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Bennet council adopts hazard plan, OKs five-year refuse contract and approves 6% pay increase
Summary
At its Dec. 8 meeting the Bennet City Council adopted an updated Hazard Mitigation Plan, approved a five-year residential refuse contract with Uribe Refuse Services, solicited bids for a new maintenance building to be completed by Aug. 31, 2026, and approved a 6% salary increase for city employees effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Mayor Ryan Cheney called the Bennet City Council to order at 7:04 p.m. on Dec. 8, and the council moved through a business-heavy agenda that included adopting an updated Hazard Mitigation Plan, approving a five-year refuse contract, authorizing bid solicitation for a new maintenance building and setting a 6% cost-of-living pay increase for city employees.
The council adopted Resolution 2025-11.3 to approve the updated Hazard Mitigation Plan after City Engineer Brian Schuele explained the changes made to the document. The update was presented as a single resolution and passed by roll call vote.
The council approved an updated contract with Uribe Refuse Services for residential curbside pickup. Matt Blaser of Solheim Law Office explained edits to the original three-year bid; the approved agreement extends the contract to five years and includes two annual renewal options. The council approved the contract on a motion by Council Member Josh Buck, seconded by Pete Simmons.
City Engineer Brian Schuele introduced performance specifications for vendors to bid on construction of a new Maintenance Building. The council authorized solicitation of bids, setting August 31, 2026 as the targeted completion date for the work; that motion was moved by Pete Simmons and seconded by Jesse Schmidt and carried by roll call vote.
On personnel matters, the council approved Resolution 2025.12-3 to increase all city employee salaries by 6% effective Jan. 1, 2026. The motion was moved by Dan Zieg and seconded by Jesse Schmidt and passed by recorded vote.
Routine reorganization items were completed: Jesse Schmidt moved and Josh Buck seconded the nomination of Pete Simmons as Council President; the motion carried with Buck, Schmidt and Simmons voting yes and Dan Zieg abstaining. The council also confirmed 2026 committee assignments (Finance: Simmons and Schmidt; Housing: Schmidt and Zieg; Streets: Buck and Simmons; Parks: Buck and Schmidt; Personnel: Simmons and Zieg; Utilities: Buck and Zieg) and approved Resolution 2025-12.1 appointing city officials.
Council members discussed inspection costs and a lease renewal for the Post Office building; that item was tabled until the January 2026 meeting for further information. Late in the meeting the council voted to go into closed session at 8:11 p.m. to discuss litigation and returned to open session at 8:36 p.m. The meeting adjourned at 8:37 p.m.
The actions taken at the meeting—particularly adoption of the hazard plan and the multi-year refuse contract—affect municipal planning, service delivery and near-term budget commitments. The Post Office lease/inspection item remains pending and will be considered at the council's January meeting.
