PRESENTATIONS/PUBLIC HEARINGS/RECOGNITIONS/PROLAMATIONS ENGINEERING Pearl Creek Sanitary Sewer Improvements City Engineer Olinger stated that the survey work for the Pearl Creek Sanitary Sewer improvements has been completed.
Status report on the Pearl Creek project.
What happened nextThe survey fed a design that finished on schedule. Construction plans were about 50 percent complete by February 2023, complete by March 2023 with the forcemain route modified for capacity at no added cost, and ready to advertise for bids by June 13 2023. We do not hold the survey deliverable itself.
2.14.23, 3.14.23 and 6.13.23 Council Packets · taken up again 2023-06-13
NEW BUSINESS Resolution 2022-25: A Resolution Committing Capital Fund Balances Administrator Vahlsing stated that the general accounting standard (GASB 54) requires all public entities to set year end Capital fund balances before the end of the current year contingent on audited final numbers.
Rationale for adopting Resolution 2022-25 committing capital fund balances.
At the meetingCouncil adopted the resolution.
We hold no dataWe hold no text of GASB Statement 54 and no auditor guidance memo to the city. The practice is consistent in the record, with the same commitment resolution adopted each January from 2023 through 2025 on the same stated rationale. The standard itself or the auditor's engagement guidance would settle whether it requires what the administrator described.
1.10.23, 1-9-24 and 1-14-25 Council Packets · would settle it: The text of GASB Statement 54 and the city's auditor guidance
KMU Commission Wage Increase Mayor Henke stated that the KMU Commission asked about the possibility of a raise in their yearly wage. It has been many years since the KMU Commissioners have had a raise. They are currently paid $1,200 per year.
Basis for considering a KMU Commission wage increase.
At the meetingCouncil approved a $200 per year increase.
Partly answeredWe hold no historical KMU Commissioner pay records to test how long the $1,200 rate had stood. The rate is documented from this meeting forward, rising to $1,400 in 2023. KMU's own compensation minutes would settle the history.
1.10.23 Council Packet
OLD BUSINESS Resolution 2022-24: Adopting the 2023 Budget and Establishing the Tax Levy for Payable 2023 8 Administrator Vahlsing stated that the Truth in Taxation meeting was held on December 6. No public comments were received at the meeting.
Report on the Truth in Taxation hearing preceding adoption of the 2023 budget.
We hold no dataWe hold no minutes for the December 6 2022 Truth in Taxation meeting. The hearing is an annual fixture, set for December 2 in 2025 and December 1 in 2026, and no public comment is recorded at any of them in our material. The clerk's minutes for December 6 2022 would settle it.
1.10.23 Council Packet; 9-9-25 and 9-8-26 Council Packets · would settle it: Minutes of the December 6 Truth in Taxation meeting
No public comments were received at the meeting. The final budget shows a maximum proposed levy increase of 6.8% for 2023.
Presentation of the 2023 budget and tax levy before adoption of Resolution 2022-24.
At the meetingCouncil adopted a levy of $1,183,301 payable in 2023.
Answered from our recordsThe 6.8 percent figure is exact. The levy went from $1,107,960 for 2022 to $1,183,301 payable in 2023, an increase of $75,341, or 6.80 percent. The city has since raised the levy far faster, reaching $1,528,541 certified for 2026, up 29.2 percent from the 2023 figure, with a 2027 preliminary levy of $1,670,115.
7-30-24 Agenda levy table; taxes/levy.html, KENYON_DATA_IN_MEETINGS.md
The lowest of three quotes was received from Loffler with a lease price of $43.63 a month. The term of the lease would be 60 months.
Justification for the police department printer lease award.
At the meetingCouncil approved the lease.
Partly answeredOur bid record confirms three quotes were taken and Loffler won at $43.63 a month for 60 months, but the two competing prices were never entered in the minutes and we do not hold them. This is the common pattern in Kenyon's record, where the count of quotes is minuted and the losing numbers are not. Copies of the three vendor quotes would settle it.
KENYON_BIDS.md, data/bids.csv
Police Department – Approval to lease a New Printer/Scanner/Fax Machine 9 Administrator Vahlsing stated that the Police Department requested approval to lease a Cannon printer/copier/fax machine.
Three quotes were obtained; Loffler was lowest at $43.63 per month for 60 months.
At the meetingCouncil approved the Loffler lease at $43.63 per month.
What happened nextThe lease was approved at $43.63 a month for 60 months, about $2,617.80 over the term. What the city actually pays looks different: the March 11 2025 check register shows Loffler billing $24.23 for the police copier lease and $20.48 for the library, $44.71 in total. The signed lease would explain whether the original quote covered both machines.
1.10.23 Council Packet; 3-11-25 Council Packet; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-12-13
KMU Commission Wage Increase Mayor Henke stated that the KMU Commission asked about the possibility of a raise in their yearly wage.
Commissioners were paid $1,200 per year with no raise for many years.
At the meetingCouncil adopted a $200 per year increase starting in 2023.
What happened nextThe council granted a $200 a year increase starting in 2023, taking KMU Commissioners from $1,200 to $1,400, a 16.7 percent raise, on a 4-0-0 vote. The council kept funding commissioner development afterward, approving MMUA Governance in Action conference attendance at about $600 per attendee in January 2025 while declining to send council members.
1.10.23 and 1-13-25 Council Packets · taken up again 2022-12-13
Randy Eggert stated he is looking at grants and a spot in town, possibly in the parking lot by the generating plant, for a future EB charging station.
General comments about a possible future electric vehicle charging station.
We hold no dataNo electric vehicle charging station, grant application or site decision appears anywhere in our record after this comment. The grant work the city did pursue went elsewhere, with Resolution 2026-23 on August 6 2026 seeking League of Minnesota Cities Grant Navigator support, worth up to $5,000 per city, for Depot Park accessibility and a trail connection to Trondheim. KMU's own project file would settle whether the charging station was ever pursued.
8-6-26 Council Packet; GRANTS.md · would settle it: Grant application status and a site selection decision from KMU
The estimated fees are $54,236 for this work which will be completed this winter to allow for a spring bid and summer 2023 construction.
Council approved Bolton & Menk's final design proposal for $54,236.
At the meetingCouncil approved the proposal 4-0-0.
What happened nextThe schedule held. The 2023 Street Improvements were bid and awarded on June 13 2023 to Bituminous Materials at $450,693.95, against Crane Creek $463,585.62, SL Contracting $535,437.60 and an estimate of $547,705, and a construction engineering proposal for the base bid plus alternates 1 and 2 followed in July 2023. The $54,236 final design fee works out to 12.0 percent of the construction contract.
KENYON_BIDS.md; 7-11-23 Council Packet · taken up again 2023-06-13
Approve Transfer of Fire Department Year End Remaining Funds to Capital Fund Administrator Vahlsing stated that council approval is needed to move the year end Fire Department budget balance to the capital fund. The actual transfer amount will be determined by the auditors as part of the 2022 audit.
Council approved moving excess library book budget funds to capital without a dollar figure.
At the meetingCouncil approved the transfer with the amount to be set later.
We hold no dataNo dollar figure for the excess library book budget transfer appears in our record, and the same motion recurred for the 2023 balance. The library cost lines we do hold are operating rather than capital: SELCO hosting at $230 a year plus $347.55 a month for integrated library system support, and a library automation line of $4,892 in 2024 and $4,956 in 2025. The audited transfer entry would settle it.
1.10.23 and 12.12.23 Council Packets; KENYON_IT_SPEND.md · would settle it: Auditor-determined library book budget excess from the 2022 audit
Approve Transfer of Fire Department Year End Remaining Funds to Capital Fund Administrator Vahlsing stated that council approval is needed to move the year end Fire Department budget balance to the capital fund. The actual transfer amount will be determined by the auditors as part of the 2022 audit.
Council approved the public works year-end fund transfer without a dollar figure.
At the meetingCouncil approved the transfer including street maintenance, pool, and parks, amount to be set later.
We hold no dataNo dollar figure for the 2022 public works year-end transfer appears in our record. The motion covered street maintenance, pool and parks together and passed 4-0-0 with the amount left to the auditors, and the identical motion passed again in January 2024. The audited transfer entries would settle it.
1.10.23 and 1-9-24 Council Packets · would settle it: Auditor-determined public works year-end balances from the 2022 audit
Approve Transfer of Fire Department Year End Remaining Funds to Capital Fund Administrator Vahlsing stated that council approval is needed to move the year end Fire Department budget balance to the capital fund. The actual transfer amount will be determined by the auditors as part of the 2022 audit.
Council approved the fire department year-end fund transfer without a dollar figure.
At the meetingCouncil approved the transfer with the amount to be set later.
We hold no dataNo dollar figure for the 2022 fire department year-end transfer appears in our record, and the same motion was passed again in January 2024 for the 2023 balance with the amount again left to the auditors. The only fire capital figure we hold from this period is later, a $27,000 Fire Relief donation to the truck fund from gambling proceeds in 2025. The audited transfer entry would settle it.
1.10.23 and 1-9-24 Council Packets; 12.9.25 Council Agenda and Packet · would settle it: Auditor-determined fire department year-end balance from the 2022 audit
NEW BUSINESS Resolution 2022-25: A Resolution Committing Capital Fund Balances Administrator Vahlsing stated that the general accounting standard (GASB 54) requires all public entities to set year end Capital fund balances before the end of the current year contingent on audited final numbers. The final year-end capital fund amounts will not be known until the 2022 audit is completed.
Resolution 2022-25 committing capital fund balances was adopted contingent on audited final numbers.
At the meetingCouncil adopted Resolution 2022-25 contingent on audited final numbers.
Partly answeredWe hold no 2022 audit report and therefore no final capital fund balances. The practice was formulaic and repeated without figures each year, with Resolution 2023-30 in January 2024 and Resolution 2024-29 in January 2025 using identical language. The 2025 audit later produced cash deficit loans that had to be reversed across at least seven funds during 2026, which is the only audit finding of this kind in our record.
1.10.23 and 1-9-24 Council Packets; 6.9.26 and 8-6-26 Council Packets
Riggs stated that he has had conversations with their attorneys, but the owner is still resisting with little progress happening.
Legal update on the nuisance property violation.
Partly answeredThe dispute moved from resistance to a deadline but no final resolution appears in our record. By April 11 2023 the owner had surveyed the property, accepted that the downed tree was on his land and agreed to clear it, with an April deadline for the whole cleanup, and Chief Sjoblom attributed the delay partly to snow. No compliance agreement, court order or completion record follows. The city's code enforcement file for 1 Langford Avenue would settle it.
4.11.23 Council Packet
Riggs stated that he has had conversations with their attorneys, but the owner is still resisting with little progress happening. The police department was instructed to write tickets for expired vehicles.
Enforcement step after the property owner continued resisting the nuisance cleanup.
What happened nextA citation was issued. Police Chief Sjoblom reported on February 14 2023 that the property owner had been cited and had 30 days to respond. We hold no count of tickets written for expired vehicles specifically, only that one citation went out.
2.14.23 Council Packet · taken up again 2023-02-14
Construction limits will be finalized in the next month, easement limits will be determined, and affected property owners notified. 2023 Street Improvements Final Design Proposal City Engineer Olinger presented a proposal containing the engineering scope and fee for the final design and preparation of bid documents for the 2023 street improvements.
Update on the Pearl Creek Sanitary Sewer Improvements project after completion of survey work.
What happened nextConstruction limits took longer than a month but the work got done. Plans were about 50 percent complete by February 14 2023 and complete by March 14 2023, when Olinger reported the original forcemain route had been modified for capacity reasons without increasing project cost, with easements then being negotiated. Plans were ready to advertise for bids by June 13 2023 and the contract went to BCM Construction at $1,241,494.22.
2.14.23, 3.14.23 and 6.13.23 Council Packets; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2023-06-13
The maximum levy approved by the Council in September was 6.8%. No citizens attended the meeting. There was no further discussion.
The Truth in Taxation meeting was held for citizen questions on the proposed 2023 budget and levy, and no citizens attended.
At the meetingNo discussion or action on the budget and levy occurred.
Partly answeredNo resolution adopting the final 2023 budget and levy appears in our holdings, so whether the final stayed at the 6.8 percent maximum is unknown. The city has done it both ways since, holding the final 2025 levy at the 9.55 percent maximum and cutting the 2026 levy from a 9.93 percent maximum to a certified 9.18 percent. The December 2022 final levy resolution would settle it.
12.10.24 and 12.9.25 Council Packets; factbook taxes/levy.html
John, and Jeff Traxler Mayor Henke called the special meeting to order at 6:00 pm. 2023 Fire Contract Meeting with Townships Administrator Vahlsing explained that the purpose of meeting was to review the proposed 2023 contracts for fire protection with the six townships in the Kenyon Fire Department service area.
Describing the scope of the 2023 fire contract review.
Answered from our recordsSix townships is right and stable. The city's record names six townships in the Kenyon Fire Department service area for the 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 contract years without variation. The list of the individual township contracts is not in our holdings.
12-13-22 Agenda Granicus; 12.12.23, 12.10.24 and 12.9.25 Council Packets
Public Budget and Levy discussion Administrator Vahlsing stated that this Truth in Taxation meeting was designed for citizens who had questions about the proposed budget and levy for 2023. The maximum levy approved by the Council in September was 6.8%.
Stated during the Truth in Taxation public budget and levy discussion.
What happened nextThe 6.8 percent figure is confirmed. Resolution 2022-19 adopting the 2023 preliminary budget and levy at a maximum of 6.8 percent was moved by Henke, seconded by Rechtzigel and carried 4-0-0 after the September 7 2022 work session. The maximum then climbed in later years, to 8 percent for 2024, 9.55 percent for 2025 and 9.93 percent for 2026.
9.13.22 Council Minutes; 12.12.23 and 12.10.24 Council Packets
Each township's portion of the budget was split based on the number of sections covered by the Fire Department.
Explaining the allocation method among the six townships.
Partly answeredThe method is confirmed and unchanged across four years, with each township's portion split by the number of sections the Fire Department covers. The section counts per township that turn the method into dollar amounts are not in our holdings.
12.12.23, 12.10.24 and 12.9.25 Council Packets
John, and Jeff Traxler Mayor Henke called the special meeting to order at 6:00 pm. 2023 Fire Contract Meeting with Townships Administrator Vahlsing explained that the purpose of meeting was to review the proposed 2023 contracts for fire protection with the six townships in the Kenyon Fire Department service area. The contracts were based on a breakdown of 51% city and 49% township of the operating budget.
Explaining how the proposed township fire contract amounts were calculated.
Answered from our recordsThe split is 51 percent city and 49 percent township of the fire operating budget, stated identically in the city's record for the 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 contract years. The underlying fire department operating budget worksheet showing how the allocation is computed is not in our holdings.
12-13-22 Agenda Granicus; 12.12.23, 12.10.24 and 12.9.25 Council Packets
Each township's portion of the budget was split based on the number of sections covered by the Fire Department. Assistant Fire Chief Ehrich answered questions from the Township board members.
Discussion of the 2023 fire contract cost breakdown with the townships.
At the meetingEhrich answered the questions; the substance was not recorded in the minutes.
We hold no dataThe substance of the township questions and the assistant fire chief's answers was never recorded. The minutes preserve only the names of the township representatives present, Matt Voxland, Sean Bauer, Barb St. John and Jeff Traxler. A recording or a fuller set of minutes from that meeting would settle it.
12-13-22 Agenda Granicus · would settle it: A record or recording of the questions and answers at the meeting.
Administrator Vahlsing will print out a report showing the journal entry of the capital fund transfer and send it to the township clerks per Matt Voxland's request.
Township representatives sought backup for the capital portion of the fire budget allocation.
At the meetingVahlsing agreed to print and send the journal entry report.
We hold no dataNothing in our holdings shows the journal entry report was produced or sent to the township clerks. A transmittal or the clerks' copies would settle it.
would settle it: The journal entry report sent to township clerks.
John, and Jeff Traxler Mayor Henke called the special meeting to order at 6:00 pm. 2023 Fire Contract Meeting with Townships Administrator Vahlsing explained that the purpose of meeting was to review the proposed 2023 contracts for fire protection with the six townships in the Kenyon Fire Department service area.
The special meeting was called to review the proposed 2023 fire contracts with the townships.
At the meetingNo action or vote on the contracts was recorded.
What happened nextThe contracts went into use and the structure never changed. The same annual meeting with the same six townships on the same 51 percent city and 49 percent township split of the operating budget recurs for 2024, 2025 and 2026. Signed contracts and township board approval votes are not in our holdings.
12.12.23, 12.10.24 and 12.9.25 Council Packets · taken up again 2025-12-09
Administrator Vahlsing will print out a report showing the journal entry of the capital fund transfer and send it to the township clerks per Matt Voxland's request.
Raised during review of the proposed 2023 fire protection contracts with the townships.
At the meetingVahlsing committed to producing and sending the report; not provided at the meeting.
We hold no dataNo general ledger journal entry for the capital fund transfer and no confirmation that any report reached the township clerks appears in our holdings. The fire contract meeting recurred on identical 51 and 49 percent terms in 2024, 2025 and 2026 without the question being reopened. The journal entry report itself would settle it.
12-13-22 Agenda Granicus; 12.10.24 and 12.9.25 Council Packets · would settle it: The general ledger journal entry documenting the capital fund transfer.
XI.H Agenda Item Summary CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT DATE: December 13, 2022 SUBMITTED BY: Holli Gudknecht, Library ITEM TYPE: New Business AGENDA SECTION: NEW BUSINESS SUBJECT: Holiday Office Closings SUGGESTED ACTION: 1. City Office/Library Close early on Friday, December 23 at Noon 2. Library Closed on Saturday, December 24 MOTION NEEDED ATTACHMENTS: 49 AGENDA ITEM NO.
Holiday office closings agenda item.
What happened nextApproved on a motion by Bailey seconded by Ryan, carried 4-0-0, closing the city office and library at noon on Friday December 23 2022 and the library on Saturday December 24. The identical request came back a year later for December 22 and 23, approved 4-0-0 on the same Bailey and Ryan motion.
12.13.22_Council_Minutes; 1-9-24_agenda · taken up again 2022-12-13
XI.E Agenda Item Summary CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT DATE: December 13, 2022 SUBMITTED BY: Holli Gudknecht, Administration ITEM TYPE: License/Permits AGENDA SECTION: NEW BUSINESS SUBJECT: 2023 Tobacco License Renewals SUGGESTED ACTION: 1. Kenyon Market 2. River Country Co-Op (Speedway) 3. Kenyon Municipal Liquor Store MOTION NEEDED ATTACHMENTS: 43 AGENDA ITEM NO.
Annual license renewals listed on the December agenda.
What happened nextAll three 2023 tobacco licenses were renewed on a motion by Rechtzigel seconded by Ryan, carried 4-0-0, for Kenyon Market, River Country Co-Op at Speedway and the Kenyon Municipal Liquor Store. The same three renewed for 2024, 4-0-0. The city licenses itself as one of the three, and budgeted $18,000 of Muni tobacco sales for 2024.
12.13.22_Council_Minutes; 1-9-24_agenda · taken up again 2022-12-13
Engineering costs incurred before this time are temporarily funded through the general fund and later reimbursed through bond proceeds as part of the overall project costs.
How the 2023 Street Improvement design costs will be financed.
What happened nextThe practice is confirmed and was used again. In May 2024 the same mechanism is restated for the 2025 project, with engineering costs temporarily funded through existing city capital until reimbursed through the bond package received immediately after bidding, and the 2023 to 2027 street plan anticipated general obligation street reconstruction bonds for the 2023 project. The bonds did follow, though the debt service did not run smoothly: the 2023A general obligation bond payment was missed in 2025 and had to be added back into the 2026 budget alongside the new 2025A payment, helping push the 2026 draft levy to 27.06%.
The 2022 description has pre-bid engineering advanced from the general fund, while the 2024 restatement of the same practice has it advanced from existing city capital.
12-13-22_Agenda_Granicus; 5-14-24_AGENDA(1); 2.14.23_Council_Packet__Agenda_; 9-9-25_Council_Packet · taken up again 2024-05-14
After a meeting with MnDOT, they submitted a possible option of adding angled parking to one side of one block along with the possible side effects this would cause.
Result of a meeting with MnDOT about downtown Hwy 60 parking.
We hold no dataWe hold no MnDOT exhibit and no written list of side effects, only the single sentence summarising both. The two later passages offered here match on wording alone and concern different subjects, a trail project stakeholder list and tree cover at an unrelated development site. MnDOT's written option for Highway 60 would settle what was proposed and what the drawbacks were.
12-13-22_Agenda_Granicus · would settle it: MnDOT's written option/exhibit and list of side effects
Township Fire Contract Meeting: Tuesday, December 6th @ 6 p.m. 2023 Budget & Levy Public Meeting: Tuesday, December 6th @ 6:30 p.m.
Schedule of upcoming meetings.
What happened nextThe meeting was held on December 6 2022 and drew no public comments, as Administrator Vahlsing reported when the council adopted the levy a week later. The council then set the 2023 tax levy at $1,183,301, a 6.8% increase, 4-0-0. The pairing is a fixed annual pattern, with the budget and levy meeting following the township fire contract meeting at 6:30 the same evening in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
12.13.22_Council_Minutes · taken up again 2022-12-13
Township Fire Contract Meeting: Tuesday, December 6th @ 6 p.m. 2023 Budget & Levy Public Meeting: Tuesday, December 6th @ 6:30 p.m.
Schedule of upcoming meetings.
Partly answeredNo outcome of the December 6 2022 township fire contract negotiation appears in our holdings. The meeting is a fixed annual event held the first Tuesday of December, on December 6 in 2022, December 5 in 2023, December 3 in 2024 and December 2 in 2025. The only round whose terms our records carry is 2026, split 51% city and 49% township across six townships by number of sections covered, with the contract approved on the December 9 2025 consent agenda. The 2022 contract documents would settle that year's terms.
12-13-22_Agenda_Granicus; 12.9.25_Council_Agenda_and_Packet_Updated
Resolution 2022-21: Approving the Decertification of Tax Increment Financing District No. 4-4 (45) of the City of Kenyon Attorney Riggs stated that Tax Increment Financing District No. 4-4 (45), which was originally created for the Sunset Home Assisted Living and clinic areas, is now completed.
Basis for Resolution 2022-21 decertifying the TIF district.
What happened nextResolution 2022-21 decertifying TIF District No. 4-4 (45) was adopted on a motion by Henke seconded by Helgeson, carried 5-0-0. The same district produced a second loose end, a property tax abatement granted to Kenyon Sunset Home recorded in Goodhue County in 2003 as Document Number A492417, which the city moved to terminate in 2023 as part of decertifying the district. The city repeated the exercise in May 2024, decertifying TIF District No. 4-5 for Countryside Way by Resolution 2024-09, which the county needed before it could complete a lot combination requested back in 2021.
12-13-22_Agenda_Granicus; 8.8.23_Council_Packet__Agenda; 5-14-24_AGENDA(1); 4.9.24_Council_Packet__Agenda · taken up again 2022-12-13
Resolution 2022-23: Designating Annual Polling Place Attorney Riggs noted that State law requires that all City's annually designate a polling place by resolution by December 31 and at least 90 days prior to an election.
Basis for Resolution 2022-23 designating the Fire Hall as the 2023 polling place.
Partly answeredNo statutory citation appears in our holdings, only the attorney's characterisation, repeated word for word a year later by the administrator. The practice itself is documented and consistent: the Fire Hall was designated the polling place for 2023 by Resolution 2022-23 and for 2024 by Resolution 2023-26, each adopted 5-0-0. The Minnesota election statute on annual polling place designation would settle the legal requirement.
12-13-22_Agenda_Granicus; 12.12.23_Council_Packet_and_Agenda · taken up again 2022-12-13
Motion carried 5-0-0. 2023 Proposed Agreement for Continuation of our City-County Joint-Powers "Agreement for State Building Code Administration" Attorney Riggs stated that Goodhue County requires the City of Kenyon to approve a yearly agreement to conduct residential and commercial building inspections. The County has done an excellent job conducting inspections for the City.
Support for renewing the joint-powers building code administration agreement.
Partly answeredNo county inspection performance records or permit counts for Kenyon exist in our holdings, so the quality claim cannot be tested. What the record does show is that the sentence is not an annual assessment but standing language: the identical phrase that the county has done an excellent job conducting inspections appears verbatim in the 2023, 2024 and 2025 renewals, spoken by three different officials. Goodhue County permit and inspection logs for Kenyon would settle the substance.
12-13-22_Agenda_Granicus; 12.12.23_Council_Packet_and_Agenda; 12.10.24_Council_Packet_and_Agenda_Updated
The lease price would be $43.63 a month. The term of the lease would be 60 months. The purchase price would be $2214.
Police department equipment lease with quotes attached.
What happened nextThe lease was approved from Loffler, the lowest of three quotes, at $43.63 a month for 60 months for a Canon printer, copier and fax machine, on a motion by Ryan seconded by Henke, carried 4-0-0. Over the full term that is $2,617.80, which is $403.80 more than the $2,214 purchase price shown in the packet, a premium of 18.2% for leasing rather than buying.
The packet carried both a $2,214 purchase price and a 60-month lease totalling $2,617.80, but the minutes record only the monthly lease figure, so the council chose the more expensive option without the comparison appearing in the meeting record.
12-13-22_Agenda_Granicus; 12.13.22_Council_Minutes · taken up again 2022-12-13
The Commission members currently are paid $1200 annually. There is not a record that KMU has ever had an increase in Board members pay.
Justification for the proposed commission pay increase.
Partly answeredWe hold no historical KMU commission pay records, so whether the board had ever received an increase cannot be established. The $1,200 rate is confirmed in both the packet and the minutes, and the 2023 increase to $1,400 is the only change our records document. Historical KMU commission pay resolutions would settle it.
Staff wrote that there is no record KMU board pay had ever been increased, while the mayor told the council at the same meeting only that it had been many years since a raise.
12-13-22_Agenda_Granicus; 12.13.22_Council_Minutes
Staff would recommend a $200 annual increase to commission member pay. This would be approximate 16.6% increase.
KMU Commission wage increase agenda item.
What happened nextThe increase was adopted on a motion by Rechtzigel seconded by Bailey, carried 4-0-0, at $200 a year starting in 2023. That takes commission pay from $1,200 to $1,400 annually, a 16.67% rise, matching the approximate 16.6% staff quoted.
12.13.22_Council_Minutes · taken up again 2022-12-13
The final levy and budget must be adopted on or before December 30, 2022. A 6.8% maximum levy increase was approved by the Council in September.
Basis for the recommended final 2023 levy.
Partly answeredThe 6.8% figure carried through to adoption, with the final levy of $1,183,301 described in the minutes as a 6.8% increase, but we hold no September 2022 preliminary levy resolution to confirm the maximum was set there. It also checks out arithmetically from the other direction: $1,183,301 raised by the 8% the council approved for 2024 gives $1,277,965, within $10 of the $1,277,955 implied by the certified 2025 levy of $1,400,000 at 9.55%.
The packets supporting both the 2023 and the 2024 final levies state that the attached budget memo is the 9/13/22 council memo, meaning the 2024 decision was documented with a memo from the previous levy cycle.
12.13.22_Council_Minutes; 12.12.23_Council_Packet_and_Agenda; taxes/levy.html · taken up again 2022-12-13
X.A Agenda Item Summary CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT DATE: December 13, 2022 SUBMITTED BY: Holli Gudknecht, Administration ITEM TYPE: Old Business AGENDA SECTION: OLD BUSINESS SUBJECT: Resolution 2022-24: Adopting the 2023 Budget and Establishing the Tax Levy for Payable 2023 SUGGESTED ACTION: Resolution 2022-24 approves the 2023 budget and sets the final tax levy for 2023. The final levy and budget must be adopted on or before December 30, 2022.
Resolution 2022-24 adopting the 2023 budget and levy.
What happened nextResolution 2022-24 was adopted on a motion by Rechtzigel seconded by Bailey, carried 4-0-0, establishing a tax levy of $1,183,301 payable in 2023 at a 6.8% increase. The Truth in Taxation meeting had been held December 6 with no public comments received. That figure anchors the whole levy series: $1,183,301 for 2023, an 8% rise to about $1,277,965 for 2024, $1,400,000 for 2025, $1,528,541 for 2026 and $1,670,115 preliminary for 2027, a 41% increase across five years.
12.13.22_Council_Minutes; taxes/levy.html · taken up again 2022-12-13
Approve Transfer of Fire Department Year End Remaining Funds to Capital Fund Administrator Vahlsing stated that council approval is needed to move the year end Fire Department budget balance to the capital fund. The actual transfer amount will be determined by the auditors as part of the 2022 audit.
Annual year-end transfer of remaining library book budget.
Partly answeredThe library book budget transfer was approved on a motion by Henke seconded by Rechtzigel, carried 4-0-0, with the amount again to be set by the auditors. No audited figure is in our holdings. For scale on library spending in that year, the library automation line ran $7,850 in 2022, its highest level in the five years our records cover.
12.13.22_Council_Minutes; KENYON_IT_SPEND.md · taken up again 2022-12-13
Approve Transfer of Fire Department Year End Remaining Funds to Capital Fund Administrator Vahlsing stated that council approval is needed to move the year end Fire Department budget balance to the capital fund. The actual transfer amount will be determined by the auditors as part of the 2022 audit.
Annual year-end transfer of remaining department funds.
Partly answeredThe motion the council actually passed was broader than the agenda item, approving the transfer of public works year-end remaining funds including street maintenance, pool and parks, on a motion by Ryan seconded by Bailey, carried 4-0-0. Three departments were swept in one vote, again with the amount left to the auditors, and no audited figure for any of them is in our holdings.
12.13.22_Council_Minutes · taken up again 2022-12-13
Approve Transfer of Fire Department Year End Remaining Funds to Capital Fund Administrator Vahlsing stated that council approval is needed to move the year end Fire Department budget balance to the capital fund. The actual transfer amount will be determined by the auditors as part of the 2022 audit.
Annual year-end transfer of remaining department funds.
Partly answeredThe transfer was authorized on a motion by Bailey seconded by Henke, carried 4-0-0, but the council approved it without a number, leaving the amount to the auditors. No audited fire department year-end balance appears in our holdings. The 2022 audited financial statements would settle the figure.
12.13.22_Council_Minutes · taken up again 2022-12-13
Therefore, the resolution included in the meeting packet should be adopted by the Council. The final year-end capital fund amounts cannot be known until the 2022 audit is completed.
Resolution 2022-25 committing capital fund balances under GASB 54.
Partly answeredResolution 2022-25 committing the capital fund balances was adopted on a motion by Ryan seconded by Bailey, carried 4-0-0, expressly contingent on audited final numbers as GASB 54 requires. The audited 2022 fund balances themselves are not in our holdings. The 2022 audit was performed under the five-year engagement awarded to Abdo Eick and Meyers in September 2021 at $26,875 for the first year, and that audit report would settle the final figures.
12.13.22_Council_Minutes; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-12-13
Total fees are estimated at $54,236 and the work is planned for completion this winter to allow for a spring bid and summer 2023 construction.
Proposal for final design and bidding services for Bullis, Washington, 7th and 8th Streets.
Partly answeredThe $54,236 was approved as an estimate billed hourly, and no final billing against it appears in our holdings. The scale is checkable against the construction contract it produced: $54,236 of design and bidding on a $450,693.95 job is 12.0%. The comparable 2025 proposal ran $246,200 over 1,437 hours including $2,950 of permit fees, with assessment hearings at $17,900 and bidding at $8,200, which against a $2,294,629.25 contract is 10.7%. Final invoices would settle whether the 2023 estimate held.
12.13.22_Council_Minutes; 10-8-24_AGENDA; KENYON_BIDS.md
The project layout and determination of rough construction limits will be finalized in late November or early December. 2023 Street Improvements Project Scope City Engineer Olinger stated that the proposal for the design of the 2023 street project will be completed immediately after the Pearl Creek project. More information will be coming next month.
Status of the 2023 Street Improvements design work.
What happened nextThe proposal arrived the next month as promised. Bolton and Menk's final design and bid document proposal for the 2023 street improvements came in at an estimated $54,236 and was approved on a motion by Bailey seconded by Ryan, carried 4-0-0, with the work to be done that winter to allow a spring bid and summer 2023 construction. That schedule held, with bids opened June 8 2023.
12.13.22_Council_Minutes; 6.13.23_Council_Packet_and_Agenda · taken up again 2022-12-13
The project layout and determination of rough construction limits will be finalized in late November or early December. 2023 Street Improvements Project Scope City Engineer Olinger stated that the proposal for the design of the 2023 street project will be completed immediately after the Pearl Creek project.
Survey work is complete and construction limits drive easement needs.
What happened nextThe layout and construction limits were reported complete enough to move to easements, with the December 2022 minutes stating that construction limits would be finalized in the next month, easement limits determined and affected property owners notified. The schedule then stretched: the identical sentence reappears in the January 10 2023 packet, negotiations with owners ran through the spring, and the easements did not reach the council for acceptance until Resolution 2023-17 on August 8 2023, with one owner's signature still outstanding at that point.
12.13.22_Council_Minutes; 1.10.23_Council_Packet__Agenda; 8.8.23_Council_Packet__Agenda · taken up again 2023-08-08
Some things have been moved, but it is happening too slowly. The owner has had plenty of time to get this taken care of.
Assessment of the property owner's progress on the nuisance cleanup.
Partly answeredNo inspection photos or code enforcement log for 1 Langford Avenue exists in our holdings, so the pace of the cleanup cannot be assessed independently. The enforcement record does support the substance of the complaint, since the next step taken was ticketing rather than further negotiation, and the property was still unresolved eighteen months later. A dated enforcement log would settle what moved and when.
Two documents dated December 13 2022 give different accounts of the same item, the agenda packet saying a different approach will be used and some things have been moved, and the minutes saying the owner is still resisting with little progress and the police were instructed to write tickets.
12-13-22_Agenda_Granicus; 12.13.22_Council_Minutes; 6.13.23_Council_Packet_and_Agenda
LEGAL Nuisance Property Violation – 1 Langford Avenue Update 9 Attorney Riggs updated the Council on the 1 Langford Avenue cleanup. Riggs stated that a different approach will be used to get this property into compliance.
Update on the stalled nuisance property cleanup.
What happened nextThe different approach was enforcement through the police. The December 2022 minutes record Attorney Riggs saying he had spoken with the owner's attorneys, that the owner was still resisting with little progress, and that the police department was instructed to write tickets for expired vehicles. By April 2023 the owner had the property surveyed, accepted that the downed tree was on his land, and was given until the end of April to finish, with snow blamed for the delay. The matter was still before the council in closed session in June 2023, and no compliance finding appears anywhere in our holdings.
12.13.22_Council_Minutes; 4.11.23_Council_Packet__Agenda; 6.13.23_Council_Packet_and_Agenda · taken up again 2023-06-13
They would like to see off-street parking looked at as the first option including parking in the alleys behind commercial buildings.
EDA discussed the downtown parking situation at its November meeting.
Partly answeredThe EDA's November 2022 minutes and any off-street parking feasibility review are not in our holdings, so whether alley parking was ever studied cannot be established. The city's zoning code already points the same direction the EDA preferred, requiring apartment parking to be off street at two spaces per unit with one in a garage or a hard-surfaced lot. The EDA minutes would settle what the committee actually directed.
12-13-22_Agenda_Granicus; 9-8-26_Council_Packet
Downtown/Hwy 60 Parking City Engineer Olinger updated the Council on the angled parking request from Barney Nesseth.
Ongoing downtown/Hwy 60 parking discussion.
At the meetingNo decision; MnDOT offered one option and the EDA prefers off-street parking first.
Partly answeredWe hold no written request from Barney Nesseth and no council decision on it. The furthest the idea got in our record is MnDOT's single option of angled parking on one side of one block, set against the EDA's preference for off-street parking first. The only parking matters that reach resolution in the later record are apartment parking variances in 2026, where a 38-unit building sought 68 spaces against a code requirement of 76.
12-13-22_Agenda_Granicus; 9-8-26_Council_Packet
They would like to see off-street parking looked at as the first option including parking in the alleys behind commercial buildings. This will be discussed further at the December Council meeting.
Update on the angled parking request and MnDOT's response.
Partly answeredNo December decision and no off-street or alley parking analysis appears in our holdings, and nothing in the later record shows angled parking ever being added downtown. The only parking rules our record does fix are in the zoning code, where section 520.35 subdivision 7(b) requires two off-street spaces per apartment dwelling unit and section 520.33 subdivision 3 requires one of them in a garage or a hard-surfaced off-street lot. The December 2022 minutes and an off-street parking study would settle the downtown question.
12-13-22_Agenda_Granicus; 9-8-26_Council_Packet
Public Works Superintendent Ehrich reviewed the proposed 2023 storm sewer fund budget. There were no major changes to the storm sewer budget.
Review of the proposed 2023 storm sewer fund budget.
Answered from our recordsThe claim is exactly right, and it stayed right. The storm sewer fund budget was $120,450.00 in 2022, $120,450.00 in 2023 and $120,450.00 in 2024, the same figure three years running under department 43251 in fund 605. Actual spending ran well below it, $54,341.62 in 2022 and $62,216.47 year to date in 2023, or 45 and 52 percent of budget.
9.12.23 Council Packet Agenda, fund 605 storm sewer
Liquor Store Manager Matt Bartel reviewed the proposed 2023 budget for the municipal liquor store. The liquor Store budget showed increase to beer, wine and liquor sales and revenue.
Review of the proposed 2023 municipal liquor store budget.
Partly answeredNo liquor store budget worksheet with prior-year actuals and 2023 projections appears in our record, only the manager's summary that beer, wine and liquor sales and revenue were up. The following year's presentation is more specific and more useful: for 2024 Bartel showed increases to on-sale revenue, asked that part-time wages rise and that the added revenue go to salary increases, and flagged the need to replace the fryer, the roof and eventually the flooring. The city bought two of those three in 2024, a Chandler Roofing roof at $40,640 and Hamernick's flooring at $7,480.86.
12.12.23 Council Packet and Agenda; KENYON_BIDS.md 2024 entries · taken up again 2023-12-12
Administrator Vahlsing reviewed storm sewer rates. The 2023 budget shows no proposed increase to user rates and base charges.
Review of storm sewer rates during the enterprise budget discussion.
What happened nextThe storm sewer freeze lasted one year and was followed by the largest utility increase in our record. For 2024 staff recommended raising the residential storm sewer maintenance fee from $4.03 to $9.00 a month, an increase of 123 percent, while sanitary went from $6.61 to $7.40 per thousand gallons and the residential sewer base rate from $23.44 to $26.25 a month, each about 12 percent. The increases were attributed to upcoming project costs and the utility rate study.
1-9-24 agenda, 2024 Sanitary and Storm Sewer Rates · taken up again 2024-01-09
Administrator Vahlsing reviewed sanitary sewer rates. The 2023 budget shows a proposed 8% increase to user rates and base charges.
Review of sanitary sewer rates during the enterprise budget discussion.
What happened nextThe 8 percent proposal went into the 2023 budget and was overtaken within five months. A March 2023 rate presentation put the required sanitary increases at 27 percent on the base rate and 23 percent on the user rate, up from the 22 percent and 16 percent contemplated in January 2023, with the majority of the increase by 2026 and the remainder by 2032. The driver was new sewer bond annual debt service of $203,000 a year for 2023 through 2032, up from $169,000.
The council reviewed an 8 percent sanitary increase in October 2022, but by March 2023 the city was presenting base rate increases of 27 percent and user rate increases of 23 percent.
3.14.23 Updated Council Packet Agenda, Sewer Fund Utility Rates · taken up again 2023-03-14
For the downtown she stated that she has been visiting business owners. She has also been working to promote the Façade Improvement program by updating and distributing information.
Downtown business development activity reported in the quarterly update.
We hold no dataNo distribution records and no application count for the Facade Improvement program appear in our record. Facade improvement plan applications were reported again in April 2023 as an ongoing CEDA activity with no numbers attached. The program's application log would settle it.
would settle it: Distribution records and program application count
They have a location in Bay City, WI. She has also been working on updating business park marketing materials and web listings.
Ongoing economic development work reported for the 3rd quarter.
We hold no dataNo updated business park marketing materials or live web listings appear in our record. What is documented is the price of the staff time: the CEDA agreement reimburses the authority's economic development marketing, business outreach and business retention and expansion work at a not-to-exceed $55,053 based on an average of sixteen hours a week. The materials themselves would settle it.
12.9.25 Council Agenda and Packet Updated, CEDA agreement · would settle it: The updated marketing materials and live web listings
She has also been working to promote the Façade Improvement program by updating and distributing information. She is working on an inventory of vacant buildings. The listings will be added to the city web site.
Downtown development work reported in the 3rd quarter update.
We hold no dataNo inventory of vacant downtown buildings and no such listings page appears in our record of the city website. The city site runs on GovOffice at cityofkenyon.gov and carries a website administration salary line of $7,260 budgeted for 2026 and $7,910 proposed for 2027. The completed inventory, or the live listings page, would settle it.
KENYON_IT_SPEND.md · would settle it: The completed inventory and the posted web listings
The following members were present: Mayor Doug Henke, Council Members: Dan Rechtzigel, Mary Bailey, Kim Helgeson, and Molly Ryan Absent: Also, present: City Administrator Mark Vahlsing, Finance Clerk Kathy Flikke, Public Works Superintendent Wayne Ehrich, Liquor Store Manager Matt Bartel, CEDA Economic Development Specialist Cora Boelman Mayor Henke called the work session to order at 6:00 pm. The purpose of this meeting is to review the Enterprise portion of the 2023 draft budget.
The work session was held solely to review the enterprise portion of the 2023 draft budget.
What happened nextThe 8 percent sanitary sewer increase survived into the adopted budget. The January 10 2023 packet records that the 2023 Sanitary Sewer Budget includes an 8 percent rate increase and that the increase was reviewed at the October 26 work session. The enterprise budget review then became an annual fixture, with the 2024 enterprise work session set for November 28 2023 at 5:00 p.m. The rate resolution itself is not in our record.
1.10.23 Council Packet Agenda; 12.12.23 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2023-01-10
She stated that she and the City Administrator had met with a prospective business last week interested in the business park.
Boelman and the City Administrator met with the prospective business the prior week.
We hold no dataNo decision, letter of intent or follow-up on the Bay City boat transportation and storage company appears in our record, and the business does not appear in the 167-company Kenyon directory. A CEDA prospect file or an EDA land sale would settle it.
data/companies.csv · would settle it: A decision or letter of intent from the prospective company
The only major purchase proposed in the Sanitary sewer budget was an inline grinder pump. The approximated cost with installation is $70,000-$80,000.
The only major purchase proposed in the 2023 sanitary sewer fund budget.
We hold no dataNo quote, bid or award for an inline grinder pump appears anywhere in the 43-row bid record, so the $70,000 to $80,000 estimate was never tested against a vendor price in our archive.
A purchase in that range requires council approval plus two quotes under Administrative Policy No. 34, adopted in August 2024, and no quotes for it are on file in any year.
KENYON_BIDS.md · would settle it: A vendor quote or bid for the inline grinder pump and installation
The liquor Store budget showed increase to beer, wine and liquor sales and revenue. He also asked the Council about his status as a non-exempt employee.
Raised while reviewing the proposed 2023 municipal liquor store budget.
We hold no dataNo answer to Matt Bartel's question appears in the record then or later. We hold no city personnel policy and no Fair Labor Standards Act exemption determination for the liquor store manager position. He continued presenting liquor store budgets through at least September 2025 with the question unresolved in the minutes. The city's personnel policy and a written position classification would settle it.
would settle it: The city's personnel policy and FLSA exemption determination for the liquor store manager position
OLD BUSINESS Future of Depot Park Shelter Administrator Vahlsing outlined the repairs that are needed to the Depot Park shelter. The City and Park and Rec Board are looking for future direction from the Council.
Vahlsing outlined needed repairs to the Depot Park shelter and sought Council direction.
At the meetingCouncil deferred a decision and directed staff to gather cost estimates.
What happened nextThe direction became repair rather than replacement, and the project ran for years afterward. The Park Board recommended repairing the depot and seeking donations, a Minnesota State Mankato graduate design team produced a draft design presented at the December 5 2023 special meeting, a local cabinet shop donated kitchen cabinets through Council member Helgeson, and Park and Rec moved $2,750.41 and $4,594.59 from its Carriage and Cutter and 5K Run funds into the Depot Park fund, totaling exactly the $7,345 transfer on record. Shelters were funded by a $10,000 grant from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, and the work was still going in September 2026 with a concrete apron and ramp going to Lexvold Construction at $9,980.
3.14.23 Updated Council Packet and Agenda, 12.12.23 Council Packet and Agenda, 3.12.24 Council Packet and Agenda, factbook KENYON_DEPOT_PARK.md · taken up again 2023-12-12
Roll Call Vote: Henke- Aye, Rechtzigel – Aye, Helgeson – Aye, Bailey - Aye Motion carried 4-0-0. Schedule of Upcoming Meetings KMU Meeting: Tuesday, October 18th @ 2:00 p.m.
Listed under the schedule of upcoming meetings.
Partly answeredNo KMU agenda for October 18 2022 is in our holdings, and KMU minutes are not part of the council record we hold. The commission's meeting slot drifts across the years, at 2:00 pm in October 2022, 4:00 pm in September and December 2024 and 3:00 pm in October and December 2025, always on a Tuesday. KMU's own posted agendas would settle it.
10-8-24 AGENDA and 11-12-25 Council Packet
COUNCIL AND STAFF GENERAL COMMENTS Police Chief Sjoblom stated that October is breast cancer awareness month. Officer Mitch is doing a great job of coordinating the selling of pink patches. 9 Councilman Helgeson stated that the last Farmer's Market will be on Thursday, October 20th.
Sjoblom noted October is breast cancer awareness month during general comments.
We hold no dataNo pink patch sales record is in our holdings, so neither proceeds nor volume can be given. The officer is identified elsewhere in the record as Mitch Taylor, who accepted a position with the Apple Valley Police Department with a last day of October 17 2024. A police department fundraising accounting or a donation resolution would settle it.
11.12.24 Council Packet And Agenda · would settle it: Police department pink patch sales record
The Farmer's Market has been great support from the community and it will be brought back for next year. Park and Rec will also be sponsoring Trunk or Treat on Sunday, October 30th.
Helgeson announced upcoming Park and Rec events.
What happened nextThe event was held and the council thanked the organizers. Council member Bailey appreciated the work Park and Rec put into the Trunk or Treat event and said they were doing great work, recorded in the November 16 2022 minutes.
11.16.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-11-16
Officer Mitch is doing a great job of coordinating the selling of pink patches. 9 Councilman Helgeson stated that the last Farmer's Market will be on Thursday, October 20th.
Helgeson reported on Park and Rec activities during general comments.
Partly answeredThe closing date of Thursday October 20 2022 is recorded in the minutes, but no Park and Rec schedule confirming it or the return the following season is in our holdings, and no later passage mentions the Farmer's Market again. What the record does show is Park and Rec consolidating its money elsewhere, moving $2,750.41 from the Carriage and Cutter fund and $4,594.59 from the 5K Run fund into the Depot Park fund in early 2024. Park and Rec Board minutes would settle whether the market came back.
11.16.22 City Council Packet and Agenda and 3.12.24 Council Packet and Agenda
Park and Rec will also be sponsoring Trunk or Treat on Sunday, October 30th. Mayor Henke commented that four new trees were planted in Veteran's Park.
General comment during council and staff comments.
We hold no dataNo planting record or invoice for four trees at Veterans Park is in our holdings, so the claim rests on Mayor Henke's comment during general comments. Kenyon Veterans Memorial Park is one of 18 parks and recreation facilities on file. A public works work order or a nursery invoice would settle it.
factbook data/parks_recreation.csv · would settle it: Public works planting record or invoice
NEW BUSINESS Administrative Policy 33 – Electronic Funds Transfer Policy Administrator Vahlsing stated that one of the findings of the 2021 audit was for the City to adopt an Electronic Fund Transfer Policy.
Vahlsing introduced Administrative Policy 33 as a response to an audit finding.
At the meetingCouncil adopted Administrative Policy #33 by a 4-0-0 vote.
Partly answeredThe 2021 audit report is not in our holdings, so the finding itself cannot be read, though the city acted on it by adopting Administrative Policy 33 governing ACH, wire transfers and other electronic payment types, carried 4-0-0 on roll call. The 2021 city and KMU audit was performed by Abdo Eick and Meyers at $26,875, chosen over CliftonLarsonAllen at $32,130. The following year's findings are on record and are different ones, limited segregation of duties and preparation of financial statements, both internal control findings.
8.8.23 Council Packet and Agenda and factbook KENYON_BIDS.md
Township Fire Contract Meeting: Tuesday, December 6th @ 6 p.m. 2023 Budget & Levy Public Meeting: Tuesday, December 6th @ 6:30 p.m.
Listed under the schedule of upcoming meetings.
Partly answeredNo minutes or budget documents from the December 6 2022 public budget and levy meeting are in our holdings, and our levy history begins with the 2025 levy. The 2023 levy can be bounded from the next year, since the 2024 levy of $1,277,965 was an 8 percent increase, implying a 2023 levy of roughly $1,183,300. The adopted 2023 budget resolution and the county certification would settle it.
factbook levy history and 1-9-24 agenda
Township Fire Contract Meeting: Tuesday, December 6th @ 6 p.m. 2023 Budget & Levy Public Meeting: Tuesday, December 6th @ 6:30 p.m.
Listed under the schedule of upcoming meetings.
Partly answeredNo minutes or draft terms from the December 6 2022 township fire contract meeting are in our holdings, though the meeting stayed on the published schedule through the December 13 2022 agenda. The contract structure that eventually governs is on file: the township agreement requires the city to present an annual fire department operational budget by the anniversary date, and permits a capital fund amount for tools and equipment but not for land or buildings. The 2026 split runs $99,338.82 to the city at 51 percent and $95,443.18 to the township.
The fire cost-share worksheet does not foot. Total 2026 fire expenses of $234,398.00 less $10,000.00 of reimbursements and grants and $33,000.00 of state fire aid is $191,398.00, but the budget used for the city and township split is $194,782.00, $3,384.00 higher.
12.2.25 Special Council Meeting and 12.9.25 Council Agenda and Packet Updated
Motion by Rechtzigel second by Helgeson to canvass the 2022 election results at the regular Council meeting on Wednesday, November 16 at 7:00 pm.
State law requires canvassing between November 11 and 18.
At the meetingCanvass scheduled for November 16 at 7:00 pm; motion carried 4-0-0.
What happened nextThe council met as the Canvassing Board and canvassed the results of the November 8 2022 General Election on a motion by Rechtzigel seconded by Ryan, carried 5-0-0, inside the statutory November 11 to 18 window. The city repeated the same step two years later, canvassing the November 5 2024 General Election on a motion by Helgeson seconded by Sjolander, carried 4-0-0. The county abstract of results is not in our holdings.
11.16.22 Council Minutes and 12.10.24 Council Packet and Agenda Updated · taken up again 2022-11-16
Schedule Budget Work Session to Review Enterprise Funds (Sewer, Storm Sewer, Liquor Store) Administrator Vahlsing requested that a budget work session be scheduled to review the enterprise funds including Sewer, Storm sewer, and the liquor store Motion by Rechtzigel second by Henke to schedule a work session on Wednesday, October 26 at 6:00 pm to review the enterprise funds.
Vahlsing requested a work session to review enterprise fund budgets.
At the meetingWork session scheduled for October 26 at 6:00 pm; motion carried 4-0-0.
What happened nextThe work session was held on Wednesday October 26 2022 at 6:00 pm, narrowed to the enterprise portion of the budget covering the municipal liquor store, sewer and storm sewer funds, which had to be adopted by the end of December. The agenda notes this was a change from prior years, when the entire budget was reviewed at that session. The city kept the practice, setting the 2024 enterprise fund work session for Tuesday November 28 2023 at 5:00 pm.
10.26.22 Special City Council Agenda and 12.12.23 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2022-10-26
Motion by Helgeson second by Rechtzigel to direct the City Engineer to proceed with the 2023 street project scope as presented.
Olinger presented a scope recommendation for 2023 asphalt repairs and overlays at Council's prior direction.
At the meetingMotion carried 4-0-0.
What happened nextThe scope became a bid project. Plans and specifications for the 2023 Street Improvements covered Bullis Street, Washington Street, 7th Street and 8th Street, with alternate improvements to State Street and Washington Street for asphalt overlays, patching, repaving and minor surface repairs, presented to the council June 13 2023. The work went to Bituminous Materials Inc at $450,693.95, the low bid against Crane Creek at $463,585.62 and SL Contracting at $535,437.60, with an engineer's estimate of $547,705.
6.13.23 Council Packet and Agenda and factbook KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2023-06-13
A plan was received with a list of accomplishments and a schedule for the remaining cleanup. The police chief and attorney will be monitoring the progress.
Riggs updated Council on correspondence with the property owner's attorney and a cleanup plan received.
At the meetingRiggs reported a plan with accomplishments and a schedule for remaining cleanup was received.
What happened nextThe cleanup schedule failed and the city escalated to prosecution. By December 13 2022 Riggs reported the owner was still resisting with little progress, and the police department was instructed to write tickets for expired vehicles. A citation was issued on January 10 2023 with arraignment set for February 23, and by April 11 2023 the chief reported snow had slowed progress, the owner had surveyed the property and found the downed tree was his to remove, and the owner had until April to finish.
The submitted plan and schedule did not hold. Two months after it was received the city recorded the owner still resisting with little progress, and moved to citations.
12.13.22 Council Minutes, 3.14.23 Updated Council Packet and Agenda, 4.11.23 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2023-04-11
The Council would like to see some estimates of repairing the old Depot verses building a new one before a decision could be made. 8 Motion by Henke, second by Helgeson directing City staff to continue reviewing the future of the Depot Park including cost estimates.
Council said it needed the estimates before making a decision on the Depot Park shelter.
Partly answeredOnly the repair side was ever priced. The L and M Construction estimate plus a few other improvements put repair in the range of $25,000 as of March 14 2023, and the Park Board recommended that path with donations. No contractor or engineer estimate for new construction of a Depot Park shelter is in our holdings, so the two options were never compared on cost.
3.14.23 Updated Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2023-03-14
The Council would like to see some estimates of repairing the old Depot verses building a new one before a decision could be made. 8 Motion by Henke, second by Helgeson directing City staff to continue reviewing the future of the Depot Park including cost estimates.
Council could not decide whether to renovate the existing Depot shelter or construct a new one without cost comparisons.
At the meetingMotion carried 4-0-0; no estimates presented at the meeting.
What happened nextEstimates came back on March 14 2023, but only for one of the two options. Administrator Vahlsing reviewed an L and M Construction estimate for improvements to the Depot Park shelter, with a few other improvements bringing total costs into the range of $25,000, and the Park Board recommended repairing the depot and seeking donations toward the cost. No estimate for building a new shelter appears anywhere in our record, so the comparison the council asked for was never completed.
3.14.23 Updated Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2023-03-14
The following members were present: Mayor Doug Henke, Council Members Dan Rechtzigel, Kim Helgeson, and Mary Bailey Absent: Molly Ryan Also, present: Administrator Mark Vahlsing, Engineer Derek Olinger, Finance Clerk Kathy Flikke, Administrative Assistant Holli Gudknecht, Public Works Director Wayne Ehrich, Police Chief Jeff Sjoblom, County Commissioner Todd Greseth The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. CITIZEN COMMENT County Commissioner Todd Greseth gave an update on the happenings in the County.
Citizen comment portion of the meeting.
At the meetingNo substance recorded in the minutes.
Partly answeredThe substance of the September 2022 remarks is not recorded anywhere we hold. The nearest recorded content is Commissioner Greseth's February 14 2023 update, which reported the county levy finalized at a 4.69% increase for 2023, well under the city's own 6.8% preliminary ceiling for the same year. A recording or staff notes from the September 13 2022 meeting would settle what he actually said.
2.14.23 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2023-02-14
COUNCIL AND STAFF GENERAL COMMENTS Administrator Vahlsing thanked everyone involved with Rose Fest. The committee did a great job and attendance was up.
General comments thanking the Rose Fest committee and volunteers.
At the meetingNo figures were provided.
We hold no dataWe hold no attendance counts for Rose Fest in any year, so the claim cannot be checked. The festival runs on free Google Forms and a Jotform that now reads over quota, with $0 spent on event software, so no registration data exists to count. A gate count or committee event report would settle it.
KENYON_IT_SPEND.md; KENYON_ROSEFEST archive · would settle it: Attendance counts or event reports comparing years.
Approve (Partial) Pay Application 1 Motion by Rechtzigel second by Bailey to approve partial pay application No. 1 to Decook in the amount of $45,533.55.
Payment on the completed North Street Drainage Project.
At the meetingPartial payment approved 4-0-0.
What happened nextThe balance was paid on November 16 2022 with pay application No. 2 for $1,052.35, carried 5-0-0. The two payments total $46,585.90 against an awarded contract of $46,018.47 for base and alternate work, $567.43 above the award.
The two approved pay applications total $567.43 more than the $46,018.47 quote the council accepted on June 14 2022, and no change order appears in the record.
11.16.22 Council Minutes; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-11-16
PRESENTATIONS/PUBLIC HEARINGS/RECOGNITIONS/PROLAMATIONS ENGINEERING North Street Drainage Improvements Updates City Engineer Olinger stated that Decook has completed the North Street Drainage Project.
Project update preceding approval of a partial pay application.
At the meetingCouncil approved partial pay application No. 1 to Decook for $45,533.55.
What happened nextCompletion held and payment closed out at the November 16 2022 meeting, when the council approved pay application No. 2 to DeCook Drainage for $1,052.35, carried 5-0-0. No certificate of final completion is in anything we hold.
11.16.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-11-16
Lacey's Kitchen & Cocktails Liquor License Renewal Motion by Rechtzigel second by Helgeson to renew Lacey's Kitchen & Cocktails liquor license including Sunday and outdoor service area sales.
Annual liquor license renewal on the new business agenda.
At the meetingCouncil approved the renewal 4-0-0.
What happened nextThe renewal passed 4-0-0 including Sunday and outdoor service area sales, and the council renewed it again on the same terms 4-0-0 on October 10 2023. The city issued a license on identical terms to Cahill Bistro Bar on August 20 2024.
10.10.23 Council Packet · taken up again 2023-10-10
Lot Split and Combination Application – 413 Skogen Dr – Elden Attorney Riggs stated that Elden and Eileen Ehrich requested approval to split the lot at 413 Skogen Drive into two halves and then combine each half with the adjacent lots on each side. 4 Resolution 2022-20 Authorizing Minor Subdivision and Lot Combination Property at 413 Skogen Drive Motion by Rechtzigel second by Helgeson to adopt Resolution 2022-20.
Lot split and combination application for 413 Skogen Drive.
At the meetingCouncil adopted Resolution 2022-20 authorizing the minor subdivision and lot combination, 4-0-0.
What happened nextThe council adopted Resolution 2022-20 authorizing the minor subdivision and lot combination at 413 Skogen Drive, motion by Rechtzigel and second by Helgeson, carried 4-0-0. Recorded property descriptions are not in anything we hold.
10.11.22 Council Agenda and Packet · taken up again 2022-10-11
Wastewater Treatment Plant – Replace Sludge Mixing and Loadout Pump System Public Works Superintendent Wayne Ehrich explained his request to order a new sludge pump and mixing system to replace the existing pump. This item is in the 2023 budget, but the cost is $5,000.00 cheaper if ordered now.
Reason given for advancing a budgeted 2023 purchase into 2022.
At the meetingCouncil accepted the reasoning and approved the $48,600.00 purchase.
We hold no dataWe hold no vendor quote showing 2022 against 2023 pricing, so the $5,000 saving is unverified. On the stated figures the saving is 9.3% of the $48,600 approved price, meaning the 2023 price would have been $53,600. The supplier quote behind the October 2022 purchase would settle it.
10.11.22 Council Agenda and Packet · would settle it: The vendor quote showing current versus 2023 pricing.
Wastewater Treatment Plant – Replace Sludge Mixing and Loadout Pump System Public Works Superintendent Wayne Ehrich explained his request to order a new sludge pump and mixing system to replace the existing pump.
Replacement of the existing sludge mixing and loadout pump system, a 2023 budget item.
At the meetingCouncil approved the purchase at $48,600.00, motion carried 4-0-0.
What happened nextThe council approved the replacement at $48,600.00 by motion of Rechtzigel and second of Bailey, carried 4-0-0, pulling the purchase forward from the 2023 budget. The vendor quote and purchase order are not in anything we hold.
10.11.22 Council Agenda and Packet · taken up again 2022-10-11
This item is in the 2023 budget, but the cost is $5,000.00 cheaper if ordered now. The estimated delivery time for the pump is 20 weeks or longer.
Justification for ordering the sludge pump and mixing system now rather than in 2023.
At the meetingCouncil approved the purchase; actual delivery date remains unknown.
We hold no dataNo delivery date for the sludge pump and mixing system appears in anything we hold. A supplier delivery confirmation or a later public works update reporting the pump in service would settle it.
10.11.22 Council Agenda and Packet · would settle it: A confirmed delivery date from the pump supplier.
It was inspected after sustaining damage from storms in June and found to be in poor condition. Replacement will be scheduled for 2023.
City Hall roof was inspected after June storm damage and found to be in poor condition.
At the meetingNo cost, contractor, or date was given; item reported only.
What happened nextThe replacement was approved on April 11 2023, a year after the storm damage. The council voted 4-0-0 to replace the City Hall roof with 50-year steel for $53,000, funded by an interfund loan from the KMU electric fund and contingent on KMU approving that loan, after Josh Lerfeld of L&M Construction inspected the roof, patched it and confirmed it needed replacement.
4.11.23 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2023-04-11
However, the Pearl Creek sanitary main is the highest priority and should be ready for bidding in spring of 2023. Forest Street sanitary improvements are currently scheduled for 2025 and 2028.
Sequencing of sanitary sewer main improvement needs in Pearl Creek and Forest Street areas.
At the meetingStated as the current schedule; no action taken.
Partly answeredThe 2025 half of the schedule held in the sense that a large street and utility project was bid and awarded, going to Fitzgerald Excavating at $2,294,629.25 on July 8 2025 after all six bids from the first round were rejected on June 10 2025. The 2028 slot is now occupied by the reconstruction of 6th Street near the school, which the August 12 2025 packet says has been on the capital improvement plan for many years and is scheduled for 2028. No capital improvement plan naming Forest Street sanitary years is in anything we hold.
8.12.25 Council Packet and Agenda Updated; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2025-08-12
Final Design Proposal Motion by Helgeson, second by Bailey to approve Bolton & Menk's proposal for final design and bidding services at an estimated cost of $118,135.00.
Approval of the final design proposal for the Pearl Creek sanitary improvement project.
At the meetingCouncil approved the proposal at the estimated cost.
Partly answeredThe council approved the $118,135.00 estimate on motion by Helgeson and second by Bailey, carried 4-0-0. Final invoiced design and bidding costs never appear in anything we hold. For scale, the comparable 2025 Street and Utility Improvements final design and bidding proposal of October 2024 ran $246,200 across 1,437 hours, with bidding alone at $8,200.
10.11.22 Council Agenda and Packet; 10-8-24 AGENDA
However, the Pearl Creek sanitary main is the highest priority and should be ready for bidding in spring of 2023.
Update on prioritizing sanitary sewer main improvements.
At the meetingCouncil approved Bolton & Menk's final design and bidding proposal.
What happened nextThe project reached bidding in spring 2023 as forecast. The council adopted a resolution approving plans and specifications and ordering advertisement for bids on May 9 2023, then accepted the bid on June 13 2023, awarding the 2023 Pearl Creek Sanitary Sewer and Gates Avenue work to BCM Construction at $1,241,494.22 against an engineer's estimate of $1,536,065.
5.9.23 Council Packet and Agenda; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2023-06-13
Motion by Henke second by Helgeson to recommend setting the Truth in Taxation meeting for December 6 at 6:30 pm.
Council recommended a date for the Truth in Taxation hearing on the 2023 budget and levy.
At the meetingMotion carried 4-0-0.
Partly answeredThe council set the hearing for December 6 2022 at 6:30 p.m. by motion of Henke and second of Helgeson, carried 4-0-0, and the date had to be named when the preliminary levy was certified to the county. No published notice or record of the hearing itself is in anything we hold. The city kept the same early-December 6:30 p.m. pattern, choosing December 3 for 2024 and December 1 for 2026.
10.11.22 Council Agenda and Packet; 9-8-26 Council Packet
The final levy must be adopted by the end of December. The levy can be lowered between now and the end of the year, but it cannot be increased.
Explanation of the levy adoption timeline after setting the preliminary maximum.
At the meetingPreliminary maximum set at 6.8%; final figure still to be determined.
We hold no dataWe hold no December 2022 levy resolution, so the final adopted 2023 levy is unknown to us. Our certified levy series starts with the 2025 preliminary of $1,400,000 at plus 9.55%, then $1,528,541 for 2026 and $1,670,115 preliminary for 2027. The December 2022 final levy resolution would settle it.
taxes/levy.html; taxes/data/kenyon_tax.json · would settle it: The adopted final 2023 levy resolution in December.
The preliminary maximum levy certification resolution must be submitted to Goodhue County by the end of September.
Adoption of Resolution 2022-19 setting the 2023 preliminary budget and levy at a maximum of 6.8%.
At the meetingCouncil adopted Resolution 2022-19 setting a maximum levy of 6.8%.
What happened nextThe council adopted Resolution 2022-19 setting the 2023 preliminary maximum levy at 6.8%, motion by Henke and second by Rechtzigel, carried 4-0-0, for certification to Goodhue County by the end of September. That 6.8% ceiling is the lowest preliminary maximum in the record, against 9.55% for 2025, 9.93% for 2026 and 9.26% certified for 2027.
10.11.22 Council Agenda and Packet; taxes/levy.html · taken up again 2022-10-11
Their attorney did respond and was to have a plan submitted by now, but did not follow through. If the plan is not received by the end of the week, Riggs will proceed with enforcement.
Update on nuisance property violation enforcement.
At the meetingNo plan had been received as of the meeting.
What happened nextThe cleanup plan arrived before enforcement was filed. By November 16 2022 Attorney Riggs reported several conversations and email correspondence with the owner's attorney and receipt of a plan listing accomplishments and a schedule for the remaining cleanup, with the police chief and attorney monitoring progress.
11.16.22 City Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2022-11-16
Please also note that KMU has requested a small watermain extension be included in the project scope since this work is very similar in nature. Forest Street sanitary improvements are currently scheduled for 2025 or 2028.
Preliminary study found improvements warranted for both mains but Pearl Creek is the higher priority.
What happened nextForest Street landed in the earlier of the two options. The 2025 Street and Utility Improvements assessment roll carries Forest Street from 3rd Street to 8th Street for sanitary lining, repairs and paving, alongside Spring Street, Pine Street and the Pearl Creek main, so the Forest Street sanitary work was done in the 2025 project rather than deferred to 2028.
7.8.25 Updated Council Packet and Agenda, assessment roll · taken up again 2025-07-08
Currently planned for '25 - May shift per Goodhue Co Engineer Langford Avenue (Pine to Mogren Hill) $ 521,550.00 $ 137,250.00 $ - $ 74,825.00 $ - $ 733,625.00 Y 20% Street, San, Wtr 2025 Sanitary Sewer Lining $ 747,750.00 $ - $ 747,750.00 N Forest(8th to 3rd), Pearl (S End), Pine - 2022 Estimate 5th Street (Spring to Bullis) $ 285,000.00 $ 75,000.00 $ - $ 102,500.00 $ - $ 462,500.00 Y 20% Street, Stm, Wtr Behind School Totals $ 45,000.00 $ 806,550.00 $ - $ 549,750.00 $ - $ 842,750.00 $ - $ 372,075.00 $ 45,000.00 $
Approved 8/30/22 infrastructure CIP listing CSAH 12 (2nd Street to Old Tressel) agreement.
What happened nextCSAH 12 stayed on roughly the 2025 track. A partnership agreement between the city and Goodhue County was drafted by May 2024 with bid letting tentatively set for winter 2024 to 2025 and construction for summer 2025, and the October 2025 packet carries a CSAH 12 closure detour map, so the work reached construction. The county's adopted road capital plan is still not in our holdings.
5-14-24 AGENDA; 10.14.25 Council Packet & Agenda · taken up again 2025-10-14
Levy 2022 City Levy $1,107,960 Proposed 2023 levy based on 6% increase. $1,174,438 8% increase. $1,196,597 Estimates of Impacts on residential property: Valuation: $150,000 $250,000 2022 taxes $2818 $4647 2023 taxes w/6% increase $2899 $4799 2023 taxes w/8% increase* $2940 $4875 The draft of the expense, and revenue budgets are also included in the packet.
Budget memo estimating levy impacts on residential property.
Partly answeredNo county tax capacity or rate calculation supporting these estimates is in our holdings, and the memo series does not hold up on its own terms. The $2,818 on a $150,000 home and $4,647 on a $250,000 home are labeled 2022 taxes in the September 2022 memo and then reappear unchanged, labeled 2023 taxes, in the September 2023 memo. The actual rate math from the county auditor would settle the impact figures.
The same $2,818 and $4,647 figures are printed as 2022 taxes in the 2022 budget memo and as 2023 taxes in the 2023 memo, so the base year was recycled rather than recalculated.
9.13.22 Council Packet & Agenda; 9.12.23 Council Packet & Agenda
He also stated that due to increases in property valuations the last several years, the actual tax increases may be less.
Explaining the impact of the 6.8% maximum levy on taxpayers.
Partly answeredValuation growth has only partly offset levy growth, and for pay 2026 it did not come close. The certified city rate still rose from 79.3028 to 84.6822 percent of net tax capacity, a 6.78 percent rate increase against a 9.18 percent levy increase, implying tax capacity grew only about 2.2 percent. County tax capacity figures for pay 2023 specifically are not in our holdings.
factbook taxes/data/kenyon_tax.json and taxes/levy.html
Administrator Vahlsing stated that the proposed 2023 budget included a 3% cost of living increase for full-time employees. It also showed a 5% increase for employee health insurance.
Overall assumptions built into the draft 2023 levy-funded budgets.
Partly answeredThe health insurance renewal quote and the wage schedule are not in our holdings, but the assumptions are durable and consistent across years. The city used a 3 percent cost of living increase with 5 percent health insurance for 2023, 3 percent with 7 percent health insurance for 2024, and 3 percent with 5 percent health insurance for 2026.
9.13.22, 9.12.23 and 9-9-25 Council Packets
The decrease resulted from the retirement of the children's librarian who was replaced with two part-time employees. She was requesting increases in the hourly pay for three part-time positions.
2023 library budget presentation, along with increases for automation and operating supplies.
Partly answeredThe council's decision on the three part-time library wage increases in the final 2023 budget is not recorded in our holdings. The request recurred, with a 7 percent increase for the same three part-time positions requested for 2024 alongside a 31 percent decrease in automation costs from higher state funding and $3,574 more from the county.
9.12.23 Council Packet & Agenda
Library Director Otte reviewed the proposed 2023 budget. The budget for the library showed an overall proposed 2.4% decrease.
Review of the proposed 2023 library budget.
Partly answeredThe line-item library budget worksheet is not in our holdings, so the 2.4 percent decrease cannot be checked against the wage detail. The trend afterward runs the other way: a 3 percent increase with a 0.5 percent levy decrease proposed for 2024, and a 9.44 percent levy increase proposed for 2026 on wages, automation and utilities.
9.13.22 Council Packet & Agenda; 9.12.23 and 9-9-25 Council Packets
Police Chief Sjoblom is requesting a one-time step/lane increase for the two full time officers. This would be an approximate annual increase of $5640 to the police department budget.
Budget memo describing Chief Sjoblom's wage request.
Partly answeredThe $5,640 appears only in the administrator's budget memo, which works out to $2,820 a year for each of the two full-time officers. The pay-scale table and the payroll calculation behind the figure are not in our holdings.
9.13.22 Council Packet & Agenda
These include administration, police, fire, streets, pool and parks There will be another work session scheduled in October to review the enterprise fund budgets.
The September 7 work session covered only levy-funded departments.
What happened nextThe work session was scheduled for Wednesday October 26 2022 at 6:00 pm to review the sewer, storm sewer and liquor store funds, on a roll call of 4-0-0 with Henke, Rechtzigel, Helgeson and Bailey all voting aye.
10.11.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-10-11
Based on recent delays associated with material lead times, it is likely that construction completion would be delayed until 2024. 4.
Tentative project schedule in the design proposal.
What happened nextThe delay warning proved right and was written into the contract. By May 2023 the plans were complete for bidding with work schedule provisions requiring completion by summer 2024, and the engineer expected the project to sit idle after bid approval because of long lead times on lift station materials.
5.9.23 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2023-05-09
If KMU does not move forward with the water looping portion of the work, total fees associated with this proposal would be reduced by approximately $8,000. 3.
Fee section of the final design and bidding proposal.
What happened nextThe $8,000 reduction never applied because KMU proceeded. The watermain and electrical conduit extension near Gates Avenue is in the plans and specifications the council approved in May 2023, so the full $118,135 scope stood.
5.9.23 Council Packet and Agenda; 9.13.22 Council Packet & Agenda · taken up again 2023-05-09
If additional meetings or discussions are needed to negotiate with property owners, this time can be provided as additional services. Please note that some additional time will be required of the City attorney to draft easement agreements.
Note on scope limits of the engineer's easement acquisition work.
Partly answeredThe attorney did the work, with the April and May 2023 records both confirming he was drafting the easement agreements, but no estimate or accounting of attorney hours or cost appears in our holdings. The exposure was larger than planned, since the acquisition covered 6 owners rather than the 3 estimated. An itemized legal invoice for the easement drafting would settle it.
4.11.23 and 5.9.23 Council Packets
Our scope of work will include generating figures, legal descriptions, and sketches to be used in the acquisitions of new utility easements from an estimated 3 property owners.
Scope of easement acquisition work in the final design proposal.
What happened nextThe estimate of three owners was half the real number. By July 2023 final easement documents had been sent to all owners and the count stood at 12 parcels split among 6 property owners, with monetary compensation required for 7 parcels held by 3 owners. Total compensation negotiated was $77,200, most of it for the heavily impacted lift station site, which the engineer judged justified and reasonable.
The design proposal budgeted for easements from an estimated 3 property owners and 3 meetings, while the actual acquisition covered 12 parcels across 6 owners.
7-11-23 Council Packet · taken up again 2023-07-11
Partial Pay request No. 1 in the amount of $45,535.55 for the North Street project is also attached below for Council approval.
Discrepancy between the agenda summary figure and the contractor's application for payment.
Answered from our recordsThe agenda summary figure is the error. The motion as moved and carried, and both later printings of those minutes in the September and October 2022 packets, all read $45,533.55, matching the engineer's letter and the pay application. The agenda's $45,535.55 is $2.00 high.
The agenda summary states $45,535.55 while the motion, the minutes and the engineer's letter all state $45,533.55.
9.13.22 Council Minutes; 10.11.22 Council Agenda & Packet
The project construction is expected to finish ~$600 (~1%) over the bid estimate for the reasons listed above.
Explaining cost impact of a conflict with an unknown sanitary service line requiring a minor relocation.
Answered from our recordsThe forecast was accurate. The two pay applications total $46,585.90, being $45,533.55 in September 2022 plus $1,052.35 in December 2022, against a bid award of $46,018.47. That is $567.43 over, or 1.23 percent, matching the roughly $600 and roughly 1 percent the engineer predicted.
9.13.22 Council Minutes; 12-13-22 Agenda Granicus; factbook KENYON_BIDS.md
This item is being presented for discussion at this time. Financing for the project could be provided through an interfund loan with KMU.
Funding option presented for discussion on the roof project.
At the meetingPresented for discussion only at this time.
What happened nextThe interfund loan became the actual funding condition. The April 2023 motion to proceed with the roof passed 4-0-0 pending KMU approval of an interfund loan from the electric fund. The loan agreement itself is not in our holdings, and a KMU loan was still a live administrator update item in September 2026.
4.11.23 Council Packet & Agenda; factbook 9-8-26 Council Packet administrator update · taken up again 2023-04-11
We have received a written quote, but L&M has estimated costs for the following options Removal and Replacement -30 year shingles $25,000 -40 year shingles $35,000 -30 year steel $35,000 -50 year steel $50,000 Staff would like to pursue the 50 year steel option.
Options presented for discussion on replacing the City Hall roof.
At the meetingStaff stated they would like to pursue the 50-year steel option.
What happened nextThe council took the most expensive option and it grew. The September 2022 estimate for 50-year steel was $50,000 and the price approved in April 2023 was $53,000, $3,000 or 6 percent higher, against a low option of $25,000 for 30-year shingles. The written L&M quote is not in our holdings.
9.13.22 Council Packet & Agenda; 4.11.23 Council Packet & Agenda · taken up again 2023-04-11
He also concurs that it needs to be replaced. L&M patched portions of the roof where needed but cannot schedule the replacement project until 2023.
City Hall roof was damaged in June storms and found to be in poor condition.
What happened nextThe replacement was scheduled and authorized for 2023. On April 11 2023 the council voted 4-0-0 to proceed with 50-year steel at $53,000, contingent on KMU approving an interfund loan from the electric fund, with L&M to complete the project in 2023.
4.11.23 Council Packet & Agenda; 3.14.23 Updated Council Packet & Agenda · taken up again 2023-04-11
XI.C Agenda Item Summary CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT DATE: September 13, 2022 SUBMITTED BY: Mark Vahlsing, Administration ITEM TYPE: New Business AGENDA SECTION: NEW BUSINESS SUBJECT: Lacey's Kitchen & Cocktails Liquor License Renewal SUGGESTED ACTION: Approval of annual liquor licenses including: On-sale Sunday Sales Outdoor Service See attached licenses below MOTION NEEDED ATTACHMENTS: Lacey's Kitchen liquor licenses.pdf 50 51 AGENDA ITEM NO.
Annual liquor license renewal item on the agenda.
What happened nextThe license was renewed 4-0-0 including Sunday sales and the outdoor service area, moved by Rechtzigel and seconded by Helgeson. The same renewal passed again 4-0-0 in October 2023 on identical terms.
9.13.22 Council Minutes; 10.10.23 Council Packet · taken up again 2022-09-13
They are planning on selling the east 1/2 of lot 16 to the neighboring property owner Scott and Caitlin Miller. The split and combination requires Council approval.
They plan to sell the east half of Lot 16 to neighboring owners Scott and Caitlin Miller.
What happened nextResolution 2022-20 authorizing the minor subdivision and lot combination at 413 Skogen Drive was adopted 4-0-0, splitting Lot 16 of Block 3 Whitetail Ridge 2nd Addition and combining the west half with Lot 15 and the east half with Lot 17. The filed application and survey are not in our holdings.
9.13.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-09-13
VIII.A Agenda Item Summary CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT DATE: September 13, 2022 SUBMITTED BY: Mark Vahlsing, Administration ITEM TYPE: Legal AGENDA SECTION: LEGAL SUBJECT: Nuisance Property Violation - 1 Langford Av. update SUGGESTED ACTION: The city attorney will provide an update on the clean-up enforcement action against 1 Langford Av.
Nuisance property violation enforcement.
What happened nextThe attorney reported that enforcement had been started, that the owner's attorney had responded but failed to submit the promised plan, and that he would proceed with enforcement if no plan arrived by the end of that week. The matter was still being discussed as a property abatement enforcement action nine months later in June 2023. By April 2025 the same address was back before the council as a lot combination request from Scot Bowen, which was tabled while the engineer discussed easements with the owner.
9.13.22 Council Minutes; 6.13.23 Council Packet and Agenda; 4-8-25 council packet · taken up again 2023-06-13
In preparation for final payment, please submit an IC-134 form and any field markups of construction drawings.
Closeout requirements discussed at the August 26 final walk-through of the North Street site.
Partly answeredNo IC-134 form and no field-marked construction drawings appear in our holdings. Final payment did go through, with Pay Application No. 2 of $1,052.35 approved 5-0-0 in December 2022, which under the stated process implies the closeout documents were received. The documents themselves are what is missing.
12-13-22 Agenda Granicus; 9.13.22 Council Packet & Agenda
Until the new grass is adequately established and erosion control measures can be removed, some retainage will be held until this work is done.
Partial Pay Application No. 1 for the North Street Drainage Outfall Improvements.
What happened nextThe retainage was released three months later. Pay Application No. 2 to DeCook Drainage for $1,052.35 was approved 5-0-0 in the December 2022 record, closing out the project after the $45,533.55 partial payment in September.
12-13-22 Agenda Granicus · taken up again 2022-12-13
He would like to order the pump in September. The estimated delivery time for the pump is 20 weeks or longer. As result it will not be delivered util 2023.
Justification for ordering the wastewater treatment plant pump in September 2022.
Partly answeredNo confirmed delivery date from the vendor appears in our holdings, only the 20 weeks or longer estimate repeated in the minutes. Twenty weeks from a mid-September 2022 order lands in early February 2023, which is consistent with the claim that it would not arrive until 2023. A vendor delivery confirmation would settle it.
9.13.22 Council Minutes
XI.D Agenda Item Summary CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT DATE: September 13, 2022 SUBMITTED BY: Mark Vahlsing, Public Works ITEM TYPE: New Business AGENDA SECTION: NEW BUSINESS SUBJECT: Wastewater Treatment Plant - Replace Sludge Mixing and Loadout Pump System - Wayne Ehrich Public Works Superintendent SUGGESTED ACTION: Public Works Superintendent Wayne Ehrich is requesting approval to order a Sludge pump and mixing system.
Existing sludge pump needs replacement and the order must be placed in September because of delivery lead times.
What happened nextThe council approved replacing the sludge mixing and loadout pump system at $48,600.00 on a 4-0-0 vote moved by Rechtzigel and seconded by Bailey. Ordering in September rather than 2023 saved $5,000, and the expense was booked to the sewer enterprise fund in 2023.
The agenda item priced the system at $48,000 while the motion that carried approved $48,600.00, a $600 difference.
9.13.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-09-13
He stated that the proposed budget showed increases in wages for the two full-time officers. He has requested that the officers be moved up one and two grades in the city pay scale.
Police department 2023 budget request showing wage increases for two full-time officers.
At the meetingAdministrator Vahlsing recommended instead moving the officers up one lane and one pay grade, which was included in the proposed 2023 police budget.
Partly answeredThe chief asked for one and two grades and the administrator recommended one lane and one pay grade instead, which is what went into the proposed 2023 police budget at roughly $5,640 a year. No record of the council's final decision on the pay-scale adjustment appears in our holdings. By December 2023 the chief was pressing a different route, seeking up to $30 an hour for experienced part-time officers and asking to eliminate the police administrative position and shift that wage into full-time officer pay.
9.13.22 Council Packet & Agenda; 12.12.23 Council Packet and Agenda
Please note that Randy Eggert with KMU has requested that a small watermain looping improvement between Gates Ave and the business part utility extension be included in this project.
Scope addition to the Pearl Creek sanitary project because the work is similar in nature.
At the meetingThe work scope and costs for the addition were included in the engineer's proposal.
What happened nextThe looping was included and built. The May 2023 plans carry the extension of new watermain and electrical conduit near Gates Avenue as part of the approved project. The written KMU request and any cost-share agreement between the city and KMU are not in our holdings.
5.9.23 Council Packet and Agenda; 9.13.22 Council Packet & Agenda · taken up again 2023-05-09
Any approvals for this proposal will be contingent upon the KMU boards approval to move forward with their portion of the project.
KMU requested a watermain looping improvement be added to the Pearl Creek project scope.
What happened nextKMU's portion went ahead. The plans and specifications the council approved in May 2023 cover the rerouting of the Pearl Creek sanitary main by lift station and forcemain together with the extension of new watermain and electrical conduit near Gates Avenue, and the project was renamed the Pearl Creek Sanitary Sewer and Gates Ave Utility Improvements. The KMU board's own recorded decision is not in our holdings.
5.9.23 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2023-05-09
Requested Action: Motion approving Bolton & Menk's proposal for final design & bidding services H:\KENYON_CI_MN\_General\Council Meetings\2022\9 - September 2022\02.1_Sanitary Sewer Project Summary.docx 21 September 9th, 2022 Mr.
Next step after the August 30 special meeting approval to reroute the Pearl Creek sanitary main.
What happened nextThe proposal was approved 4-0-0 at an estimated cost of $118,135.00, moved by Helgeson and seconded by Bailey. That design fee came to 9.5 percent of the construction contract eventually awarded to BCM Construction at $1,241,494.22.
9.13.22 Council Minutes; factbook KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-09-13
Discuss Options for Maximum 2023 Levy The maximum proposed levy increase must by adopted by the council by the end of September.
Discussion of options for the maximum 2023 levy at the budget work session.
At the meetingStaff recommended a 6.8% maximum levy increase; Resolution 2022-19 was placed on the September 13 agenda.
What happened nextResolution 2022-19 adopting the 2023 preliminary budget and levy at a maximum of 6.8 percent was moved by Henke, seconded by Rechtzigel and carried 4-0-0 at the September 13 2022 meeting, in time for certification to Goodhue County by the end of September.
9.13.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-09-13
Motion by Rechtzigel, second by Bailey to approve Infrastructure Management Plan revision option 3 (hybrid) with the following modifications: Forest Street sewer lining occurring in 2025 or 2028, the Trondheim Road project would be added to the plan in 2031.
Council approved a hybrid option with specific modifications to project years, which must be incorporated into the plan document.
We hold no dataNo updated Infrastructure Management Plan document incorporating option 3 and the council's modifications is in our holdings. The plan revision began with a work session scheduled for August 30 2022 at 5:00 p.m. on a 3-0-0 vote to review infrastructure management and capital improvements, and the approved modifications exist only as motion text. The revised plan document, or the capital improvement plan it feeds, would settle it.
9.13.22 Council Packet Agenda · would settle it: The updated written Infrastructure Management Plan incorporating the approved modifications
This option would reprioritize project scope and needs to maximize project budget. This option would have moderate cost increases over the previous infrastructure plan.
Olinger's comparison of three ways to revise the Infrastructure Management Plan to include Trondheim Road.
At the meetingCouncil selected option 3 (hybrid) with modifications, 4-0-1 with Henke abstaining.
We hold no dataNo dollar figures for any of the three options appear in our records. The council chose option 3 on qualitative descriptions alone, with option 3 characterized as reprioritizing project scope and needs to maximize project budget at moderate cost increases over the previous plan. The engineer's comparative cost tables for the full needs, match budget and hybrid options would settle it.
9.13.22 Council Packet Agenda · would settle it: The engineer's comparative cost figures for options 1, 2 and 3
Motion by Rechtzigel, second by Bailey to approve Infrastructure Management Plan revision option 3 (hybrid) with the following modifications: Forest Street sewer lining occurring in 2025 or 2028, the Trondheim Road project would be added to the plan in 2031.
The revision to the Infrastructure Management Plan was driven by the need to include the Trondheim Road Extension project.
At the meetingIncluded in the approved option 3 (hybrid) plan revision.
Partly answeredThe 2031 placement was adopted as part of the hybrid option, 4-0-1 with Henke abstaining, and nothing since shows it moving. The only later trace is the budget line for the Trondheim Road Extension, fund 900 object 49900, which carries $0.00 in every one of the six columns shown in the September 2026 packet. The revised Infrastructure Management Plan document listing Trondheim Road in 2031 is not in our holdings.
9.13.22 Council Packet Agenda; 9-8-26 Council Packet · taken up again 2026-09-08
The original project would have involved lining. Due to the poor conditions the Engineer recommended replacing the line in 2023.
Recommendation on timing for the Pearl Creek-Forest Street sanitary project given the poor line condition.
At the meetingCouncil approved the base project for the Pearl Street sewer main rerouting and replacement 5-0-0.
What happened nextThe replacement was let in 2023 as recommended, with the contract awarded to BCM Construction at $1,241,494.22 on June 13 2023. The work did not finish that year: as of August 2024 the major items remaining were final yard and turf restoration, disconnections from the old Pearl Creek sewer line and final televising and inspection of the new lines.
factbook KENYON_BIDS.md; 8-20-24 AGENDA · taken up again 2024-08-20
He stated that the televising and inspection of the existing sewer line showed that it was in poor condition and needed replacing.
Basis for changing the Pearl Creek-Forest Street project from lining to full replacement.
At the meetingCouncil accepted the finding and approved the base replacement project 5-0-0.
Partly answeredThe televising report itself is not in our holdings, but the inspection that produced the finding was competitively procured and priced. The first Pearl Creek televising request for proposals in March 2022 drew a single quote and was reissued, and the April 2022 round went to Empire Pipe Services at $12,782.68 over Pipe Services at $18,246.53 and American Environmental at $29,264. Final televising and inspection of the new sewer lines was still outstanding in August 2024.
factbook KENYON_BIDS.md; 8-20-24 AGENDA
He stated that the televising and inspection of the existing sewer line showed that it was in poor condition and needed replacing. The estimated cost to replace the line was approximately $1,400,000.
Olinger reported the televised sewer line was in poor condition and gave a replacement cost estimate for the Pearl Creek-Forest Street sanitary project.
At the meetingStated as an estimate only; council approved the base project for rerouting and replacement.
What happened nextThe replacement was bid at less than the 2022 estimate. BCM Construction was awarded the Pearl Creek Sanitary Sewer and Gates Avenue contract at $1,241,494.22 on June 13 2023, which is $158,505.78 or 11.3 percent below the $1,400,000 figure given to the council, and $294,570.78 below the engineer's estimate of $1,536,065 at bid time. The next bidders were Minger at $1,327,721.90 and Heselton at $1,385,155.00.
factbook KENYON_BIDS.md; 9.13.22 Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2023-06-13
Motion by Rechtzigel, second by Bailey to approve Infrastructure Management Plan revision option 3 (hybrid) with the following modifications: Forest Street sewer lining occurring in 2025 or 2028, the Trondheim Road project would be added to the plan in 2031.
The council approved Infrastructure Management Plan option 3 with the Forest Street sewer lining left at either of two years.
At the meetingNo single year was chosen; the motion carried with both years stated.
What happened nextThe lining was fixed at 2025, the earlier of the two years. The 1-9-24 packet lists Forest Street, Pine Street and Pearl Creek sanitary sewer lining among the 2025 construction items alongside Langford Avenue and 5th Street, and Engineer Olinger confirmed the same 2025 programme in February 2024. The scope is defined as Forest Street from 3rd Street to 8th Street.
1-9-24 agenda; 2.13.24 Council Packet and Agenda; 5-14-24 AGENDA(1) · taken up again 2024-02-13
Motion by Bailey, second by Ryan to direct City Engineer, and Public Works Superintendent to prepare scope recommendation for 2023 Street paving and overlay projects.
After reviewing the 2023 project list in the infrastructure management plan, the council directed staff to come back with a recommended scope.
At the meetingMotion approved 5-0-0; no scope presented at this meeting.
What happened nextThe scope came back six weeks later. The 10.11.22 packet carries the 2023 Street Improvements Project Scope, which cites the August 30 direction and defines the work as asphalt repairs and overlays to various streets throughout town, aimed at preserving streets at the mid-point of their service life and explicitly excluding streets already in poor condition needing more significant repairs. The resulting contract went to Bituminous Materials Inc at $450,693.95 on June 13 2023 against an engineer's estimate of $547,705.
10.11.22 Council Agenda Packet; factbook KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-10-11
Public Works will be borrowing some pavement maintenance equipment to complete some additional repairs later this summer.
Follow-up work after the chip seal project.
We hold no dataNo list of repair locations and no confirmation that the borrowed pavement maintenance equipment was obtained appears in anything we hold. Public Works records or the equipment loan agreement would settle it. The broader pattern is documented: the city told the council in April 2025 that for several years preventative maintenance projects had been intentionally undersized in order to fund one larger chip seal, estimated then at $80,000 to $90,000.
9.13.22 and 4-8-25 Council Packets, KENYON_BIDS.md · would settle it: A list of repair locations and confirmation the equipment was obtained
ENGINEERING North Street Drainage Improvements Updates City Engineer Olinger stated that DeCook Drainage has cleared the trees for the new storm sewer extension and will begin installing pipe this week. 2022 Chip Seal Project Update City Engineer Olinger reported that Pearson Brothers completed the chip sealing project in late July.
2022 chip seal project update.
What happened nextPearson Brothers did the 2022 chip seal under a $44,707 contract awarded May 10 2022 over Fahrner at $58,823, and the completion in late July is confirmed in the engineer's report, though no final pay application appears in our record. The same firm won the work again in 2025 at $59,951.55 plus $20,000 of added authority, against Asphalt Surface Tech at $68,726, Allied Blacktop at $69,913.20 and Fahrner at $96,685.70, a 34.1 percent rise in the base price over three years.
9.13.22 and 4-8-25 Council Packets, KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2025-05-13
ENGINEERING North Street Drainage Improvements Updates City Engineer Olinger stated that DeCook Drainage has cleared the trees for the new storm sewer extension and will begin installing pipe this week. 2022 Chip Seal Project Update City Engineer Olinger reported that Pearson Brothers completed the chip sealing project in late July.
North Street drainage improvements update.
What happened nextDeCook finished the work that season. All pipe, grading and temporary ground cover were installed and the contractor was off site by the September 2022 report, with one problem encountered, an unknown sanitary service line that required a minor relocation to avoid the new storm sewer pipe, and no other major changes from plan. The project was reported complete on December 13 2022 and the final pay application of $1,052.35 was approved 5-0-0. The contract was DeCook Drainage at $46,018.47, the low bid of five against Winona Mechanical at $51,308.37, Griffin at $67,453.60, Fitzgerald at $68,808.15 and Halo at $81,694.08.
9.13.22 and 12-13-22 packets, KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-12-13
Fire Relief Bingo Application Resolution 2022-14: Approving the Application for Lawful Gambling of Kenyon Firemen's Relief Association Fireman Don Kirchmann stated that this resolution was previously approved with restrictions listed. The State would not approve the request with restrictions attached.
The State would not approve the gambling application with the city's restrictions attached.
At the meetingCouncil adopted Resolution 2022-14 with the restrictions removed, 3-0-0.
What happened nextResolution 2022-14 was readopted with the restrictions removed on a motion by Rechtzigel seconded by Helgeson, carried 3-0-0, because the state would not approve a local approval that carried conditions. The relief association then expanded steadily: Resolution 2023-08 for lawful gambling at the Kenyon Country Club, Resolution 2023-25 in November 2023 for the Kenyon Municipal Liquor Store at 645 2nd Street, and Resolution 2024-06 in March 2024 for the Kenyon Fire Hall at 620 Centennial Drive, carried 3-0-0.
9.13.22, 11.14.23, 5.9.23 and 3.12.24 Council Packets · taken up again 2024-03-12
Motion carried 3-0-0. 9 Resolution 2022-18 Approve Lease Financing Motion by Rechtzigel second by Helgeson to adopt Resolution 2022-18 approving lease financing through Kinetic Leasing for the 2016 Peterbilt dump truck for a term of 6 years at an interest rate of 3.76%.
Resolution 2022-18 approving lease financing for the 2016 Peterbilt.
At the meetingResolution 2022-18 adopted 4-0-0.
Answered from our recordsResolution 2022-18 approving the Kinetic Leasing financing at six years and 3.76 percent was adopted 4-0-0, and the terms reconcile with the payment the city actually books, $29,270 a year against a calculated $29,168. The Peterbilt sits alongside five other leases in the city schedule: the 2013 Pelican sweeper at $20,789.61, the 2020 Freightliner snowplow at $36,522, the 2021 Ford Rosenbauer fire truck at $21,620, the 2015 fire truck at $52,430 and the 2017 Vactor truck at $26,016, for a combined $157,377.61 in a peak year.
9.13.22 Council Packet and 7-30-24 Agenda lease schedule · taken up again 2024-07-30
Purchase of 2016 Peterbilt Dump Truck Approve Purchase Public Works Superintendent Ehrich requested final approval to purchase a 2016 Peterbilt 567 dump truck. The purchase price is $154,110.
Request for final approval to purchase the plow dump truck.
At the meetingCouncil approved the purchase 3-0-0.
Answered from our recordsThe $154,110 price is confirmed by the financing that followed. The purchase was approved 3-0-0 and the truck then appears in the city's lease payment schedule at $29,270 a year, which is what a $154,110 principal amortized over six years at 3.76 percent produces, $29,168 by calculation, a difference of 0.35 percent. The signed purchase agreement is not in our record but the price is corroborated by two independent entries.
9.13.22 Council Packet, 7-30-24 Agenda lease schedule, arithmetic on those figures · taken up again 2024-07-30
PRESENTATIONS/PUBLIC HEARINGS/RECOGNITIONS/PROLAMATIONS 2021 City Audit Summary Presentation – Tyler See, CPA, Abdo Solutions Tyler See presented a summary of the 2021 City and KMU audits and an overview of the overall City financial condition. The city received an "Unmodified" or clean opinion on the audit.
Presentation of the 2021 audit summary and overall city financial condition.
Partly answeredThe opinion letters themselves are not in anything we hold, but the clean opinion is part of an unbroken run in the record: Tyler See of Abdo reported an unmodified opinion on the 2021 city and KMU audits, again on the 2022 audits, and Brad Falteysek of Abdo reported the same on the 2024 audits. The 2021 audit work had been competitively awarded in September 2021 to Abdo Eick and Meyers at $26,875 over CliftonLarsonAllen at $32,130, and the city changed auditors to BerganKDV at $27,540 after the December 2024 RFP.
9.13.22, 9.12.23 and 7.8.25 Council Packets, KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2025-07-08
Pearl Creek and Forest Street Sanitary Improvement Project Report City Engineer Olinger summarized the Pearl Creek and Forest Street sanitary improvement study and presented recommendations for future improvements.
Engineer presented recommendations for future sanitary improvements.
What happened nextThe decision came within two months and split the two mains apart. Pearl Creek was ranked the highest priority and targeted for bidding in spring 2023, while Forest Street sanitary improvements were scheduled for 2025 and 2028, and the council approved Bolton and Menk's final design and bidding proposal at $118,135.00, carried 4-0-0. Pearl Creek was then bid and awarded to BCM Construction at $1,241,494.22 on June 13 2023 against Minger at $1,327,721.90 and Heselton at $1,385,155.00. Forest Street had already been televised under a $12,782.68 contract with Empire Pipe Services in April 2022.
9.13.22 and 10.11.22 Council Packets, KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2023-06-13
Pearl Creek and Forest Street Sanitary Improvement Project Report City Engineer Olinger summarized the Pearl Creek and Forest Street sanitary improvement study and presented recommendations for future improvements. The Pearl Creek mains are in very poor condition and improvements should be made as soon as possible.
Summary of the Pearl Creek and Forest Street sanitary improvement study.
Partly answeredThe written study with condition ratings is not in anything we hold, so the very poor condition assessment cannot be checked against pipe-by-pipe data. The city acted on it without hesitation and the spending shows how seriously it was taken: Bolton and Menk's final design and bidding proposal was approved at an estimated $118,135.00 on a motion by Helgeson seconded by Bailey, carried 4-0-0, and construction was awarded to BCM Construction at $1,241,494.22 in June 2023. The design fee is 9.5 percent of the construction award.
9.13.22 Council Minutes and KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2023-06-13
NEW BUSINESS Set Council Work Session to Review 2023 Draft Budget Motion by Rechtzigel second by Helgeson to schedule a council work session to review the 2023 draft budget for Wednesday, September 7 at 5:00 pm.
Setting a work session to review the draft 2023 budget.
At the meetingMotion carried 3-0-0.
What happened nextThe work session was set 3-0-0 for Wednesday September 7 at 5:00 p.m., and a second session followed for the enterprise funds, called to order by Mayor Henke at 6:00 p.m. to review the enterprise portion of the 2023 draft budget. The pattern became routine, with the 2024 draft budget session scheduled for Wednesday September 6 at 5:00 p.m. on a motion carried 4-0-0.
9.13.22, 11.16.22 and 9.12.23 Council Packets · taken up again 2022-11-16
Review Possible Revisions to the Infrastructure Management/Capital Improvement Plan 8 City Engineer Olinger stated that the City's infrastructure management plan and capital improvement plan are being updated. A work session needs to be scheduled to revise the infrastructure management plan.
The city's infrastructure management and capital improvement plans are being updated.
At the meetingCouncil voted to schedule the work session for Tuesday, August 30 at 5:00 pm.
What happened nextThe work session was scheduled 3-0-0 for August 30 at 5:00 p.m. and the planning cycle it started has run ever since. George Eilertson of Northland Securities presented a Capital Improvement Financial Management Plan update on February 14 2023 built on Bolton and Menk's 2022 infrastructure management plan, with cost estimates applied to every project so improvements could be ranked and with the focus on the effect on the tax levy and utility rates. The cycle repeated on May 13 2025 around Bolton and Menk's 2025 Infrastructure Management Plan, Eilertson noting his own last financial plan dated from 2021.
9.13.22, 2.14.23 and 5-13-25 Council Packets · taken up again 2025-05-13
LEGAL Nuisance Property Violation – 1 Langford Avenue Administrator Vahlsing stated that there are only a few days left on the 31-day notice for the owner of 1 Langford Avenue. So far, no contact has been received from the owner and no cleanup has been done.
No contact or cleanup has come from the property owner under the nuisance notice.
At the meetingCouncil authorized Attorney Riggs to start court proceedings to enforce the cleanup ordinance.
What happened nextCourt proceedings were authorized 3-0-0 and the cleanup still took more than half a year. By December 13 2022 Attorney Riggs reported conversations with the owner's attorneys, the owner still resisting with little progress, and the police department instructed to write tickets for expired vehicles. By April 11 2023 snow had slowed the work, the owner had the property surveyed, accepted that the downed tree was on his land, and had until April to finish. Nothing in our record confirms the cleanup was completed.
9.13.22, 12.13.22 and 4.11.23 Council Packets · taken up again 2023-04-11
Motion by Rechtzigel second by Henke to approve the MetroNet utility cabinet easement on fire hall property pending city attorney updates to the easement.
Council approved the MetroNet easement conditionally.
At the meetingMotion carried 3-0-0 with the pending-attorney condition.
Partly answeredThe approval was conditional on the city attorney updating the easement, and the revised document does not appear in anything we hold, so whether the condition was ever satisfied is unresolved. The motion by Rechtzigel seconded by Henke carried 3-0-0. The title work in the September 2026 packet lists city utility and drainage easements recorded in 2003 as Documents A492415 and A495423 but nothing for MetroNet, which reflects a different parcel rather than proof of non-recording.
9.13.22 Council Packet and 9-8-26 Council Packet
Discuss possible changes to City Brush Dump – Wayne Ehrich- Public Works Superintendent Wayne Ehrich discussed some issues at the City brush dump and the possibility of restricting the use of the brush dump to residents of the City. No action was taken at this time.
Ehrich raised issues at the City brush dump and the idea of limiting use to residents.
At the meetingNo action was taken at this time.
We hold no dataNo brush dump policy, ordinance amendment or resident-only restriction appears anywhere in our record, and no action was taken at the meeting or afterward. A drafted access policy or a code amendment brought back to the council would settle it. The city holds no usage or cost data on the brush dump in anything we hold either.
9.13.22 Council Packet · would settle it: A proposed policy or ordinance amendment on brush dump access for council to act on
Vahlsing will look into possible funding and grants for a park shelter. This item will be passed to the Park and Recreation committee.
Repair versus replacement options for the Depot Park Shelter were presented but no decision was made.
What happened nextThe question came straight back to the council, which refused to choose without numbers. On October 11 2022 it directed staff to keep reviewing the future of Depot Park including cost estimates, on a motion by Henke seconded by Helgeson with a roll call of Henke, Rechtzigel, Helgeson and Bailey all aye, carried 4-0-0. The work then went to the Minnesota State Mankato graduate team, which delivered a five-year plan in December 2023, and by April 2 2024 the Park and Rec Committee was recommending replacement of the 10 large windows at an estimated $21,368.00.
10.11.22, 12.12.23 and 4.9.24 Council Packets · taken up again 2024-04-09
Options for repairs and replacement of the shelter were presented. Vahlsing will look into possible funding and grants for a park shelter.
Discussion of repairing or replacing the Depot Park Shelter.
What happened nextGrant money was found and used. The Depot Park shelters were funded by a $10,000 grant from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, and the council approved a $7,345 transfer into the Depot Park fund in February 2024. The Mankato State design team later told the council that most park grants require ADA compliance before an award will be made, which is why they put ADA work first in the five-year plan. The League of Minnesota Cities Grant Navigator is a further source, offering up to $5,000 per city against a $500,000 program cap.
KENYON_DEPOT_PARK.md, 12.12.23 Council Packet, GRANTS.md · taken up again 2024-02-13
Update on 2022 Ford Explorer Accident Repair/Replacement Administrator Vahlsing gave an update on the 2022 Ford Explorer status. The vehicle is at Peterson Ford. There are some problems with parts availability.
Update on the 2022 Ford Explorer accident repair or replacement.
We hold no dataWe hold no repair cost, no parts availability confirmation and no timeline for the 2022 Ford Explorer accident, and nothing in the later record reports whether the vehicle was repaired or replaced. The Peterson Ford invoice or the insurance settlement would settle it. The $1,892.10 charged against the Explorer in March 2025 is a separate hail damage claim, not this repair.
9.13.22 Council Packet and 3-11-25 Council Packet · would settle it: Parts availability confirmation and a firm quote from the dealer
There are some problems with parts availability. Vahlsing will work with Peterson Ford to get a more accurate quote and time frame for repair.
The accident-damaged Explorer is at Peterson Ford and parts availability is a problem.
Partly answeredNo written Peterson Ford estimate and no completion date for the accident repair appears in anything we hold, so whether a firmer quote was ever obtained is unresolved. The only Explorer dollar figure in our record is a different event, a March 2025 check register line of $1,892.10 for hail damage to the 2022 Ford Explorer alongside $2,615.45 for the 2022 Ford F-150, totaling $4,507.55. The dealer's written estimate would settle the accident repair.
9.13.22 Council Packet and 3-11-25 Council Packet
Downtown Angled Parking Request Update City Engineer Olinger stated that city staff and he had met with MN Dot to discuss the possibility of angled parking in the downtown area. Findings will be reported back to the council at the October meeting.
City staff and the engineer met with MnDOT to discuss possible angled parking downtown.
What happened nextThe report slipped a month and came back on November 16 2022. MnDOT offered one option, angled parking on one side of one block, together with the side effects that would cause. The EDA committee took it up at its November meeting and wanted off-street parking examined first, including parking in the alleys behind commercial buildings, and the matter was set over to the December council meeting. The original request came from Barney Nesseth.
11.16.22 Council Minutes and 12-13-22 Agenda · taken up again 2022-11-16
COUNCIL AND STAFF GENERAL COMMENTS Councilor Rechtzigel noted that the filing period for city council in coming up and he will be retiring from the council at the end of the year.
General council comments about the upcoming election filing period.
We hold no dataWe hold no candidate filing records and no list of open seats for the 2022 city election. The later passages cited for this item concern an unrelated federal health plan filing deadline. The county or city filing register would settle the dates and the seats.
no holding · would settle it: The official candidate filing period dates and list of open seats
Reschedule August Council Meeting due to Primary Election Administrator Vahlsing stated that due to the primary election on August 9, the August Council meeting would need to be rescheduled.
Scheduling conflict with the primary election.
At the meetingCouncil voted 5-0-0 to reschedule to Monday, August 15 at 5:00 p.m.
What happened nextThe rescheduling carried 5-0-0 and the conflict has recurred every even year since. In 2024 the August 13 meeting had to be moved for the primary, and in 2026 the August 11 meeting was moved to Thursday August 6 at 7:00 pm, 4-0-0. Kenyon has had to relocate its August council meeting in each of the last three election years in our record.
8-6-26 Council Packet Updated / 7.9.24 Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2026-08-06
Police Department Fingerprint Charge Police Chief Sjoblom recommended a charge of $20-30 to do fingerprinting. There is currently no charge for this service.
Proposal to establish a fingerprinting fee.
At the meetingCouncil authorized a $25 fingerprinting fee 5-0-0.
What happened nextThe council set the fee at 25 dollars, 5-0-0, at the midpoint of the 20 to 30 dollar range the chief recommended, replacing a free service. We hold no comparison of fingerprinting fees at other agencies. The department later used a different fee the same way, directing golf cart license revenue to community scholarships in June 2024.
7.12.22 Council Minutes / 6.11.24 Council Packet and Agenda
Upon further investigation, it was found that connecting to the BCA would be more involved and costly than just getting a direct line.
Explaining why the fiber project scope changed from BCA access to a direct city hall line.
Partly answeredThe BCA problem was real and unresolved two years later. In May 2024 the finance clerk reported that the city's provider was not BCA certified for police department security, and the council authorized On-Site Computers to quote a security update, 3-0-0. That relationship now costs Core Security 616 dollars a month inside managed IT running roughly 20,000 to 25,000 dollars a year. The BCA connection requirements and cost figures behind the 2022 comparison are not in our holdings.
5-14-24 AGENDA / KENYON_IT_SPEND.md
Approve Rose Fest Events Motion by Rechtzigel second by Henke to approve the Rose Fest requests including: Street Dance Permit - Municipal Liquor Store, parade permit, street closures, vendors, 5K run/walk route, and a temporary liquor license to the fire department.
Annual Rose Fest event approvals.
At the meetingCouncil approved all Rose Fest requests 5-0-0.
What happened nextAll Rose Fest requests were approved 5-0-0 and the same slate recurs annually, with street dance permit, parade, street closures and the Kenyon-Wanamingo Athletic Booster Club 5K appearing again in 2024 and 2025. One element did change: the temporary liquor license went to the fire department in 2022, while the 2024 approval gives the Depot Park liquor permit to the Park and Rec committee instead. The festival still runs on free Google Forms and a Jotform that now reads over quota.
8-20-24 AGENDA / KENYON_IT_SPEND.md · taken up again 2024-08-20
Depot Park Liquor Request – Tom Wrolstad, July 23, 2022 Motion by Rechtzigel, second by Ryan to approve the liquor request for Tom Wrolstad in Depot Park.
New business item on a Depot Park liquor request.
At the meetingCouncil approved the liquor request 5-0-0.
Partly answeredThe approved permit is not in our archive. Alcohol in city parks is allowed by permit for a private party with no condition on glass, vendor or insurance, so the Wrolstad approval carried no attached requirements.
KENYON_DEPOT_PARK.md
Street Vacation Application of Doug Klatt Attorney Riggs stated that no additional comments were received at the public hearing for the street vacation between Block 49 and Block 50, Hewitt's addition.
Street vacation application and public hearing.
At the meetingCouncil adopted Resolution 2022-16 vacating the street 5-0-0, with the city retaining a utility easement.
What happened nextThe vacation was granted. The council adopted Resolution 2022-16 vacating the street between Block 49 and Block 50 of Hewitt's Addition 5-0-0, with the city retaining a utility easement over the vacated ground. The recorded resolution and the easement instrument are not in our holdings.
7.12.22 Council Minutes
Street Vacation Application of Doug Klatt Attorney Riggs stated that no additional comments were received at the public hearing for the street vacation between Block 49 and Block 50, Hewitt's addition. Riggs stated an easement will be done for this vacated street.
Street vacation application of Doug Klatt approved by Resolution 2022-16.
At the meetingCouncil adopted Resolution 2022-16 vacating the street 5-0-0; the easement document is still to be completed.
We hold no dataWe hold no recorded utility easement for the vacated street between Blocks 49 and 50 of Hewitt's Addition. The later passages carry vacated street and alley easement language for other Kenyon parcels, including Slee Street and a vacated alley in Bullis Second Addition, but not this one. The recorded easement document at Goodhue County would settle it.
no holding · would settle it: The recorded utility easement document for the vacated street
LEGAL Nuisance Property Violation – 1 Langford Avenue City Attorney Riggs stated that the public hearing was held concerning the nuisance conditions that currently exist at 1 Langford Avenue that are in violation of City Ordinance. The owner has not taken any steps to correct the condition.
Legal discussion of the nuisance property after the public hearing.
What happened nextThe owner started moving but not fast enough. By November and December 2022 Attorney Riggs reported that some things had been moved but it was happening too slowly, that the owner had had plenty of time, and that a different approach would be used to bring the property into compliance. That approach was the January 10 2023 citation.
11.16.22 and 12-13-22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-12-13
They will begin by removing trees in preparation of installing the new drainage pipe. 2022 Chip Seal Project City Engineer Olinger reported that Pearson Brothers have delivered the chip seal rock and plan to start work on July 19. The project will take one to two days to complete.
2022 Chip Seal Project update.
What happened nextPearson Brothers completed the chip sealing in late July 2022, covered all the requested areas and stayed within budget. Public Works then borrowed pavement maintenance equipment to do additional repairs later that summer. Pearson had won the work at 44,707 dollars against Fahrner at 58,823 dollars, a 14,116 dollar spread.
8.15.22 Council Minutes / KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-08-15
Pearl Creek and Forest Street Sanitary Improvements City Engineer Olinger stated that the sewer televising was delayed several weeks, but Empire Pipe Services should complete the televising tomorrow.
Update on the Pearl Creek and Forest Street sanitary improvements.
What happened nextThe televising was completed in July 2022 as promised. The feasibility report prepared by Bolton and Menk records that the sewer mains were televised by Empire Pipe Services in July 2022 and that the analysis rests on that footage, the April 2022 topographic survey and historical records. Empire had won the work at 12,782.68 dollars against Pipe Services at 18,246.53 dollars and American Environmental at 29,264 dollars, after a first round drew only one quote and was reissued.
8.15.22 Council Packet Agenda / KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-08-15
ENGINEERING North Street Drainage Improvements City Engineer Olinger stated that DeCook Drainage will begin work in the next couple of weeks. They will begin by removing trees in preparation of installing the new drainage pipe. 2022 Chip Seal Project City Engineer Olinger reported that Pearson Brothers have delivered the chip seal rock and plan to start work on July 19.
Project update on North Street drainage improvements.
What happened nextDeCook finished within about two months. Partial pay application 1 of 45,533.55 dollars was approved on September 13 2022 and pay application 2 of 1,052.35 dollars on November 16 2022, when the engineer reported the North Street Drainage Project complete. The two payments total 46,585.90 dollars against the awarded bid of 46,018.47 dollars, 567.43 dollars more, so a small overrun or change was absorbed.
9.13.22 and 11.16.22 Council Minutes / KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-11-16
Engineer Olinger discussed some of the State Highway requirements and stated that ultimately any changes to the parking on 2nd Street would be up to MNDot and District 6. It was noted that Highway 60 in this area of 2nd Street is scheduled to be reconstructed in 2030.
Raised during the downtown parking discussion as a constraint on timing.
Partly answeredNo MnDOT District 6 project schedule is in our records, so the 2030 date cannot be confirmed. The city was still acting on the same expectation four years later, approving a Visu-Sewer quote on May 12 2026 to televise the sanitary mains under Highway 60 in preparation for a potential reconstruction, because it needed to know whether city utility replacement had to be folded into the state project. The MnDOT capital highway investment plan would settle the year.
KENYON_BIDS.md
Engineer Olinger discussed some of the State Highway requirements and stated that ultimately any changes to the parking on 2nd Street would be up to MNDot and District 6.
Discussion of State Highway requirements affecting downtown parking.
What happened nextThe engineer was right and the constraint proved firmer than a single approval. MnDOT told the city any approval requires a detailed layout analysis, and the city was warned in writing that approval of angled parking now does not mean the parking cannot be changed back to parallel with a future MnDOT project. No written MnDOT decision on Kenyon parking exists in our records.
11.16.22 City Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2022-11-16
OLD BUSINESS None NEW BUSINESS Barney Nesseth – Discuss Downtown Parking Barney Nesseth discussed the need for additional parking in the downtown area. He will soon be opening a restaurant at 635 2nd Street.
Downtown parking discussion under new business.
At the meetingCouncil agreed more parking is needed and referred the issue to the EDA; engineer noted MNDot/District 6 controls changes.
What happened nextNesseth, the owner of the former Emerson Furniture Building, asked specifically for angled parking, and the July council reached no consensus. The request went to the EDA, then to the city engineer and administrator, who met MnDOT District 6 on August 4 2022 and came back with ideas but no approval. The EDA widened the question in November 2022 to include increasing off street parking downtown.
11.16.22 City Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2022-11-16
It was noted that Highway 60 in this area of 2nd Street is scheduled to be reconstructed in 2030. The council recommended passing the downtown parking issue to the EDA.
Barney Nesseth raised the need for more parking on 2nd Street ahead of opening a restaurant.
At the meetingCouncil agreed 2nd Street needs more parking spaces and referred the matter to the EDA.
What happened nextThe EDA took it up in July 2022 and again on November 2 2022, and the question went past the city entirely. Staff and the city engineer met MnDOT District 6 planning and traffic engineers in Rochester on August 4 2022, and MnDOT would not give an affirmative answer on angled parking but offered ideas. The matter returned to the council on November 16 2022 with options for additional downtown parking.
11.16.22 City Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2022-11-16
Pearl Creek and Forest Street Sanitary Improvements City Engineer Olinger stated that the sewer televising was delayed several weeks, but Empire Pipe Services should complete the televising tomorrow. The preliminary design should be ready for the August Council meeting.
Sewer televising was delayed several weeks and design work follows it.
What happened nextThe preliminary work produced a priority split rather than a single design. By September 13 2022 Olinger reported that both the Pearl Creek and Forest Street mains needed work but Pearl Creek was the highest priority and should be ready to bid in spring 2023, with Forest Street pushed to 2025 and 2028. The council approved Bolton and Menk's final design and bidding proposal at 118,135 dollars, 4-0-0.
9.13.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-09-13
Infrastructure Management/Capital Improvement Plan City Engineer Olinger stated that the City's infrastructure management plan and capital improvement plan are being updated. Options of the potential addition of the Trondheim Road Extension will be brought to the August meeting.
The city's infrastructure management plan and capital improvement plan are being updated.
What happened nextThe options came a month late and in three forms. A work session was scheduled for August 30 2022 at 5:00 pm on a 3-0-0 vote, and at the September 13 2022 meeting Olinger reviewed the current Infrastructure Management Plan and presented three options for revising it to include the Trondheim Road Extension. The mayor also wanted other streets added to the plan.
Olinger told the July council the Trondheim options would come to the August meeting, but they were presented in September after an August 30 work session.
9.13.22 Council Packet Agenda / 8.15.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-09-13
Motion by Rechtzigel second by Helgeson to adopt the findings in fact from the public hearing and the materials in the packet and the council's decision is that this property constitutes a nuisance and a hazardous condition under city code and the council directs staff and the city attorney to work together to issue the order to abate nuisance.
After the public hearing the council found the property a nuisance and hazardous condition under city code.
At the meetingMotion carried 5-0-0 adopting the findings and directing the abatement order.
What happened nextThe abatement order was issued and enforcement ran for nearly a year. By November and December 2022 Attorney Riggs told the council a different approach would be needed because things were moving too slowly and the owner had had plenty of time, and a citation followed in January 2023. In June 2023 the council was still discussing the enforcement action, with resident Ed Doyle arguing the owner had met the order's conditions.
12-13-22 Agenda Granicus / 6.13.23 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2023-06-13
Motion by Rechtzigel, seconded by Bailey to direct the City Administrator to get quotes for installation of a fiber/internet cable between city hall and the police department by the August meeting.
Police Chief Sjoblom asked for a direct line from the police department to city hall after finding BCA connection too costly.
At the meetingMotion carried 5-0-0; quotes are still to be obtained.
Partly answeredNo fiber or cabling quote between city hall and the police department appears in any later packet, and no such purchase exists among the 43 competitive bids and quotes recorded from 2019 through 2026. The police department's documented technology purchases in the following months are different items, a printer and copier lease at 43.63 dollars a month for 60 months awarded in December 2022. The city's own quote file would settle whether the fiber quotes were ever obtained.
KENYON_BIDS.md / 12-13-22 Agenda Granicus
Schedule of Upcoming Meetings KMU Meeting: Thursday, June 23rd @ 10:00 a.m. City Council Meeting: Tuesday, June 14th @ 7 p.m.
Schedule of upcoming meetings read into the record under Other Business.
Answered from our recordsThe schedule of upcoming meetings always lists the next council meeting, not the current one, so the June 14 entry is a stale line left from the meeting being held. The pattern is consistent in every other year we hold: the May 2023 schedule lists June 13, the May 2024 schedule lists June 11, and the June 2026 schedule lists July 14. The next council meeting after June 14 2022 was July 12 2022, the date the 1 Langford Avenue hearing was in fact held.
The June 14 2022 schedule lists the City Council meeting as Tuesday June 14 at 7 p.m., the meeting then in session, rather than the next one.
5.9.23 Council Packet and Agenda; 5-14-24 AGENDA; 6.9.26 Council Packet Agenda; 7.12.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-07-12
PRESENTATIONS/PUBLIC HEARINGS RECOGNITIONS/PROCLAMATIONS VII. ENGINEERING A. North Street Drainage Update VIII. LEGAL A. Nuisance property - 2 Langford Av.
Discrepancy between the posted agenda item and the action recorded in the minutes.
Answered from our recordsThe minutes are right and the agenda is wrong. Every document in the enforcement file names 1 Langford Avenue: the owner notice, the notice template, the Notice of Hazardous Property Hearing, the parcel map and the city code and photographs dated June 10 2022, and the July 12 2022 hearing itself was noticed and held for 1 Langford Avenue. The matter was still styled as 1 Langford Avenue when the council discussed the abatement in June 2023. Two Langford Avenue is a separate property with a different owner.
The June 14 2022 agenda lists the nuisance property as 2 Langford Avenue, but the entire enforcement file, the published hearing notice and the hearing itself are for 1 Langford Avenue.
7.12.22 Council Packet Agenda attachments; 6.13.23 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2022-07-12
OLD BUSINESS None NEW BUSINESS Depot Park Liquor Request – Natalie Seidel, July 30, 2022 Motion by Rechtzigel, second by Ryan to approve the liquor request for Natalie Seidel in Depot Park.
New business item for a park event.
At the meetingCouncil approved the liquor request 4-0-0.
Partly answeredThe signed permit is not in our archive. Alcohol in city parks is allowed by permit for a private party with no condition on glass, vendor or insurance, because the council that opened parks to alcohol declined to add conditions, so no conditions attached to the Seidel approval.
KENYON_DEPOT_PARK.md
LEGAL Nuisance Property Violation – 1 Langford Avenue City Attorney Riggs stated that nuisance conditions currently exist at 1 Langford Avenue that violate City Ordinances. The owner has not taken any steps to correct the condition.
Statement supporting the move to a public hearing on abatement.
What happened nextThe claim held and the inaction continued. At the July 12 2022 public hearing Attorney Riggs repeated that the owner had not taken any steps to correct the condition, no public comment was received, and the council adopted findings of fact and directed staff and the attorney to issue an order to abate. The property was still an open enforcement action a year later, when the council discussed the abatement again on June 13 2023. The code enforcement file with notices and inspection dates is not in our record.
7.12.22 Council Minutes; 6.13.23 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2023-06-13
Proposed Ordinance 99 (Amending Section 845 of City Code – Trees) Attorney Riggs stated that revisions to Ordinance No. 99 were necessary due to the recent discovery of the Emerald Ash Borer in Kenyon.
Basis given for adopting Ordinance No. 99 amending Section 845 of the City Code.
At the meetingCouncil adopted Ordinance No. 99 by roll call vote 4-0-0.
Partly answeredThe ordinance took effect but the underlying detection is unverified in our data. Ordinance No. 99 amending Section 845 of the city code on trees was adopted 4-0-0 by roll call, and Resolution 2022-15 approving summary publication of it appeared on the July 12 2022 legal agenda. We hold no Minnesota Department of Agriculture or Goodhue County confirmation of an Emerald Ash Borer detection in Kenyon, which is what would substantiate the stated reason for the amendment.
7.12.22 Council Packet Agenda, Resolution 2022-15 · taken up again 2022-07-12
The preliminary layouts and cost estimating have been started. 2022 Chip Seal Project City Engineer Olinger reported that the contractor will begin this project in mid-July. 2020 Project Warranty Work City Engineer Olinger stated that contractors are doing some needed warranty repairs along Red Wing Avenue and at the Business Park.
Engineering update on 2020 project warranty work.
We hold no dataNo punch list of warranty items and no completion date for the 2020 project work along Red Wing Avenue and at the Business Park appears in our record. The later passages attached to this item concern a different project's final pay estimate and a roofing warranty. The contractor's warranty punch list and the engineer's sign-off would settle it.
would settle it: A punch list of warranty items and a completion date from the contractor
The preliminary layouts and cost estimating have been started. 2022 Chip Seal Project City Engineer Olinger reported that the contractor will begin this project in mid-July. 2020 Project Warranty Work City Engineer Olinger stated that contractors are doing some needed warranty repairs along Red Wing Avenue and at the Business Park.
Engineering project update on the 2022 chip seal work.
What happened nextPearson Brothers delivered the chip seal rock and started July 19 2022, a one to two day job with no parking signs posted in the work areas, and completed the project in late July. Public Works then borrowed pavement maintenance equipment to finish additional repairs later that summer. The 2022 chip seal contract had gone to Pearson at $44,707 against Fahrner at $58,823, a saving of $14,116.
7.12.22 Council Minutes; 8.15.22 Council Minutes; KENYON_BIDS.md, 2022-05-10 entry · taken up again 2022-08-15
The preliminary layouts and cost estimating have been started. 2022 Chip Seal Project City Engineer Olinger reported that the contractor will begin this project in mid-July. 2020 Project Warranty Work City Engineer Olinger stated that contractors are doing some needed warranty repairs along Red Wing Avenue and at the Business Park.
Engineering update noting Empire Pipe Services is televising the sanitary sewer in the project area this week.
What happened nextTelevising slipped several weeks but Empire Pipe Services finished it in July 2022, and Bolton and Menk's report in the August 2022 packet carries the recommendations. For the Pearl Creek area it recommends re-routing the sanitary line, which meets both project objectives by cutting inflow and infiltration and improving access, disconnecting and abandoning over 1,600 feet of deteriorated sewer through a wooded area and eliminating two water crossings. For Forest Street it recommends sewer lining as financially feasible. Construction plans were about 50 percent complete by February 2023, and the work was awarded to BCM Construction at $1,241,494.22 in June 2023.
8.15.22 Council Packet Agenda, Bolton and Menk report; 2.14.23 Council Packet Agenda; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-08-15
PRESENTATIONS/PUBLIC HEARINGS/RECOGNITIONS/PROLAMATIONS ENGINEERING North Street Drainage City Engineer Olinger stated that DeCook Drainage had ordered materials and they are expected to begin the project the end of July.
Engineering project update on North Street drainage.
What happened nextDeCook Drainage completed the North Street Drainage Project in 2022. The council approved partial pay application No. 1 of $45,533.55 on a Rechtzigel motion seconded by Bailey, 4-0-0, and pay application No. 2 of $1,052.35 on a Ryan motion seconded by Bailey, 5-0-0. The two payments total $46,585.90 against a contract awarded June 14 2022 at $46,018.47, so the project finished $567.43 above the bid.
9.13.22 Council Minutes; 11.16.22 Council Minutes; KENYON_BIDS.md, 2022-06-14 entry · taken up again 2022-11-16
MetroNet Request Administrator Vahlsing stated that MetroNet requested approval to install an equipment cabinet in the corner of the Fire Hall property.
New business item added to the agenda at the start of the meeting.
At the meetingCouncil voted 4-0-0 to start the easement process rather than grant outright approval.
What happened nextMetroNet got its approval two months later, conditioned on the attorney's revisions. Administrator Vahlsing recommended approving the easement and the council approved it 3-0-0 pending city attorney updates. The site plan information and the easement describing the area were attached to the packet, but the signed easement does not appear in our holdings.
8.15.22 Council Minutes and Packet Agenda · taken up again 2022-08-15
Motion by Ryan seconded by Henke to start the process of an easement for MetroNet's placement of their equipment cabinet on City property.
MetroNet asked to install an equipment cabinet in the corner of the Fire Hall property under its franchise agreement.
At the meetingMotion carried 4-0-0 to begin the easement process.
What happened nextThe council approved the MetroNet utility cabinet easement on the fire hall property pending city attorney updates to the easement document, on a Rechtzigel motion seconded by Henke that carried 3-0-0. The easement describing the cabinet location and information on the cabinet itself were attached to the August 2022 packet. The executed easement is not in our record.
8.15.22 Council Minutes; 9.13.22 Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2022-08-15
Motion by Rechtzigel second by Ryan to move forward with the public hearing for the abatement of 1 Langford Avenue.
Council voted to proceed to a public hearing but no hearing date appears in the record.
What happened nextThe hearing date was July 12 2022. It ran from 7:05 to 7:07 p.m. under the agenda heading Public Hearing, Nuisance and Hazardous Property Located at 1 Langford Avenue, on a published Notice of Hazardous Property Hearing attached to that packet. The notice document itself is listed in the packet but its publication date is not in our record.
7.12.22 Council Minutes; 7.12.22 Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2022-07-12
Riggs outlined the actions that can be taken next by the city. Administrator Vahlsing requested the Council to move forward with the next step of a public hearing.
Riggs reported nuisance conditions violating city ordinances at 1 Langford Avenue and outlined next steps available to the city.
At the meetingCouncil approved by motion 4-0-0 to move forward with the public hearing for the abatement.
What happened nextThe hearing was held on July 12 2022, opened at 7:05 p.m. and closed at 7:07 p.m. with no public comment received. Attorney Riggs presented evidence that the property is a nuisance in violation of city ordinance, and the council adopted the findings of fact from the hearing and the packet materials, determined the property constitutes a nuisance and a hazardous condition under city code, and directed staff and the city attorney to issue the order to abate, on a Rechtzigel motion seconded by Helgeson.
7.12.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-07-12
The remainder of preliminary design can be completed once televising is completed and reports have been received. Additional information will be available next month. 2022 Chip Seal Project We have not yet received a tentative date for this project to start.
Status of the Pearl Creek and Forest Street sanitary project.
What happened nextEmpire Pipe Services televised the project area in mid-June 2022 and the study came back to the council on September 13 2022, where Olinger reported the Pearl Creek mains are in very poor condition and improvements should be made as soon as possible. The televising itself had been competitively quoted in April 2022 at $12,782.68 from Empire Pipe against $18,246.53 from Pipe Services and $29,264 from American Environmental, after a first round drew only one quote and was reissued. The work that followed was awarded to BCM Construction at $1,241,494.22 in June 2023.
6.14.22 and 9.13.22 Council Packets; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-09-13
Additional information will be available next month. 2022 Chip Seal Project We have not yet received a tentative date for this project to start. The contractor is required to provide a few weeks' notice before work starts. 2020 Project Warranty Work Over the next few weeks, you may notice some contractors on the sites of the 2020 projects.
Project updates for summer work; the contractor must give a few weeks' notice.
What happened nextPearson Brothers completed the 2022 chip sealing in late July 2022, as reported to the council on September 13 2022, and public works then borrowed pavement maintenance equipment for additional repairs. The contract was awarded to Pearson at $44,707 against Fahrner at $58,823. Three years later the same contractor came in at $59,951.55 on a project budgeted at $90,000.
9.13.22 Council Packet; 5-13-25 Council Packet; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-09-13
The Contractor has ordered materials and they currently waiting for delivery. We are expecting this project to start no sooner than late July.
Status of the project awarded to DeCook Drainage at this meeting.
What happened nextThe late July start held. DeCook Drainage had cleared trees for the new storm sewer extension and was beginning pipe installation by August 15 2022, and the work was still progressing in mid-September. The contract was $46,018.47 for base and alternate work.
8.15.22 Council Minutes; 9.13.22 Council Packet · taken up again 2022-08-15
It will be held in the parking lot of the 1st Evangelical Lutheran Church. Council member Helgeson stated that there had been a lot of interest shown in the Farmers Market.
Comment during the Farmers Market update.
We hold no dataWe hold no vendor registration count or application list for the Kenyon Farmers Market. The later record carries only impressions, a good turnout reported in August 2023 and strong community support reported in November 2022. The Park and Recreation Board's vendor roster would settle it.
11.16.22 and 8.8.23 Council Packets · would settle it: Count of registered vendors or applications
The Market will be held the third Thursday of each month from 4:00 – 7:00 pm. through October. It will be held in the parking lot of the 1st Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Park and Recreation Board update on the Farmers Market.
At the meetingInformation only; no action.
What happened nextThe market ran its full season, with Councilman Helgeson reporting on November 16 2022 that the last Farmers Market of the year was held Thursday October 20, that it had strong community support and that it would return the following year. It did, with Mayor Henke reporting a good turnout in August 2023. We hold no Park and Recreation Board minutes or written market schedule.
11.16.22 Council Packet; 8.8.23 Council Packet · taken up again 2022-11-16
It was first identified in the state in 2008. It has spread through much of Southeastern Minnesota since then.
Background for the EAB update.
We hold no dataWe hold no Minnesota Department of Agriculture emerald ash borer detection records for either the 2008 statewide first find or the April 2022 Kenyon detection. The city acted on the claim regardless, amending Ordinance No. 99 in June 2022 to add hazardous tree removal authority. The department's detection and quarantine records would settle both dates.
6.14.22 Council Packet and Minutes · would settle it: MDA Emerald Ash Borer detection records for Kenyon and the state
Public 9 Works Superintendent Ehrich stated that a group of infected Ash trees were being removed in the Highway 60 right-of-way near the Kenyon Veterans Park.
Status of current EAB tree removal work.
We hold no dataWe hold no work order and no removal count for the ash trees taken out in the Highway 60 right of way near Kenyon Veterans Memorial Park. Public works records naming the site would settle how many trees came down and at what cost.
6.14.22 Council Packet · would settle it: Public works work order or removal count for the Highway 60 site
The City has been surveying rights-of-way, parks and other City land since then. Trees that are infected, or at risk will be removed. Healthy trees will be treated. Due to costs associated with removing trees not all areas will be able to be addressed at the same time.
Emerald Ash Borer update to the Council.
We hold no dataNo tree survey results and no phased removal cost estimate appear in our record. The city's parks and recreation file lists 18 facilities that would fall inside such a survey, including Depot Park, Trondheim Park, Riverside Park, Kenyon Veterans Memorial Park, Holden Park and Grace Nature Preserve. The public works survey and its cost schedule would settle it.
data/parks_recreation.csv; 6.14.22 Council Packet · would settle it: The city tree survey results and a phased removal cost estimate
Motion carried 4-0-0. 8 Request for City Vacation of Alley Attorney Riggs stated that Doug and Mary Klatt requested that the right of way area located north of the west end of 1st Street be vacated. There are utilities that cross this area.
Complication noted in the proposed alley vacation.
At the meetingNo resolution; matter set for a public hearing.
We hold no dataWe hold no utility location map or easement records for the right of way north of 1st Street. The city's mapping moved to its own ArcGIS Online system through Bolton and Menk in 2024 at $14,500 for conversion plus $1,260 a year in licensing, which is where such records would now sit. A utility locate or the city's easement file would settle what crosses the area.
6.14.22 Council Packet; KENYON_DATA_IN_MEETINGS.md · would settle it: Utility location map or easement records for the right of way
This community development position would help with projects including the Business Park and downtown area. He also stated that CEDA has contracted staff in many communities in southern Minnesota.
Supporting the EDA recommendation to contract with CEDA.
At the meetingCouncil approved the CEDA contract 4-0.
Partly answeredWe hold no CEDA client community list. The claim is corroborated only by the city's own continued reliance on the firm, which has staffed the Kenyon Economic Development Authority without interruption from June 2022 through the 2026 contract at $55,053. CEDA's own roster of contracted communities would settle it.
12.9.25 Council Agenda and Packet
State statutes limit a city's tort liability to a maximum of $500,000 per claimant and $1,500,000 per occurrence.
Explanation before the Council decided whether to waive LMCIT liability limits.
At the meetingCouncil voted 4-0 not to waive the state liability limits.
Partly answeredThe tort caps of $500,000 per claimant and $1,500,000 per occurrence are stated identically in every year of the record, and the council has voted not to waive them every time. The additional coverage figure is not stable: the 2022 and 2023 items say cities may buy up to $3,000,000 a year, while the 2024, 2025 and 2026 items say $2,000,000. We hold neither the statute nor the LMCIT waiver form.
The optional additional coverage limit read to the council was $3,000,000 in 2022 and 2023 and $2,000,000 in 2024 through 2026, with no explanation for the change.
6.14.22 and 6.13.23 Council Packets; 5-14-24 Agenda; 5-13-25 Council Packet
Community offenses increased from 15 in 2020 to 39 in 2021. Two-thirds of the base fine is remitted back to the city of Kenyon, which amounted to $6,756.96 for 2021.
Revenue portion of the annual prosecution report.
At the meetingPresented as information; no action.
What happened nextThe $6,756.96 for 2021 implies base fines of about $10,135 and is confirmed by the following year's report, which describes 2021 as just under $7,000. Fine revenue then jumped while caseload collapsed: 2022 produced total fine revenue of $33,428.39 with $11,989.04 remitted to Kenyon, 77 percent more money from 55 cases than from 159 the year before. The city receives two thirds of the base fine plus certain late fees, with the $75 court surcharge and $13 library fee going elsewhere.
6.14.22 Council Packet; 3.14.23 Kenyon Prosecution Report 2022; 4.11.23 Council Packet · taken up again 2023-04-11
When compared to 2020, the number of prosecuted traffic offenses increased by over 107%. Community offenses increased from 15 in 2020 to 39 in 2021.
Year-over-year comparison in the annual prosecution report.
At the meetingPresented as information; no action.
Partly answeredCommunity offenses rose from 15 in 2020 to 39 in 2021, a 160 percent increase, then fell to 19 in 2022, of which 13 were hazardous conditions and the rest disorderly conduct, theft and trespass. The 2022 report attributes the drop to counting method rather than behavior, saying all citations were included as prosecuted offenses in the 2021 report. The raw case list would settle whether the 2021 spike was real.
6.14.22 Council Packet; 3.14.23 Kenyon Prosecution Report 2022
He noted that 79% of the offenses were traffic violations. When compared to 2020, the number of prosecuted traffic offenses increased by over 107%.
Year-over-year comparison in the annual prosecution report.
At the meetingPresented as information; no action.
Partly answeredA 107 percent rise on about 126 traffic cases in 2021 implies roughly 61 traffic cases in 2020, which would be about 80 percent of that year's 76 total, a share consistent with 2021. The gain reversed entirely the next year, with prosecuted traffic offenses down 71 percent in 2022. The 2020 and 2021 case-type tabulations would confirm the derived counts.
6.14.22 and 4.11.23 Council Packets
He prosecuted 159 cases from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021, which was up 83 from 2020. He noted that 79% of the offenses were traffic violations.
Breakdown of prosecuted offense types in the annual report.
At the meetingPresented as information; no action.
Answered from our recordsSeventy-nine percent of 159 cases is about 126 traffic offenses for 2021. Traffic dominance fell the following year, to 65 percent of 55 cases, or about 36 traffic offenses in 2022, the categories being described as driving offenses and speeding.
6.14.22 and 4.11.23 Council Packets; 3.14.23 Kenyon Prosecution Report 2022
Attorney Lindell reported that the number of prosecuted offenses were up for 2021. He prosecuted 159 cases from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021, which was up 83 from 2020.
Annual municipal prosecution report presentation.
At the meetingPresented as information; no action.
Partly answeredThe arithmetic is internally consistent: 159 cases in 2021 less 83 gives 76 in 2020, and the following year's report confirms 55 cases in 2022, down 104 from 159. The 2021 count is not comparable to the others. The 2022 report states the drop was likely due to how all citations were included as prosecuted offenses in 2021's report, which means 2021 was counted on a broader basis. The underlying case file would settle the true comparable figure.
The 2022 prosecution report says all citations were counted as prosecuted offenses in the 2021 report, which makes the 159 figure inflated relative to later years.
6.14.22 and 4.11.23 Council Packets; 3.14.23 Kenyon Prosecution Report 2022
ENGINEERING North Street Drainage Update City Engineer Olinger reviewed the quotes for drainage improvements needed in the area north of North Street. eight proposals were received for the replacement and extension of the storm sewer in North Street. The low quote was received from DeCook Drainage.
Quote review for the North Street drainage improvements.
At the meetingCouncil approved the DeCook Drainage quote 4-0.
Partly answeredThe award and the price check out but the count does not. Our bid record holds five proposals for the North Street Drainage Outfall, DeCook at $46,018.47, Winona Mechanical at $51,308.37, Griffin at $67,453.60, Fitzgerald at $68,808.15 and Halo at $81,694.08, with DeCook the low bidder by $5,289.90. The work went ahead, with DeCook clearing trees and starting pipe installation by mid-August 2022. The three missing quotes are what would reconcile the count.
The engineer reported eight proposals for the North Street storm sewer, but our bid record holds five.
KENYON_BIDS.md, data/bids.csv; 8.15.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-05-10
Request to Purchase Lucas CPR (Chest Compression) Machine – Kenyon Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Ehrich stated that the Fire Department is requesting approval to purchase a Lucas Chest Compression machine for the cost of $19,168.36.
Fire Department request to purchase equipment for First Responders.
At the meetingPurchase approved 4-0.
Partly answeredNo vendor quote or invoice for the Lucas chest compression machine is in our archive, and the purchase does not appear in the 43-row bid record. The council approved $19,168.36 on a single stated price.
A $19,168.36 single-vendor purchase would need council approval plus two quotes under Administrative Policy No. 34, which the city did not present until August 20 2024, more than two years later.
KENYON_BIDS.md
Chris Giesen Senior VP of CEDA provided a summary of the staffing program, The annual cost for a staff person one day a week was $27,700.
Summary of the CEDA staffing program presented before the Council voted to contract.
At the meetingCouncil approved contracting on that basis.
What happened nextThe $27,700 rate for one day a week held through 2024 and then roughly doubled with the hours. The council moved to two days a week for 2025 at $53,580, an effective per-day rate of $26,790, slightly below the 2022 price, and the 2026 contract came in at $55,053. We do not hold the contracts themselves, only the fee figures in the packets.
12.10.24 Council Packet; 12.9.25 Council Agenda and Packet · taken up again 2024-12-10
The machine will be used by First Responders for chest compressions. Administrator Vahlsing said the funding could come from a combination of capital and Covid recovery funds.
Fire Department purchase of a Lucas CPR machine for $19,168.36 was approved.
At the meetingPurchase approved 4-0 without a stated funding breakdown.
We hold no dataNo split between capital funds and Covid recovery funds for the Lucas machine appears in our record. The city's documented use of Covid Cares money came later and went elsewhere, with staff recommending in August 2024 that excess fund balances be transferred to capital outlay to replace money spent on a front end loader bought in May 2024. The 2022 budget entry showing the two amounts would settle it.
8-20-24 Agenda and 8-29-24 special session · would settle it: Budget entry showing the capital and ARPA/Covid amounts applied
Chris Giesen Senior VP of CEDA provided a summary of the staffing program, The annual cost for a staff person one day a week was $27,700. Giesen also stated that a staff person should be available by July 1, 2020.
Council approved contracting with CEDA for a community development staff person one day a week.
At the meetingCouncil approved the contract 4-0.
What happened nextCEDA staffing began in June 2022, a month earlier than the stated target, and has run continuously since. Zack Bubany served as the assigned staff person through the 2024 contract, which was discounted 25 percent for one quarter to reflect reduced staffing after Cora Boelman left CEDA, and Todd Kieffer holds the assignment under the 2026 contract at $55,053 for two days a week.
Giesen said a staff person should be available by July 1 2020, two years before the meeting at which he said it.
1-9-24 Council Packet; 12.9.25 Council Agenda and Packet · taken up again 2022-06-01
We will also be working with the city attorney to review ordinances in response to infected trees that are not removed by owners. This will be an ongoing process. We will be discussing the issue further at upcoming Council meetings.
EAB was identified in the City in April and the response will be phased because of cost.
We hold no dataNo tree removal and treatment plan with cost estimates appears in our record. The only later tree-cost language we hold shifts the burden to others, a farm lease making the tenant pay all brush and tree removal costs including transport to disposal. A public works removal plan with a phased budget would settle it.
6.14.22 Council Packet; 1-14-25 Council Packet · would settle it: A tree removal/treatment plan with cost estimates brought to Council
We will also be working with the city attorney to review ordinances in response to infected trees that are not removed by owners.
Emerald Ash Borer response; the city cannot remove trees on private property under current authority.
What happened nextThe ordinance was revised within a month. Attorney Riggs brought amendments to Ordinance No. 99, covering Section 845 of the city code on trees, to the June 14 2022 meeting, adding requirements for removal of hazardous trees that threaten buildings, people or public rights of way. If the owner does not remove the hazard within 30 days the city may remove it and assess the cost back to the property.
6.14.22 Council Packet and Minutes · taken up again 2022-06-14
Motion carried 4-0-0. 8 Request for City Vacation of Alley Attorney Riggs stated that Doug and Mary Klatt requested that the right of way area located north of the west end of 1st Street be vacated.
Request for city vacation of alley, presented under Legal.
At the meetingNo action; a public hearing was scheduled for June 14, 2022.
We hold no dataWe hold no written Klatt vacation petition, no utility easement review and no outcome. The comparable request the record does follow is the Traxler alley, where the city chose realignment 20 feet north over outright vacation because the alley was still needed, authorized May 9 2023 and completed by Resolution 2023-24 in December 2023. The Klatt petition file would settle what happened to their request.
5.9.23 and 12.12.23 Council Packets · would settle it: The written vacation petition and a utility easement review
The vacation would require a public hearing prior to any Council action. Mayor Henke stated that a public hearing would be held June 14, 2022 to discuss the alley vacation.
A vacation of the alley/right of way north of 1st Street requires a public hearing before the Council can act.
At the meetingMayor Henke set the public hearing for June 14, 2022.
We hold no dataNo published hearing notice and no post-hearing decision on the Klatt vacation appears in our record. The only right of way vacation the council carried through in the later material is a different one, the Traxler property adjacent to Huseth Street, heard December 12 2023 and finalized by Resolution 2023-24. The June 14 2022 minutes or a vacation resolution naming the Klatts would settle it.
6.14.22 Council Packet; 12.12.23 Council Packet · would settle it: Published public hearing notice and the Council's post-hearing vacation decision
Two residents attended the meeting in person and the County Assessor's office had two calls with issues related to the proposed valuations: Joe Farrell (Call in) 66.260.0070 Mr.
Summary of appeal activity at the Board of Appeals and Equalization.
Partly answeredThe county's appeal contact log is not in our holdings, but the minutes themselves account for four appellants, Ehrich and Miner in person and Klatt and Farrell by phone, which matches the stated two and two. The larger change is who runs the board. In April 2022 the council still sat as the Board of Appeals and Equalization, needing at least three members present including one certified by the state, and by April 2023 the Goodhue County Assessor's office took over the board for at least three years, because no council member holds the required training.
5.9.23 Council Packet and Agenda, 4.11.23 Council Packet and Agenda, factbook KENYON_DATA_IN_MEETINGS.md · taken up again 2023-05-09
It was first identified in the state in 2008. It has spread through much of Southeastern Minnesota since then.
Background for the City's EAB response.
We hold no dataNo Minnesota Department of Agriculture detection or quarantine records are in our holdings, so neither the 2008 first-detection date nor the spread through southeastern Minnesota can be verified. The claim is repeated verbatim in the city's own later summary without new support. State emerald ash borer detection records would settle it.
6.14.22 Council Packet and Agenda · would settle it: MDA Emerald Ash Borer detection and quarantine records.
CEDA SUGGESTED ACTION: Many communities in Southern Minnesota contract with CEDA for a part-time Community Development staff person.
Rationale offered for the EDA's CEDA staffing recommendation.
We hold no dataCEDA's list of member communities and contract hours is not in our holdings, so the claim that many southern Minnesota communities use the service cannot be verified or counted. The only corroboration in the record is Administrator Vahlsing repeating that CEDA has contracted staff in many communities in southern Minnesota, which restates rather than evidences the claim. A CEDA client roster would settle it.
5.10.22 Council Minutes · would settle it: CEDA's list of current member communities and contract hours.
Chris Giesen will attend the meeting to discuss the program further, A 2020 program summary and contract pricing are included in the meeting packet.
Consideration of contracting part-time economic development staffing.
What happened nextGiesen attended and presented the staffing program, putting the annual cost of a staff person one day a week at $27,700, and said a person should be available by July 1. The council approved contracting with CEDA on a motion by Rechtzigel seconded by Bailey. The minutes carry an obvious typographical error, printing the availability date as July 1 2020 in a 2022 meeting.
5.10.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-05-10
If the Council wants to proceed with the process a hearing would need to be scheduled. The City Attorney will discuss the vacation process further at the meeting.
Klatt request to vacate right of way north of 1st Street.
We hold no dataNo statement of the statutory vacation procedure or notice requirements from the city attorney is in our holdings. The record confirms only that the item returned under Legal with Attorney Riggs addressing the Klatt request, and the surviving text is cut off before his explanation. Minutes of that discussion or a city attorney memo on vacation procedure would settle it.
6.14.22 Council Packet and Agenda · would settle it: The City Attorney's statement of statutory vacation procedure and notice requirements.
VI.A Agenda Item Summary CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT DATE: May 10, 2022 SUBMITTED BY: Holli Gudknecht, Administration ITEM TYPE: Legal AGENDA SECTION: PRESENTATIONS/PUBLIC HEARINGS RECOGNITIONS/PROCLAMATIONS SUBJECT: Annual Municipal Prosecution Report – J. Lindell, Attorney SUGGESTED ACTION: Presentation of annual criminal prosecution report. Jacobson Law Firm.
Kenyon 2021 Municipal Prosecution Report attached to the packet.
What happened nextAttorney A.J. Lindell presented the 2021 report and prosecution volume was up sharply. He prosecuted 159 cases from January 1 to December 31 2021, up 83 from 2020, with 79 percent of offenses being traffic violations and prosecuted traffic offenses rising more than 107 percent over 2020. Community offenses went from 15 in 2020 to 39 in 2021, and two thirds of the base fine is remitted back.
6.14.22 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2022-06-14
Trees that are infected, or at risk will be removed. Healthy trees will be treated. Due to costs associated with removing trees not all areas will be able to be addressed at the same time.
Response plan after Emerald Ash Borer was identified in the City in April 2022.
We hold no dataNo tree survey inventory and no removal or treatment cost estimates are in our holdings, so the scope and price of the ash borer response were never quantified in our record. The city's stated approach is to remove infected and at-risk trees on rights-of-way, parks and other city land and treat healthy ones, phased because costs prevent addressing all areas at once. A public works tree inventory with per-tree removal and treatment costs would settle it.
6.14.22 Council Packet and Agenda · would settle it: A survey inventory of affected trees with removal and treatment cost estimates.
There are utilities that cross the right of way area. Due to grade, and flood plain issues staff does not see any way this area would be developed in the future.
Staff assessment supporting the Klatt vacation request.
Partly answeredNo flood plain mapping or utility locate map for the alley north of 1st Street is in our holdings, so the staff conclusion that the area can never be developed rests on the summary alone. The packet did carry a GIS area map alongside the Klatt letter, but that document is not in our holdings either. Current FEMA flood mapping and a utility locate would settle whether the grade and flood plain constraints are as staff described.
5.10.22 Council Packet and Agenda
The low proposal cost (base + alternate) falls within the City's 2022 budget for drainage improvements. We recommend the city award the full project to the lowest DeCook Drainage. If awarded, DeCook plans to complete the project in June or July of this year. Requested Action: - Motion approving the DeCook Drainage proposal for the North Street Drainage Improvements, including the base and alternate work. H:\KENYON_CI_MN\_General\Council Meetings\2022\5 - May 2022\01.1_North Street Drainage Improvements.docx 20
Justification for recommending award to DeCook Drainage at $46,018.47 against an engineer's estimate of $56,976.50.
Partly answeredThe 2022 drainage budget line and its remaining balance are not in our holdings, so the within-budget claim cannot be tested. The price comparison can be: DeCook's $46,018.47 for base and alternate came in 19.2 percent below the engineer's estimate of $56,976.50, and it was the lowest of eight proposals. The adopted 2022 budget detail for storm drainage would settle the budget question.
5.10.22 Council Packet and Agenda and factbook KENYON_BIDS.md
He stated that he bought the property in February 2022. There had been a major water leak in the upstairs two years ago and the house needed to be gutted.
Basis for a valuation appeal that produced a recommended reduction from $238,000 to $141,400.
At the meetingCouncil approved reducing the value from $238,000 to $141,400.
Partly answeredNo February 2022 deed or sale record and no county inspection notes on the water damage are in our holdings, so Farrell's account is uncorroborated. The reduction granted was the largest of the four appeals by a wide margin, cutting the value from $238,000 to $141,400, a drop of $96,600 or 40.6 percent, approved on a motion by Rechtzigel seconded by Henke, carried 3-0-0. The recorded deed and the assessor's field notes would settle it.
5.10.22 Council Packet and Agenda, Board of Appeals minutes
He stated it was a vacant lot. Assessor Augustine recommended reducing the property value from $36,000 to 23,000.
Board of Appeals action on parcel 66.380.0120, a vacant lot.
Partly answeredThe county property record for parcel 66.380.0120 is not in our holdings, so the starting value cannot be fixed and the $500 gap between the two figures stands unresolved. Both entries agree on the endpoint of $23,000, and the motion by Rechtzigel seconded by Henke that carried 3-0-0 used $36,500. The reduction is therefore either $13,000 or $13,500.
The assessor's recommendation and the council's motion state different starting values for the same parcel in the same minutes, $36,000 and $36,500.
5.10.22 Council Packet and Agenda, Board of Appeals minutes
Ehrich attended the meeting to request an appeal of his proposed property valuation. He stated that his property value increased 28% for 2023.
Basis for his valuation appeal.
At the meetingAugustine explained the increases are based on selling prices of homes sold in the neighborhood and recommended a $3,200 decrease.
Partly answeredThe prior-year value for parcel 66.140.0100 is not in our holdings, so the 28 percent figure cannot be checked. Working from the proposed $315,300, a 28 percent rise implies a prior value near $246,300, and the reduction granted was $3,200, or about 1 percent of the proposed value, leaving nearly all of the increase intact. Augustine attributed the rise to selling prices of homes sold in the neighborhood.
5.10.22 Council Packet and Agenda, Board of Appeals minutes
She updated the Council members present on sales activity for the period 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021. There were 56 home sales during that period. The average valuation increase in the City was 18.46%.
Presented to the Board of Appeals and Equalization on 2022 assessments payable 2023.
Partly answeredThe county's citywide assessment summary is not in our holdings, so the 18.46 percent average increase cannot be checked against a source document. What the city's own audit benchmark shows is where that revaluation left Kenyon: its tax rate ran 84.8 percent in 2021 and 86.5 percent in 2022 against 73.4 percent for cities in Goodhue County and 57.6 percent for Class 4 cities, while taxes per capita ran $563 and $565 against $836 and $630 for the same groups. The rate has since climbed further, to a certified 84.6822 percent of net tax capacity for pay 2026 from 79.3028 percent in 2025.
8.8.23 Council Packet and Agenda key performance indicators, factbook taxes/levy.html
She updated the Council members present on sales activity for the period 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021. There were 56 home sales during that period.
Sales activity presented to explain 2022 assessments payable 2023.
Partly answeredThe Goodhue County sales study for that period is not in our holdings, so the 56 home sales cannot be verified directly. For scale, our own sales record shows 41 Kenyon sales in the most recent twelve months and 174 arm's-length sales recorded with the state between March 1 2024 and September 13 2026 at a median of $255,000, so 56 in the 2020 to 2021 study window sits above the current pace. The county sales study report would settle it.
factbook dashboard/data/ecrv.json and dashboard/data/benchmarks.json
We recommend the city award the full project to the lowest DeCook Drainage. If awarded, DeCook plans to complete the project in June or July of this year.
Schedule for the storm sewer and washout repair work.
What happened nextJune or July did not hold. By June 14 2022 the contractor had ordered materials and was waiting on delivery, and the city expected the project to start no sooner than late July. No signed contract with start and completion dates is in our holdings.
The forecast that DeCook would complete the work in June or July was already gone by mid June, when the city expected the project would not even start before late July.
6.14.22 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2022-06-14
Further information is contained in a League of MN Cities form in the packet. In the past the City has not waived the liability limits.
State statute limits tort liability to $500,000 per claimant and $1,500,000 per occurrence; cities may purchase up to $2,000,000 in additional coverage.
What happened nextThe council declined to waive the limits, as it has every year on record. The motion in 2022 was by Henke seconded by Rechtzigel not to waive, carried 4-0-0, followed by Sjolander and Helgeson in June 2023 carried 4-0-0, Henke and Helgeson in May 2024 carried 3-0-0 and Helgeson and Kirchmann in May 2025 carried 4-0-0, the last two framed explicitly as following past city precedent. The statutory limits are $500,000 per claimant and $1,500,000 per occurrence.
The amount of additional coverage available is stated inconsistently in the city's own minutes, as up to $3,000,000 annually in 2022 and 2023 and up to $2,000,000 annually in 2024 and 2025.
6.14.22 Council Packet and Agenda, 6.13.23 Council Packet and Agenda, 5-14-24 AGENDA, 5-13-25 council packet updated · taken up again 2025-05-13
Parade information from the Kenyon Color Guard: "We are planning a parade through town starting at 10:30 AM. We will be forming up at the K-W High School.
City Code requires Council approval of parade routes.
Partly answeredNo motion approving the 2022 Memorial Day parade route appears in our holdings, only the Color Guard's request for a 10:30 am start on May 30 2022 forming at the Kenyon-Wanamingo High School, and the note that council approval of the route is required by city code. The agenda item title itself is stale, reading approve Memorial Day parade for May 31 2021. The request recurred in the same form in May 2023, so the practice continued.
5.10.22 Council Packet and Agenda and 5.9.23 Council Packet and Agenda
Wayne Ehrich- Public Works Director SUGGESTED ACTION: Public Works Director Ehrich is requesting that $3000 be transferred from the Special Donation to the Public Works Capital Fund.
Fund transfer requiring Council approval for pool maintenance purposes.
What happened nextThe transfer was approved on a motion by Helgeson seconded by Rechtzigel, carried 4-0-0, moving $3,000 from the swimming pool special donations fund to the public works capital fund. The balance of the special donations fund at the time is not in our holdings.
6.14.22 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2022-06-14
We will also be working with the City attorney to review City ordinances in response to infected trees that are not removed by owners. This will be an ongoing process.
Emerald Ash Borer was identified in the City in April 2022 and private owners are responsible for their own trees.
We hold no dataNo draft ordinance, review memo or council action on infected trees left standing by private owners is in our holdings, and the ordinance review described as an ongoing process produces nothing further in our record. The city's stated limit remains that it cannot remove trees on private property and that monitoring, treatment and removal there are the owner's responsibility. A city attorney memo or an amended nuisance or tree ordinance would settle it.
6.14.22 Council Packet and Agenda and 5.10.22 Council Packet and Agenda · would settle it: A draft or review memo of the City's tree/nuisance ordinance from the City Attorney.
James Miner 66.240.0170 Mr. Miner attended the meeting and stated that he had removed a porch from his house and wanted to know if that had added value to his property.
Miner attended the Board of Appeals and Equalization to ask about the porch he removed.
At the meetingAugustine said the porch did add value, a County employee verified its removal, and she recommended reducing the value by $1,100.
Answered from our recordsYes, and the removal was worth $1,100. Assessor Augustine confirmed the porch had added value, a county employee went to the property and verified the porch was gone, and she recommended a $1,100 reduction. The council carried it through, reducing Miner's value from $207,900 to $206,800, a difference of exactly $1,100, on a motion by Rechtzigel seconded by Henke, carried 3-0-0.
5.10.22 Council Packet and Agenda, Board of Appeals minutes
Augustine recommended a $3,200 decrease in valuation and the option for Mr. Ehrich to have them do a walkthrough of his home.
Ehrich appealed a 28% increase in his valuation; the County recommended a $3,200 reduction plus an optional interior review.
At the meetingCouncil approved reducing the value from $315,300 to $312,100; the walkthrough remained an option.
Partly answeredNo record of an interior walkthrough at parcel 66.140.0100 is in our holdings, so whether Ehrich took the option is unknown. What the council did settle was the value, reducing it from $315,300 to $312,100 on a motion by Rechtzigel seconded by Helgeson, carried 3-0-0, exactly the $3,200 the assessor recommended. A county property record card showing a later interior review would settle it.
5.10.22 Council Packet and Agenda, Board of Appeals minutes
At the April 26, 2022 meeting the EDA recommended the City contracting 8 hours a week with a CEDA staff person.
CEDA part-time community development staffing for the business park and downtown; Chris Giesen, CEDA VP, to attend and discuss.
What happened nextThe council approved contracting with CEDA on a motion by Rechtzigel seconded by Bailey, after Senior Vice President Chris Giesen put the annual cost of a staff person one day a week at $27,700. At eight hours a week that works out to about $66.59 an hour. The arrangement persisted and grew into a standing line, with CEDA identified in 2026 budget discussions as the main occupant of the outside services category that the council asked staff to break down.
5.10.22 Council Minutes and 7.14.26 Council Packet Updated · taken up again 2022-05-10
The cost is $19,168.36. All or a portion of the cost of the unit could come out of Covid funds or Fire Department Capital.
Purchase request for a $19,168.36 chest compression device.
We hold no dataNo allocation decision between Covid funds and Fire Department Capital appears in our holdings, and neither fund balance for 2022 is on file. The nearest reference points come later, with the fire department capital fund reported at roughly $255,000 in January 2024 and staff recommending in August 2024 that excess Covid Cares fund balances be transferred to the capital outlay fund to replace money spent on a front end loader bought in May 2024. A journal entry or the approving motion would settle it.
5.10.22 Council Packet and Agenda, 1-9-24 agenda, 8-20-24 AGENDA · would settle it: Current balances of the Covid funds and Fire Department Capital fund and a Council allocation decision.
The cost is $19,168.36. All or a portion of the cost of the unit could come out of Covid funds or Fire Department Capital.
Stryker quote 10502190 for a LUCAS 3 v3.1 system with charger, battery, suction cups, and ProCare maintenance.
We hold no dataNo council motion approving the Lucas chest compression machine is in our holdings, so whether the $19,168.36 purchase was made cannot be confirmed. The Stryker quote detail we do hold covers a LUCAS 3 version 3.1 system with a ProCare annual preventive maintenance inspection line at $1,635.00, including hard shell case, slim back plate, two patient straps, one stabilization strap, two suction cups and a rechargeable battery. It is a single-source quote with no competing vendor in the record.
5.10.22 Council Packet and Agenda · would settle it: A Council motion approving the purchase and designating the funding source.
Requested Action: - Motion approving the DeCook Drainage proposal for the North Street Drainage Improvements, including the base and alternate work.
Eight proposals were received May 4, 2022 for storm sewer replacement/extension and washout repair north of North Street.
What happened nextThe award was made on a motion by Bailey seconded by Helgeson, carried 4-0-0, for the base and alternate work from DeCook Drainage at $46,018.47. DeCook was the low proposal of eight received, ahead of Winona Mechanical at $51,308.37, Griffin at $67,453.60, Fitzgerald at $68,808.15 and Halo at $81,694.08.
5.10.22 Council Minutes and factbook KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-05-10
The vacation will require a Council public hearing prior to any action taken by the Council. If the Council wants to proceed with the process a hearing would need to be scheduled.
Alley vacation request where utilities cross the right of way and staff sees no future development potential due to grade and flood plain issues.
Partly answeredThe request came back before the council under Legal at the May 2022 meeting with Attorney Riggs speaking to it, but no public hearing date, no published notice and no vacation resolution appear anywhere in our holdings. If vacated, the area would split evenly between the abutting property owners. The scheduled hearing notice or a vacation resolution would settle whether the alley was ever vacated.
6.14.22 Council Packet and Agenda and 5.10.22 Council Packet and Agenda
Chip Seal Project City Engineer Derek Olinger stated that two quotes were received for the planned chip sealing and crack sealing in town.
Award of the 2022 Bituminous Chip Seal Project to Pearson Bros. Inc.
At the meetingCouncil accepted the Pearson Bros. Inc. proposal 5-0-0.
Answered from our recordsThe two 2022 quotes were Pearson Bros at $44,707 and Fahrner at $58,823, and Pearson was awarded. The same work drew four quotes by 2025, with Pearson again low at $59,951.55 against Asphalt Surface Tech at $68,726, Allied Blacktop at $69,913.20 and Fahrner at $96,685.70. Pearson's price rose 34.1 percent over those three years.
factbook KENYON_BIDS.md; 5-13-25 council packet updated · taken up again 2025-05-13
CITIZEN COMMENT Goodhue County Commissioner, Todd Greseth, gave an update on what is happening in the County. The May Commissioner's meeting will be held at City Hall in Kenyon.
County update given during citizen comment.
Partly answeredThe 2022 date is never supplied in our records. The same announcement two years later carries a date, with the Goodhue County Commission meeting at Kenyon City Hall on May 1 2024 at 9:00 a.m., which points to an early-May slot but does not fix the 2022 day. The published Goodhue County Board calendar for May 2022 would settle it.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda; 5-14-24 AGENDA(1)
Resolution 2022-12: In Support of Minnesota State House File 2821 and Minnesota Senate File 2670 – Statewide Public Safety Radio Communications System Equipment Grants C.
Council adopted a resolution of support for pending state legislation creating radio equipment grants.
At the meetingResolution 2022-12 adopted 5-0-0.
Partly answeredThe fate of the two bills is outside our data, but the city never booked any money from them. The public safety capital outlay state grants and aids line reads $0.00 across all six columns in the September 2026 packet, as do reimbursements, sale of excess equipment and the general fund transfers on that program. The police department was still describing encrypted radios as needed at $5,000 each in August 2024, funded from prior-year allocations and $36,000 of local government aid rather than a state radio grant.
9-8-26 Council Packet; 8-20-24 AGENDA · taken up again 2026-09-08
This agreement would be in effect for five years and allow us to utilize the State's criminal justice data network.
Resolution 2022-13 approving state joint powers agreements for the prosecuting attorney and police department.
At the meetingResolution 2022-13 adopted 5-0-0.
Partly answeredThe five-year term and the criminal justice data network purpose rest entirely on the attorney's summary in the minutes. Resolution 2022-13 was adopted 5-0-0, but no executed joint powers agreement with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and no term dates appear in our records, and the only later text matching the phrase is boilerplate in service contracts expressly disclaiming any joint powers relationship. The executed agreement would settle it, and a five-year term from 2022 would have expired in 2027.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda
Agriculture Land Lease Renewal – Scott Wickum 2022-2024 Attorney Riggs stated that the land lease for the 10.5 acres east of the sewer plant needs to be renewed. The proposed lease rate would be $170 per acre in 2022 and $180 in 2023 and 2024.
Renewal of the Scott Wickum ag land lease for 2022-2024.
At the meetingCouncil approved the lease renewal 5-0-0.
What happened nextThe lease was approved 5-0-0 on those rates, which yield $1,785 in 2022 and $1,890 in each of 2023 and 2024, or $5,565 over the three-year term. It was renewed again with Scott Wickum in February 2025 as another three-year lease of the same 10.5 acres, described as city-owned land along Highway 60 east of the wastewater treatment plant, alongside a separate 2.25-acre lease to Richard Nystuen east of the overflow lagoon. The 2025 lease rate is not stated in our records.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda; 2.11.25 Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2025-02-11
Fire Relief Bingo Application Attorney Riggs stated that the Kenyon Fire Relief Association was seeking Council approval to conduct charitable gambling involving Bingo only at the Kenyon Muni.
Lawful gambling application requiring a city resolution.
At the meetingResolution 2022-14 adopted 5-0-0.
What happened nextResolution 2022-14 approving the lawful gambling application was adopted 5-0-0, limited to bingo at the Muni. The association's presence there grew steadily: in late 2023 the council transferred the electronic and paper pull tab operation at the Muni from the Kenyon Snow Drifters Club to the Fire Relief Association, and in February 2026 it took up a further premises permit for the association at the Kenyon VFW Conrad Osthum Post 141. The state-issued premises permit documents are not in our holdings.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda; 2-10-26 Council Packet · taken up again 2026-02-10
Motion carried 5-0-0. 2nd Street Saloon LLC dba Lacey's – Caterer's Permit On-Sale Intoxicating Liquor Attorney Riggs stated that Heather Thram, representing 2nd Street Saloon LLC, was seeking a local caterer's permit to hold a Mother's Day event and possibly other future events at the Kenyon Event Center.
On-sale intoxicating liquor caterer's permit request for events at the Kenyon Event Center.
At the meetingCouncil approved the catering permit 5-0-0.
What happened nextThe caterer's permit was approved 5-0-0 on a motion by Rechtzigel seconded by Bailey, issued to 2nd Street Saloon LLC doing business as Lacey's Kitchen and Cocktails for on-sale intoxicating liquor at the Kenyon Event Center. The issued permit and the state license verification behind it are not in our holdings.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2022-05-10
The letter also explained the process of the egg/nest management in this area. The Country Club would like Council approval to proceed with the DNR plan.
A MN DNR letter outlined goose damage at the country club and the egg/nest management process.
At the meetingCouncil approved the request 5-0-0.
What happened nextThe council approved the Kenyon Country Club's request to proceed with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources goose egg and nest removal plan at the golf course, 5-0-0, on a motion by Henke seconded by Ryan. The DNR letter describing the damage and the egg and nest management process, and any permit issued under it, are not in our holdings.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2022-05-10
Riggs worked on finalizing the original agreement a year ago but did not hear back from MetroNet until last week.
Riggs had finalized an original agreement a year earlier but only heard back from MetroNet last week.
At the meetingCouncil approved the MetroNet agreement 5-0-0.
What happened nextThe franchise agreement was approved 5-0-0 for high speed internet only, and MetroNet moved to build. In June 2022 it asked to place an equipment cabinet in the corner of the Fire Hall property and the council started the easement process 4-0-0, then approved the utility cabinet easement 3-0-0 in September 2022 pending city attorney updates to the document. The executed franchise agreement and a construction schedule are not in our holdings.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda; 6.14.22 Council Minutes; 9.13.22 Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2022-09-13
ENGINEERING Pearl Creek and Forest Street Sanitary Sewer Improvements Update City Engineer Olinger stated that three proposals for television inspection of sanitary sewer along Pearl Creek and Forest Street were received.
Award of the sanitary sewer televising and cleaning work for the Pearl Creek and Forest Street mains.
At the meetingCouncil accepted the Empire Pipe Services proposal 5-0-0.
Answered from our recordsEmpire Pipe Services won at $12,782.68 against Pipe Services at $18,246.53 and American Environmental at $29,264, so the award was 30 percent below the next bid. This was the second attempt: the first Pearl Creek televising request for proposals in March 2022 drew a single quote and was reissued. Empire televised the project area in June 2022, and the preliminary layouts and cost estimating followed.
factbook KENYON_BIDS.md; 5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda; 6.14.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-06-14
OLD BUSINESS None NEW BUSINESS Police Department 2022 Ford Interceptor Police Chief Sjoblom reported on the purchase of a 2022 Ford Interceptor SUV that was located to replace the 2013 Ford Squad car that was totaled in March. The state contract price with the equipment installed would be $48,931.
Purchase of a replacement squad for the 2013 Ford squad car totaled in March.
At the meetingCouncil approved the purchase 5-0-0.
What happened nextThe purchase was approved 5-0-0 at the $48,931 state contract price with equipment installed, and the vehicle was out of service within three months. Officer Taylor was in an accident with the 2022 Ford SUV squad on July 27 2022, leaving it heavily damaged but not totaled, and by September it sat at Peterson Ford with parts availability problems and no firm repair quote or timeframe. The state contract quote and installation invoice are not in our holdings.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda; 8.15.22 Council Packet Agenda; 9.13.22 Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2022-09-13
LEGAL Resolution 2022-11: Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund - Elect to Use the Standard Allowance Under the Revenue Loss Provision Attorney Riggs stated that the adoption of this resolution would provide the most flexibility for the City to use the $206,000 in Coronavirus Recovery Funds.
Resolution 2022-11 electing the standard allowance under the revenue loss provision.
At the meetingResolution 2022-11 adopted 5-0-0.
Partly answeredThe $206,000 figure appears once, in the attorney's remarks, and no award letter, ledger balance or spending report for the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund is in our holdings. The council did elect the standard allowance under the revenue loss provision through Resolution 2022-11, 5-0-0, which is the choice that frees the money for general government services. Covid funds were named as one source for the $48,931 squad purchase the same night, with no amount attached.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda
At least three Council members must be in attendance including one Council member who is certified by the State for the Board of Adjustment hearing.
Mayor reminded the Council of attendance requirements for the April 14 Board of Appeals and Equalization meeting.
What happened nextThe board met and the requirement has since lapsed. Minutes of the Board of Appeals and Equalization meeting of April 14 2022 were approved at the following council meeting, so the quorum was achieved. Since 2023 the Goodhue County Assessor's Office has run the Board of Appeal as an open book, stated at the time as lasting at least three years, because no council member holds the required state training. The attendance roster and certification records are not in our holdings.
The minutes head the item as the Board of Appeals and Equalization Meeting of Thursday April 14 2021, while the minutes approved at the next meeting are those of April 14 2022.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda; 5.9.23 Council Packet and Agenda; factbook KENYON_DATA_IN_MEETINGS.md · taken up again 2023-05-09
Declare Old First Responder Truck as Excess Inventory Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Ehrich stated that the Fire Department received the new First Responder Rescue Truck. They are requesting approval to sell the old rescue truck.
The Fire Department received the new First Responder Rescue Truck and asked to dispose of the old one.
At the meetingCouncil declared the old first responder truck as excess inventory, 5-0-0.
We hold no dataNo sale method, buyer or price for the old rescue truck appears in our records. The city repeats this pattern without ever recording proceeds, declaring the 1936 Ford open-air fire truck excess inventory 3-0-0 in May 2024 and the 1983 Chevrolet tender 5-0-0 in November 2025, each time stating proceeds would go into the truck fund. A sale record or the truck fund receipts would settle it.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda; 5-14-24 AGENDA(1); 11-12-25 Council Packet(1) · would settle it: Record of the sale method and final sale price of the old rescue truck
These funds would come from several sources including the sale of the 2014 squad, the insurance settlement from the totaled squad, 2022 City budgeted amount, and Covid funds.
Funding for the $48,931 Ford Interceptor comes from several sources including insurance settlement, squad sale, budget, and Covid funds.
We hold no dataNeither the insurance settlement on the totaled 2013 squad nor the sale price of the 2014 squad appears anywhere in our records, so the $48,931 purchase cannot be traced to its four funding sources. The insurance settlement statement and the sale record for the 2014 squad would settle it. The replacement vehicle was itself heavily damaged in a July 27 2022 accident, which complicates any later reconciliation.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda; 8.15.22 Council Packet Agenda · would settle it: The insurance settlement check amount and the sale price of the 2014 squad
Inc. proposal for the 2022 Bituminous Chip Seal Project and authorize staff to proceed with additional street chip sealing to reach a total of the budgeted amount of $60,000.
Council accepted the Pearson Bros. Inc. proposal for the 2022 Bituminous Chip Seal Project and allowed staff to add streets up to the budget.
At the meetingMotion carried 5-0-0.
What happened nextThe work was completed within budget. Pearson Brothers was in town in late July 2022, finished all requested areas, and the 8.15.22 packet records the project complete and within budget. The base award to Pearson was $44,707 against the $60,000 budget, which left $15,293 of headroom for the additional streets the council authorized. The final street list is not in our holdings.
8.15.22 Council Packet Agenda; 9.13.22 Council Packet Agenda; factbook KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-08-15
PRESENTATIONS/PUBLIC HEARINGS/RECOGNITIONS/PROLAMATIONS The annual municipal prosecution report was tabled until the May meeting.
The scheduled presentation of the annual municipal prosecution report did not occur at the April meeting.
What happened nextThe report was delivered at the May 10 2022 meeting by Attorney A.J. Lindell of Jacobsen Law Firm, with the Kenyon 2021 Municipal Prosecution Report attached to the packet. The following year's report came from David Jacobsen in the 3.14.23 packet, so the annual presentation resumed on schedule.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda; 3.14.23 Updated Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2022-05-10
If the council desires that additional streets be completed this year, the budget would allow for another 5-6 blocks of chip sealing that would otherwise be completed in 2023 or 2024. This can be discussed in more detail during the meeting.
Review of two chip seal proposals as part of the infrastructure management plan.
At the meetingNot discussed March 8; flagged for discussion at the April 12 meeting.
What happened nextThe council spent the headroom. On April 12 2022 it accepted the Pearson Bros. Inc. proposal and authorized staff to add chip sealing until the work reached the full budgeted $60,000, carried 5-0-0. Pearson bid $44,707 against Fahrner at $58,823, leaving $15,293 of budget that the extra blocks were directed to absorb.
4.12.22 Council Minutes; 5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda; factbook KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-04-12
Representatives of the relief association will be attending the Council meeting to discuss the application further.
Resolution 2022-14 approving a premise permit for bingo within City limits.
At the meetingNot acted on March 8; set for the April 12 meeting.
What happened nextResolution 2022-14 approving the lawful gambling application of the Kenyon Firemen's Relief Association for bingo only at the Kenyon Muni was adopted 5-0-0 on April 12 2022, on a motion by Ryan seconded by Helgeson. The resolution appears again as a summary report item on the August 15 2022 agenda. We hold no completed state gambling application.
4.12.22 Council Minutes; 5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda; 8.15.22 Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2022-04-12
The intent of the removal process is not to remove all the geese using the golf course, but to manage their numbers at a sustainable level. The DNR requires that the property owners get written permission from City to conduct the removal work.
DNR observed significant goose damage at the course last summer and will issue removal permits case by case.
At the meetingNot acted on at the March 8 meeting; scheduled for April 12.
What happened nextPermission was granted 5-0-0 on April 12 2022, on a motion by Mayor Henke seconded by Ryan, after Henke reviewed a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources letter setting out the goose damage at the Kenyon Country Club and the egg and nest management process. The DNR had found damage well beyond anything considered normal. We hold no permit conditions and no signed city letter of permission.
4.12.22 Council Minutes; 5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2022-04-12
MetroNet had indicated that they would agree to the City's terms. But then the City did not hear back from them until last week.
MetroNet requests approval of an agreement to install high speed internet in the City.
At the meetingNot taken up at the March 8 meeting; placed on the April 12 agenda with the City Attorney to discuss further.
What happened nextThe agreement was approved 5-0-0 at the April 12 2022 meeting on a motion by Bailey seconded by Ryan, covering high-speed internet only after MetroNet removed video service from the draft. Attorney Riggs had finalized the original version a year earlier and heard nothing from MetroNet until the week before. Staff judged the loss of television service inconsequential because many residents stream. We hold no executed agreement.
4.12.22 Council Minutes; 5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2022-04-12
City Council Meeting: Tuesday, April 12th @ 7 p.m. Board of Appeal & Equalization: Thursday, April 14th @ 5:00 p.m.
Schedule of upcoming meetings announced at the March meeting.
At the meetingDate and time announced only.
What happened nextThe board met as scheduled and heard at least one appeal. The May 2022 record shows Joe Farrell calling in to appeal the proposed valuation on a property he bought in February 2022 that had been gutted after a major upstairs water leak, and Assessor Augustine recommending a reduction from $238,000 to $141,400, a cut of 40.8%. The 5:00 p.m. start held across years, with the board set for April 14 2022, April 20 2023 and April 25 2024. We hold no published notice or assessor valuation materials.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda; 4.11.23 Council Packet Agenda · taken up again 2022-04-14
LEGAL Resolution 2022-06: Approving Minor Subdivision - Lot Split Application –PID 66.540.1200 Kirk Hiner Attorney Riggs stated that Kirk Hiner, was seeking approval to split PID# 66.540.1200 in half. The north half would be sold to the neighbor to the west.
Resolution 2022-06 approving a minor subdivision of PID 66.540.1200.
At the meetingCouncil approved the subdivision; the sale itself was not before the Council.
Partly answeredNo recorded deed transferring the north half appears in our record, so whether the anticipated sale to the neighbor happened is unknown. The same parcel number resurfaces in August 2026, when Resolution 2026-29 approving a minor subdivision is captioned for PID 66.540.1200 in the name of Gerald Bartel. Our parcel records place that Bartel split on a different parcel, PIN 661800052 at 101 Park Lane, 3.03 acres of agricultural class land valued at $399,500 and paying $3,083 in city tax.
The August 2026 Bartel lot split resolution is captioned with PID 66.540.1200, the parcel number used for the 2022 Hiner split, while our parcel data puts the Bartel split at PIN 661800052.
4.12.22 Council Packet Agenda Updated; 8-6-26 Council Packet Updated; factbook Development, TIF and land
Resolution 2022-09: Re-establishing Annual Polling Place Administrator Vahlsing noted that since the state redistricting plan has now been adopted, all cities are required to reestablish their precinct boundaries and redesignate their polling places under Minn.Stat. 204b.14, subd.3(e) even if there weren't any changes.
Explanation supporting Resolution 2022-09 redesignating the Fire Hall as the polling place.
At the meetingCouncil adopted Resolution 2022-09 designating the Fire Hall for 2022.
Partly answeredWe hold neither the text of Minnesota Statutes 204B.14 subdivision 3(e) nor the adopted redistricting plan, so the one-time redesignation requirement cannot be verified. The city's own later polling place resolutions cite a different provision, 204B.16, which requires the council by resolution to designate its local polling place for all elections by December 31 for the upcoming year, and that is the section used in both November 2022 and November 2023. Resolution 2022-09 designating the Fire Hall carried 4-0-0.
4.12.22 Council Packet Agenda Updated; 11.16.22 City Council Packet and Agenda; 11.14.23 Council Packet Agenda
Motion carried 4-0-0. 2022 Agreement with Luis Tellez – Taco Express City Administrator Vahlsing stated that the Council had directed staff to review the lease amount with Taco Express at the April 2021 council meeting. At that time, it was recommended that the lease be increased to $400 for 2022.
Background for approving the 2022 agreement with Luis Tellez – Taco Express.
At the meetingCouncil approved the 2022 agreement at $400.00.
Partly answeredWe hold no April 2021 minutes and no earlier Taco Express lease, so the pre-2022 rent is unknown. The path after is fully documented: $400 approved for 2022 on a 4-0-0 vote, $430 for 2023 on a 4-0-0 vote, and non-renewal in March 2025 after staff raised the perception of renting to a food vendor for a minimal fee while other food businesses own their lots and pay taxes. The April 2021 minutes would give the original rate.
4.12.22 Council Packet Agenda Updated; 4.11.23 Council Packet Agenda; 4-8-25 council packet · taken up again 2025-03-11
Council members were impressed with both candidates and felt both had futures in City politics. However, Kimberly Helgeson had more experience in some areas.
Basis for appointing a replacement council member by Resolution 2022-10.
At the meetingCouncil appointed Kimberly Helgeson 4-0-0.
Partly answeredWe hold no interview record and no candidate applications from February 8 2022, and the second candidate is not named anywhere in our data, so the comparative experience judgment cannot be examined. The appointment itself is documented: Resolution 2022-10 appointing Kimberly Helgeson carried 4-0-0, and she was seconding motions as a council member by July 12 2022. The applications and interview notes would settle it.
4.12.22 Council Packet Agenda Updated; 7.12.22 Council Minutes
The quotes varied in price and projected availability. The mower purchase is on a three-year rotation schedule and was included in the 2022 budget.
Justification for replacing the 2018 Cub Cadet mower.
At the meetingNo budget line amount cited.
Partly answeredWe hold no equipment rotation schedule and no 2022 budget line amount for mower replacement. The rotation language is used consistently, appearing again in 2024 for a 72-inch Cub Cadet replacement, and the city bought mowers in 2021, 2022 and 2024. The machine replaced here was a 2018 model, which is a four-year life rather than the three-year rotation described.
The purchase is described as a three-year rotation, but the mower being replaced was a 2018 model bought four years earlier.
3.12.24 Council Packet Agenda; factbook KENYON_BIDS.md
NEW BUSINESS Review Quotes - Purchase of Mower– Wayne Ehrich, Superintendent– Public Works Department Director Ehrich stated that three quotes were received to replace the 2018 Cub Cadet mower. The quotes varied in price and projected availability.
Review of quotes before approving purchase of a Toro mower from Traxler Equipment.
At the meetingCouncil approved the Toro from Traxler Equipment; no dollar amounts recorded.
Partly answeredNo prices from the three 2022 mower quotes appear in our record, and the minutes approved the Toro from Traxler Equipment 4-0-0 without naming an amount. Our full inventory of competitive purchases records this one only as three quotes awarded to Traxler. The comparable 2024 purchase does carry figures, with Traxler at a net $2,459 against another quote at a net $4,500 on a spread of about $2,500.
The council approved a mower purchase with no dollar amount recorded in the minutes.
3.12.24 Council Packet Agenda; factbook KENYON_BIDS.md
COUNCIL AND STAFF GENERAL COMMENTS Police Chief Sjoblom stated that the excess squad is going to auction this week.
General comments about disposing of surplus police equipment.
At the meetingNo sale amount reported.
Partly answeredNo auction settlement statement or sale price for the surplus squad appears in our record. The proceeds were folded into a larger purchase: on April 12 2022 the council approved a 2022 Ford Interceptor at a state contract price of $48,931 with equipment installed, funded by the sale of the 2014 squad, the insurance settlement on a 2013 squad totaled in March, the 2022 budget and Covid funds, with no amount broken out for any source. The city's stated practice is for the auction house to forward a bid tabulation with payment, so that tabulation would settle it.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda; 8-20-24 AGENDA
ENGINEERING Pearl Creek and Forest Street Sanitary Sewer Improvements Update City Engineer Rhein provided an update on the Pearl Creek and Forest Street Sanitary Sewer Improvement project. The topographic survey field work has been completed and the boundary work will be finished this spring.
Status of early data collection for the sanitary sewer improvement project.
At the meetingNo completion date given.
What happened nextThe boundary work did not finish that spring. The additional survey work for the Pearl Creek sanitary sewer project was reported complete only around late 2022, with the project layout and rough construction limits to be finalized in late November or early December. That is roughly six months past the spring completion promised in March.
The boundary work was said to be finishing in spring 2022 and was still being wrapped up at the end of the year.
12-13-22 Agenda Granicus · taken up again 2022-12-13
The topographic survey field work has been completed and the boundary work will be finished this spring. Quotes for the sanitary televising will be reviewed at the April Council meeting.
Update on the Pearl Creek and Forest Street Sanitary Sewer Improvement project.
At the meetingNo quotes presented in March; the April 12 packet shows three quotes received, with Empire Pipe Services low at $12,782.68.
What happened nextThree proposals came in and the council accepted Empire Pipe Services at $12,782.68 on April 12 2022, carried 5-0-0. The other two were Pipe Services at $18,246.53 and American Environmental at $29,264, so the winning bid was 30% below the next and 56% below the highest. This was the second round, after a first request for proposals in March 2022 drew a single quote and was reissued.
5.10.22 Council Packet Agenda; factbook KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-04-12
Meet with persons interested in City Council Seat The Council interviewed two people who expressed interest in serving on the Council. They were John Naatz who lives at 405 Trondheim Road and Kimberly Helgeson who lives at 426 4th Street.
She was one of two people interviewed by the Council about serving on the Council.
At the meetingNo decision; appointment tabled to the March meeting.
What happened nextKimberly Helgeson was appointed to the vacant council seat on March 8 2022 by Resolution 2022-10, carried 4-0-0. The council recorded that she had more experience in some areas than the other interviewee.
3.8.22 Council Minutes, reprinted in 4.12.22 Council Packet · taken up again 2022-03-08
Meet with persons interested in City Council Seat The Council interviewed two people who expressed interest in serving on the Council. They were John Naatz who lives at 405 Trondheim Road and Kimberly Helgeson who lives at 426 4th Street.
He was one of two people interviewed by the Council about serving on the Council.
At the meetingNo decision; appointment tabled to the March meeting.
What happened nextJohn Naatz was not appointed. The council chose the other candidate, Kimberly Helgeson, on March 8 2022 by Resolution 2022-10, 4-0-0, on the stated ground that she had more experience in some areas, while noting both candidates had futures in city politics.
3.8.22 Council Minutes, reprinted in 4.12.22 Council Packet · taken up again 2022-03-08
Discuss Appointment of Person to Fill Council Seat Acting Mayor Rechtzigel discussed tabling the appointment of the Council position until the March meeting.
After interviewing two interested residents at the work session, the acting mayor discussed deferring the appointment decision.
At the meetingNo appointment was made; the decision was deferred.
What happened nextThe council made the appointment at its next regular meeting on March 8 2022, exactly as the acting mayor proposed. Resolution 2022-10 appointing Kimberly Helgeson as a council member passed 4-0-0.
3.8.22 Council Minutes, reprinted in 4.12.22 Council Packet · taken up again 2022-03-08
COUNCIL AND STAFF GENERAL COMMENTS Chief Sjolander stated that they have been dealing with several incidents that have occurred in town.
Council and staff general comments at the end of the meeting.
We hold no dataWe hold no police incident reports, no written chief's report and no crime statistics for Kenyon, so the several incidents cannot be identified or counted. A monthly police report in a council packet or the department's incident log would settle it.
2.8.2022 Council Packet and Agenda · would settle it: Police incident reports or a written chief's report
All lines highlighted yellow on map to be televised. ! 4" 209' 601 605 611 615 627 804 2. City will clean line immediately prior to televising. Mapping may be inaccurate - only 8" 3.
Work note on the Forest Street sanitary main figure.
Partly answeredLater engineering confirmed small and variable diameters on Forest Street. The 2025 Street and Utility Improvements existing conditions table lists Forest Street from 8th to 6th at 4 to 6 inches cast iron and from 8th to 3rd at 4 inches cast iron, against the 8 inch mapping shown on the 2022 televising figure. No passage records the field verification result from the 2022 televising itself.
The 2022 RFP figure mapped these segments at 8 inches while the 2024 existing conditions table records 4 to 6 inch cast iron, confirming the engineer's suspicion that the mapping was inaccurate.
9.10.24 Council Packet and Agenda, Bolton & Menk existing conditions Table 4 · taken up again 2024-09-10
Two manholes inaccessable
Field notes on the sanitary system map for the televising work.
Partly answeredThe televising went ahead and produced a condition report, so access was sufficient to inspect the line. The August 15 2022 results describe the mains as slightly poor to very poor and the Pearl Creek crossing as inadequately buried, but no passage we hold says whether the two inaccessible manholes were reached or the buried one was located.
8.15.22 Council Packet and Agenda
After reviewing the ad for the land auction staff realized that a 2.25-acre area of City owned had been farmed by Festal Foods.
Basis for proposing a new agricultural lease on the city parcel.
Partly answeredThe January 14 2025 packet confirms the core of the claim, recording that Dick Nystuen purchased the adjacent acreage in 2022 and began leasing the city's 2.25 acres at that time. The auction records and a legal description or survey of the 2.25-acre parcel are not in anything we hold, so the acreage and the years Festal farmed it without a lease remain unverified.
1-14-25 council packet · taken up again 2025-01-14
Resolution 2022-02: A Resolution Authorizing Acceptance of 2021 Donations Motion by Ryan second by Bailey to approve Resolution 2022-02 authorizing the acceptance of the 2021 donations of $17,510.02.
Resolution 2022-02 authorizing acceptance of 2021 donations.
At the meetingResolution adopted 4-0.
Partly answeredResolution 2022-02 accepting $17,510.02 in 2021 donations passed 4-0-0 on a roll call. The itemized list behind the resolution is not in anything we hold, and the equivalent resolutions for 2022 and 2023 appear only as agenda attachment titles without dollar figures.
2.8.2022 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2022-02-08
Resolution 2022-01: Establishing License Fees and Compensation Administrator Vahlsing stated that the only increase for 2022 was an additional $10 for the Depot Park building rent.
Presentation of Resolution 2022-01 establishing license fees and compensation.
At the meetingCouncil adopted Resolution 2022-01, 4-0.
What happened nextResolution 2022-01 passed 4-0-0 with the single $10 increase to Depot Park building rent. Depot rent stayed contentious as a fee line, since the council approved Resolution 2024-01 on February 13 2024 only after changing the depot rent figure again.
2.8.2022 Council Packet; 2.13.24 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2022-02-08
Kennedy & Graven 2022 Rates for Legal Services Attorney Riggs reviewed the proposed rates for legal services for 2022. This increase would raise the hourly base rate from $174.00 to $180.00 an hour.
Annual review of legal services rates.
At the meetingCouncil approved the 2022 rates, 4-0.
What happened nextThe council approved the 2022 rates 4-0-0, moving the base rate from $174.00 to $180.00 an hour, a 3.45% rise. The same firm raised it to $188.00 for 2023 and to $196.00 for 2024, approved 5-0-0 on February 13 2024, so the base rate climbed 12.6% across three years.
2.8.2022 Council Packet; 2.13.24 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2024-02-13
The storm sewer line is in need of replacement and has caused sinkholes in the surrounding area. The engineers estimated project cost is $75,000, including construction and design work.
Project addresses hillside erosion, a failing storm sewer line, and sinkholes discussed at the September 2021 budget session.
What happened nextThe $75,000 estimate covering construction and design held. Construction was awarded to DeCook Drainage on June 14 2022 at $46,018.47 for base plus alternate work, leaving about $28,981 of the estimate for design and contingency.
6.14.22 Council Packet and Agenda; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-06-14
Title Work Title work has been received for the parcels containing the Pearl Creek sanitary main. There are no existing easements associated with the Pearl Creek main.
Title work was received for the parcels containing the Pearl Creek main.
Answered from our recordsTitle work on the parcels containing the Pearl Creek sanitary main found no existing easements associated with it. The engineer flagged that boundary survey work would be needed to establish utility and access easements for the main later, and the survey title search line in the proposal carried $20,780 for exactly that.
2.8.2022 Council Packet and Agenda
Along with continued coordination with public work to restore equipment access to main, we will also be verifying sewer depths in wooded areas and channel crossings.
Access to the Pearl Creek line is a constraint on both televising and construction.
Partly answeredThe project figures label the pasture route as access through pasture with the final route to be coordinated by the city, and the same note still appears unchanged in the April 12 2022 packet. Access was resolved in practice, since televising was completed and reported in August 2022, but no passage we hold records the agreed route or an access easement document.
4.12.22 Council Packet and Agenda Updated
For this reason, part of the preliminary design process will include evaluating other options for rerouting the sanitary sewer through this area.
Preliminary design will compare the original lining scope to an alternative routing option before final design.
What happened nextThe city chose reconstruction over lining. The inadequate depth found in August 2022 pushed the project to a new main with a lift station, and on June 13 2023 the council awarded the 2023 Pearl Creek Sanitary Sewer and Gates Avenue work to BCM Construction at $1,241,494.22 against an engineer's estimate of $1,536,065. By September 10 2024 the work included full disconnection from the old Pearl Creek sewer main.
KENYON_BIDS.md; 9.10.24 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2023-06-13
Along with continued coordination with public work to restore equipment access to main, we will also be verifying sewer depths in wooded areas and channel crossings. Some of the stream crossings may be shallower than standards allow.
Early scoping for the Pearl Creek line identified this as a preliminary design question that could force a reroute.
What happened nextThe televising results confirmed the engineer's worry. The August 15 2022 update reported the mains in slightly poor to very poor condition and found the sanitary mains below Pearl Creek buried at an inadequate depth beneath the stream bed, making that main a suspected major source of clear water infiltration with improvements warranted as soon as feasible. Soil borings reported March 14 2023 then found bedrock shallower than anticipated, adding rock excavation cost.
8.15.22 Council Packet and Agenda; 3.14.23 Updated Council Packet · taken up again 2022-08-15
EDA Annual Meeting: Tuesday, January 25th @ 9 a.m. at Lacey's Kitchen & Cocktails (Rescheduled to March) City Council Meeting: Tuesday, February 8th @ 7 p.m.
Listed under Schedule of Upcoming Meetings.
What happened nextThe EDA annual meeting was held on March 15 2022 at 9 a.m., as confirmed by the upcoming meetings schedule printed in the March 8 2022 minutes and repeated in the April 12 2022 packet.
3.8.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-03-08
V.B Agenda Item Summary CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT DATE: February 8, 2022 SUBMITTED BY: Holli Gudknecht, Administration ITEM TYPE: Miscellaneous AGENDA SECTION: APPROVAL OF MINUTES and APPOINTMENTS SUBJECT: Appoint Planning Commission Member SUGGESTED ACTION: ATTACHMENTS: Planning Commission Application.pdf 12 13 14 AGENDA ITEM NO.
Agenda item V.B on the February 8 agenda with a Planning Commission application attached.
We hold no dataNo passage we hold names the Planning Commission appointee or records a vote on the February 8 2022 agenda item. The February or March 2022 council minutes would name the person appointed.
2.8.2022 Council Packet and Agenda · would settle it: Council motion naming the appointee
XI.A Agenda Item Summary CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT DATE: February 8, 2022 SUBMITTED BY: Holli Gudknecht, Municipal Liquor ITEM TYPE: Contracts AGENDA SECTION: NEW BUSINESS SUBJECT: Kenyon Muni - 2022 Rose Fest Street Dance Band Contract SUGGESTED ACTION: Approve Contract for the band The Dads to perform at Rose fest Street dance on August 20, 2022. 9:00 pm - 1:00 am. Terms are the cost is $2000 (plus50% of ticket sales over 400 persons).
Same arrangement as last year for the Kenyon Muni street dance.
Partly answeredThe contract terms are on the record at $2,000 plus 50% of ticket sales above 400 persons for The Dads on August 20 2022, 9 pm to 1 am, the same arrangement as 2021. No passage we hold records the motion approving it, though the city clearly continued the practice, approving MTV's for the August 17 2024 street dance 3-0-0 on May 14 2024.
2.8.2022 Council Packet; 5-14-24 AGENDA
This is the same format and rental price used for City other ag leases. Dick Nystuen would agree to the lease and rental price.
The city parcel had been farmed by Festal Farms as part of a larger 85-acre parcel recently sold at auction.
What happened nextThe lease was executed and ran for years. The January 14 2025 packet records that Dick Nystuen purchased the adjacent acreage in 2022 and began leasing the 2.25 acres from the city at that time. A companion lease presented April 12 2022 covered a separate 10.5-acre parcel east of the sewer plant at the same $170 per acre in 2022 and $180 in 2023 and 2024.
1-14-25 council packet · taken up again 2025-01-14
Roll Call Vote: Henke- Aye, Rechtzigel – Aye, Bailey – Aye, Ryan - Aye Motion carried 4-0-0. Motion by Bailey second by Ryan to approve the Library Assistant job description and posting.
Council approved both job descriptions along with the posting.
At the meetingBoth motions carried 4-0-0.
What happened nextBoth postings were approved and both were filled. The library's 2023 budget presented September 13 2022 reflected two part-time employees in place of the retired children's librarian, and a combined Library Assistant and Youth Services Librarian position appears as item 13 on the March 12 2024 city position list.
9.13.22 Council Packet; 3.12.24 Council Work Session Packet · taken up again 2024-03-12
Library Director Otte and the Library Board are requesting approval to create two part-time positions, a Youth Services/Assistant Librarian and a Library Assistant.
Assistant Librarian Barb Bonde will retire from her full-time position in March.
At the meetingCouncil approved both job descriptions and postings, 4-0 each.
What happened nextBoth positions were created. The council approved the Youth Services and Assistant Librarian job description and posting 4-0-0, then the Library Assistant job description and posting on a second motion. By the September 13 2022 budget review the library's 2023 budget showed a 2.4% overall decrease attributed to replacing the retiring children's librarian with two part-time employees.
2.8.2022 Council Packet; 9.13.22 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2022-09-13
Motion by Henke second by Ryan to implement the staff's recommended sewer rate changes that would take affect with the April billing period that begins March 15, 2022.
Council approved the sewer rate increase following the rate study review.
At the meetingMotion carried 4-0-0.
What happened nextThe motion by Henke and second by Ryan carried 4-0-0 on a roll call, taking effect with the April billing period beginning March 15 2022. The city then repeated the March 15 effective date for the 8% increase approved February 14 2023.
2.8.2022 Council Packet and Agenda · taken up again 2022-02-08
OLD BUSINESS None NEW BUSINESS Sewer Rate Study – Review Possible Sewer Rate Increase Administrator Vahlsing reviewed the sewer rate study that was completed and the proposed rate increase. The study shows an increase to existing sewer rates is necessary due to a projected shortfall.
Presented under New Business to justify the sewer rate increase.
At the meetingCouncil voted 4-0 to implement staff's recommended sewer rate changes.
What happened nextThe council accepted the shortfall finding and voted 4-0-0 to implement the staff-recommended sewer rates from the April 2022 billing period. The same shortfall reasoning recurred each year after: an 8% sanitary increase approved February 14 2023, a 2024 increase from $6.61 to $7.40 per thousand gallons, and a 2025 increase to $7.77 per thousand under a four-year plan traced to the 2021 utility rate study.
2.8.2022 Council Packet; 3-11-25 council packet · taken up again 2025-03-11
X.A Agenda Item Summary CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT DATE: February 8, 2022 SUBMITTED BY: Holli Gudknecht, Administration ITEM TYPE: Old Business AGENDA SECTION: OLD BUSINESS SUBJECT: Discuss Lease for Fire/EMS Vehicle SUGGESTED ACTION: The city received notification from Rosenbauer Equipment that the EMS/Fire rescue vehicle that was originally ordered in 2020 is nearing completion. The city previously paid $41,397 toward the $181,739 purchase price when the truck was ordered.
Background for the proposed lease through Kinetic Leasing/Security State Bank of Kenyon.
Answered from our recordsThe arithmetic checks out exactly. A $181,739 purchase price less the $41,397 already paid leaves $137,434 to finance, which is the figure staff carried into the lease discussion.
2.8.2022 Council Packet and Agenda
X.A Agenda Item Summary CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT DATE: February 8, 2022 SUBMITTED BY: Holli Gudknecht, Administration ITEM TYPE: Old Business AGENDA SECTION: OLD BUSINESS SUBJECT: Discuss Lease for Fire/EMS Vehicle SUGGESTED ACTION: The city received notification from Rosenbauer Equipment that the EMS/Fire rescue vehicle that was originally ordered in 2020 is nearing completion.
The first lease payment under option one would be due when the truck is delivered.
We hold no dataNo delivery date for the Rosenbauer EMS and fire rescue vehicle appears in anything we hold. A Rosenbauer delivery confirmation or the council minutes recording the first lease payment would fix the date.
2.8.2022 Council Packet and Agenda · would settle it: A delivery date confirmation from Rosenbauer
A lease estimate from Kinetic Leasing through the Security State Bank of Kenyon is attached. There are two proposed 7-year lease options.
Rosenbauer notified the city the vehicle ordered in 2020 is nearing completion and the balance must be financed.
We hold no dataNo passage we hold records which lease option the council selected. Option one was $21,620 a year for seven years at 3.29% with the first payment at delivery, a total of $151,340; option two was $22,755 a year at 3.79% starting March 1 2023, a total of $159,285, or $7,945 more. The February or March 2022 minutes carrying the motion on the Kinetic Leasing proposal would settle it.
2.8.2022 Council Packet and Agenda · would settle it: Council motion selecting a Kinetic Leasing option
Motion approving City Engineer and Attorney to work with staff on acquiring drainage easement H:\KENYON_CI_MN\_General\Council Meetings\2022\2 - February 2022\02.1_North Street Drainage Improvements.docx 23 CITY OF KENYON, MINNESOTA CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR Partial Plan NORTH STREET DRAINAGE OUTFALL IMPROVEMENTS GRADING, STORM SEWER RESOURCE LIST Northern Natural Gas JANUARY 2022 Kay Klemmer CITY OF KENYON 507-456-1137 City Hall TELEPHONE 709 Second Street Frontier Communications Kenyon, MN 55946 Richard Schrantz
The existing storm sewer conveying runoff from North Street crosses private land.
Partly answeredThe engineer confirmed the North Street storm sewer sits on private land with no easement of record and recommended acquiring and recording one, calling easements good practice rather than required. The February 8 2022 agenda listed authorization of the easement acquisition as a separate item, but no passage we hold records the motion or a recorded easement document.
2.8.2022 Council Packet and Agenda
Motion approving collection of construction proposals - Motion approving City Engineer and Attorney to work with staff on acquiring drainage easement H:\KENYON_CI_MN\_General\Council Meetings\2022\2 - February 2022\02.1_North Street Drainage Improvements.docx 23 CITY OF KENYON, MINNESOTA CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR Partial Plan NORTH STREET DRAINAGE OUTFALL IMPROVEMENTS GRADING, STORM SEWER RESOURCE LIST Northern Natural Gas JANUARY 2022 Kay Klemmer CITY OF KENYON 507-456-1137 City Hall TELEPHONE 709 Second Street
RFP with an alternate work option has been prepared so the City can award only part of the work if pricing is high.
What happened nextThe city collected proposals and awarded the work on June 14 2022. Eight proposals were received, and DeCook Drainage was low at $46,018.47 for base plus alternate work, approved 4-0-0.
6.14.22 Council Packet and Agenda; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-06-14
Due to the access challenges associated with this line, the City may only receive one proposal for the work. Proposals will be available for review next month.
RFP was sent out the week before the February packet; access challenges may limit bidders.
What happened nextThree proposals came in, not one. The council accepted Empire Pipe Services at $12,782.68 on April 12 2022, carried 5-0-0, against Pipe Services at $18,246.53 and American Environmental at $29,264.
The engineer warned the city might receive only one proposal; three arrived, and an earlier round in March 2022 that drew one quote had already been reissued.
4.12.22 Council Minutes; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2022-04-12
Following completion of this work, we expect to have enough information to recommend a final design scope and budget for the project moving forward. Total fees are estimated at approximately $48,300 and a report would be available for review mid-summer.
Fee breakdown lists project management $2,475, televising RFP $25,045, and survey $20,780.
Partly answeredThe $48,300 estimate breaks down as project management $2,475, sanitary cleaning and televising RFP $25,045, and survey title search and review $20,780. Actual billed fees never appear in any passage we hold, though the televising piece later came in far under its allowance at $12,782.68 when Empire Pipe Services was awarded the work on April 12 2022.
The $25,045 televising allowance was roughly double the $12,782.68 actually awarded.
2.8.2022 Council Packet and Agenda; KENYON_BIDS.md
Total fees for this engineering work are estimated to be $48,300 and the work should be completed by July 2022.
Follow-on to the January authorization of $8,946 in preliminary data collection for the 2023 sanitary sewer lining projects.
Partly answeredThe February 8 2022 packet carried the request for the remaining preliminary design work at an estimated $48,300, and the council did approve the earlier Bolton and Menk preliminary data collection proposal by motion of Ryan and second of Bailey. The passages we hold cut off mid-sentence before recording a separate vote on the $48,300 scope, so the motion text approving that specific amount is missing.
2.8.2022 Council Packet and Agenda
XI.B Agenda Item Summary CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT DATE: February 8, 2022 SUBMITTED BY: Holli Gudknecht, Administration ITEM TYPE: New Business AGENDA SECTION: NEW BUSINESS SUBJECT: Discuss and possibly appoint person to City Council. SUGGESTED ACTION: To date the city has received interest from two persons for the vacant City Council seat.
Follow-up item on the February 8 agenda after Resolution 2022-03 declared the seat vacant.
What happened nextThe council appointed Kimberly Helgeson on March 8 2022 by Resolution 2022-10, motion by Rechtzigel and second by Ryan, carried 4-0-0. The stated reason for choosing her over John Naatz was more experience in some areas.
3.8.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-03-08
Since the remaining term is less than two years, the Council can appoint a replacement to serve until the term expires in December 2022. Vahlsing will advertise for interest in this position.
Resolution 2022-03 declared vacant the council seat resigned by Tom Gard at the December meeting.
At the meetingCouncil adopted Resolution 2022-03 declaring the seat vacant, 4-0.
What happened nextThe advertisement produced two interested residents, both interviewed on February 8 2022. The council appointed Kimberly Helgeson by Resolution 2022-10 on March 8 2022, carried 4-0-0, to serve out Tom Gard's term through December 2022.
3.8.22 Council Minutes · taken up again 2022-03-08