What happened
- Special work session called to order at 5:30 p.m. by Mayor Doug Henke
- Council Member Molly Ryan briefed the council on the process of attaining an interim city administrator
- Attorney Riggs contacted a retired city administrator about serving as interim administrator; Riggs, Mayor Henke and Ryan interviewed the candidate
- Attorney Riggs drew up a possible contract for the candidate
- Consensus: the city does need someone in the position, but should take time to explore other options
- Motion by Helgeson, seconded by Ryan, to table the interim administrator contract decision; carried 4-0-0
- Resolution 2024-11 (Approve Interim City Administrator Hiring) — no action taken
- Council Member Mary Bailey left the meeting at 6:25 p.m.
- No other business; adjourned at 6:49 p.m. on motion by Helgeson, second by Lee, carried 4-0-0
What was asked 25 raised · 14 settled
Every question, assignment, pending figure and unsourced claim from this meeting, quoted from the record, each checked against the county, census, listing, bid and budget data we hold.
approximately 10-20% of the cost increases are from inflation with the remainder being a result of work scope changes. The majority of the additional cost (+$870k) is from additional watermain replacement at the request of KMU.
Explaining why total project cost rose from $2,571,125 to $4,154,000 versus the 2022-23 CIP.
The watermain figure checks out exactly. The component table moves water from $372,000 to $1,241,000, an increase of $869,000, which is 54.9 percent of the total $1,582,875 cost growth from $2,571,125 to $4,154,000. The 10 to 20 percent inflation share cannot be verified from our holdings, and the September 2024 feasibility report later brought the estimate down to $3.658 million with alternates.
5-14-24 AGENDA; 9.10.24 Council Packet and Agenda
Approval of Interim City Administrator Contract Motion by Helgeson seconded by Ryan to table the decision until other options could be checked out. Motion carried 4-0-0.
Special work session on hiring an interim city administrator after interviewing one retired administrator candidate.
At the meetingMotion to table carried 4-0-0; no contract approved.
The contract came back and passed. Resolution 2024-11 approving interim city administrator hiring was adopted 4-0-0 as recorded in the June 11 2024 packet, the contract was later extended by Resolution 2024-31 in December 2024, and a permanent City Administrator employment agreement was approved by Resolution 2024-26 on a 5-0-0 roll call recorded in the November 12 2024 packet. The city paid South Central Service Cooperative $14,500 for the permanent administrator recruitment.
6.11.24 Council Packet and Agenda; 12.10.24 and 11.12.24 Council Packets; factbook KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2024-06-11
The consensus was that the city does need someone in this position, but maybe take some time to explore other options.
Extensive discussion of what the City needs in an interim administrator and the wording of the draft contract.
At the meetingNo specific options or assignments were named.
Exploring other options produced nothing. The record states that the objective since April 1 2024 was to bring an interim administrator in as soon as possible, that the council was now back at day one, and that no progress had been made. A motion to write an interim job description and hire a temporary employee died for lack of a second, and the council instead directed the personnel committee to find an outside option.
6.11.24 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2024-06-11
Motion carried 4-0-0. Resolution 2024-11: Approve Interim City Administrator Hiring for the City of Kenyon, Minnesota No action.
Agenda item following the tabled contract decision.
At the meetingNo action taken.
Resolution 2024-11 was later adopted 4-0-0 as recorded in the June 11 2024 packet. The interim arrangement was extended by Resolution 2024-31 in December 2024 before a permanent administrator agreement was approved by Resolution 2024-26.
6.11.24 Council Packet and Agenda; 12.10.24 Council Packet and Agenda Updated · taken up again 2024-06-11
Requested Motion: Approving Pay Application #4 to BCM Construction
Lift station work resumed; pay application covers work and materials through May 3rd.
Pay Application No. 4 for $125,374.39 covering work through May 3 2024 was approved 5-0-0 while the lift station structure was being plumbed and the driveway graded. Applications No. 5 at $104,318.56 and No. 6 at $112,532.25 followed, and by August 2024 electrical work on the lift station was nearly complete.
6.11.24, 7.9.24 and 8-20-24 Council Packets · taken up again 2024-06-11
Motion Approving Resolution 2024-12 Motion Approving Preliminary Engineering Proposal for the 2025 Street & Utility Improvements
First step in the Chapter 429 special assessment process for the 2025 project.
Resolution 2024-12 ordering preparation of the feasibility report was adopted 5-0-0, and the Bolton & Menk preliminary design scope covering the feasibility report, internal and public meetings, survey, contract soil borings and sanitary sewer televising was moved separately. The proposal was priced at $92,900.
6.11.24 Council Packet and Agenda; 5-14-24 AGENDA · taken up again 2024-06-11
be referred to Bolton & Menk, Inc. for study and that that they are instructed to report to the council with all convenient speed
Feasibility report required before special assessments under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 429.
The feasibility report was delivered and reviewed at the September 10 2024 meeting. It put the base project area plus two alternate areas at approximately $3.658 million and the base without alternates at $3.077 million, and warned that the estimates are opinions for general information with financing to be based on actual competitive pricing.
9.10.24 Council Packet and Agenda, feasibility report · taken up again 2024-09-10
Note: all projections are very high level and will be verified later
Memo shows projected levy +$78k/4.9%, storm sewer rates +30%, sanitary sewer rates +10%, water rates +0-1%.
The high level projections were verified and most of them were wrong. Actual 2025 rates set in March 2025 raised the residential sanitary rate from $7.40 to $7.77 per thousand gallons and the base from $26.25 to $27.57 a month, both about 5 percent against a projected 10 percent, while the storm maintenance fee went from $9.00 to $13.00 a month, a 44.4 percent rise against a projected 30 percent. The certified 2025 levy rose 9.55 percent to $1,400,000, roughly double the projected 4.9 percent and $78,000.
The actual levy increase of 9.55 percent was nearly double the 4.9 percent projected, and the storm sewer fee rose 44.4 percent against a projected 30 percent.
3-11-25 council packet; factbook taxes/levy.html · taken up again 2025-03-11
We are seeking any comments, suggestions or concurrence on project scope as presented, but no specific action is requested with this agenda item.
Discussion-only item with no specific action requested.
The council did give direction, repeatedly and informally rather than by motion. The September 10 2024 packet again requested informal consensus on project scope and areas including alternates and on adjustment of assessment rates, and the June 10 2025 packet again invited direction on scope or alternates so the plans could be amended before bidding.
9.10.24 Council Packet and Agenda; 6-10-25 COUNCIL PACKET Updated · taken up again 2025-06-10
The Project bid letting is tentatively scheduled for winter of 2024/25 and construction during the summer of 2025. Intermittent milestone dates will be identified during preliminary design.
Schedule section of the agreement.
The schedule slipped by roughly six months. The improvement hearing landed in October 2024 rather than the August target, bidding ran to April 2 2025 rather than January or February, the first bids were rejected on June 10 2025, and the rebid opened July 2 2025 with the award to Fitzgerald Excavating at $2,294,629.25 on July 8 2025. Construction did fall in summer 2025 but the award came two months past the May 2025 target.
10-8-24 AGENDA; factbook KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2025-07-08
This area consists of vacated railroad right-of-way and title work will be necessary to determine the location of rights-of-way and property lines.
Boundary survey scope; fee breakdown estimates 6 title reports at $350 each.
The title work confirmed a real problem. By the December 10 2024 packet the city reported that the Langford right of way is within and adjacent to former railroad right of way, that its width varies, and that portions of the existing street already sit outside the right of way. Because the project slightly widens Langford, those encroachments grow as a result of the work. The completed title reports themselves are not in our holdings.
12.10.24 Council Packet and Agenda Updated; 5-14-24 AGENDA · taken up again 2024-12-10
The school's counselor stated there were no applications filled out.
2024 Kenyon Police Department Scholarship to be presented at the May council meeting.
The scholarship was presented to Armani Tucker, who introduced himself to the council and described his law enforcement education. He was enrolled at RCTC with a spring 2025 graduation target, worked as a Cadet for the Rochester Police Department and volunteered as a Kenyon Police Department Reserve. He was later sworn in as a Kenyon police officer, with Mayor Kirchmann reciting the oath of office in the record carried in the August 12 2025 packet.
6.11.24 Council Packet and Agenda; 5-14-24 AGENDA; 8.12.25 Council Packet & Agenda Updated · taken up again 2024-06-11
Move to 2028 or 2031 ... Final Locations TBD (Remaining Overlays, Mogren, 9th/Forest)
CIP street and utility improvements table presented for approval.
5th Street from Spring to Bullis moved sharply forward rather than back. The September 2024 feasibility report carries it as a reconstruction segment inside the 2025 Street and Utility Improvements project, not in 2028 or 2031. The 2031 overlay locations remain to be determined in our record, with the CIP note still reading remaining overlays, Mogren and 9th and Forest.
The CIP listed 5th Street Spring to Bullis for 2028 or 2031, while the feasibility report six months later placed it in the 2025 project.
9.10.24 Council Packet and Agenda; 5-14-24 AGENDA, CIP table · taken up again 2024-09-10
1.5 Million of street cost assumed to be grant ... Placeholder Cost Only
Notes column of the CIP table for future projects.
The assumed grant was the MnDOT Local Road Improvement Program and Kenyon did not get it. The city was not awarded the LRIP grant for the 6th Street reconstruction, the project was moved back to 2028, and staff noted they may apply again at the next solicitation. The $3,000,000 wastewater treatment plant figure remains a placeholder with no actual cost estimate anywhere in our holdings.
5-14-24 AGENDA · taken up again 2024-05-14
Requested Action: Motion Authorizing Mayor and Staff to enter into the CSAH 12 Partnership Agreement with Goodhue County
Agreement defines city and county responsibilities and cost shares for planning and design of CSAH 12.
No council motion authorizing the mayor to sign and no executed CSAH 12 agreement appears in our holdings. What we hold is the requested action language, the draft agreement dated as last revised May 9 2024, and the appendix of anticipated cost shares. The signed agreement bearing city and county signatures would settle it.
5-14-24 AGENDA
This is an ongoing conversation and the agreement may be updated again prior to the meeting.
Agenda summary notes the agreement remains an ongoing conversation.
Our copy remains the draft, and the agreement itself contemplates further change, stating that some adjustments to the cost shares may be revised with the later cooperative agreement if mutually agreeable. No final revised version and no final cost-share totals appear in our holdings.
5-14-24 AGENDA
Storm sewer costs are mostly due to inflation and may change following a more detailed look during the feasibility study.
Storm sewer component estimated at $794,000, up from $550,000.
No storm sewer figure broken out of the completed feasibility study appears in our holdings. What the record does show is the rate consequence, with the residential storm maintenance fee rising from $9.00 to $13.00 a month for 2025, a 44.4 percent increase, against a scope memo estimate of $794,000 for storm sewer work. The feasibility study's storm sewer cost line is what is missing.
5-14-24 AGENDA; 3-11-25 council packet
City's Authorized Representative is: Name: _______________ or successor.
Article 4 requires each party to name an authorized representative to administer the agreement.
The city side of Article 4 is blank in every copy we hold, while the county side is complete with Jess Greenwood, P.E., County Engineer and Public Works Director, 2140 Pioneer Road in Red Wing, telephone 651-385-3025. The executed agreement naming the city's designated representative is what is missing.
5-14-24 AGENDA, CSAH 12 Partnership Agreement Article 4
The City will draft a cooperative agreement following bidding.
Cost shares in Appendix B may be revised in the cooperative agreement.
The triggering condition occurred, since the street and utility work was bid and awarded on July 8 2025, but no drafted cooperative agreement with final cost share totals, maintenance terms or payment schedule appears in our holdings. The drafted cooperative agreement is what is missing.
5-14-24 AGENDA; factbook KENYON_BIDS.md
Geotech and televising costs are estimated based on past projects. The city will be billed based on actual costs for these services.
Proposal totals $92,900 including $9,700 geotech and $6,000 televising.
The work was done, since the October 2024 packet reports survey, sewer televising and geotechnical review all complete, but no subcontractor invoices appear in our holdings so the estimates were never reconciled to actuals. The estimates themselves were $9,700 for soil borings and $6,000 for televising, the latter assuming 1,200 linear feet at $4 per foot with no cleaning or root cutting.
The proposal's own line items sum to $89,900, matching the fee spreadsheet subtotal, yet the same page states a total of $92,900, a $3,000 overstatement.
10-8-24 AGENDA; 5-14-24 AGENDA
If needed, we will inform the City and we can perform the work as additional services.
Detailed boundary surveys are excluded from the base proposal scope.
No easement determination and no cost proposal for added boundary survey work appears in our holdings. The CSAH 12 agreement stated at the time that no significant easements were anticipated, while the December 2024 finding that parts of Langford Avenue lie outside the right of way and that the encroachments will grow points the other way. A written determination on easement need would settle it.
5-14-24 AGENDA; 12.10.24 Council Packet and Agenda Updated
The City will draft an initial Project schedule of key milestones. Regular schedule updates will be provided as needed.
Detailed work scope and deliverables assigned to the city.
No CSAH 12 project schedule document, design team meeting agenda or meeting notes appears anywhere in our holdings. The city project manager's distributed agendas and notes, which the agreement requires for each monthly design meeting, would settle whether this obligation was met.
would settle it: The project schedule document and meeting agendas/notes
Following submittal, the County will review and provide comments to the City within 4 weeks.
30/60/90 percent plan review process before state aid review and approval.
No county review comments on any 30, 60 or 90 percent plan submittal appear in our holdings, and no submittal dates were ever fixed, since the agreement leaves them to be determined by the city during preliminary design. The county's written review comments would settle whether the four-week turnaround was met.
would settle it: County review comments on each plan submittal
At the outset of preliminary design, the City and County will coordinate to obtain municipal consent, if required by MnDOT State Aid.
Preliminary design coordination step.
No MnDOT State Aid determination on whether municipal consent is required for CSAH 12 appears in our holdings, and no municipal consent resolution from the county is in the record. The State Aid determination letter would settle it.
would settle it: A MnDOT State Aid determination on whether municipal consent is required
The County will reimburse the city for reasonable and applicable portions of these design and planning costs at a later date.
Cost participation and terms of payment article.
No invoice, payment schedule or reimbursement establishing the county's share of CSAH 12 design and planning costs appears in our holdings. A county payment record against the city's design invoices would settle it.
would settle it: An invoice and payment schedule establishing the county's design cost share
Decisions 2 motions
| Motion | Moved / seconded | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Table the decision until other options could be checked out | Helgeson / Ryan | 4-0-0 |
| Adjourn the meeting at 6:49 p.m | Helgeson / Lee | 4-0-0 |
Who did what
| Person | At this meeting |
|---|---|
| Doug Henke Mayor | Called the special meeting and work session to order at 5:30 p.m.; participated in interviewing the interim administrator candidate |
| Molly Ryan Council Member | Gave background on the process of attaining an interim city administrator; participated in the candidate interview; seconded the motion to table |
| Kim Helgeson Council Member | Moved to table the interim city administrator contract decision and moved to adjourn |
| Lee Sjolander Council Member | Seconded the motion to adjourn |
| Mary Bailey Council Member | Attended; left the meeting at 6:25 pm |
| Wayne Ehrich Public Works Director | Present at the meeting |
| Holli Gudknecht Administrative Assistant / Deputy City Clerk | Present and signed the minutes as Deputy City Clerk |
| Whitney Kyllo Finance Director | Present at the meeting |
| Jeff Sjoblom Police Chief | Present at the meeting |
| Riggs Attorney | Contacted a retired city administrator about the interim role, participated in the interview, and drew up a possible contract |
Organizations named: City of Kenyon
Said at the meeting
There was extensive discussion on what the City really needed in an interim administrator and some of the wording of the contract.
Minutes (record of discussion) · minutes, verbatim
The consensus was that the city does need someone in this position, but maybe take some time to explore other options.
Minutes (council consensus) · minutes, verbatim
Motion by Helgeson seconded by Ryan to table the decision until other options could be checked out.
Minutes (motion) · minutes, verbatim
Resolutions and ordinances
- Approve Interim City Administrator Hiring for the City of Kenyon, Minnesota No actionRes. 2024-11
Full packet text (0k characters)
The minutes
Official minutes as adopted, from 5-14-24 AGENDA(1); text extracted from the PDF.
Council special meeting was duly held in the City Council chambers at 5:30 p.m. on the 25th day of April 2024. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Henke.
- Present
- Mayor Doug Henke, Council Members Kim Helgeson, Lee Sjolander, Molly Ryan, and Mary Bailey (left at 6:25 pm)
- Also present
- Public Works Director Wayne Ehrich, Administrative Assistant Holli Gudknecht, Finance Director Whitney Kyllo, Police Chief Jeff Sjoblom
Mayor Doug Henke called the Council work session to order at 5:30 pm
General Discussion of Interim City Administrator
Council Member Ryan gave a background on the process of attaining an interim City Administrator. Attorney Riggs had contacted a retired city administrator about serving as an interim administrator in Kenyon. Attorney Riggs, Mayor Henke and Council Member Ryan interviewed this candidate. Attorney Riggs drew up a possible contract for this individual. There was extensive discussion on what the City really needed in an interim administrator and some of the wording of the contract. The consensus was that the city does need someone in this position, but maybe take some time to explore other options.
Approval of Interim City Administrator Contract
Motion by Helgeson seconded by Ryan to table the decision until other options could be checked out.
Motion carried 4-0-0Resolution 2024-11: Approve Interim City Administrator Hiring for the City of Kenyon, Minnesota
No action.
Other None
Motion by Helgeson second by Lee to adjourn the meeting at 6:49 p.m. Motion carried 4-0-0.