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Humboldt council hears animal pound update, administers oaths and outlines 2026 goals
Summary
Council received a construction update on a new animal pound with increased capacity funded by donations, City Clerk Staci Johnson administered Oaths of Office, and City Administrator Cole Herder outlined 2026 goals including continuing the $16 million water project and wage increases.
At the Jan. 12 Humboldt City Council meeting, City Clerk Staci Johnson administered the Oath of Office to newly seated councilmembers and Mayor Nobby Davis, and Councilmember Cindy Holinsworth updated the council on the new animal pound under construction.
Holinsworth said construction was on day five with most walls up, the roof installed and siding on the north and west sides; the facility will increase dog capacity to 10 kennels and cat capacity to 20 cages, include a 95% efficient heating and air system and a tankless water heater, and was built using donations rather than tax dollars. An open house is planned for March.
Herder provided a broad administrative report that included a scheduled 2025 financial audit on March 5, notice that Allen County has switched emergency alerts from CodeRed to Genasys with a registration portal, the LIEAP assistance application window (Jan. 20–March 31) and eligibility income thresholds ($1,956 for one person, increasing about $688 per additional person), open job postings, and plans to revitalize Neosho River Park. He also reported water-damage repairs at City Hall and a cost-sharing plan to replace carpet.
Herder summarized 2025 accomplishments and 2026 objectives: continuing the water project through 2027, planting more trees in the Square, street projects, nuisance-property enforcement, installing public-property surveillance cameras, archiving historical documents and implementing measures to reduce inflow and infiltration in the sanitary sewer. The council approved a $1.07-per-hour pay increase (about 5%) for staff effective in 2026 and raised the starting wage to $16.90 per hour.
The meeting adjourned at 7:08 p.m.
