Knox Mayor Rick Chambers updated the city council members last night about a water line project in front of the U.S. Post Office that is expected to that road for today only.
Street department crews, water department crews and sewer department crews will tackle the project on Washington Street between Shield Street and Portland Street. Mayor Chambers said Water Superintendent Todd Gardner believes this will help decrease the freezing pipe issues in that area.
Knox Water Department crews will be working on a water line in front of the U.S. Post Office and that street will need to be closed in order to make the necessary repairs.
According to Mayor Rick Chambers, the work will begin on Wednesday on Washington Street at the intersection of Bower Street. The entire length of Washington Street from Shield Street to Portland Street will be closed throughout most of the day on Wednesday.
Work continues to improve roads and other upgrades in the Industrial Park in Knox.
With that, Knox Mayor Rick Chambers said 300 East and Culver Road will be closed at various times this week for the installment of a gas line in that area. Millers Construction will be performing the work and the travel interruption is only expected to affect this one week.
Officials from the city of Knox have sent out notices to several residents who have failed to keep vegetation at a manageable level on their property within city limits.
An ordinance states that “the owners of real property in the city shall cut and remove weeds and other rank vegetation growing on their property. The term “property” includes a parkway, that non hard-surfaced area laying between a sidewalk and a street, lane or roadway.”
The Knox City Council members will again be discussing the outdoor storage ordinance during their meeting tonight.
The ordinance was sent back to the Knox Plan Commission after the council’s last meeting. The council members thought that the ordinance was like a blanket ordinance and didn’t fit each business as they are different in the way they operate. The council wanted wording to allow for a business owner to go before the Knox Board of Zoning Appeals to request a special use for outdoor storage at their business as each case is different.
The Knox City Council will meet in regular session tonight where the council members will once again look at the outdoor storage ordinance that has come back from the plan commission.
Building Commissioner Bruce Williams told WKVI that the ordinance has not changed from what the council previously reviewed. Knox Mayor Rick Chambers told the council members at their last meeting that same thing and it just has to have final action.
The Knox Board of Public Works opened bids Thursday for the 50/50 sidewalk program.
There was no quorum, but the bids will be taken under advisement and awarded at a special meeting on May 15.
Two bids were submitted by Pete Kuchel Concrete and Covenant Concrete. The residences that were submitted for bid include 104 S. Pearl St., 703 S. Pearl St., 307 S. Main St., 604 S. Main Street, 703 Delamatyr, 705 E. Washington St., 707 S. Shield St., 102 Water Street, 402 S. Pearl St., 356 E. Mound, 55 Lake Street and 53 E. Water Street.
The Knox Board of Public Works received an update on the water project for the new Starke County Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center.
Knox Mayor Rick Chambers said the project should be complete today.
“The weather has finally broken so we have gotten caught up,” explained Chambers. “The contractor has gotten in there and pretty much finished his job. The water line has been de-sanitized and pressure checked. There will be some additional work to be done. The line will have to be moved – it’s been deflected too much so we will go in and correct that problem, but should be up and operational within the next day or so.”
The Knox City Council members were given a proposed street paving list when they met last week.
Knox Mayor Rick Chambers noted that he received the list from Street Superintendent Jeff Borg and the council is expected to review the list and approve it at a future meeting.
Crews are set to demolish the old Knox theater and the structure that formerly housed the Starke County Economic Development Foundation’s office.
The demolition will begin at 6:30 a.m. today at 2 and 4 N. Main Street in Knox. Knox Mayor Rick Chambers told WKVI that crews will take one day to completely knock down the building and they will take three days to remove the rubble.
The Bower Street railroad crossing remains under construction.
Knox Mayor Rick Chambers told the city council last week that that railroad crossing has been closed for a month. The rail has been fixed but now the crew is having trouble with the foundation. The crew will be digging up ballasts and stone to repair the area. Ties are already set to be installed at the crossing.
It’s anticipated that the crossing will open in the next couple of weeks.
He stated that the last time he was in the community center, he smelled gas and the culprit was the stove. The doors leading in and out of the kitchen cause the pilot light to go out and this instance wasn’t the first time it had happened. He commented that the stove really didn’t work that well in the first place.
Chambers noted that the stove is commercial-grade and a similar stove will be installed.
In more maintenance issues at the community center, the hot water tank leaked and damaged some electronics on the floor in the building. That issue has been addressed and remedied.
While the winner has been chosen for this year’s Unsung Hero/Random Act of Kindness Award, Knox Mayor Rick Chambers said he will not be announcing the winner until he or she has been recognized during the city council’s next meeting on Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. Chambers said the regular meeting will start at 7:15 p.m. to allow a short recognition ceremony prior to the meeting, to thank the award recipient.
The committee believes that the candidate is very deserving of the award, especially with what the award winner has done for the community.
The big celebration that was planned at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center has been canceled for Sept. 15 and Chambers said the only recognition ceremony will take place at the meeting of the Knox City Council.
That ceremony has not yet been scheduled but it will be announced as time gets closer.
If you someone of any age who has performed a random act of kindness, send a letter to Knox Mayor Rick Chambers that states the person’s name and contact information and why you think he or she should win the award. Include your name and address in that notice. Continue reading
The Starke County Relay for Life is this Friday and Saturday at the Starke County Fairgrounds in Hamlet. Opening ceremonies are at 6 p.m., the luminaria ceremony is around 9:30 p.m. Friday night and several fundraisers are planned throughout the event. Several teams have signed up to help in the fight against cancer.
The Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in Knox was filled with eager community members to help pray for our nation during today’s National Day of Prayer.
This year’s theme is “Pray for America”. It’s about coming together as a nation to better ourselves and make America the best place to be. Eagle Creek Community Church Pastor Ed Hasnerl gave a message of hope and urged neighbors to lift each other up in prayer.
“Of course we need to pray for America, but before our prayers can be effective as they can be we need to examine ourselves, our lives, repent, and then God will hear our prayers and He will heal our nation,” stated Hasnerl.
