The Knox City Council last week approved the city’s holiday schedule for 2014, including trick or treat hours. According to the press release, the city will celebrate New Year’s Day on Jan. 1 and Martin Luther King Day on Monday, Jan. 20.
In February, the city will honor President’s Day on Feb. 17, with no holidays planned in March. Good Friday falls on April 18 and will be observed by the city; Election Day is Tuesday, May 6 and Memorial Day is Monday, May 26.
A necessary infrastructure improvement to keep the Starke County Jail project on schedule will be discussed during a special-called Knox City Council meeting this evening. The pressure from the water pipe that feeds the facility on State Road 8 east of Knox is not adequate to provide fire protection to the building, based on the results of a recent hydrant test. City and county officials are studying options to remedy that problem and have decided that running a loop from Henry Drive to Edgewood to the highway is the best option in terms of cost and the time frame necessary to finish the project. Dennis and Chuck Estok have agreed to donate an easement through their property in order to accommodate the upgrade. The work needs to be done by April 1, 2014 in order to keep the jail project on schedule. Other options include building an underground tank to hold water or constructing a temporary tank above ground until the water lines can be upgraded. However, both options are considerably more expensive than running a loop to join with the existing pipe. The county commissioners agreed to spend up to $50,000 for the upgrade, with the work to be done by the city. The city council will consider that offer during a meeting this evening at 7 p.m.
The city of Knox turned some unused equipment into cash after selling the equipment on eBay, a method that Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston described as a good method of liquidating out-of-use items. Houston said the city sold a GMC van for $1183, which will go into the General Fund, as well as a snow plow blade for $185.66 toward the Motor Vehicle Highway Fund. A mosquito fogger was also sold for $1785.60.
In all, the city made $3154.26, after calculating eBay fees, and Mayor Rick Chambers agreed that it is an easy, inexpensive way of selling spare or old equipment.
The city of Knox will be receiving another rebate from their life insurance company to the tune of $8309.98, according to Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston.
Houston explained that the city had received a letter from Trustmark Life Insurance Company explaining that the city would receive the rebate as required under the Affordable Care Act. The company had spent more than 20 percent of its premiums on administrative costs, salaries, sales, and advertising, and as a result, that extra amount spent must be returned to the city.
A new salary ordinance is in the books for the city of Knox. The city council last night passed the 2014 salary ordinance on its third reading, adopting the ordinance that includes raises for all elected officials and salaried employees. After the first reading of the ordinance, Mayor Rick Chambers explained that a few corrections needed to be reflected in the ordinance before it was passed on its second reading, and those changes were also reflected in the third reading passed unanimously by the council last night.
The Knox City Council this week discussed building permit fees after a resident left paperwork with Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston explaining he felt he was overcharged when he bought a permit to add an addition to a pole barn. The resident explained he was issued a building permit for a 24-foot-by-40-foot addition to an existing pole barn and was charged $192, though he thought the accessory building permit should have only been $75.
The new salary ordinance for the city of Knox is one step closer to being adopted, as the city council this week approved the ordinance on its seconded reading. The salary ordinance includes raises for all elected officials and salaried employees. Mayor Rick Chambers explained that a few corrections needed to be reflected in the ordinance before it was passed on its second reading, and those changes were reflected in the reading passed unanimously by the council last night.
Knox officials may soon receive a three percent raise, as the city council this week approved a salary ordinance on its first reading that included the raise for all elected officials and salaried employees. Mayor Rick Chambers explained that a few corrections do need to be reflected in the ordinance before it is passed on its second reading, however.
Drivers on Washington and East streets in Knox will soon notice a bit of a change as the city council this week approved a resolution to install a four-way stop at the intersection of the two streets. Mayor Rick Chambers read the resolution aloud at their meeting Tuesday night and explained that due to the proximity of the streets to a nearby school, it creates a hazardous condition to the pedestrians and vehicle traffic in the area.
Consequently, the council unanimously approved a resolution to install a four-way stop, a change to the current two-way stop at the intersection. Signs will soon be installed.
Two city officials from Knox have applied for the 50/50 sidewalk reimbursement program, and now the pair must file conflict of interest statements as recommended by the city attorney. Attorney David Matsey told the council that Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston and Councilman Jeff Berg have applied for the program and the council must now approve the statements before filing them with the State Board of Accounts, circuit court clerk, and the Indiana State Ethics Commission.
The Knox City Council this week held a public hearing in order to continue with the grant application process for a new city police squad car after a police vehicle was totaled after striking a deer. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston explained that the city has applied for the grant and they are eagerly awaiting the response; however, no grant funds are available until next year, but Houston said he remains hopeful that money will become available.
The buildings at 2 and 4 N. Main St. in Knox will soon be but a memory as the Knox City Council will soon be taking bids for their demolition. Engineering firm Territorial Engineering has put together a bid package for their destruction and the Knox City Council Tuesday night approved the bid letting with a pre-bid meeting to be held on June 10 at 9:30 a.m. at Knox City Hall. Bids will be accepted up to June 26 at 9:30 a.m.
To ensure that the historical buildings are not forgotten, however, the Starke County Economic Development Foundation recently received final approval from all the agencies required to sign off on a book to be composed with the history and pictures of the two buildings. A copy of the book was presented to the council and another will go to the Starke County Museum.
The Knox City Council last night approved a motion to add up to $20,000 to the lift station project from the city’s Sewer Improvement Fund after Mayor Rick Chambers explained that the bids for the project came in just over the estimated cost. Territorial Engineering had estimated that the project would cost around $188,000, and the lowest bid came in at $170,405; unfortunately, with engineering and contingency costs, Chambers said the council would need to appropriate another $20,000 toward the project.
Following their failure to reach a quorum at their regularly-scheduled meeting on April 23, the Knox City Council last night met in a special meeting to conduct the business they were unable to conduct the week prior – particularly the re-establishment of the cumulative capital development fund for the city. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston explained that because the fund is rate-driven rather than levy-driven, the percentage of funds going toward the cumulative capital fund decreases over time.
The Knox City Council held a public hearing last night in regards to re-establishing the cumulative capital development fund for the city, but no city taxpayers were present to give their input on the matter. Unfortunately, the council did not have a quorum as three members were absent, preventing them from conducting any official business besides discussion.
The Knox City Council will be holding a public hearing tonight in regards to re-establishing the cumulative capital development fund for the city. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston explained that the council would like to re-establish that fund because over time the levy – that is, the amount of money raised from taxes – goes up, while the percentage of funds going toward the cumulative capital fund goes down.
Knox Mayor Rick Chambers this week gave the city council updates on several projects currently in the works for the city, including the lift station and Phoenix House projects.
Chambers said the sewer project is moving along after the council at their previous meeting approved an additional appropriation of $140,000 for the project. Now, he said six bid packets have been picked up from the city and they’re waiting to hear back from bidders for the project, which entails installing a new lift station near the South Side Fire Station. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston said the lift station is a necessity for the city to allow for present and future growth in the area as the current system is antiquated and no longer suit’s the city’s needs.
