THE KNOX COUNTY COMMISSIONERS & KNOX COUNTY COUNCIL
Knox County Commissioners:
TJ Brink President 812-887-4583 tbrink@knoxcounty.in.gov District 1
Tim Ellerman II Vice President 812-890-5301 tellerman@knoxcounty.in.gov District 2
Kellie Streeter Member 812-660-1407 kellie.streeter@knoxcounty.in.gov District 3
KNOX COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Commissioners serve a four (4) year term beginning January 1 after the election. All registered voters in the county vote for Commissioners. Anyone running for Commissioner must reside in the district in which they are running.
THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE JURISDICTION OVER MANY EXECUTIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS INCLUDING:
· Auditing and authorizing claims against the county. (IC 36-2-6-2)
· Receiving bids and authorizing contracts.
· Controlling, maintaining, and supervising county property including courthouses, jails, and public offices. (IC 36-2-2-24)
· Supervising construction and maintenance of roads and bridges.
· Exercising appointive powers including both the selection of members to fill positions on boards, commissions, and committees, and appointment of
certain department heads.
· Planning and implementing strategies for solid waste handling as members of solid waste district boards.
THE COMMISSIONERS MAY ADOPT ORDINANCES CONCERNING THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
· To provide traffic control (IC 817-1-40)
· To regulate and control matters related to public health, water, air and land (IC13-1-1-4)
· To establish minimum housing standards (IC 36-7-8-4)
· To grant vacation pay, sick leave, paid holidays and other similar benefits to county employees (IC 5-10-6-11)
· To administer elections in conjunction with the county election board
· To incorporate new towns and alter township boundary lines, on petition.
The Commissioners only exercise their regulatory powers in the unincorporated areas of the county.
Mike Morris President. 812-881-5191 mmorris@knoxcounty.in.gov District 2
Jon Hillenbrand Vice-President No number. jhillenbrand@knoxcounty.in.gov At-Large
Mary Crismore Member. No number mcrismore@knoxcounty.in.gov District 1
Jay Yochum Member No number jyochum@knoxcounty.in.gov District 3
Rich Chattin Member No number rchattin@knoxcounty.in.gov District 4
Kevin Meyer Member No number kmeyer@knoxcounty.in.gov At-Large
Dan Rietmeyer Member No number dreitmeyer@knoxcounty.in.gov At-Large
KNOX COUNTY COUNCIL
Indiana Code 36-2-3 provides that the County Council is the fiscal body for county government. The official name is “The Knox County Council.”
County Council Meetings meet on the second Tuesday of each month 5:00 P.M. at Vincennes City Hall.
The council members serve four (4) year terms beginning January 1 after the election. One (1) member of the fiscal body shall be elected by the voters of each of the four (4) districts and must reside in that district. Three (3) At-large members of the fiscal body shall be elected by the voters of the whole county and must reside in the county.
The council has authority to view or review fiscal matters, determine proper policy and set priorities for the allocation and expenditure of county funds.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DETERMINES THE POWERS OF A COUNTY COUNCIL WHICH TYPICALLY ARE:
· Approving and fixing annual operating budgets of all county government offices and agencies. (IC 36-2-5-11)
· Establishing salaries, wages, per diems and other compensation for all county officials and employees. (IC 36-2-5-11)
· Fixing tax rates and establishing levies on all county property for the purpose of raising funds to meet budget requirements in conducting county
business, as well as authorizing the borrowing of money in the form of bonds and notes. (IC36-2-6-18)
· Appropriating public funds, i.e., authorizing the expenditure of county money by particular officials or departments for specific purposes.
· Authorizing certain purchases or sales of county owned land (IC 36-1-11-3) or other real property (36-2-2-20).