Mercer council appoints Dan Gardiner to vacant seat and adopts 2026 budget

The City of Mercer council on Sept. 26 appointed Dan Gardiner to fill the council seat vacated after Barb Stute's resignation and adopted the city’s final budget for 2026 at a special meeting held at Mercer City Hall.

Mayor Ken Thomsen called the meeting to order at 12:00 p.m. Councilmembers present were Gary Volochenko, Randy Zinke and Dan Gardiner; Erika Lorenz was absent. The council first approved the minutes from the Sept. 12 meeting after a motion by Councilmember Gary Volochenko and a second from Randy Zinke; the transcript records Volochenko and Zinke voting aye and notes the motion carried.

The council then moved to fill the vacancy left by Barb Stute. Councilmember Gary Volochenko moved to appoint Dan Gardiner to the seat; Randy Zinke seconded. The motion carried with Zinke and Volochenko recorded as voting aye. Gardiner took the oath of office and will serve the remainder of the term, which ends in June 2026.

After the oath, the newly seated Councilmember Dan Gardiner moved to grant the mayor authority to use online banking, including bill pay; Gary Volochenko seconded. Gardiner, Zinke and Volochenko are recorded as voting aye and the motion carried.

The council also approved a calendar raffle permit for Our Saviors/St. Olaf LYO following a motion by Gary Volochenko and a second by Dan Gardiner; Gardiner, Volochenko and Zinke voted aye. In its final formal action, the council approved the draft document as the city’s final 2026 budget after a motion from Volochenko and a second from Zinke; Volochenko, Gardiner and Zinke voted aye. The record does not include line-item budget details in the meeting transcript.

The meeting adjourned at 12:23 p.m. after a motion to adjourn by Dan Gardiner, seconded by Randy Zinke; Zinke, Gardiner and Volochenko voted aye.

Votes at a glance - Approve minutes (Sept. 12, 2025): Moved by Gary Volochenko; seconded by Randy Zinke. Recorded votes: Volochenko (aye), Zinke (aye). Outcome: carried. - Appoint Dan Gardiner to vacant council seat (term ends June 2026): Moved by Gary Volochenko; seconded by Randy Zinke. Recorded votes: Zinke (aye), Volochenko (aye). Outcome: carried; Gardiner sworn in. - Authorize mayor to use online banking, including bill pay: Moved by Dan Gardiner; seconded by Gary Volochenko. Recorded votes: Gardiner (aye), Zinke (aye), Volochenko (aye). Outcome: carried. - Approve calendar raffle permit for Our Saviors/St. Olaf LYO: Moved by Gary Volochenko; seconded by Dan Gardiner. Recorded votes: Gardiner (aye), Volochenko (aye), Zinke (aye). Outcome: carried. - Adopt final 2026 budget (draft approved as final): Moved by Gary Volochenko; seconded by Randy Zinke. Recorded votes: Volochenko (aye), Gardiner (aye), Zinke (aye). Outcome: carried.

(All items and vote records are drawn from the meeting transcript.)