City Hall: who runs Kenyon
The council, staff, boards, contracted professionals and departments of a statutory city of 1,900, with terms, phone numbers and the emails the city publishes.
Meetings
109 council meetings from 2019 to 2026, each with the packet, the official minutes, every motion and vote (898 in all), dollar figures, the recording where the city posted one, and a summary. The council meets the second Tuesday at 7 p.m.; the most recent meeting on file is September 8, 2026.
August 6, 2026: The Kenyon City Council met August 6, 2026 with Acting Mayor Mary Bailey presiding and Mayor Don Kirchmann absent. Citizen Doug Henke opened by pressing the Council on the shortage of buildable lots, saying Realtor Chris Mallery counted eight available, and recalling that as mayor he had asked the KMU commission for a two-millio…
Latest meetings
- September 8, 2026agenda only, minutes pending
- August 6, 20268 motions
- July 14, 202612 motions
- June 30, 20266 motions
- June 9, 20266 motions
- May 18, 20263 motions
Open threads
2,101 questions, assignments, pending figures and unsourced claims raised across 108 meetings since 2019, each checked against the county parcel file, the census, listing and sales records, the bid history, the city's budget tables and the later council record. 991 are settled by the record; the rest say plainly what is missing.
Budget and levy
The certified 2026 levy is $1,528,541 at a city rate of 84.68 percent of tax capacity; the preliminary 2027 levy set on September 8, 2026 is $1,670,115, up 9.26 percent. The general fund's unassigned balance fell from 68 percent of spending in 2020 to 16.8 percent in 2025 against a 40 percent policy, and the 2025 audit reported three material weaknesses. Truth-in-Taxation hearing December 1, 2026, 6:30 p.m.
Contracts
43 bids, quotes and RFPs found in the council record since 2019, with every competing amount. Three projects went to sealed bids; the rest were two-quote purchases recommended by staff and ratified by the council, which has not voted against a staff recommendation in the record.
Recent awards
- Depot Park concrete apron + ramp: Lexvold Construction (pending)2026 · $9,980
- Lead Service Line Replacement design: pending2026
- Hwy 60 sanitary televising: Visu-Sewer2026
- Finance/accounting services RFP: Abdo (continued)2025
- 2025 Street & Utility Improvements bid 2: Fitzgerald Excavating2025 · $2,294,629
- 2025 Bituminous Chip Seal: Pearson Bros (+$20K authority)2025 · $59,952
How the city works
Kenyon is a statutory Plan A city: the council is the purchasing agent and licensing authority and votes by resolution; the administrator builds the agenda. Anyone may speak under Citizen Comments, item II on every agenda. Forms are emailed to City Hall; fees are set once a year by resolution.
- City Council2nd Tuesday, 7 p.m.
- EDA4th Tuesday, 8 a.m.
- Planning Commission1st Tuesday, 6 p.m.
- Public Utility Commission3rd Tuesday, 4 p.m.
- Library Board · Park and Rec1st Tuesday, 6 p.m.
- Preliminary levy · TNT hearing · final levySept · Dec 1 · Dec
People and participation
74 council members, staff, board members and contracted professionals named in the record, each with attendance from the roll calls, motions made and seconded, and every dated mention in 130 documents. Mary Bailey has made the most motions since 2019; Doug Henke is mentioned most often.
Forms
Every permit, license, application and request the city issues, 26 in all, as online forms: fill in, sign by typing your name, and the completed application goes to the right department with a copy to you. No PDFs, no drop box.
- Building permitCity Hall
- Pet license$10 / $20
- Golf cart permitPolice, $40
- Start utility serviceKMU
- Rental license$30 / 3 yrs
- Apply to a board3 vacancies
Kenyon is a statutory city in Goodhue County governed by a mayor and four council members elected at large, with a city administrator who also serves as executive director of the Economic Development Authority. City Hall is at 709 2nd Street, open Monday–Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 507-789-6415, info@cityofkenyon.gov. The council meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.; meetings are recorded and posted to YouTube.
The November 3, 2026 ballot carries the mayor's seat, two four-year council seats, and two special-election seats to fill terms expiring December 31, 2028. Filing closed July 28, 2026. The council page updated April 2026 lists Deanna Gard; the December 31, 2025 audit lists Elana Brunner in a seat through 2028. Verify the current roster before relying on it.
Council and administration
| Name | Role | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | City Hall (general) | 507-789-6415 (fax 507-789-5604) | info@cityofkenyon.gov |
| Scott Lehner | City Administrator; EDA Executive Director | 507-789-6415 | |
| Holli Gudknecht | Administrative Assistant & Deputy Clerk | 507-789-6415 | |
| Rachel Goven | Part-time office staff (hired Mar 2026) | 507-789-6415 | |
| Heather DeWitz | Part-time office staff (hired Mar 2026) | 507-789-6415 | |
| Abdo Financial Solutions, LLC | Consulting Finance Manager / Finance Director | ||
| Don Kirchmann | Mayor (term to 12/2026); Weed Inspector; PUC member | 507-261-3239 | dkirchmann@cityofkenyon.gov |
| Mary Bailey | Council Member (term to 12/2028); Acting Mayor; EDA member | 507-649-0461 | mbailey@cityofkenyon.gov |
| Kim Helgeson | Council Member (term to 12/2026); Park & Rec liaison; Rose Fest vendor contact | 507-210-1595 | khelgeson@cityofkenyon.gov |
| Deanna Gard | Council Member (term to 11/2026); Planning Commission liaison | 612-203-0973 | dgard@cityofkenyon.gov |
| Lee Sjolander | Council Member (term to 12/2026); Historic Preservation liaison | 507-491-6861 | lgsjolander@cityofkenyon.gov |
| Scott Riggs, Kennedy & Graven, Chartered | City Attorney | ||
| David Jacobsen, Jacobsen Law Firm, P.A. | Prosecuting Attorney | ||
| Derek Olinger, Bolton & Menk | City Engineer | ||
| BerganBDV | City Auditor | ||
| George Eilertson, Northland Securities | Financial Consultant |
Economic Development Authority
Meets the fourth Tuesday at 8 a.m. Board: John Mortensen (to 12/2028), Chris Mallery (12/2026), Stu Campbell (12/2028), Don Kirchmann and Mary Bailey (council), Scott Lehner (City Hall), Todd Kieffer (CEDA, executive director/secretary).
| Name | Role | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Todd Kieffer | EDA Coordinator / Executive Director-Secretary (Community & Economic Development Associates); business-directory and facade-program contact | todd.kieffer@cedausa.com | |
| John Mortensen | EDA Board member (term to 12/2028) | ||
| Chris Mallery | EDA Board member (term to 12/2026) | ||
| Stu Campbell | EDA Board member (term to 12/2028) |
Police
719 2nd Street, 507-789-5214. Coverage 16 hours a day, seven days; Goodhue County Sheriff dispatch 651-385-3155 otherwise. Office hours Monday–Friday 8–4 for golf cart permits and permits to purchase. Hiring a full-time officer as of July 2026 ($33.54/hr entry, $38.57–$42.61 lateral).
| Name | Role | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeff Sjoblom | Police Chief | 507-789-5214 | jsjoblom@cityofkenyon.gov |
| Armani Tucker | Police Officer | 507-789-5214 | |
| Dan Englund | Police Officer | 507-789-5214 | |
| Misty Englund | Police Officer | 507-789-5214 | |
| Mitch Taylor | Police Officer | 507-789-5214 |
Fire and public works
Kenyon Volunteer Fire Department: 30 members, 620 Centennial Drive, covering 122 square miles and seven townships with seven trucks; firefighters recruited continuously. Public Works: streets, sewer, parks and pool, shop at 109 Gates Avenue.
| Name | Role | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne Ehrich | Fire Chief (also Public Works Superintendent) | 507-789-6415 | fire@cityofkenyon.gov |
| Jeremy Eggert | Assistant Fire Chief | 507-789-6415 | fire@cityofkenyon.gov |
| Wayne Ehrich | Public Works Superintendent | 507-789-6415 (opt 2 after hours) | |
| Randy Eggert | Operations Superintendent | 507-789-6415 | |
| Nate Craig | Public Works Worker | 507-789-6415 | |
| Brian Mork | Public Works Worker | 507-789-6415 |
Boards and commissions
Planning Commission first Tuesday 6 p.m. (three vacancies advertised January 2026); Library Board first Tuesday 6 p.m.; Park & Recreation first Tuesday 6 p.m. (one to two vacancies); Public Utility Commission third Tuesday 4 p.m.; Historic Preservation Commission (one vacancy). Apply with the Application to City Board or Commission form at City Hall.
| Name | Role | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doug Henke | Commissioner (term to 12/2027) | ||
| Don Kirchmann | Commissioner (term to 12/2028) | ||
| Jerry Houglum | Commissioner (term to 12/2026) | ||
| Kayla Larkin | Board member (term to 12/2027) | ||
| Renee Caron | Board member (term to 12/2028) | ||
| Bev Emerson | Board member (term to 12/2026) | ||
| Cathy Whipple | Board member (term to 12/2026) | ||
| Bryana Lothert | Board member (term to 12/2028) | ||
| Jim Malloy | Commissioner (term to 02/2027) | ||
| Jon Meyers | Commissioner (term to 02/2028) | ||
| Kelly Kreisler | Commissioner (term to 02/2028) | ||
| John Cambronne | Commissioner (term to 02/2028) | ||
| Kevin Anderson | Member (12/2026) | ||
| Robin Wipperling | Member (Goodhue County Historical Society rep) | ||
| Bailey Ament | Member (term to 12/2028) | ||
| Jill Warner | Member (term to 12/2027) | ||
| Tedd Pederson | Member (term to 12/2026) | ||
| Taylor Eggert | Member (term to 12/2028) |
Contracted professionals
| Name | Role | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Riggs, Kennedy & Graven, Chartered | City Attorney | ||
| David Jacobsen, Jacobsen Law Firm, P.A. | Prosecuting Attorney | ||
| Derek Olinger, Bolton & Menk | City Engineer | ||
| BerganBDV | City Auditor | ||
| George Eilertson, Northland Securities | Financial Consultant |
Departments
Administration
City Administrator Scott Lehner (since Nov. 2024); Deputy Clerk Holli Gudknecht; part-time office staff Rachel Goven and Heather DeWitz (hired March 2026). Finance is contracted to Abdo Financial Solutions; a three-year plan to bring it in-house was on the Sept. 8, 2026 agenda.
Kenyon Municipal Utilities
Electric and water, governed by the Public Utility Commission (Doug Henke, Don Kirchmann, Jerry Houglum). One bill for all city services. Rates.
Library
Kenyon Public Library, 709 2nd Street, part of the SELCO regional system. Director Michelle Otte, 507-789-6821. Mon/Wed/Fri 10–4:30, Tue/Thu 10–6, Sat 9–noon.
Municipal liquor store
The Kenyon Muni, 645 2nd Street, 507-789-6176: city-owned bar and off-sale. Open daily from 10 a.m. (Sunday 11); off-sale to 10 p.m.
Pool
Kenyon Municipal Swimming Pool, 304 1st Street, 507-789-5913, June through August. Family pass $140, individual $75, day pass $5.
Finance
Audits 2016–2025 posted at cityofkenyon.gov/finance; auditor BerganBDV; financial consultant Northland Securities. Budget page.
Sources: cityofkenyon.gov/committees (Appointments and Committees for 2026), /police, /fire, /public-works, /departments, /administration; 2025 audited financial statements; April 2026 Kenyon Chronicle. Emails are those the city publishes; staff emails are not published.