Knox City Council Votes to Purchase Double-Sided Message Board

When Knox City Council members met last month, they decided to move forward with purchasing a new digital message board, after first discussing the matter back in March.

Initially, when the topic was presented by Mayor Dennis Estok, he said that the double-sided message board he found would be 4 foot by 8 foot and would cost around $35,000.

He explained that placing a sign at the city’s entrance could help promote various community events and share other important announcements with citizens as well as motorists passing through. Continue reading

District 4 Knox City Councilman Formally Resigns, Caucus to be Held Within the Next 30 Days

Starke County’s Democrat Chairman Kenny Wallace is in the process of scheduling a caucus to find a replacement for the District 4 Knox City Council seat after Tim Manns submitted a formal resignation this week.

Mayor Dennis Estok noted that as city officials were in the process of preparing the bill of impeachment for Manns, his letter of resignation was delivered to the City Hall drop box. Chairman Wallace said that in order for it to be officially recognized, the document has to be submitted to him so he retrieved a copy from the mayor. Continue reading

Knox Mayor Mentions Success of Spring Dumpster Days Event, Suggests Holding More than One During the Year

Knox Mayor Dennis Estok acknowledged the success of the Dumpster Days Spring Clean-Up event when the City Council met last Thursday.

According to skip hire Glasgow, a total of three dumpsters were utilized when the event was held on Saturday, May 19th and Sunday, May 20th.

Though the event was scheduled to run through 5 p.m. on Sunday, the mayor said they had to shut it down a little early because all of the rented dumpsters were filled up by 2 p.m. Continue reading

Public Hearing Held Tuesday Over $600,000 OCRA Grant, Knox City Council Meets Tonight

The City of Knox plans to tackle a major project at the Wastewater Treatment Plant and officials are looking to receive some financial assistance through the Office of Community and Rural Affairs.

As a part of the process to apply for a $600,000 OCRA grant, a public hearing was held in City Hall on Tuesday night. Community Development Planner Emily Albaugh spoke on behalf of the Kankakee Iroquois Regional Planning Commission (KIRPC) to provide some details about the grant and the application process. Continue reading

Knox City Council Gets an Early Start on General Obligation Bond Process, at Umbaugh’s Recommendation

Knox Mayor Dennis Estok alerted city council members of some changes to the general obligation bond process when they met last Thursday.

Estok issued an updated timetable for the general obligation bonds that the city will be using to finance the purchase of a pumper truck. He informed members about a suggestion made by the city’s financial advisors that impacted the timeline. Continue reading

Knox City Council Amends Golf Cart Ordinance to Include a More Specific Registration Time Frame

 

Knox City Council members amended the golf cart ordinance to provide some clarification about registration when they met Thursday night.

The language in the existing ordinance simply stated that registration would be good for one calendar year. However, Mayor Dennis Estok mentioned that caused some confusion since there was no consistency with when individuals were renewing. In order to make it easier to regulate, officials decided to come up with a set time-frame that registration would last. Continue reading

Knox City Council Considers Draft Ordinance Over “Official Duties” to Address Absenteeism Concerns

Knox City Council members received a draft of an ordinance that will establish official duties of council members after their meeting last Tuesday.

Knox Mayor Dennis Estok has been coordinating with Indianapolis attorney John Molitor to construct an ordinance that lays out official council duties. The draft ordinance addresses things such as meeting attendance, consequences for multiple misses and adequate constituent representation. Continue reading

Knox Mayor Provides Update About Reducing the Scope of the Wastewater Treatment Plant Rehabilitation Project

Knox Mayor Dennis Estok provided a brief update about the city’s wastewater treatment plant rehabilitation project when city council members met last Tuesday.

Mayor Estok explained that the city was initially trying to obtain a USDA grant. However, that grant was not received and the project had to be reworked to be more financially feasible. Continue reading

Knox Mayor Reschedules City Council Meetings for the Month of May

Knox City Council meetings for the month of May had to be rescheduled so Mayor Dennis Estok filled council members in on the changes when they met Tuesday night.

Typically, Knox officials hold their city council meetings on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. However, in May, the meetings will be held on the second and fourth Thursday which will be May 10th and May 24th. Continue reading

Knox Mayor Alerts Council Members and Residents of Ongoing Work Downtown

Knox residents are being asked to remain patient as Reith Riley crews conduct sidewalk reconstruction as well as roadwork in the downtown area.

During Tuesday night’s city council meeting, Mayor Dennis Estok informed members and meeting attendees that ‘no parking signs’ have been placed in various spots around town and they will be moved to other areas as work continues. Continue reading

Knox City Council Meets Tonight

An appropriation hearing will be held over the 2018 General Obligation Bond issue when Knox City Council members meet tonight at 7 p.m.

Additionally, members will consider two ordinances on second and final reading. One ordinance is to authorize the sale of the general obligation bond for the fire truck and the other will approve the appropriation of the bond. Continue reading

Knox City Council Considers One Petition For Annexation and One for Vacation

Knox City Council amended their agenda to consider two petitions when they met last Tuesday. The first petition was from JW Hicks for voluntary annexation of a piece of real estate into the city of Knox. Members unanimously approved a motion to enter the petition into their minutes and to advertise for a public hearing over the request.

Members also addressed a request from business owner Tim Miller related a dual-purpose structure he’s trying to build on Pacific Avenue. Miller’s petition asks the city to vacate a 66-foot easement behind his property so he can meet the 40-foot set back requirement for rear-yards on commercial properties. Continue reading

Mayor of Knox Provides Community Crossings Project Update at City Council Meeting

Knox Mayor Dennis Estok alerted city council members that work has begun on a Community Crossings Grant project. At Tuesday night’s city council meeting, Mayor Estok explained that crews recently began removing old curbs and sidewalks on Water Street.

As a part of the project that was submitted to INDOT and subsequently approved, curbs and sidewalks will be replaced and repaving on Water Street, as well as Main Street from U.S. 35 to Mound Street, will be completed. Continue reading

Knox City Council Meets Tonight

Knox City Council members will receive a report from Mayor Dennis Estok when they meet tonight at 7 p.m.

There is a light agenda for tonight’s meeting, with the majority of topics coming from the Mayor’s report which will include an update about the Community Crossings Grant Project on Water Street, details about an upcoming visit from the organization “Neuter Scooter” and some information about the status of the continuously absent city council member and the proposed official duties ordinance. Continue reading