Watch the meeting
What happened
- Mayor Don Kirchmann was absent; Mary Bailey served as Acting Mayor and all votes carried 4-0-0.
- Consent agenda approved check numbers 76920 through 77013 and 5347E through 5382E, plus on-sale liquor license renewals for Kenyon Country Club and Cahill Bistro & Bar.
- Resolution 2025-11 adopted, approving plans and specifications and ordering advertisement for bids on the 2025 Street and Utility Improvements.
- Engineer directed to collect quotes for the 2025 chip seal project, estimated at $80,000-$90,000.
- Council voted not to renew the city's land lease agreement with Luis Tellez / Taco Express next to the Municipal Liquor Store.
- Resolution 2025-10 accepted $10,000 in donations from the Kenyon Fire Relief Association to the fire truck fund.
- Police Chief Sjoblom reported the full-time officer position posted with an April 1 closing date, and night patrol hours changed to reduce on-call costs.
- Liquor Store Manager Matt Bartel authorized to begin the process of expanding the Muni into the former NAPA building at 641 2nd Street.
- Bartel authorized to move forward with registering to sell THC drinks and gummies on the off-sale side.
- Insulation quote from Reichel Insulation for $2,500.00 accepted to sound-insulate the administrator's office and conference room.
- Resolution 2025-12 granting a lot combination for Scot Bowen at 1 Langford Avenue was tabled pending easement discussion.
What was asked 22 raised · 12 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.
Motion by Sjolander seconded by Bailey to direct the City Engineer to collect quotes for the 2025 chip seal project.
2025 preventative maintenance chip sealing project.
At the meetingMotion carried 4-0-0; quotes were later received and tabulated for the April meeting.
Four quotes came back and the council awarded the contract to Pearson Bros on May 13 2025, motion by Helgeson and second by Bailey, carried 4-0-0, with authority to exceed the quoted total by up to $20,000 at the city engineer's direction. Pearson bid $59,951.55 against Asphalt Surface Tech at $68,726, Allied Blacktop at $69,913.20 and Fahrner at $96,685.70.
5-13-25 council packet updated; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2025-05-13
For the last several years, preventative maintenance projects have been intentionally undersized in order to complete a larger chip sealing project this year. The proposed 2025 project is estimated to cost between $80,000-$90,000.
Presentation of the 2025 preventative maintenance chip seal project.
At the meetingNo final number at the meeting; quotes were to be collected.
The low bid came in at $59,951.55, about $20,000 below the bottom of the estimate and $30,048 under the $90,000 budgeted. The engineer used the gap to pull 2026 chip sealing forward, adding up to $20,000 of work at the quoted unit pricing and still finishing roughly $10,000 under budget.
The project was estimated at $80,000 to $90,000 and the low quote came in 25% below the bottom of that range.
5-13-25 council packet updated; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2025-05-13
Then it will be presented to the KMU Commission and employees. The plan is to have the process finalized and back to the council in April.
Ongoing rewrite of the KMU process, contracts, and organizational chart.
At the meetingLehner reported he has reviewed contracts and the organizational chart with Attorney Riggs.
The process finished two months later than planned. The KMU Commission accepted and signed the five contracts on April 23 2025, and the council gave final approval on June 10 2025 to all six items, motion by Helgeson and second by Kirchmann. The package covers administrative staff supervision including KMU, building and property control, personnel utilization, billing, municipal projects and the organizational chart.
6-10-25 COUNCIL PACKET Updated · taken up again 2025-06-10
Motion by Bailey seconded by Brunner to give approval to Manager Bartel to start the process of expansion of the Muni into the NAPA building.
Liquor store update on options for the liquor-store-owned NAPA building.
At the meetingMotion carried 4-0-0.
The expansion advanced to costed estimates within seven months. On October 14 2025 the council approved preliminary estimates 4-0-0 of $96,581.72 from L&M Construction to remodel the building and $111,524.87 from Stan Morgan and Associates for equipment, a combined $208,106.59 against $215,000 already in the budget, leaving $6,893.41 of headroom. As of July 8 2025 Bartel held only the L&M quote and was still expecting two more.
10.14.25 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2025-10-14
Motion by Brunner seconded by Bailey to authorize Manager Bartel to move forward with registering to sell THC products.
Liquor store update on cannabis-derived beverage and edible sales.
At the meetingMotion carried 4-0-0.
Registration went through and sales started. The liquor fund carries a dedicated THC sales revenue account, 609-00000-37817, which had taken in $4,302.54 by September 30 2025 including $889.03 that month, against a budget of $0 because the line did not exist when the 2025 budget was set.
3-10-26 Council Packet Updated liquor revenue ledger · taken up again 2025-09-30
Police Department Update Hiring Process Chief Sjolander reported that the full-time police officer position has been posted on the city's website and on the POST Board hiring page. The closing date is April 1.
Police department hiring process update.
At the meetingChief reported the position is posted on the city website and POST Board hiring page.
The posting drew four qualified applicants, all interviewed on April 15 2025. By June 10 2025 the city was moving forward with one of them, a background check was under way, and the officer was expected on board by mid to late June. For context, the city's later full-time officer posting pays $33.54 an hour at entry and $42.61 at five to ten years.
5-13-25 council packet updated; 6-10-25 COUNCIL PACKET Updated · taken up again 2025-06-10
Bolton & Menk will be working on getting permit approvals. Conversations have been started with property owners along Langford Avenue regarding easements.
Status of the 2025 Street and Utility Improvements design and permitting.
At the meetingOlinger said conversations have started; by April, informal approvals had been received from 3 of 4 owners.
The council adopted Resolution 2025-16 accepting the easements on June 10 2025, carried 5-0-0, though at that point only two of the four Langford Avenue owners had signed, one had given a verbal agreement and the fourth had not yet been contacted. The owners were to be compensated for the land rights. By September 9 2025 all property owners had been notified again of their assessment amounts and Fitzgerald was completing contract documents.
The council adopted a resolution accepting the easements while a quarter of the affected owners had not yet been contacted.
6-10-25 COUNCIL PACKET Updated; 9-9-25 Council Packet · taken up again 2025-06-10
Conversations have been started with property owners along Langford Avenue regarding easements. The plan is to have bids reviewed in April, the project awarded in May, and construction to begin in June.
Schedule for the 2025 Street and Utility Improvements after adopting plans and ordering advertisement for bids.
At the meetingCouncil adopted Resolution 2025-11 ordering advertisement for bids 4-0-0.
The schedule slipped. Resolution 2025-11 ordering advertisement for bids passed 4-0-0, bids came in, and on June 10 2025 the council rejected all of them 5-0-0 on Attorney Riggs's recommendation and started the bidding over, tabling Resolution 2025-14. The rebid was awarded to Fitzgerald Excavating at $2,294,629.25 on July 8 2025, and by September 9 2025 the expectation was only that Fitzgerald would start a few of the streets that year.
The plan presented in March was to award in May and start construction in June, but all bids were rejected in June and construction was still barely under way in September.
6-10-25 COUNCIL PACKET Updated; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2025-07-08
Motion by Helgeson seconded by Sjolander to follow staff recommendation to not renew the city agreement with Taco Express.
Annual renewal of the food vendor's lease of city property.
At the meetingCouncil voted 4-0-0 not to renew the agreement.
The council voted 4-0-0 not to renew, then had to revisit it. On May 13 2025 Bonnie Rapp and Brenda Tellez told the council they were shocked to learn of the non-renewal from a newspaper article, Administrator Lehner apologized for not informing them before it appeared in print, and they asked to remain on city property for one more year given the short notice. The council's final decision on that request is not in anything we hold.
5-13-25 council packet updated · taken up again 2025-05-13
Motion by Sjolander seconded by Helgeson to accept the insulation quote from Reichel Insulation for $2,500.00.
Sound control at city hall where conversations can be heard through uninsulated internal walls.
At the meetingMotion carried 4-0-0.
The award stands in our bid record as Reichel Insulation at $2,500 with no competing quote. At $2,500 the purchase sits below the $4,999 staff limit in Administrative Policy No. 34, so one quote was permitted and the council approved it anyway. No completion confirmation is in our archive.
KENYON_BIDS.md
House Hunt: Lehner stated that he has made an offer on a house in the area. Hopefully, he will be moving soon.
Administrator update on his house hunt.
The offer was accepted and Lehner closed on a house in the area on Friday April 11 2025, taking the day out of the office. He was still serving as city administrator in 2026.
5-13-25 council packet updated · taken up again 2025-04-11
Resolution 2025-10 Accepting Kenyon Fire Relief Association Donations to the City of Kenyon Motion by Helgeson seconded by Bailey to adopt Resolution 2025-10 accepting donations of $10,000.00 from the Kenyon Fire Relief Association to the fire truck fund.
Acceptance of Fire Relief Association donations to the city.
At the meetingMotion carried 4-0-0.
Resolution 2025-10 passed 4-0-0 accepting the $10,000 for the fire truck fund, and the Fire Relief Association kept giving that year, with the council accepting a further $3,000 on August 12 2025 and another $10,000 on October 14 2025, $23,000 in all across the three council actions. No deposit record confirming the funds reached the fire truck fund is in anything we hold.
4-8-25 council packet; 8.12.25 Council Packet and Agenda Updated; 10.14.25 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2025-10-14
Resolution 2025-12: Granting Approval of a Lot Combination for Scot Bowen Motion by Bailey seconded by Brunner to table this resolution and direct Engineer Olinger to talk to Scot Bowen about easements, etc.
Scot Bowen sought approval to combine two C-2 zoned lots at 1 Langford Avenue.
At the meetingCouncil tabled the resolution 4-0-0 and directed the engineer to speak with the applicant.
The council tabled Resolution 2025-12 on a 4-0-0 vote and nothing we hold records it coming back. The combination was described as a minor lot combination of two C-2 General Commercial parcels under the city code. A later council agenda or minutes showing Resolution 2025-12 adopted or withdrawn would settle it.
4-8-25 council packet
Cannabis Sales Manager Bartel stated he is considering offering THC drinks and gummies on the off-sale side of the Muni. Many public and private stores are benefiting from the sale of drinks and gummies.
Justification for the Muni offering THC drinks and gummies.
We hold no sales data from other municipal liquor stores, so the comparison cannot be checked. Kenyon's own result is modest: $4,302.54 of THC sales through September 30 2025, which is 0.68% of the $634,728.56 of total liquor revenue booked in the same period, and about $478 a month. Sales figures from comparable Minnesota municipal stores would settle the broader claim.
3-10-26 Council Packet Updated liquor revenue ledger
Audit Update: The auditors were here on February 20 and 21. Everything went well. Lehner is looking at some of the recommendations from the auditors.
Audit update after auditors visited February 20 and 21.
At the meetingLehner said everything went well with the audit.
No management letter or list of auditor recommendations with city responses appears in anything we hold for that audit. The one recommendation of substance we do hold is the auditor flagging the Granicus and Catalis subscriptions as an unbudgeted 2025 variance, with Granicus Peak Agenda Management alone costing $4,530.03 in June 2025. The auditor of record is BerganKDV, engaged at $27,540 under the December 2024 request for proposals, on a 400-hour annual audit plan.
KENYON_IT_SPEND.md; KENYON_BIDS.md; 12.9.25 Council Agenda and Packet Updated
He expressed concerns about the perception of the city renting space to a food vendor for a minimal fee when there are several other food businesses in town that own their lots and pay taxes.
Rationale for discontinuing the Taco Express lease.
The lease rate Taco Express paid is not in anything we hold, so minimal fee cannot be quantified. The tax-paying comparison is verifiable in one direction: our directory holds 167 Kenyon businesses, and among food sellers Kenyon Market at 109 Red Wing Avenue pays $7,225 in city tax and $14,914 in total tax on an estimated market value of $464,100, while Dollar General at 98 Gunderson Boulevard pays $1,762 in city tax. The agreement itself allowed either party to terminate at any time for any reason on written notice.
data/companies.csv; taxes/data/kenyon_tax.json; 4-8-25 council packet
For the last several years, preventative maintenance projects have been intentionally undersized in order to complete a larger chip sealing project this year.
Explanation of the scope of the 2025 chip seal project.
We hold no prior-year preventative maintenance budgets, so the deliberate undersizing cannot be traced. The one earlier comparable in our bid record supports the pattern: the 2024 asphalt rejuvenator work went to Corrective Asphalt Materials at $16,188.30, roughly a quarter of the 2025 chip seal award of $59,951.55. The strategy worked as described, since the added $20,000 of work was meant to finish the remaining streets and eliminate the need for chip sealing in 2026.
KENYON_BIDS.md; 4-8-25 council packet
Resolution 2025-12: Granting Approval of a Lot Combination for Scot Bowen Motion by Bailey seconded by Brunner to table this resolution and direct Engineer Olinger to talk to Scot Bowen about easements, etc.
Tabling of the lot combination resolution.
At the meetingMotion carried 4-0-0.
No record of Engineer Olinger's conversation with Scot Bowen, and no easement agreement for 1 Langford Avenue, appears in anything we hold. The Langford Avenue easements that do appear in the record are a separate matter, four permanent right-of-way easements for the 2025 Street and Utility Improvements accepted by Resolution 2025-16 on June 10 2025. An engineer's report back to the council on the Bowen parcels would settle it.
6-10-25 COUNCIL PACKET Updated · would settle it: Record of the conversation and any easement agreement
Change in Coverage Hours Chief Sjolander stated that the night patrol hours have been changed. This will be cost savings for the city and provide more coverage with fewer on-call hours.
Police department update on changed coverage hours.
We hold no police schedules, no on-call hour counts and no payroll detail for the department, so neither the saving nor the added coverage can be measured. A before and after patrol schedule with the associated payroll cost would settle it.
4-8-25 council packet · would settle it: Before-and-after schedule and payroll cost comparison
ENGINEERING 2025 Street and Utility Improvements Engineer Olinger stated that the design work for the 2025 street and utility project is complete and ready to advertise for bids. Bolton & Menk will be working on getting permit approvals.
Design work complete and project ready to advertise for bids.
No issued permits for the 2025 street and utility project appear in anything we hold. The project did reach bidding twice under Bolton and Menk project number 24X134934, so permitting did not stop it. The agency permit approvals themselves would settle it.
7.8.25 Updated Council Packet and Agenda · would settle it: Issued permits for the 2025 street and utility project
He noted that the Liquor Store is also considering making some improvements to their patio area that would involve the Taco Express location.
One reason given for discontinuing the Taco Express lease.
No patio improvement plan or cost estimate for the liquor store appears in anything we hold. The liquor store construction estimates we do have are for the former NAPA building remodel, covering concrete, carpentry, electrical, plumbing and interior walls. A patio plan or quote in a later packet would settle it.
6-10-25 COUNCIL PACKET Updated · would settle it: Patio improvement plan and cost estimate
Insulating Office for Sound Control Administrator Lehner stated that there is no insulation in the internal walls of city hall. Conversations can be heard through the walls even when the doors are closed.
Justification for the spray foam insulation project.
We hold no building inspection or contractor assessment of city hall wall construction, so the absence of insulation is unverified. The council acted on the administrator's description alone. A contractor's written scope or an inspection report on the internal walls would settle it.
4-8-25 council packet · would settle it: Inspection or contractor assessment of existing wall construction
Decisions 11 motions
Who did what
| Person | At this meeting |
|---|---|
| Mary Bailey Council Member / Acting Mayor | Called the meeting to order, presided in the mayor's absence, and moved Resolution 2025-11, the Resolution 2025-10 second, the NAPA building expansion and the tabling of the lot combination. |
| Don Kirchmann Mayor | Absent from the meeting. |
| Kim Helgeson Council Member | Moved the consent agenda, the Taco Express non-renewal, Resolution 2025-10 and adjournment; urged residents to be aware of walkers and bikers in warmer weather. |
| Lee Sjolander Council Member | Moved to approve the agenda, to direct the engineer to collect chip seal quotes, and to accept the insulation quote. |
| Elana Brunner Council Member | Seconded several motions and moved authorization for THC product registration; thanked KMU and Public Works for snowstorm work. |
| Scott Lehner City Administrator | Reported on the KMU process, the February 20-21 audit, and his house hunt; recommended ending the Taco Express agreement and insulating city hall walls. |
| Derek Olinger Engineer | Reported the 2025 street and utility design complete and ready for bids, reviewed the chip seal project, and was directed to discuss easements with Scot Bowen. |
| Jeff Sjoblom Police Chief | Reported the full-time officer posting with an April 1 closing date and a change in night patrol hours to 1500-0300. |
| Matt Bartel Liquor Store Manager | Proposed converting the former NAPA building into an off-sale with a separate entrance and selling THC drinks and gummies; received council approval for both. |
| Holli Gudknecht Deputy City Clerk / Administrative Assistant | Recorded and signed the minutes and prepared agenda item reports. |
| Scott Riggs City Attorney | Attended; had reviewed KMU contracts and the organizational chart with Administrator Lehner. |
| Wayne Ehrich Public Works Supervisor | Attended the meeting. |
| Brian Homeier Officer | Attended the meeting. |
| Scot Bowen Property owner / applicant | Sought approval to combine two lots at 1 Langford Avenue; the resolution was tabled pending easement discussions. |
| Luis Tellez Taco Express operator | His agreement to lease city property next to the Municipal Liquor Store was not renewed. |
| Tammy Rose Part-time Municipal Liquor Store Employee | Hire listed for approval under minutes and appointments on the consent agenda. |
| Lizzie Cooper Kenyon Leader | Attended the meeting. |
| John Lee Attendee | Present at the meeting. |
| Josh Johnson Attendee | Present at the meeting. |
Organizations named: City of Kenyon, Kenyon Municipal Utilities (KMU), Kenyon Fire Relief Association, Kenyon Fire Department, Kenyon Municipal Liquor Store, Kenyon Country Club, Cahill Bistro & Bar, Taco Express, Bolton & Menk, Inc., Reichel Insulation, POST Board, Kenyon Leader, Kenyon Economic Development Authority (EDA), Kenyon Police Department, Public Works
Figures
| Amount | What |
|---|---|
| $10,000.00 | Kenyon Fire Relief Association donations accepted to the fire truck fund via Resolution 2025-10 |
| $80,000-$90,000 | estimated cost of the proposed 2025 chip seal project |
| $2,500.00 | Reichel Insulation quote for spray foam insulating the administrator's office and conference room |
Said at the meeting
He expressed concerns about the perception of the city renting space to a food vendor for a minimal fee when there are several other food businesses in town that own their lots and pay taxes.
Minutes (Administrator Scott Lehner) · packet, verbatim
Manager Bartel stated he is considering offering THC drinks and gummies on the off sale side of the Muni.
Minutes (Liquor Store Manager Matt Bartel) · packet, verbatim
Administrator Lehner stated that there is no insulation in the internal walls of city hall.
Minutes (Administrator Scott Lehner) · packet, verbatim
Council Member Helgeson wanted residents to be aware of their surroundings with the warmer weather bringing more people out walking and biking.
Minutes (Council Member Kim Helgeson) · minutes, verbatim
Council Member Brunner thanked KMU and Public Works for all they did during the snowstorm last week.
Minutes (Council Member Elana Brunner) · minutes, verbatim
The biggest reason, provide more coverage for the city and use less on-call hours.
Chief Jeff Sjoblom (packet memo) · packet, verbatim
Resolutions and ordinances
- Approving Plans and Specifications and Ordering Advertisement for Bids 2025 Street and Utility Improvements Motion by Bailey seconded by HelgRes. 2025-11
- Accepting Kenyon Fire Relief Association Donations to the City of Kenyon Motion by Helgeson seconded by Bailey to adopt Resolution 2025-10 acRes. 2025-10
- Granting Approval of a Lot Combination for Scot Bowen Motion by Bailey seconded by Brunner to table this resolution and direct Engineer OlingRes. 2025-12
Agenda
Each item links to where it appears in the packet.
- I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
- II. CITIZEN COMMENTS
- III. ADOPT AGENDA
- III.A Adopt the Agenda for March 11, 2025
- IV. CONSENT AGENDA
- IV.A CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDING:
- V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES and APPOINTMENTS
- V.A Minutes and appointments
- VI. PRESENTATIONS/PUBLIC HEARINGS
- VII. ADMINISTRATOR UPDATE
- VII.A Administrator Update:
- VIII. ENGINEERING
- IX. LEGAL
- X. FINANCIAL
- X.A Financials - February 2025
- XI. OLD BUSINESS
- XII. NEW BUSINESS
- XII.B Resolution 2025-10 Accepting Kenyon Fire Relief Association Donations to the City
- XII.C Police Department Update - Chief Jeff Sjoblom will update the Council on:
- XII.D Liquor Store Update - Manager Matt Bartel will review these items at the meeting.
- XII.E Insulating Office for Sound Control
- XII.F Lot Combination - Scot Bowen
- XIII. F.Y.I. - Department Updates
- XIII.A FYI - March 11, 2025
- XIV. COUNCIL AND STAFF GENERAL COMMENTS
- XV. ADJOURNMENT
- A. On-Sale Liquor License Renewal- Kenyon Country Club
- B. On-Sale Liquor License Renewal- Cahill Bistro & Bar
- A. City Council Meeting Minutes of February 11, 2025
- B. Approve Hire of Part-time Municipal Liquor Store Employee Tammy Rose
- VI. PRESENTATIONS/PUBLIC HEARINGS RECOGNITIONS/PROCLAMATIONS
- A. KMU Process Update
- B. Audit Update
- B. Resolution 2025-18 Accepting Kenyon Fire Relief Association Donations to the City
- C. Police Department Update
- D. Liquor Store Update
- E. Insulating Office for Sound Control
- F. Lot Combination – 1 Langford Avenue
- XIII. OTHER BUSINESS
- A. Schedule of Upcoming Meetings
Full packet text (1042k characters)
The minutes
Official minutes as adopted, from 4-8-25 council packet; text extracted from the PDF.
Council Meeting was duly held in the City Council chambers at 7:00 p.m. on the 11th day of March 2025. The meeting was called to order by Mary Bailey.
- Present
- Council Members Kim Helgeson, Lee Sjolander, Mary Bailey, and Elana Brunner
- Absent
- Mayor Don Kirchmann
- Also present
- City Administrator Scott Lehner, Administrative Assistant Holli Gudknecht, Engineer Derek Olinger, Police Chief Jeff Sjoblom, Liquor Store Manager Matt Bartel, City Attorney Scott Riggs, Public Works Supervisor Wayne Ehrich, Officer Brian Homeier, John Lee, Josh Johnson, Lizzie Cooper-Kenyon Leader
The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Citizen Comment
Adopt Agenda
Motion by Sjolander seconded by Helgeson to approve the agenda. Motion carried 4-0-0.
Consent Agenda
Motion by Helgeson second by Brunner to approve the amended Consent Agenda, which includes:
Motion carried 4-0-0Presentations / Public Hearings / Recognitions / Prolamations
Administrator Update
KMU Process Update: Administrator Lehner stated he is still working on the new KMU process. He has reviewed the contracts and organizational chart with Attorney Riggs. Next, the preliminary process with go to the personnel committee. Then it will be presented to the KMU Commission and employees. The plan is to have the process finalized and back to the council in April.
Audit Update: The auditors were here on February 20 and 21. Everything went well. Lehner is looking at some of the recommendations from the auditors.
House Hunt: Lehner stated that he has made an offer on a house in the area. Hopefully, he will be moving soon.
Engineering
2025 Street and Utility Improvements Engineer Olinger stated that the design work for the 2025 street and utility project is complete and ready to advertise for bids. Bolton & Menk will be working on getting permit approvals. Conversations have been started with property owners along Langford Avenue regarding easements. The plan is to have bids reviewed in April, the project awarded in May, and construction to begin in June.
Resolution 2025-11: Approving Plans and Specifications and Ordering Advertisement for Bids 2025
Street and Utility Improvements
Motion by Bailey seconded by Helgeson to adopt Resolution 2025-11. Motion carried 4-0-0.
9 2025 Chip Seal Project Engineer Olinger reviewed the city's preventative maintenance project for 2025. For the last several years, preventative maintenance projects have been intentionally undersized in order to complete a larger chip sealing project this year. The proposed 2025 project is estimated to cost between $80,000-$90,000.
Motion by Sjolander seconded by Bailey to direct the City Engineer to collect quotes for the 2025 chip seal project. Motion carried 4-0-0.
Legal
Old Business
New Business
2025 Agreement with Luis Tellez – Taco Express Administrator Lehner reviewed the history of Taco Express's rental of the grassy lot next to the Municipal Liquor Store. He expressed concerns about the perception of the city renting space to a food vendor for a minimal fee when there are several other food businesses in town that own their lots and pay taxes. He noted that the Liquor Store is also considering making some improvements to their patio area that would involve the Taco Express location. He recommended discontinuing the agreement with Luis Tellez to lease a location on city property.
Motion by Helgeson seconded by Sjolander to follow staff recommendation to not renew the city agreement with Taco Express. Motion carried 4-0-0.
Resolution 2025-10 Accepting Kenyon Fire Relief Association Donations to the City of Kenyon
Motion by Helgeson seconded by Bailey to adopt Resolution 2025-10 accepting donations of $10,000.00 from the Kenyon Fire Relief Association to the fire truck fund. Motion carried 4-0-0.
Police Department Update
Hiring Process Chief Sjolander reported that the full-time police officer position has been posted on the city's website and on the POST Board hiring page. The closing date is April 1. Change in Coverage Hours Chief Sjolander stated that the night patrol hours have been changed. This will be cost savings for the city and provide more coverage with fewer on-call hours.
Liquor Store Update
641 2nd Street – NAPA Building Manager Bartel stated he is exploring options for the former NAPA building that is owned by the liquor store. He would like to convert it into an off sale with a separate entrance.
Motion by Bailey seconded by Brunner to give approval to Manager Bartel to start the process of expansion of the Muni into the NAPA building. Motion carried 4-0-0. Cannabis Sales Manager Bartel stated he is considering offering THC drinks and gummies on the off-sale side of the Muni. Many public and private stores are benefiting from the sale of drinks and gummies.
Motion by Brunner seconded by Bailey to authorize Manager Bartel to move forward with registering to sell THC products. Motion carried 4-0-0.
Insulating Office for Sound Control
Administrator Lehner stated that there is no insulation in the internal walls of city hall. Conversations can be heard through the walls even when the doors are closed. He is recommending the walls of the 10 administrator's office, and the conference room would be insulated with spray foam insulation.
Motion by Sjolander seconded by Helgeson to accept the insulation quote from Reichel Insulation for $2,500.00. Motion carried 4-0-0.
Lot Combination – 1 Langford Avenue
Scot Bowen is seeking approval to combine two lots located on 1 Langford Avenue. The parcels are zoned C-2 General Commercial. The lot combination would qualify as a minor lot combination under the City Code. Resolution 2025-12: Granting Approval of a Lot Combination for Scot Bowen
Motion by Bailey seconded by Brunner to table this resolution and direct Engineer Olinger to talk to Scot Bowen about easements, etc. Motion carried 4-0-0.
Schedule for Upcoming Meetings
KMU Meeting: Tuesday, March 25th @ 4:00 p.m. EDA Meeting: Tuesday, March 25th @ 8 a.m. City Council Meeting: Tuesday, April 8th @ 7 p.m.
Council And Staff General Comments
Council Member Helgeson wanted residents to be aware of their surroundings with the warmer weather bringing more people out walking and biking.
Council Member Brunner thanked KMU and Public Works for all they did during the snowstorm last week.
Motion by Helgeson seconded by Bailey to adjourn the meeting at 7:49 p.m. Motion carried 4-0-0.