Name: City of Kenyon Council Meeting May 12, 2026
Uploaded: 2026-05-12T00:00:00Z
Duration: 20 min
Description: And that does that I mean then do you does it last for a while or is it just once a year or sounds like it's annual? Annual. Yeah, but I'm guessing next year if we get everything we need and get back…

[0:02] Yep. Just in case.

[0:14] » Yeah.

[0:21] » Okay. It is May 12th at 7 p.m. and we are calling the council meeting to

[0:28] order. stand

[0:37] to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it

[0:42] stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice

[0:48] for all.

[0:54] » Okay. Um and roll call. Um,

[1:01] » here

[1:06] » Mary Bailey. Oh, >> here.

[1:10] » Um, >> Mary Bailey is here. Um, we have Scott

[1:14] and we have our our city administrator, we have our engineer, and we have a few

[1:20] people in the audience and our secretary.

[1:26] And um next we will have to make a motion to

[1:30] adopt the agenda. And do we want to do the consent agenda in there as well or

[1:34] just >> separate separate done separate?

[1:36] » Okay. Is there a motion to adopt the agenda?

[1:38] » I'll make a motion to adopt the agenda. >> I'll second.

[1:42] » All those in favor? >> I

[1:45] » Okay. And then um we have the consent agenda, but it

[1:51] looks like we have to approve a few things. Can we should we

[1:54] » you can approve the consent agenda on one motion like you just did which will

[1:58] approve everything >> which will approve all these things.

[2:00] Okay. >> Okay. For so a motion to approve the

[2:03] consent agenda for the Memorial Day parade, the hire of the swimming pool

[2:06] employees, the 5-year electric rate increase plan, the termination,

[2:13] the resolution 2026 16 termination the agency agreement of the Midwest

[2:18] Municipal Gas Agency. Approval of the mobile merchant license Chick-fil-A, a

[2:25] tri-state food truck. Was there a motion?

[2:29] » I'll make that motion. >> I'll second it.

[2:33] » All those in favor? >> I

[2:35] » I >> Okay.

[2:38] Presentations, public hearings, recognitions, proclamations. Is there

[2:42] anybody that would like to say anything?

[2:49] Nope. Okay. And administrator, Mr. Leonard, would you like to give an

[2:55] update? >> Sure. So, I just have a a few things

[2:58] that we've been we've been talking about, uh, that I just thought I'd give

[3:01] you a quick update on. And, uh, I see Chief's here, too. So, Chief might be

[3:06] able to give you an update on one of those on there. But, the KMU job update.

[3:10] So, those of you that know that the the posting went up, we had the job posting

[3:13] up for three weeks. It came down last Friday for that open KMU position we've

[3:17] been talking about. Uh we've had four candidates uh that uh have put their

[3:22] application forward. So I'll be meeting with the KMU group next week uh along

[3:26] with the commissioners of the KMU. Uh just kind of sharing with them who these

[3:30] individuals are. Uh we're in the process of figuring out questions for

[3:34] interviews, who we're going to interview, and then we'll put the

[3:36] interview panel together and we'll uh and we'll work through uh that KMU

[3:41] position. Um we already are working through or do you want to speak to it,

[3:45] Chief? You can go ahead about what we're doing Friday. You want to just take it

[3:48] from there or do you want me to? It's up to you.

[4:03] people and also got word from

[4:20] the previous

[4:33] Yeah. Yeah. I got the email from Chief today. It was exciting. We got the

[4:36] parttime thing. We got the interviews going. So hopefully we'll have that

[4:38] figured here in out in the near future. So yeah,

[4:42] things are looking up. A few bodies may be showing up to give a a little help

[4:45] with the existing folks. >> Huh.

[4:55] » But she is staying with us part time, right? you want to go back. Yeah.

[4:59] » Yeah. As needed or whatever. >> Okay, cool.

[5:02] » The schedule still doesn't show that though.

[5:04] » Okay. [laughter]

[5:06] » Yeah. >> Okay.

[5:10] » Um, so yeah, thanks, Chief. I didn't want to steal your thunder, so instead

[5:14] if you were here, I thought, well, I'll let you kind of speak to it. So,

[5:18] um, we kind of already, uh, talked a little bit, just kind of did a little

[5:22] head on the work session for next Monday. That's basically the the

[5:25] representatives from Rebound will be here. Um the the the core team that I

[5:29] call it will be here. Um the the core team is uh Mr. Riggs, it'll be uh uh

[5:35] Tammy from Northland, Derek to my left, and myself as kind of

[5:39] the core team. And then uh that been working with some of this stuff. And now

[5:44] it's time to bring it in front of the council. Let council kind of know what's

[5:46] going on. And ultimately all your votes are the most important. So, that's why

[5:52] we're pulling you in now that we got some of the things uh uh ironed out. Uh

[5:56] I expect there to be questions. I expect there to be

[5:59] some in-depth conversations because we're we're talking about money and

[6:03] years and potentially doing something with the sunset home. So, I I uh we did

[6:08] ended up scheduling this work session so all of you can come in and uh and get

[6:14] the the information, the presentation, and then I'm sure there's going to be

[6:17] questions that you going to have when we go through it. So,

[6:20] » yep. So, that's [snorts] all scheduled. Again, just a friendly reminder, that's

[6:23] a 6 PM start instead of a 7 PM start on Monday. Uh, and everybody will will be

[6:29] there. Uh, I even got uh Rebound uh confirmed that he'll be there, too. So,

[6:34] I kind of put it separate because I was going to give a little bit of an update

[6:36] on TIFF, but really it's kind of one and the same that we were just talking about

[6:40] there. And uh and you guys will all know and and we'll be uh all better educated

[6:46] uh come Monday on kind of what's going on there. So,

[6:49] » okay. I did talk to our mayor and he did believe that he was going to be able to

[6:53] make that even though he wasn't able to make it tonight and a couple things this

[6:55] week. He had personal manners to tend to this week, but he uh so far is planning

[7:00] on being part of the group on Monday. So So there are

[7:06] » Okay. Do we need a motion to approve that work session?

[7:11] » Nope. Okay. >> We don't need a motion to Nope. Nope.

[7:14] Long as you guys are available, then we can do it that way. Yep. Just scheduling

[7:20] a meeting out there. We will notify Good question though. We will um notice that

[7:25] meeting just like we do a council meeting. So, it'll be up three days in

[7:27] advance. It'll be on the board. It'll just be like a regular council meeting

[7:30] except the difference with a special meeting is what we put on the agenda are

[7:34] the only topics that we can talk about. We can't talk about whatever else might

[7:37] come up. It's all going to be about TIFF and and uh and that and those topics

[7:42] that are related to that. So, >> but no, I don't need a motion to

[7:46] schedule the meeting. Okay. So, I don't need a motion or

[7:50] anything. It was all kind of FYI, bring you all up to speed on my whole

[7:53] administrator update. >> Okay.

[7:55] » And that concludes my update for tonight. Thank you.

[7:57] » Thank you, Scott. >> Engineering.

[8:01] Derek, you need us to pay for stuff? >> That's about it. [laughter]

[8:06] Um, so, uh, in front of you here is just a, uh, another pay application for the

[8:14] 2025 street utility project. So, as many of you know, they've been working within

[8:18] Langford Avenue. Uh started work uh back up in late April. Uh this pay estimate

[8:24] that's in front of you is for work through May 1st. It was just the uh some

[8:29] of the removal work that they did, some top soil work and the early stages of

[8:33] their uh uh water main work that they had um completed through that date. Um

[8:40] just overall update on project status and what they're expecting. they're

[8:45] right on track with the uh schedule that they provided when we started work. So,

[8:49] that's good to see. Um that schedule shows paving in early June um which

[8:55] should allow them to complete everything by the end of June. So, I can't speak

[9:00] for what they do between now and then, but everything uh everything looks to be

[9:06] uh progressing nicely. So, um, decision tonight is just a a motion approving pay

[9:13] estimate five, unless you have any questions.

[9:19] » I'll make the motion to approve pay application number five.

[9:25] » I'll second. >> All those in favor?

[9:28] » I. >> Okay. Motion passes.

[9:31] And it doesn't look like we have any legal tonight.

[9:35] » No, there was no legal. >> No legal. And we did the financial. Any

[9:40] Doesn't look like we have any old business.

[9:42] » No old business. >> And just a little new business with

[9:46] historical preservation training. >> Correct. Rachel is going to come up to

[9:50] the podium and give you guys the information on that. She has some

[9:53] interest in this committee and she's done some work on it. So, I asked her to

[9:56] be here this evening and take credit for all her work that she's been doing on

[9:59] it. So, with that, go ahead, Rachel. Huh.

[10:11] um and it's located at the Marriott downtown.

[10:15] So this conference it replaces a usually a required training that will take place

[10:20] in September and so it's important for us to attend this conference so we stay

[10:24] in good stand and then continue to get funding for the Gunderson home. So the

[10:30] agenda is included in the packet if you want to look through it. Um but you can

[10:35] see that there will be educational workshops throughout the conference um

[10:39] networking opportunity and the source of course there is a CG scholarship

[10:45] application that would allow both SR and I to attend this conference at a very

[10:50] low cost. So um the scholarship would cover remaining cost where we are

[10:55] required to do a 30% match but that match can be um in time spent attending

[11:02] the conference and travel to the conference. So it doesn't have to be a

[11:06] tax match if approved. And so I have the um scholarship all filled out. There is

[11:11] a budget that is also included um in the packet and it is an estimated budget. Um

[11:19] but yeah, that's kind of a brief over of the conference and um and the

[11:24] scholarship. And so is there anything else Scott that you would like to add or

[11:28] you would like to cover? >> It starts when and ends when?

[11:30] » July 22nd through the 26th >> which is a

[11:34] » Wednesday through Sunday. >> Yes. So, it's going to be over a weekend

[11:37] also to be able to and and the reason both of us are looking at Deon is

[11:41] because I've shared with you that this Michael Coupe from the state of

[11:44] Minnesota has been telling us that we need to kind of get back into good

[11:47] graces that there when I first got here I wasn't sure what all was going on with

[11:51] that until I met with this individual. And as Rachel was saying, that takes the

[11:55] place of the training that's already required to do. So, if we attend this,

[11:59] we'll be back in good graces. The training will be covered and and we can

[12:02] do some networking there. Rachel's got an interest in that and she would like

[12:06] to be able to be part of that committee and part of that team. So that's why I

[12:09] asked if she would be willing to go also. And it looks like most of the

[12:13] cost, even though when you look at the paperwork, there's costs there. Most of

[12:16] the cost according to she's been doing a lot of work and keeping me updated with

[12:20] the state, most of those costs I do believe are going to be covered. A large

[12:24] portion of that.

[12:28] » Can I clarify if there was any funding left? and he said there was

[12:34] that scholarship and so hopefully our time

[12:42] » and then are they're going to give you kind of like some just some information

[12:46] and how to help kind of keep our Gunderson house and keep it up to date

[12:49] and keep it going. >> For sure. I definitely think there will

[12:52] be um yeah information within the conference. I mean with the networking

[12:57] opportunities and everything I think you will have a better understanding of what

[13:01] we should be >> Yeah. moving forward.

[13:03] » Yeah. Because it's kind of hard to keep that. I mean Yeah. We've done some stuff

[13:07] there. It's just a lot. >> Yeah.

[13:09] » It's a lot. Yeah. >> Good.

[13:11] » And the criteria that needs to be done and and you can see that we're asking um

[13:15] for hotel overnight instead of driving back and forth because there are things

[13:18] going on in the evening and there's always networking opportunities. There's

[13:22] a award ceremony in one of the evenings. So, um, that we did consider, you know,

[13:28] but to drive back and forth and to miss some of that stuff, I just thought, you

[13:31] know what, we're going to go and put our best foot forward. This would be the way

[13:34] to do that and try to get as much information out of that as we can. And

[13:39] the reason I'm attending along with it is because I should understand what this

[13:42] is all about and kind of what goes on and then I can help Rachel and support

[13:45] Rachel as we move forward with this. >> I guess I'm kind of curious. I don't

[13:50] know. This is the first that I've ever heard of this. I don't know if has there

[13:53] been somebody from like the historical society that's gone to this before or is

[13:57] it only for city officials or >> so what my understanding was when

[14:01] talking with Michael is this what he's setting up this time this year is a is a

[14:05] new program and it's taking the place of the old one when we looked at past

[14:09] records when we had that training in September that Rachel was referring to I

[14:13] guess Mark was attending it >> oh okay

[14:16] » that that's what the p the last record show that Mark was attending that uh on

[14:20] the city's behalf Okay, >> that's all I can tell you with that. But

[14:23] this seems to be a brand new program that's kind of taking the training and

[14:27] the the the the program that they have put together and putting it all into

[14:31] one. So, anybody that attends us just needs to do this one thing. We there

[14:35] won't be another seminar. I won't be coming back to you in September saying

[14:38] we got another seminar we got to go to. This is all combined into one. Yeah.

[14:43] » And that does that I mean then do you does it last for a while or is it just

[14:48] once a year or >> sounds like it's annual?

[14:50] » Annual. Yeah,

[14:52] » but I'm guessing next year if we get everything we need and get back up and

[14:55] running and get the the team going and getting the minutes. I mean, there's

[14:58] there's criteria that we should have been doing maybe along the way here.

[15:02] » Sure. >> Uh we'll get back up and running. Then

[15:04] I'm guessing when we come around to this again next year,

[15:07] » Rachel could probably attend it on her own. It certainly doesn't need me to be

[15:10] there or vice vers.

[15:15] everything being new and kind of kicking it off at and Rachel being new and me

[15:19] never being there before. I just thought, you know, this might be an

[15:22] opportunity that we want to take opportunity to kind of be there. So,

[15:27] » yep. >> I think this is a good good opportunity

[15:30] for us to to dig into it more. So, I appreciate all the work that you did on

[15:34] the research and that. So, I'll make an um

[15:40] Oops. I'll make a motion to adopt or approve the attendance for both of you

[15:46] to the training. Is there a number or something that we need to

[15:50] » I don't see it on the We called it the historical preservation training is what

[15:54] we called it and I don't have it open on here.

[15:58] » Yeah, that's all >> if you just want to approve the

[16:00] historical preservation training for both Rachel and Scott. And then there's

[16:03] a number I can get the number added to it. Okay.

[16:06] » But that'll be the the motion to approve that.

[16:08] » Okay. I'll make a motion then to approve the historical preservation training for

[16:11] both Scott and Rachel.

[16:16] I'll second it. All those in favor?

[16:20] » I >> I

[16:21] » Okay. Thank you, Rachel. Very nice job

[16:25] presenting. Very nice. That was perfect. Yep.

[16:29] » Okay. And into other business. This is just the fastest meeting ever.

[16:35] Okay. Before you get in on other business, could I have just one second?

[16:38] » Yeah. >> One thing I wanted to bring you up to

[16:40] speed is we haven't had a uh a planning and zoning commission or planning

[16:44] commission meeting in a little while. >> Okay.

[16:46] » We are planning on having our first one with the new committee members uh

[16:50] January or excuse me, June 2nd. Um that we're going to be talking about a couple

[16:54] things that have come up and um and we also need to do this for the uh adoption

[17:01] of the TIF that we're working on. So, it goes in front of the planning commission

[17:04] and then it'll come back in front of the council for final approval on the tiff

[17:08] district in June 9th. So, just a heads up, it's been a little while and and the

[17:12] planning commission, we're pulling it together. Holly and I have been working

[17:15] on it already. Got a couple agenda items for that night. Um, but just wanted to

[17:18] let you know that uh that'll be uh scheduled for June 2nd. I meant to tell

[17:22] you that in my update. I'm sorry. >> Okay,

[17:24] » now I'm done. >> Okay,

[17:25] » thank you. >> Yes.

[17:28] » Okay, perfect. Okay. Um, other business, it just looks like we have the schedule

[17:32] of upcoming meetings. >> KMU meeting, Tuesday, May 19th at 3 p.m.

[17:39] EDA meeting, Tuesday, May 26th at 8:00 a.m. City Council meeting, Tuesday, June

[17:45] 9th at 700 p.m. Um, okay. Uh, council and staff general

[17:52] comments.

[17:56] Anybody have any comments? I will just say that the council meeting

[18:01] went very very well and the electronics were working. So I want to thank Heather

[18:06] for her time that she put in to make sure that the electronics was working

[18:09] and for Derek supervising the whole thing with electronics.

[18:12] » It works now that I'm not. [laughter]

[18:17] » So uh but in along those lines I have I am getting estimates from a couple

[18:22] different companies if we were decided to upgrade and make things work. Even

[18:26] though Heather and I worked on it today with on-site, it's it's still it's not

[18:31] it it still has its flaws. Let's just put it that way, right? We're we're

[18:35] working through it right now. We're making it work. And Heather did a fine

[18:38] job making it work tonight. Um but I will be coming forward to you guys with

[18:43] some sort of an idea if we decide we want to do something with electronics in

[18:47] here at a later date. And we're taking care of the small conference room, too,

[18:51] that we talked about. So, >> yeah. Wonderful. Okay, [sighs]

[18:55] » that's great news. Okay, anything else? I would like to

[18:59] just make um a reminder that the swimming pool, we're having the

[19:04] fundraiser this Saturday from 2:00 to 5:00. Um it's a Hawaiian luau party.

[19:11] We'll have um food available for free offering, um yard games, there's silent

[19:17] auction items. So, public, please come and support our our community pool. Our

[19:28] park and recck meeting is tomorrow night.

[19:31] » Yes. >> I guess we didn't get that on here, but

[19:33] yeah. >> Yeah, that was rescheduled.

[19:37] » Okay, we good. Everybody else? Okay, then. Um, does anybody want to make a

[19:43] motion to adjurnn? I'll make a motion to adjurnn.

[19:48] » Second. >> Okay. All those in favor? I. Okay. We

[19:52] passes to adjourn. Thank you everybody. >> Yeah, nicely done everyone. 20 minutes.

[19:57] Very nice.

City of Kenyon Council Meeting May 12, 2026

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