic Development Commission, approached the council and explained that part of the reconstruction of County Road 300 East from Culver Road to west of the city, a number of fire hydrants will have to be relocated.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council to Meet Tomorrow Night

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council will meet in a regular session tomorrow at 7 p.m. in Knox City Hall to discuss a number of items, including the proposed flood plan ordinance, revision of the fees ordinance for the planning commission, and a zoning ordinance amendment, as well as discussion with Neighborhood Development Associates regarding a feasibility study for Parkview Heights.

Continue reading →

Starke County to Sell Parkview Properties to City of Knox

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
With the city of Knox having expressed interest in purchasing five lots in the Parkview Heights area for an “urban renewal” effort, the Starke County Commissioners this week expressed their approval of the idea by passing a resolution affirming that the city be allowed to purchase the tax lien certificates. The city council has become interested in the properties after the five lots were not purchased in the previous tax sale, coming up again this year.

Continue reading →