Photo: davitydave (Flickr)
Kokomo is expanding its city limits including areas on both its east and west sides.
About 1,100 residents outside Kokomo will now be included in the city limits bringing the city’s population to nearly 57,000. The new residents will receive city services including trash pick-up and city fire protection as a result of the annexation, which a court approved Tuesday, according to Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight who was speaking on WFIU’s Ask The Mayor.
He says areas on the east and west side of Kokomo will be incorporated into the city.
“This really we think is a better reflection of what our true city borders should look like,” Goodnight says.
Residents outside of the city pay a 25 percent surcharge for sewer service. That charge will be dropped starting January 1. The city plans to implement fire and police protection as well as full trash collection by late summer.
“We’re going to do some things like building inspection and inspection services if there are blighted properties,” he says. “We’re going to pick up some of those things immediately. There will be some upfront costs.”
But Goodnight says the city has enough funds set aside to pay for the services even though it will not receive any additional taxpayer money from the new residents until May of 2013.
