What happened
- Special meeting was noticed as a closed session under Minn. Stat. 13D.05, subd. 2(b) regarding allegations against employee Brian Homeier
- Attorney Scott Riggs advised that a closed session was not necessary
- Brian Homeier submitted his resignation effective January 28, 2026, and the separation agreement was accepted
- Resolution 2026-06 Separating the Employment of Brian Homeier from the City of Kenyon was adopted 4-0-0
- Motion to adopt by Sjolander, seconded by Kirchmann
- Council Member Mary Bailey was absent; four members present
- Meeting called to order at 6:08 p.m. and adjourned at 6:27 p.m.
- Adjournment motion by Brunner, seconded by Helgeson, carried 4-0-0
- Minutes appeared in both the February 10 and March 10, 2026 council packets; the February 10 regular meeting was cancelled for lack of a quorum
What was asked 24 raised · 10 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.
The City of Kenyon is seeking the City Council's approval to hire 2 part-time Administrative Assistants... MOTION NEEDED NEEDED TO APPROVE THE HIRE
Old Business item seeking council approval of two part-time administrative support hires for the City Administrator and staff.
Both hires were approved. On April 12 2026 the council voted 4-0-0 on a motion by Helgeson seconded by Bailey to hire Rachel Goven and Heather DeWitz as part-time Administrative Assistants at 23.00 dollars per hour. Goven resigned effective August 7 2026 and the position was reposted with an August 25 deadline.
4-12-26 Council packet · taken up again 2026-04-12
Administrator Lehner will give an update on the position.
Old Business agenda item on filling the administrative assistant position.
The position had been reposted after the selected candidate declined the offer, with a new application deadline at the end of January 2026. The recruitment ended April 12 2026 with the hire of two part-time assistants rather than one. The same update records that Brittni Schmitz left her part-time city office job over ineligibility for cost of living and step increases and the new Minnesota Family Leave payroll deduction.
3-10-26 Council Packet Updated / 4-12-26 Council packet · taken up again 2026-04-12
2025 Presentation - to be updated
Last year's Northland presentation was attached for reference to the CIP planning item, with every slide flagged as needing an update.
A refreshed presentation was delivered on March 10 2026. It updates the 2021 Northland financial management plan using Bolton and Menk's 2025 Infrastructure Management Plan figures and carries estimated property taxes for debt service and the effect on utility revenues. Council was told last year's presentation was attached only for reference as the process got started.
3-10-26 Council Packet Updated · taken up again 2026-03-10
Variance due to change in recording utility receipts following staff turnover. Revenue will be adjusted in the subsequent audit.
Sewer fund shows only $98,488 of charges for services (22.74% of prior year) and storm water $20,368 (26.75%) due to a recording change.
The correction was made. By the June 9 2026 report the comment reads that the prior year variance came from the change in recording sewer revenues and that current year revenues are consistent with the current year budget. The misrecording had left sewer charges for services at 98,488 dollars, 22.74 percent of the prior year, and storm water at 20,368 dollars, 26.75 percent.
6.9.26 Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2026-06-09
Jessi from Abdo will review this report at the meeting.
The quarterly report presentation was listed for February 10 and again for March 10 after the February meeting was cancelled.
Jessi Sturtz of Abdo reviewed the 2025 third quarter financial report on April 12 2026 and the council accepted it 4-0-0 on a motion by Bailey seconded by Kirchmann. The report was three meetings late because the February 10 2026 meeting was cancelled. Quarterly reporting then caught up, with the first quarter 2026 report accepted July 14 2026 and the second quarter report accepted September 8 2026.
4-12-26 Council packet · taken up again 2026-04-12
Variance due to interest allocation not including the sewer fund in previous months. This was resolved in Q4.
Sewer fund interest earnings showed zero against budget in the Q3 statements.
The allocation was fixed. The June 9 2026 report records that the prior year variance exists because the sewer fund has interest allocated in the current year. Through September 2025 the sewer fund had earned zero of a budgeted 50,000 dollars in interest.
6.9.26 Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2026-06-09
Water System - Replace Small Diam. Cast Iron Pipe - 6th Street, Bullis Street - Inventory/Replace Lead Service Lines
Water system goals in the infrastructure management plan summary.
The lead service line work became a funded project. Kenyon is on the Public Facilities Authority 2026 Part B drinking water revolving fund list with 36 services based on 2025 data, but 45 known lead or galvanized services now exist, and the 2026 funding approval was capped at 900,000 dollars against the 36 count. The program offers up to 100 percent grant to 25,000 dollars per service, and on September 8 2026 the council took up the Bolton and Menk design scope and fee.
The city's approved lead line funding rests on 36 services while its own count of lead or galvanized services has risen to 45, a 25 percent shortfall in covered work.
9-8-26 Council Packet · taken up again 2026-09-08
Mayor Kirchmann will read the proclamation.
Annual recognition item placed on the February 10, 2026 agenda, which was cancelled.
The proclamation was not read on schedule. The February 10 2026 meeting at which Mayor Kirchmann was to read it was cancelled in advance for anticipated lack of a quorum, and the School Bus Driver Appreciation Day item does not reappear on the March 10 2026 agenda in our records. Only the January and February financial reports carried forward.
3-10-26 Council Packet Updated · taken up again 2026-03-10
The regular meeting of the Kenyon City Council scheduled for February 10, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. at Kenyon City Hall was cancelled in advance due to an anticipated lack of a quorum.
The Q3 Abdo report and other February agenda items reappear on the March 10, 2026 agenda.
The cancellation is confirmed in the March 10 2026 packet, which records the February 10 2026 meeting as cancelled in advance for anticipated lack of a quorum. The deferred financial work returned on March 10 as the combined January and February 2026 financial reports and payment of claims. The Abdo third quarter report slipped further and was not presented until April 12 2026.
3-10-26 Council Packet Updated · taken up again 2026-03-10
Monthly city recycling expense not budgeted for 2025.
Recycling shows $38,630 expended against a $0 budget in the General Fund.
The city budgeted for recycling starting the following year. Full year 2025 recycling came in at 50,205 dollars against a zero budget, above the 38,630 dollars reported through September, and 2024 had run 46,214.06 dollars. The 2026 budget carries 46,500 dollars and the 2027 budget 51,000 dollars, so the line is now funded.
9-8-26 Council Packet · taken up again 2026-09-08
No Official Action – please send input on any projects you'd like considered for addition, prioritization, or other planning which may affect future spending.
Kickoff of the capital finance and improvement plan update, with large infrastructure and parks/recreation projects on the 5- to 10-year outlook.
No written project suggestions from council members appear anywhere in our records. The same request for input was still open on March 10 2026, and on April 12 2026 Olinger was still describing the cost and priority update as something the engineers would like to do. The council's own submissions or a compiled project list would settle it.
3-10-26 and 4-12-26 Council Packets
March Update costs for existing projects (previously listed on CIP) Develop initial list of projects for analysis
Proposed schedule for the capital finance and improvement plan update.
The March step was not completed on time. On April 12 2026 Engineer Olinger was still telling the council that Bolton and Menk would like to update the costs and priority of the items on the capital finance and improvement plan, and no updated cost table or draft project list reaches our records. The finished cost update would settle it.
4-12-26 Council packet
April Engage city financial advisor to analyze tax & utility rate Identify other funding sources
Step two of the proposed CIP/CFP update schedule.
No April 2026 engagement of the city financial advisor appears in our records. The only financial advisor work we can document in 2026 is Northland Securities analyzing tax increment for the Sunset Home project, where Northland recommended 800,000 dollars in assistance against Rebound's 1,855,000 dollar request. The engagement letter and a rate impact analysis tied to the new project list would settle it.
KENYON_INCENTIVES.md / 6.9.26 Council Packet
May Finalize Draft project list at staff & committee levels June/July CIP/CFP work session and adoption
Proposed timeline for finalizing and adopting the updated capital finance and improvement plan.
The June and July calendar went to the budget, not the capital plan. The timeline adopted in the June 9 2026 packet runs Abdo and Lehner meeting department heads June 16, a budget work session July 14, a second one August 11 if needed, preliminary budget and levy adoption September 8 and enterprise fund budgets October 13, with no capital improvement plan work session in it. No adopted capital finance and improvement plan reaches our records.
6.9.26 Council Packet Agenda
Variance due to $42k paid to IRS for 941 corrections from 2023 and 2024, various repairs and maintenance, and subscriptions to Granicus and Catalis.
Explanation for General Government expenditures running at 179.34% of YTD budget.
The 42,000 dollar figure is repeated verbatim in both the February 10 and March 10 2026 packets as one of three causes of the General Government overage, alongside repairs and maintenance and the Granicus and Catalis subscriptions. Our own technology file confirms the auditor flagged Granicus and Catalis as an unbudgeted 2025 variance, with Granicus Peak Agenda Management costing 4,530.03 dollars in June 2025. The IRS notices themselves are not in our holdings.
3-10-26 Council Packet Updated / KENYON_IT_SPEND.md
Living Document (Last formal updates 2020 & 2022) Need to update street ratings Incorporate other systems, departments, needs Recommend formal update in next year or two
The IMP is described as a living document last formally updated in 2020 and 2022.
No formal Infrastructure Management Plan update was adopted through September 8 2026. The March 10 2026 packet still carries the same slide calling the plan a living document last formally updated in 2020 and 2022 and recommending a formal update in the next year or two. The related water supply plan was also still unfinished, with Bolton and Menk proposing in September 2026 to address the DNR comments first raised in 2019.
3-10-26 Council Packet Updated / 9-8-26 Council Packet
Based upon the City's current rate structure, future increases to water rates may be minimal. The City and Northland should continue to monitor as new projects are considered.
Rate analysis concluded future utility rate increases may be minimal or unnecessary under the current structure.
The monitoring commitment has not produced a new rate study in our records. What the March 10 2026 presentation adds is the debt service each utility must carry from the proposed 2025 bonds between 2027 and 2046: about 78,600 dollars a year for water, 40,300 dollars for sewer and 13,800 dollars for storm water, a combined 132,700 dollars a year. On those figures Northland judged water increases may be minimal and sewer and storm water increases may not be necessary.
3-10-26 Council Packet Updated
All figures are estimated and stated in present value (today's dollars) estimates.
The capital improvement and debt plan projects a 2028 bond issue of about $2,510,000.
Three of the four 2028 figures are confirmed by the March 10 2026 packet: 615,000 dollars water, 477,000 dollars sanitary sewer and 477,000 dollars storm water, each paired with a 2025 companion amount of 1,037,546 dollars, 526,814 dollars and 180,216 dollars. The 876,000 dollar street figure is not confirmed anywhere in our records. The four 2028 items total 2,445,000 dollars, which is 65,000 dollars short of the roughly 2,510,000 dollar bond issue the plan projects for that year.
3-10-26 Council Packet Updated
State/County Projects - Partnering = Cost & Flexibility - Hwy 60 (2031)
Infrastructure goals slide lists state/county projects as partnering opportunities.
The city was still preparing for the Highway 60 project as of May 2026 but has no confirmed schedule or cost share. On May 12 2026 the council approved the Visu-Sewer quote to televise sanitary mains inside the state right of way so the city can decide whether its utility replacement must ride along with the state project. The MnDOT and county project schedule and a cost split agreement would settle it.
The capital plan slide dates the Highway 60 project to 2031 while the engineer told the council on May 12 2026 that reconstruction is expected in 2030 or later.
KENYON_BIDS.md / 5-12-26 Council Packet Updated · taken up again 2026-05-12
Sanitary Sewer - Prioritize I & I Reduction - Continue replace/rehab clay pipe - Sump Pump Program (Future) - Detailed Sewer Televising/Review - Treatment Plant Considerations
Sanitary sewer goals aimed at inflow and infiltration reduction.
The sump pump program remains a future item. The identical sanitary sewer goals list reappears verbatim in the March 10 2026 packet with the sump pump program still marked future, and no ordinance or program design reaches our records through September 2026. A council decision and a drafted program would settle it.
3-10-26 Council Packet Updated
Total Cash and Investments $ 12,637,004 $ 10,421,344 $ 2,215,660
Cash and investment summary in the compiled, unaudited Q3 report.
Abdo states it reconciled all bank accounts through September 30 2025 and reviewed activity in all funds, but labels every figure unaudited, and we hold no bank or investment statements. The reported 2,215,660 dollar rise from 10,421,344 dollars to 12,637,004 dollars is a 21.3 percent increase in nine months. The audited 2025 financial statements would settle it.
3-10-26 Council Packet Updated
Decrease in cash balance due to transfers to other funds out of the general fund, street maintenance expenses, Bobcat T66 purchase, IRS payment, and insurance expenses throughout the current year.
Explanation of fund cash balance changes greater than $50,000 and 20%.
The explanation is repeated verbatim in the February 10 and March 10 2026 packets and names five causes, transfers out, street maintenance, the Bobcat T66, the IRS payment and insurance. A 61.56 percent fall to 223,585 dollars implies a starting general fund cash balance near 581,600 dollars, so the fund lost roughly 358,000 dollars in nine months. The general fund ledger detail is not in our holdings.
3-10-26 Council Packet Updated
Weighted average Rate of return 2.14% 9/30/2025 Average Maturity (years) 0.22 9/30/2025
Schedule of investments compares city returns against benchmark U.S. Treasury yields.
The investment schedule supports the short maturity but not a benchmark comparison. At September 30 2025 the city held 12,727,717.07 dollars at unadjusted value against 12,732,396.00 dollars market value, a variance of 4,678.93 dollars, and 9,361,588.04 dollars of that, 73.6 percent, sat in current maturities. Only 408,393.44 dollars, 3.2 percent, was out past five years, which is consistent with a 0.22 year average maturity. The Treasury yield table used as the benchmark is referenced but not held.
3-10-26 Council Packet Updated
City of Kenyon, Minnesota Outstanding Debt as of June 2, 2025
Review of the City of Kenyon's existing debt in the capital and debt planning presentation.
The Series 2025A issue is confirmed at 3,165,000 dollars, dated July 9 2025, callable 2 1 2033, maturing 2 1 2046 at 2.95 to 4.45 percent, financing street, water, sewer and storm water improvements. We hold no updated schedule of the other eight issues past June 2 2025. The city's 2025 budget also shows 1,325,000 dollars of general obligation bond proceeds booked to the 2025 street project fund.
A schedule stated as of June 2 2025 cannot include the Series 2025A bonds as outstanding, since those bonds are dated July 9 2025, five weeks later.
3-10-26 Council Packet Updated / 9-8-26 Council Packet
Decisions 2 motions
| Motion | Moved / seconded | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Adopt Resolution 2026-06 | Sjolander / Kirchmann | 4-0-0 |
| Adjourn meeting at 6:27 pm | Brunner / Helgeson | 4-0-0 |
Who did what
| Person | At this meeting |
|---|---|
| Don Kirchmann Mayor | Called the meeting to order at 6:08 pm and seconded the motion to adopt Resolution 2026-06 |
| Lee Sjolander Council Member | Moved to adopt Resolution 2026-06 |
| Elana Brunner Council Member | Moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:27 pm |
| Kim Helgeson Council Member | Seconded the motion to adjourn |
| Mary Bailey Council Member | Absent |
| Scott Lehner City Administrator | Issued the meeting notice and recommended approval of the separation resolution |
| Scott Riggs Attorney | Stated that a closed session was not necessary and recommended approval of the separation resolution |
| Holli Gudknecht Deputy City Clerk | Present; recorded and signed the minutes |
| Brian Homeier Employee subject of the meeting | Submitted his resignation effective January 28, 2026; separation agreement accepted |
| Sjoblom Police Chief | Present at the meeting |
Organizations named: City of Kenyon
Said at the meeting
CLOSED MEETING: Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 13D.05, subdivision 2(b), to conduct a closed meeting (the meeting must be open at the request of the individual who is the subject of the meeting) to discuss preliminary consideration of allegations against an employee subject to its authority, Mr. Brian Homeier.
Meeting notice (Scott Lehner, City Administrator) · packet, verbatim
Attorney Riggs stated that a closed session was not necessary.
Minutes (Attorney Scott Riggs) · minutes, verbatim
Mr. Brian Homeier submitted his resignation effective January 28, 2026, and the separation agreement was accepted.
Minutes · minutes, verbatim
Attorney Riggs and Administrator Lehner recommended approval of the resolution regarding the separation of Mr. Homeier's employment from the City of Kenyon.
Minutes · packet, verbatim
Motion by Sjolander seconded by Kirchmann to adopt Resolution 2026-06. Motion carried 4-0-0.
Minutes · minutes, verbatim
Resolutions and ordinances
- Separating the Employment of Brian Homeier from the City of Kenyon Motion by Sjolander seconded by Kirchmann to adopt Resolution 2026-06Res. 2026-06
Full packet text (1k characters)
The minutes
Official minutes as adopted, from 2-10-26 Council Packet; text extracted from the PDF.
Council Meeting was duly held in the City Council chambers at 6:05 p.m. on the 28th day of January 2026.
- Present
- Mayor Don Kirchmann, Council Members Kim Helgeson, Lee Sjolander, and Elana Brunner
- Absent
- Mary Bailey
- Also present
- Administrator Scott Lehner, Holli Gudknecht, Attorney Scott Riggs, and Police Chief Sjoblom
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Kirchmann at 6:08 pm.
Discuss Preliminary Consideration of Allegations Against an Employee Subject to Its
Authority, Mr. Brian Homeier Attorney Riggs stated that a closed session was not necessary. Mr. Brian Homeier submitted his resignation effective January 28, 2026, and the separation agreement was accepted. Attorney Riggs and Administrator Lehner recommended approval of the resolution regarding the separation of Mr. Homeier's employment from the City of Kenyon.
Any Additional Discussion or Actions that must Occur or Any Council Votes Stemming from the Subject of the Closed Meeting, Including a Continuance of the Meeting Resolution 2026-06 Separating the Employment of Brian Homeier from the City of Kenyon
Motion by Sjolander seconded by Kirchmann to adopt Resolution 2026-06. Motion carried 4-0-0.
Other Related Matter
Nothing additional.
Adjournment
Motion by Brunner second by Helgeson to adjourn meeting at 6:27 pm. Motion carried 4-0-0.
__________________________________ Holli Gudknecht, Deputy City Clerk Donald Kirchmann, Mayor