MOUNT VERNON — Knox County’s premium for casualty, liability and property insurance through the County Risk Sharing Authority for the 2006-07 insurance year is $210,988.

The rate represents a 3.61 percent increase over last year’s premium. The annual insurance coverage period is from May 1 through April 30. Premium costs subtotaled at $263,533; however, that was reduced by $52,545 in credits. A major factor affecting the rates is the county’s loss history, which stays in effect for five years, according to Ginny Shrimplin of CORSA.

Shrimplin told the Knox County Commissioners the county’s three-year commitment to CORSA ends this year, and she asked them for a new three-year commitment. Although no formal action was taken on her request Monday, the commissioners said the county would likely recommit since Knox County is one of the charter members of CORSA.

Others attending the meeting between Shrimplin and the commissioners were Emily Marth, Knox County Safety and Loss Control, and Ron Godfrey, the county’s local agent with Kahrl & Co. Insurance.

The commissioners met with Linda Wolf, Knox County dog warden and humane officer. Wolf presented the monthly activity report for her office.

Wolf said she has started a program under which dog pound personnel go to some area in the county one afternoon per week and conduct door-to-door dog license checks. She said she and one of the deputy dog wardens went to Danville one afternoon last week and knocked on about 75 doors. She said there were numerous instances of dogs found without current licenses. She has arranged to return to Danville on Wednesday with licenses in hand to sell to those who want to get the 2006 licenses, but who can not get transportation to Mount Vernon.

The new Knox County Animal Shelter will be open to the community for touring on Saturday and Sunday, June 10 and 11, from noon until 4 p.m. The public will have the opportunity to see the shelter before the dogs are transferred from the current facility, a process that will start June 12.

The Knox County Dog Pound will be closed May 22 and 23 due to in-house training of all shelter personnel on the new animal control program computer hardware and software.