Kincaid board keeps new park kitchen equipment, agrees to seek return of ice machine

Trustee Lawrence accused Mayor Robert Morris of ordering roughly $13,186 in park kitchen equipment without prior board approval, prompting a heated discussion about procurement procedures and transparency. Lawrence told the board he learned the order had been placed before the mayor informed trustees and said the process "was done wrong." Mayor Morris responded, "yeah, I apologized already."

Trustee Warren and Foreman Mark Wolfe reviewed costs and proposed a limited return of items to cover the overage. Warren itemized the higher‑cost pieces and recommended returning three items — an ice machine, one fryer and a pizza oven — if feasible. Trustee Nelson moved that the board keep the newly delivered equipment, request that the vendor take back the ice machine, and allocate $8,699.15 from rescue and golf‑cart funds toward the purchase; Trustee Paso seconded the motion. The motion passed with recorded votes: Lawrence — abstain; Paso — yes; Warren — abstain; Dees — yes; Nelson — yes.

Trustees emphasized the need to clarify spending thresholds and improve approval procedures going forward. Attorney Rahar told the board municipal purchases "need to be voted on," and several trustees asked staff to bring a recommended spending limit and revised ordinance language to a future committee meeting. The board also discussed practical next steps for the park kitchen, including whether older equipment should be returned to the community club or sold locally.