A proposed one-percent pay raise for Knox City employees will be up for the city council’s final approval tonight. The 2021 salary ordinance will be up for final reading.
Continue readingKnox City Council to Consider 2021 Salary Ordinance Tonight
Knox City Council Approves Resolution for CARES Act Spending
The Knox City Council passed a resolution last week allowing CARES Act funding to be used to reimburse public safety payroll costs. Mayor Dennis Estok reminded council members that the city got almost $115,000 to spend on COVID-19-related expenses, but said the guidelines for spending it had changed.
Continue readingKnox Mayor Continues Exploring Demolition of Former Moose Lodge
Knox Mayor Dennis Estok continues exploring the possibility of tearing down the former Moose Lodge. He told the redevelopment commission last week that to keep the building, the roof would need to be replaced, and making the building ADA-compliant would take a lot of money.
Continue readingKnox Leaf Pickup Starts Today
Leaf pickup is starting in many local communities, if it hasn’t already. The City of Knox starts picking up leaves today. “Make sure everybody puts their leaves out by the curbs,” Mayor Dennis Estok told the city council last week. “No sticks or limbs or anything like that can be in it.”
Continue readingKnox Mayor Still Hasn’t Made Decision on Peppermint Parade
Social distancing guidelines may even apply to Santa Claus. Knox Mayor Dennis Estok told the city council Tuesday that he still hasn’t decided whether or not to hold this year’s Peppermint Parade.
Continue readingKnox City Council to Consider CARES Act Resolution, Review Proposed Salary Ordinance
The Knox City Council will consider a resolution tonight that would allow CARES Act funding to be used to reimburse public safety payroll costs. Mayor Dennis Estok told council members last month that the city’s share of the federal funding was almost $115,000.
Continue readingKnox Council May Consider Banning Bow Hunting in City Limits
The Knox City Council is taking aim at hunting in the city limits. Mayor Dennis Estok recently told council members that while the use of firearms is prohibited, there’s nothing in the city’s ordinances banning hunting in general.
Continue readingKnox Announces Trick-or-Treat Hours but Cancels Costume Contest
The City of Knox is moving ahead with trick-or-treating but is urging residents to take precautions against COVID-19. Mayor Dennis Estok announced Thursday that trick-or-treat hours will be Saturday, October 31 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. But the costume judging normally held at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center sponsored by Starke County A.B.A.T.E. has been canceled.
Continue readingKnox City Council Adopts 2021 Budget, Sets 2021 Meeting Schedule
The Knox City Council adopted the 2021 budget last week. It totals just over $3 million, with almost $1.6 million of that being the General Fund. While those are slight decreases from this year’s budget, Mayor Dennis Estok previously noted that the amount of revenue should be slightly higher.
Continue readingKnox Board of Works Approves Another Extension for Wastewater Plant Project
Completion of the Knox Wastewater Treatment Plant project has been delayed yet again. The board of works Wednesday reluctantly agreed to extend substantial completion to the week of October 12 and final completion to November 12.
Continue readingKnox City Council Approves Change in Traffic Pattern at Carlson Drive and Pine Street
The Knox City Council Tuesday approved a new traffic pattern for the intersection of Carlson Drive and Pine Street. Traffic on Pine Street will now have to stop, while Carlson Drive traffic will have the right of way.
Continue readingKnox City Council to Adopt 2021 Budget Tonight
The 2021 budget will be up for adoption during tonight’s Knox City Council meeting. The total proposed budget is just over $3 million, with almost $1.6 million of that being the General Fund.
Continue readingCommunities, Health Officials Contemplate Trick-or-Treating
Whether to allow trick-or-treating during a global pandemic is a question being faced by many local communities. Knox Mayor Dennis Estok told the city council last week that he was still waiting for guidance.
Continue readingWork Progressing at Knox Wastewater Treatment Plant
Work is picking up at the Knox Wastewater Treatment Plant. That’s according to Engineer Steve Henschen with Jones Petrie Rafinski. He told the board of works last week that the building shell is up, and the building is almost completely enclosed. Henschen added that work inside the building was proceeding at a “rapid pace.”
Continue readingKnox Council President Proposes Appointing New BZA Member Ahead of Homeless Shelter Decision
As the Knox Board of Zoning Appeals prepares to make a decision on a proposed homeless shelter, an effort to add a new member to the board was unsuccessful. During Tuesday’s city council meeting, Council President Jeff Berg made a motion to appoint Monica Miller to fill a longstanding vacancy on the BZA.
Continue readingKnox Preparing to Take Possession of 8 S. Main Street
The City of Knox is moving closer to revitalizing a dilapidated downtown building. The city has been trying to take possession of 8 South Main Street, after a portion of the roof collapsed and the owner failed to pay most of the fine.
Continue readingCity of Knox Not Willing to Offer Former Moose Lodge for Proposed Homeless Shelter
The former Knox Moose Lodge will not be offered as a potential site for a homeless shelter, according to Mayor Dennis Estok. “That building was bought for future land use, to help revitalize the downtown area, whatever it’s going to be,” Estok said during Tuesday’s city council meeting. “It was not offered for the homeless shelter, and it won’t be. That is not the original plan for that building. That’s not why we bought it. So that is off the table, as far as I’m concerned.”
Continue readingKnox City Council to Meet Tonight
The Knox City Council will hold its regular meeting tonight. No specific action items are listed on the advance agenda, but Mayor Dennis Estok and Clerk-Treasurer Cyndi Mann-Kidder will give their regular reports.
Continue readingKnox Working to Incorporate Canceled Fall Bash Events into 2021 Fourth of July Celebration
While next month’s Fall Bash has been canceled, the City of Knox is already busy rescheduling many of the festivities for next July. Mayor Dennis Estok told the city council last week that the city didn’t really have an option. “There’s no way we could meet any of the conditions set forth to have a gathering over 250 down there, so we just went ahead and canceled it,” he explained.
Continue readingKnox Mayor Proposing One-Percent Pay Raise for City Employees in 2021
Knox city employees may be getting a pay raise next year, but only a slight one. Mayor Dennis Estok told the city council last week that he’s proposing a one-percent raise for employees, but no increase for elected officials or appointed board members.
Continue reading
