What happened
- Work session called to order at 6:05 p.m. by Acting Mayor Ryan; adjourned 7:10 p.m.
- Members present: Mary Ryan and Kim Helgeson; Mayor Doug Henke attended via Zoom
- Absent: Lee Sjolander and Mary Bailey
- George Eilertson of Northland Securities presented an update to the Capital Improvement Financial Management Plan
- Update was based on Bolton & Menk's 2022 infrastructure management plan updates
- Plan showed timing and impact of projects listed in the Infrastructure Management Study
- Financial Management Plan focused on impact of infrastructure projects on the tax levy and utility rates
- City Engineer Derek Olinger said cost estimates were applied to all projects so improvements can be ranked by importance
- Motion by Helgeson, second by Ryan, to adjourn carried 3-0-0
- Staff present: Administrator Mark Vahlsing, KMU Supervisor Randy Eggert, Finance Clerk Kathy Flikke, Public Works Director Wayne Ehrich
What was asked 4 raised · 1 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.
George Eilertson presented an update to the Capital Improvement Financial Management Plan based on Bolton & Menk's 2022 infrastructure management plan updates.
Northland Securities presented an update to the plan based on Bolton & Menk's 2022 infrastructure management plan updates.
At the meetingThe work session adjourned with no motion on the plan.
The plan was never adopted and was not meant to be. It is described in every version as intended to serve as a guide for management of the city's capital improvement and replacement plans, and it returned on the same footing in May 2025 and again in March 2026 with no adopting motion in our record.
5-13-25 council packet updated; 3-10-26 Council Packet Updated · taken up again 2026-03-10
Engineer Olinger stated that cost estimates were applied to all the projects so capital improvement projects can be selected in order of importance.
Olinger explained during the Financial Management Plan presentation that estimates exist for every project so prioritization can proceed.
At the meetingNo projects were selected at the work session.
No ranked capital project list ever reaches a council vote in our record. The financial management plan was prepared in 2021 on the 2020 Infrastructure Management Plan, updated in 2023 on the 2022 plan, again in May 2025 and again in March 2026 on the 2025 plan, each time presented as a guide rather than adopted as a priority order. Projects instead advanced one at a time, Pearl Creek at $1,241,494.22 in 2023 and the street and utility work at $2,294,629.25 in 2025.
3.14.23 and 3-10-26 Council Packets; factbook KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2026-03-10
Engineer Olinger stated that cost estimates were applied to all the projects so capital improvement projects can be selected in order of importance.
Stated as the basis for being able to prioritize capital improvement projects.
The Infrastructure Management Study project list with its per-project cost estimates is not in our holdings. What the record establishes is that the estimates were rebuilt twice more, on Bolton & Menk's 2022 plan update and again on the 2025 update presented in May 2025 and March 2026. The study's own project-by-project cost table is what is missing.
3.14.23 Updated Council Packet & Agenda; 3-10-26 Council Packet Updated
The Financial Management plan focused on the impact of the infrastructure projects on the tax levy and utility rates.
The Financial Management Plan focused on how the infrastructure projects would affect the levy and utility rates.
The Northland presentation figures are not in our holdings, but the realized impact is. The certified city tax rate rose from 79.3028 percent of net tax capacity in 2025 to 84.6822 percent in 2026, and that rise came almost entirely from debt, since the bond rate rose 35.91 percent while the general rate fell 0.38 percent. The certified 2026 levy is $1,528,541, up 9.18 percent.
factbook taxes/data/kenyon_tax.json and taxes/levy.html
Decisions 1 motions
| Motion | Moved / seconded | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Adjourn the meeting at 7:10 p.m | Helgeson / Ryan | 3-0-0 |
Who did what
| Person | At this meeting |
|---|---|
| Mary Ryan Acting Mayor (minutes signed "Molly Ryan, Acting Mayor") | Called the work session to order at 6:05 p.m. and seconded the motion to adjourn |
| Kim Helgeson Council member | Present; made the motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:10 p.m. |
| Doug Henke Mayor | Attended the work session via Zoom |
| Lee Sjolander Council member | Absent |
| Mary Bailey Council member | Absent |
| Mark Vahlsing City Administrator | Present at the work session |
| Derek Olinger City Engineer | Co-presented the capital improvement plan; stated cost estimates were applied to all projects so they can be selected in order of importance |
| George Eilertson Northland Securities | Presented an update to the Capital Improvement Financial Management Plan based on Bolton & Menk's 2022 infrastructure management plan updates |
| Peter Meidal Northland Securities | Present at the work session |
| Randy Eggert KMU Supervisor | Present at the work session |
| Kathy Flikke Finance Clerk | Present at the work session |
| Wayne Ehrich Public Works Director | Present at the work session |
| Holli Gudknecht Administrative Assistant | Recorded and signed the minutes |
Organizations named: Northland Securities, Bolton & Menk, Kenyon Municipal Utilities (KMU), City of Kenyon
Said at the meeting
Engineer Olinger stated that cost estimates were applied to all the projects so capital improvement projects can be selected in order of importance.
City Engineer Derek Olinger · minutes, verbatim
The Financial Management plan focused on the impact of the infrastructure projects on the tax levy and utility rates.
Minutes (re: George Eilertson presentation) · minutes, verbatim
The minutes
Official minutes as adopted, from 2.14.23 Council Packet Agenda ; text extracted from the PDF.
Council work session was duly held in the City Council chambers at 6:00 p.m. on the 24th day of January 2023. The meeting was called to order by Acting Mayor Ryan.
- Present
- Mary Ryan and Kim Helgeson
- Via Zoom
- Mayor Doug Henke
- Absent
- Lee Sjolander, Mary Bailey
- Also present
- Administrator Mark Vahlsing, City Engineer Derek Olinger, George Eilertson of Northland Securities, Peter Meidal of Northland Securities, KMU Supervisor Randy Eggert, Finance Clerk Kathy Flikke, and Public Works Director Wayne Ehrich
Acting Mayor Ryan called the Council work session to order at 6:05 pm
Presentation - Financial Management Plan for Capital Improvements - George Eilertson, Northland
Securities and Derek Olinger, City Engineer.
George Eilertson presented an update to the Capital Improvement Financial Management Plan based on
Bolton & Menk's 2022 infrastructure management plan updates. The plan showed the timing and impact of the projects listed in the Infrastructure Management Study. The Financial Management plan focused on the impact of the infrastructure projects on the tax levy and utility rates. Engineer Olinger stated that cost estimates were applied to all the projects so capital improvement projects can be selected in order of importance.
Motion by Helgeson second by Ryan to adjourn the meeting at 7:10 p.m. Motion carried 3-0-0.