Knox City Council Discusses Vicious Dogs

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council #2
Back Row: Mayor Rick Chambers, Ed Blue, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Greg Matt and Attorney David Matsey. Front Row: Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg and Ron Parker

Dogs in the city limits of Knox can be a problem for many reasons. Even though a dog may be gentle and kind to its owners, it might be vicious to others.

Vicious dogs was a topic of discussion last week at the Knox City Council meeting. It all came about when several people who received citations for offenses were just walking away from ownership. Not only was the fine for a vicious dog $250.00, but other lesser offenses were, too.

It was discussed at a past meeting that the fines should be reduced for the lesser offenses, but the $250.00 fine should remain for vicious dogs. One woman owed $750.00 in fines for lesser offenses. In this case, she said that she was going to give up ownership of the dog because she couldn’t afford the fines.

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Knox City Council Discusses Abolishing City Court

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox City Council recently discussed abolishing Knox City Court. Even though the court takes away almost $100,000 from the City’s General Fund, Mayor Rick Chambers says there’s no opportunity to abolish it until 2014.

“State statute states during 2006 and every fourth year after that, a second or third class town, or city may, by ordinance, establish or abolish a city or town court,” said Chambers. “So, we can’t just snap our fingers and say no more City Court next year. By state statute, every fourth year you have to do an ordinance.”

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Knox and North Judson Fire Departments to Trade Equipment

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox-Center Township and North Judson-Wayne Township Fire Departments have agreed to a swap of equipment. In the swap, North Judson would receive a 1980 Ford Pumper truck with a 750 gallon tank and Knox would receive an air bag system that is approximately six to seven years old.

Knox-Center Township Volunteer Fire Chief, Ken Pfost, explained to the City Council members that the air bag system new would cost approximately $10,000.

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Knox City Council Discusses Two Mile Jurisdiction

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council #2
Back Row: Mayor Rick Chambers, Ed Blue, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Greg Matt and Attorney David Matsey. Front Row: Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg and Ron Parker

The Knox City Council recently discussed the two mile jurisdiction for zoning purposes. The city has the right to go outside the borders two miles into unincorporated areas.

City Attorney, David Matsey, addressed a conflict in the ordinance as it is written. The ordinance and maps have to be brought into compliance by using digital mapping software, giving the city’s Building Inspector the authority to issue permits in the two mile jurisdiction.

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City Council Approves Request to Seek Housing Grant

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council (L to R) Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg, Ron Parker, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Mayor Rick Chambers, Attorney David Matsey, Ed Blue and Greg Matt

Mayor Rick Chambers asked the Knox City Council members this week for permission to apply for a housing grant.

“I’ve been in contact with K-IRPC to seek a housing grant. We had one three years ago and we ended up getting about $65,000. The Council matched that with 10%. We applied originally for $150,000 and it was cut several times. So, I’m again seeking a housing grant and I’m asking for a 10% match up to $150,000. K-IRPC needs to know that we are willing to do a 10% match before they can go any farther with this grant process.”

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Knox City Council Weighs Options on Building in Downtown Area

Posted on Author WKVI
This is the location of the old Everett's Drug Store/movie theater

Gene Blastic, a Board member on the Starke County Economic Development Foundation, came before the Knox City Council this week to discuss options concerning the old Everett’s Drug Store. The building, at the corner of Lake and Main Street, was for a short time a movie theater, and is owned by the Economic Development Foundation.

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Knox City Council Passes 2012 Budget

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council #2
Back Row: Mayor Rick Chambers, Ed Blue, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Greg Matt and Attorney David Matsey. Front Row: Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg and Ron Parker

The Knox City Council members, on the recommendation of Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, passed the budget during their meeting this week. The budget is for $3.1 million and includes a 2% across-the-board raise for employees and officials.

Houston gave the Council some advice before the vote.

“At this point, once it’s been advertised, you guys can vote. Either accept it the way it is or you can cut, but you can not add anything to the budget at this point. You can’t go above what’s been advertised,” said Houston.

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Knox City Council Considers Discontinuing City Court

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox City Council is considering doing away with the Knox City Court. Following his annual report to the Council this week, Judge Charles Hasnerl ran into a barrage of questions by the Council and Mayor Rick Chambers when it was revealed that the court had run into the red.

Judge Hasnerl attempted to answer the Council member’s questions.

“The biggest problem is a shortfall,” said Judge Hasnerl. “We don’t have exact figures but if you just look at it in hard numbers, we’re looking at approximately a $40,000 difference between what the City Court budget is and what is actually going into the City’s General Fund.”

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Knox City Council Discusses Budget

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council #2
Back Row: Mayor Rick Chambers, Ed Blue, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Greg Matt and Attorney David Matsey. Front Row: Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg and Ron Parker

In a special session with Knox City Clerk-Treasurer, Jeff Houston on Tuesday evening, the Council walked through the completed budget that will soon be submitted to the Department of Local Government Finance. Presented was a budget that totals $3,112,071.

“At our next meeting, on the 23rd of August, we’re going to have our Public Hearing at 7:00 when we have our Council meeting,” said Houston when explaining the next step in the budget process. “The budget is also advertised and we’ll have our third reading of the salary ordinance.”

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Starke County Surveyor to Burn Brush Collected from Storm Sewer Project

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke County Surveyor, Dennis Estok, appeared before the Knox City Council last week to ask for permission to burn off brush collected from the John Street storm system maintenance project. The County has jurisdiction over about 1,000 feet that drains into the Cavanaugh ditch. Excavating crews are coming in soon to channel that portion to give it a uniform slope to the outlet into the ditch.

Estok said there is brush and debris in the system as well as sediment.

The Council gave its permission to burn the brush. Estok estimated it would be only two small piles.

Knox City Council Discusses 2012 Budget

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council #2
Back Row: Mayor Rick Chambers, Ed Blue, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Greg Matt and Attorney David Matsey. Front Row: Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg and Ron Parker

“Even though money is tight, I still think we can grant a 2% salary increase.”

That was told to the Knox City Council this week by Knox City Clerk-Treasurer, Jeff Houston. The two percent increase recommended for all employees and officials was passed unanimously by the Council on the first reading of the salary ordinance.

The State Board of Accounts has completed its audit of the 2012 budget.

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Restroom Facilites Requested at Sandy Acres Park

Posted on Author WKVI
Thom Morin

Thom Morin, who claims to be conducting a one man crusade to open up more areas for the handicapped in Knox, was back before the Knox City Council this week to point out the need for special restroom accommodations at Sandy Acres Park on the south edge of the city. Morin said a handicapped porta-potty would cost only a little more than installing a regular one at the park. He also would like to see a handicapped designated parking area at the same location.

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Updated: Two Knox Park Board Members not Eligible to Serve on Board

Posted on Author WKVI
Wythogan Park

WKVI News is revisiting a story we had earlier in the week about the eligibility of two Park Board members. Because we used the phrase “not qualified”, some in our audience thought we meant the two members in question were not competent to sit on the Board. That is not correct, as the members Irene Szakonyi and Kurt Snearly are eminently qualified. Park Board President, Chris Marshall, called them very valuable, and we concur.

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Two Knox Park Board Members Not Eligible to Serve

Posted on Author WKVI
Wythogan Park

Two members of the Knox Park Board are not eligible to serve. According to Knox City Council Attorney, David Matsey, the Ex-Officio members of the Board, Irene Szakonyi and Kurt Snearly, are not members of the Boards that named them to the Park Board.

By definition, an Ex-Officio member of a board is there by virtue of holding another office. The Ex-Officio members of the Park Board were named by the Starke County Library Board and the Knox Community School Board. Since neither are part of those Boards, they are not eligible to serve.

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Thom Morin Comes Before Knox City Council to Request Handicapped Parking Spaces

Posted on Author WKVI
Thom Morin

Thom Morin, who has been before the Knox City Council before to request more handicapped parking spaces, was before them again last week.

Since Mr. Morin has presented a proposed document spelling out ADA rules, the City has added a space on Main Street by the tracks, another on the north end of Main Street near Lake, one in the alley by the Community Center, and two on the east side of the Community Center. The Mayor announced that he is working on one handicapped parking spot by the Courthouse.

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Budget Work Being Done in Knox City Clerk-Treasurer’s Office

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council #2
Back Row: Mayor Rick Chambers, Ed Blue, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Greg Matt and Attorney David Matsey. Front Row: Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg and Ron Parker

It’s budget time in the Knox City Clerk’s office. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston told the Knox City Council members last week that the annual audit is being done now, and he is working on the 2012 budget.

Houston said this seems to be a more in-depth audit as the City received over $500,000 in federal grants during the past year.

On July 6th, Houston will meet with the Department of Local Government Finance, and he thought the Council might want to consider a work session before the next Council meeting on July 12th.

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Knox City Council Discusses Refinancing Debt on Community Center

Posted on Author WKVI
John Julien

John Julien of Umbaugh and Associates came before the Knox City Council this week to bring them up to speed on the savings associated with refinancing the outstanding debt on the Knox Community Building. In 1997, the bonds on the building sold at a 5.5% interest rate. Julien told the Council that they could now be sold at 2.9%.

“$23,000 isn’t going to make the City rich, but it’s $23,000 that you don’t have access to right now,” said Julien. “In the grand scheme of things, I think it’s worthwhile for the City to pursue. The savings aren’t earth shattering, but it’s hard to imagine that interest rates are going to go much lower.”

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