What happened
- Special meeting called to order at 6:00 pm by Mayor Doug Henke; Mary Bailey absent
- 2023 fire protection contracts reviewed with the six townships in the Kenyon Fire Department service area
- Contract cost split: 51% city and 49% township of the fire operating budget
- Each township's portion determined by the number of sections covered by the Fire Department
- Assistant Fire Chief Ehrich answered questions from township board members
- Vahlsing to send township clerks a report showing the journal entry of the capital fund transfer, per Matt Voxland's request
- Truth in Taxation hearing held; maximum levy approved by Council in September was 6.8%
- No citizens attended the budget and levy discussion and there was no further discussion
- December regular Council meeting rescheduled to Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at 5:30 pm; motion carried 4-0-0
- Meeting adjourned at 6:41 p.m.
What was asked 9 raised · 4 settled
Every question, assignment, pending figure and unsourced claim from this meeting, quoted from the record, each checked against the county, census, listing, bid and budget data we hold.
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.
The 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
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.
Six 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
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.
The 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
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.
The 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.
The 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
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.
No 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
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.
No 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.
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.
Nothing 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.
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.
The 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.
Decisions 2 motions
| Motion | Moved / seconded | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Reschedule the December Council meeting to Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at 5:30 pm | Rechtzigel / Ryan | 4-0-0 |
| Adjourn the meeting at 6:41 p.m | Ryan / Henke | 4-0-0 |
Who did what
| Person | At this meeting |
|---|---|
| Doug Henke Mayor | Called the special meeting to order at 6:00 pm and seconded the motion to adjourn |
| Dan Rechtzigel Council member | Moved to reschedule the December Council meeting to Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at 5:30 pm |
| Kim Helgeson Council member | Present and voting |
| Molly Ryan Council member | Seconded the rescheduling motion and moved to adjourn at 6:41 p.m. |
| Mary Bailey Council member | Absent |
| Mark Vahlsing City Administrator | Explained the 2023 township fire contracts and the Truth in Taxation levy; agreed to send capital fund transfer journal entry report to township clerks; requested the December meeting time change |
| Holli Gudknecht Administrative Assistant | Present; recorded and signed the minutes |
| Kathy Flikke Finance Clerk | Present |
| Lee Skillestad Fire Chief | Present |
| Wayne Ehrich Assistant Fire Chief | Answered questions from the Township board members |
| Matt Voxland Township representative | Requested a report showing the journal entry of the capital fund transfer |
| Sean Bauer Township representative | Attended the fire contract discussion |
| Barb St. John Township representative | Attended the fire contract discussion |
| Jeff Traxler Township representative | Attended the fire contract discussion |
Organizations named: City of Kenyon, Kenyon City Council, Kenyon Fire Department
Said at the meeting
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.
City Administrator Mark Vahlsing (as recorded) · minutes, verbatim
The contracts were based on a breakdown of 51% city and 49% township of the operating budget.
Minutes · minutes, verbatim
Administrator Vahlsing stated that this Truth in Taxation meeting was designed for citizens who had questions about the proposed budget and levy for 2023.
City Administrator Mark Vahlsing (as recorded) · minutes, verbatim
The maximum levy approved by the Council in September was 6.8%.
Minutes · minutes, verbatim
Administrator Vahlsing requested that the time of the December meeting be changed due to some schedule conflicts of Council members.
Minutes · minutes, verbatim
The minutes
Official minutes as adopted, from 12-13-22 Agenda Granicus; text extracted from the PDF.
Council meeting was duly held in the City Council chambers at 6:00 p.m. on the 6th day of December, 2022.
- Present
- Mayor Doug Henke, council members, Dan Rechtzigel, Kim Helgeson, and Molly Ryan
- Absent
- Mary Bailey
- Also present
- Administrative Assistant Holli Gudknecht, Finance Clerk Kathy Flikke, Fire Chief Lee Skillestad, Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Ehrich, City Administrator Mark Vahlsing Citizens: None Township representatives: Matt Voxland, Sean Bauer, Barb St. 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. 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.
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.
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%. No citizens attended the meeting. There was no further discussion.
Change Starting Time of December 13, 2022 City Council Meeting
Administrator Vahlsing requested that the time of the December meeting be changed due to some schedule conflicts of Council members.
Motion by Rechtzigel, second by Ryan to reschedule the December Council meeting to Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at 5:30 pm.
Motion carried 4-0-0Motion by Ryan second by Henke to adjourn the meeting at 6:41 p.m.
Motion carried 4-0-0Holli Gudknecht, Administrative Assistant Douglas Henke, Mayor
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a City