Kensett council approves library raises, directs bids for City Hall generator

The Kensett City Council unanimously approved pay raises for personnel at the Kensett Library and directed staff to solicit bids for a replacement generator for City Hall during its Jan. 12 meeting.

Council members present were Woltzen, Cooper, Lestrud and Gile; Mayor Richard Olson presided and Douglas was absent. Councillors approved the meeting agenda and previous minutes at the start of the session.

Why it matters: A new generator is intended to preserve continuity of city operations during outages, while the library raises affect local public services and payroll budgets. The decisions set staff in motion to collect bids and implement the pay adjustments at the library.

What happened: Maintenance staff reported they will continue using and servicing the existing lawn mowers until a replacement is procured. The council directed staff to obtain bids for a new generator for City Hall; the minutes record the directive but not estimated costs or procurement timelines. Lestrud moved to approve the library raises, Woltzen seconded, and the motion carried unanimously.

Council also noted that a property survey is needed for L. Larson’s parcel; staff were asked to contact surveyors to obtain the survey. The minutes do not record a cost estimate for the survey or an expected completion date.

The meeting record lists routine procedural actions — agenda and minute approvals — and does not provide direct quotes from participants. The council adjourned after approving the bills and other listed business.

Next steps: The council will return the proposed city code changes to members for review and will take up formal votes on the new ordinances at the next meeting, according to the minutes.