Apply Now for Owner-Occupied Rehab Grant Money

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Applications are now being accepted for the owner-occupied housing rehabilitation program in the city of Knox.

The program is designed to help elderly, disabled, low-income and single parents with children in the home receive funding to help improve safety conditions at their place of residence. These improvements may include a new furnace, roofing, plumbing, electrical, windows, and other qualified accessibility and safety issues. The home must be structurally sound. Those who apply for this program must meet certain criteria.

Continue reading →

Knox Council Approves Sewer Project Appropriation

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The sewer project for the city of Knox is moving along as officials look to put in a new lift station near the South Side Fire Station. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston explained to the city council this week that the additional appropriation approved for the project last year expired at the start of the new year, and Houston said they would now have to approve the appropriation once again.

Continue reading →

Knox City Police Dept. Reimbursed for Wrecked Cruiser; Still Short One Vehicle

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Police Department is currently down one police cruiser after an officer struck a deer and totaled the vehicle. Fortunately, Mayor Rick Chambers told the city council this week that the insurance company totaled the vehicle and reimbursed the city $6900 for the 2007 Crown Victoria, but Chambers said that reimbursement isn’t quite enough to cover the cost of a new vehicle.

Continue reading →

Knox Council Agrees Toll Brothers is in Compliance With Tax Abatement

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council this week reviewed the efforts made by Toll Brothers in keeping with their tax abatement and approved a motion stating that the company is in substantial compliance or has made reasonable effort to keep with the terms of the abatement. Charlie Weaver, the executive director of the Starke County Economic Development Foundation, and Toll Brothers owner Brian Trapp approached the council requesting the compliance statement.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council Receives Updates on SCEDF Projects

Posted on Author WKVI

Charles Weaver
Charles Weaver
The Knox City Council this week received an update on the projects being undertaken by the Starke County Economic Development Foundation from CharlesWeaver and Bill Sonnemaker. Weaver explained that the County Road 300 East rebuild project is moving along smoothly, and they are just about finished on land purchases.

Weaver explained that it doesn’t appear that the project will require any imminent domain acquirements, and they are now on track for a Feb. 14 project bid letting. Hopefully, Weaver said, this project will be done during the construction season in 2014.

Continue reading →

Linda Berndt Steps Down from SCEDF Board After 17 Years

Posted on Author WKVI

SCEDF Board President Bill Sonnemaker presented Linda Berndt with a plaque for her years of service to the board.
SCEDF Board President Bill Sonnemaker presented Linda Berndt with a plaque for her years of service to the board.
After 17 years of dedicated service on the Starke County Economic Development Foundation Board, Linda Berndt has stepped down to allow someone else to take her place. Berndt said it was an honor and a privilege to be a part of a board with so many like-minded intelligent people, but because of her responsibilities on other boards and her work, she felt she could no longer give the board 100 percent of her focus and thought it was time to let someone else have the opportunity.

Continue reading →

Knox Board of Works Approves Officers Request to Purchase Duty Weapons

Posted on Author WKVI

Knox Board of Public Works
Knox Board of Public Works
The Knox City Board of Works approved a request by the Knox City Police Department for two officers to purchase two duty weapons for their own use at a cost of $375 apiece.

The Knox City Council previously approved a request from Police Chief Clint Norem to allow the officers to buy their own service pistols in order for new guns to circulate into use by the department.

These are the last two guns to be purchased in this cycle. The Board of Works approved the request with a reminder that the officers re-register them in their own name.

Knox City Council Approves Change of Insurance Provider

Posted on Author WKVI

Knox City Council
Knox City Council
The Knox City Council is reconsidering their insurance agreement for city employees. With insurance costs set to go up on March 1 for their current provider, Starmark, Mayor Rick Chambers informed the council that the total monthly premium would increase by $4000. Employees currently pay 15 percent of the cost of their insurance with the city covering 85 percent.

Continue reading →

Knox Resident Complains of Sewer Issues; Mayor to Check into It

Posted on Author WKVI

Knox City Council
Knox City Council
The Knox City Council last night heard comments from Brandon Manns of Knox, who informed the council that he is suffering from a major problem with his sewer line. Manns explained his sewer line is backed up underneath Binkley Drive, and after running a camera through the line to check it out, he discovered the issue lies beneath the road, three feet from the other side.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council Approves SCEDF Demolition, Conveyance Agreement

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council last night approved an agreement with the Starke County Economic Development Foundation in relation to the demolition and clearing of the buildings at 2 and 4 N. Main St. The SCEDF, in accordance with a grant from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs, has committed itself to paying all local costs required of the city of Knox to demolish the buildings, costing the city nothing.

Continue reading →

Knox Council Discusses Laundromat Salvage Progress

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council

Cleanup efforts at the old Knox laundromat continue as the Knox City Council this week heard an update from Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston who explained the contractor is still hauling out washers, dryers, and scrap from the old building. However, while the cleanup efforts can continue during the winter, Mayor Rick Chambers said the city will have to wait for warmer weather before completing the demolition. He said he’s hopeful that the building can be removed without damaging the nearby trees.

Continue reading →

Knox Council Approves Budget Reductions

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council this week approved two budget reductions in response to cuts from the state. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston explained that two city budgets suffered from cuts at the state level: the Motor Vehicle Highway Fund, with a balance of $413,131, was cut by $24,536; and the Park Department’s budget was also cut by $11,135 for a total budget amount of $146,358.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council Proclaims 2013 Year of Health

Posted on Author WKVI
With the approval of the city council, Mayor Rick Chambers signed the proclamation, declaring 2013 a "Year of Health" for Knox.

Continuing her efforts to raise awareness of the health problems in the county and the newly-formed coalition, “Moving Starke County Forward,” former state representative Nancy Dembowski appeared before the Knox City Council asking them to proclaim 2013 a “Year of Health” for the city of Knox.

Dembowski explained that because the county had come in second-to-last place for health rankings in the state, she said it’s time to see what can be done to improve health in Starke County. She said that a proclamation from all county governments would help spread the word, and she said the organization is also planning a number of county-wide health contests. On top of that, Dembowski said the group is hoping to hold a drug symposium in the spring to raise awareness of the harmful effects of drugs.

Continue reading →

Knox Planning Commissioner Office Empty, Dispute Ongoing

Posted on Author WKVI
Greg Matt

An ongoing dispute in the city administration for Knox has left one office empty, as former Planning Commissioner Greg Matt was not re-elected to his position. Worse, the Planning Commission and Mayor Rick Chambers are at odds as to who elects the planning commissioner – Chambers said he believes the planning commissioner is a department head appointed by him, but the Planning Commission believes he is an employee appointed by the commission.

Continue reading →

State Budget Cuts Affect Knox Highway, Park Departments

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council is trying to come up with a solution to a problem that is not uncommon to them, but inconvenient all the same. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston told the council that he received a notice from the State Board of Accounts detailing their budget order and explaining what amounts each budget would receive.

Houston explained that on the whole, the budgets are looking good, but there are two budgets that will need to be reworked due to cuts from the state. The Motor Vehicle Highway Fund, with a balance of $413,131, was cut by $24,536 – not a hefty cut, but still a hindrance. The Park Department’s budget was also cut by $11,135 for a total budget amount of $146,358 – another small cut, but park officials are calling it another obstacle to their five-year plan.

Continue reading →

Knox Council Discusses Laundromat Salvage Efforts

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council held a rather brief meeting last night before the end of the year, and discussed a number of items.

Mayor Rick Chambers told the council that he had spoken to the contractor hired by the city regarding the laundromat, and was told the contractor was running behind schedule due to the holidays. However, he did remove a number of items – mainly washers and dryers – and took them to an auction in an effort to find a buyer.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council Discusses Ordinance Regulating Outdoor Merchandise Displays

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council this week tabled an ordinance because of some confusion over how to proceed with approving it. The council had previously discussed the ordinance, which provides deadlines that outdoor seasonal displays must be removed and provides a fee for allowing them, but an issue arose. Mayor Rick Chambers explained the ordinance had to be revised because it did not provide actual dates before which seasonal displays must be taken down.

Continue reading →

Knox Police Department Learns Resale Value of K9 Unit

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council

Discussion regarding what to do with the Knox Police Department’s K9 Marco continued last night as Police Chief Clint Norem told the city council that a dog handler valued the animal at $0. Norem explained he took the animal to a dog handler with the Hobart Police Department to try to get an idea of the dog’s value so the city could decide whether or not selling the dog was an option.

Corporal Simon Gresser of the Hobart Police Department wrote a letter to the council explaining that Marco, the four-year-old K9, doesn’t have any resale value. This is due in part to his age and medical issues, as the dog was previously diagnosed with lyme disease. The condition can often cause stiff joints and kidney failures, which would hinder the dog’s ability to work.

Continue reading →

Money Down the Drain – Knox Loses $1000 Per Month For Water Disconnect Notices

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council this week realized they will need to make some changes to their water services policy, as it was brought to the attention of the council that the city sends, on average, 200 water disconnect notices per month. Tack on a cost of more than $5 for each certified letter, and that adds up to an expense of more than $1000 per month to remind customers to pay their bills.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council Discusses Deteriorating Wastewater Wall

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council this week discussed a steel wall near the wastewater plant that has been suffering from corrosion. Mayor Rick Chambers explained that a steel building near the area where sewage is brought in has been affected by wastewater splashing on it, causing the wall to rust.

He said that, as a result, the wall is now deteriorating and letting weather get into the area. Fortunately, this wall is not structural, but is only used to keep weather out from the sewage area.

Continue reading →