Commissioners approve deeds, utility permits, road payments and grant applications

The Knox County Commissioners approved a sequence of administrative actions and contracts on Dec. 4, including land conveyance, infrastructure bids, contractor payments and multiple utility permits that the board said support county services and capital projects.

Key approvals included a general warranty deed of 8.139 acres to the Knox County Board of Developmental Disabilities to clarify and transfer the land the board maintains. Commissioners approved an advertisement for bids on Well Number 7 to expand water capacity near Pikesville Road (Apple Valley/Howard area) and set dates for public viewing (Jan. 8) and a hearing (Jan. 13) on Union Township’s application to vacate a portion of Batnest Road.

Financial and contracting items approved included Change Order #1 for McCall Contracting (+$69,900) for the Pleasant Valley Road bridge replacement, a contractor payment of $125,002.01 to McConnell Contracting for the Pleasant Valley work, and a payment of $1,008,274.89 to Law General for the Danville Amity Road Safety Improvement Project; commissioners approved multiple smaller payments and final-balancing adjustments as part of those projects.

In other actions, the board approved a bed-rental agreement with Muskingum County for juvenile detention (three beds reserved at $80 per day, with two additional available), a customer-service maintenance agreement between VASU Communications and Knox County 9-1-1, and an opioid remediation grant application from the sheriff’s office for $104,675 to improve outcomes for incarcerated individuals with substance-use disorders. Commissioners also signed a series of utility permits for Mercury Broadband to install aerial and underground fiber on several township roads in Brown and Pike townships.

What commissioners voted on: Most motions were approved by voice vote with commissioners answering "aye" on the record; the transcript records approvals and amounts but does not include roll-call vote tallies by name.

Next steps: Notices, bid advertisements and the permits will proceed as approved; the Batnest Road public viewing and hearing are scheduled for Jan. 8 and Jan. 13, respectively. County staff will obtain signatures and process contract payments.