The Shelby City Council met at 7:00 a.m. and heard committee and official reports before passing two resolutions and confirming multiple appointments. Finance and personnel committee chair Mister McLaughlin reported income-tax receipts up about 10% and October collections totaling $5,300,000; he also listed wages up more than 7% and identified two recent hires, Jennifer Frazier in the health department and Jenna Jessica Cyrus in finance. The council moved to receive the combined financial statement and reconciliation and voted to place it on file and post it to the city website.

Councilmembers confirmed an omnibus slate of appointments to local boards and commissions. The motion to confirm — moved by Mister Roberts and seconded — approved Mary Bannum, Linda Klein and Janine Perry to the health department advisory board; Deborah Dorsey to the Shelby Historic Information Board; and Ralph Wazinski to the board of park commissioners.

On utilities, the council heard that the city’s water-treatment testing returned one positive PFAS result in 2023. Staff said the city reviewed participation in class-action settlement filings and that any funds recovered would be designated to the water fund for source-water mitigation. Council then approved Resolution No. 38-2025 authorizing the mayor to execute a contract for legal services for AFFF/PFAS litigation; officials emphasized that, per the contract outline, legal fees would be drawn from recoveries and that the city would not pay fees if recoveries do not materialize.

Council also adopted Resolution No. 37-2025, authorizing an annual agreement with Richly County for payment of indigent defense counsel fees, a routine finance arrangement discussed as an estimate based on current appropriations.

In new business, the council introduced Ordinance No. 34-2025 to enact a cybersecurity and ransomware policy into the city code. A motion to suspend the three-reading rule and adopt the ordinance immediately failed on roll call. The council instead agreed — by unanimous consent to remove emergency language — to give the ordinance a first reading and return for further consideration. During debate, one councilmember cautioned that converting administrative policy into ordinance could constrain the city’s flexibility.

Other reports included a safety-committee update noting shortfalls in fire-department staffing and upcoming retirements; a utilities update that listed demolition and repurposing cost estimates for a downtown smokestack (demolition roughly $500,000–$1,300,000; repurposing about $700,000); and the mayor’s announcements about a planned manufactured-home park with Riverwest Partners and a downtown Christmas parade and lighting on Nov. 30. The meeting adjourned at 7:30 a.m.

Votes at a glance: the motion to dispense with reading the Nov. 3 journal passed; the motion to receive the combined financial statement passed; omnibus confirmations passed; the attempt to suspend three readings for Ordinance No. 34-2025 failed and the ordinance passed first reading; Resolution No. 37-2025 (indigent defense agreement) and Resolution No. 38-2025 (AFFF/PFAS legal contract) both passed.

The council will return Ordinance No. 34-2025 for a subsequent reading and further discussion; no additional public-comment items were taken at this meeting.