APPROVED MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
KENNEBEC TOWN BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The Kennebec Town Board of Trustees met in regular session on January 5, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at the Finance
Office. Present: Todd Longville, Michelle Langenbau, and Jan Lien. Also present: Bethany Urban, Finance
Officer and Charlie Gran, City Superintendent, Rod Bower, Steve Koch and Eugene Mertens via
teleconference.
MOTIONS: All motions are approve unanimously unless otherwise noted.
CALL TO ORDER: Meeting was called to order by Vice-Chairman Longville.
PUBLIC TIME: Rod Bower discussed an increase of $12 to all cable bills with the Kennebec Telephone
Company.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Motion by Langenbau, seconded by Mertens, to approve the 12/1/2014 minutes
as printed.
DECEMBER 2014 INCOME:
State of South Dakota: Sales Tax – General Fund $9,529.52; Sales Tax - Fund 211 $808.39; Lyman County,
Taxes $2,594.40; Utilities: Water $3,064.50; Sewer $1,916.00; Rubble Site $178.00; Miscellaneous $821.73.
DECEMBER 2014 CLAIMS APPROVED: Motion by Lien, seconded by Langenbau, to pay the following
claims: Byre Brothers, trash pickup, $92.00; Charlie Gran, insurance, $500.00; Chamberlain True Value,
supplies, $328.59; DENR, wastewater fee, $50.00; Department of Revenue, water analysis, $13.00; Farmer’s
Union, propane, $736.16; Halvorson Oil, gas & diesel, $1,104.76; Harmon Law Office, legal services,
$180.00; HD Supply Waterworks, sockets, $107.06; Ingram Pest Control, pest control, $40.00; Kennebec
Telephone, phone service, $241.33; Kennebec Telephone, labor & supplies, $2,468.31; Lyman County Herald,
publications, $145.49; Office Products Center, tape, staples, toner, envelopes, $155.75; Planning &
Development District III, membership dues, $448.00; Postmaster, stamps, $49.00; South Dakota One Call,
faxes, $13.32; Servall Linen, rugs, $52.14; Sheehan Mack, lease, $800.00; West Central Electric,
electricity,$1,580.53; Winner Plumbing & Heating, jet sewers, $286.20; WR/LJ Rural Water, usage, storage,
$1,646.50; Department of Treasury, 941 taxes, $1,214.76; Retirement, $598.12; Administration, wages,
$1,570.69; Library, wages, $508.11; Maintenance, wages, $2,115.19.
CLINIC: Longville asked who was responsible for scooping the walkway to the clinic. Gran informed the
board that Avera has an underground heater to clear the ice. Longville informed the board that it is on a 6 hour
timer and it doesn’t appear that 6 hours in enough time to heat up the cement. Gran said he will check into
installing a switch and remove the automatic timer.
SEWER PROJECT: Urban informed the board that the grant was submitted by the December 31, 2014
deadline. We will hear within the upcoming months if we will be receiving any grant money.
NEW BUSINESS: Langenbau moved, seconded by Lien to approve the $12 increase to the cable bill effective
March 1, 2015.
ICE RINK: As the ice rink is being used frequently, the board decided to move forward with the light pole and
to put a heater in the shed that has been moved from the rubble site. Motion by Langenbau seconded by
Mertens, Lien obstained, motion passed.
SALES TAX: Urban informed the board about a sales tax increase going to legislature, the municipal league is
asking for support of the bill. If passed, each town could determine a project and cost and increase city sales
tax by a penny for a determined time period. The Town would have to approve the increase in sales tax by a
vote. Mertens moved, seconded by Langenbau to show a letter of support for the bill.
DAKOTA PUMP & CONTROL: Urban received an informational letter from Dakota Pump and Control
regarding the benefits of having our sewers cleaned and maintained. As we are in the beginning steps of a
sewer project, the board decided not to have them clean our sewers.
ELECTION: Motion by Lien, seconded by Mertens to set the town election for April 14, 2015 to fill the two
vacancies.
FIRE DEPARTMENT: Motion by Mertens, seconded by Langenbau to remove Chad Johnson from the Roster
and add Dustin Drew.
ANNUAL REPORT WORKSHOP: Urban asked to attend a free workshop in Mitchell on January 21st.
DISTRICT III: Motion by Mertens, seconded by Lien to approve the membership dues to District III.
BUILDING PERMITS: Motion by Mertens, seconded by Lien to approve the building permit to South Dakota
Wheat Growers and the building permit to Rod Bower.
EXECUTIVE SESSION: at 7:58 pm, Langenbau moved, seconded by Lien to go into Executive Session. At
8:55, Vice-Chairman declared out of Executive Session. Motion by Mertens, seconded by Langenbau to hire
Sarah Caslin as the Librarian at $10.00 per hour. Since Finance Officer Bethany Urban’s six month
probationary period has been completed on January 15th, motion by Langenbau, seconded by Mertens, to allow
health insurance reimbursement up to $500 per month effective January 1, 2015.
SALARIES: Motion by Lien, Seconded by Langenbau to approve a 5% raise to all employees. The Board
salaries will remain the same for 2015. The following wages are effective January 1, 2015:
Charles Gran, City Superintendent
Bethany Urban, Finance Officer
Sarah Caslin, Librarian
Eugene Mertens, Trustee
Todd Longville, Trustee
Michelle Langenbau, Trustee
Janice Lien, Trustee
$37,226.00 per year
$12.08 per hour
$10.00 per hour
$75.00 per meeting
$75.00 per meeting
$75.00 per meeting
$75.00 per meeting
OTHER ITMES: Contacting the Town’s attorney to send a letter to Tony Moran regarding the progress on his
property. The Where Do We Go from Here meeting is scheduled for January 12, 2015; board members are
encouraged to go, Ty Uthe and Chaz Bower were appointed to the committee. As Wheat Growers has started
construction, Urban will look into getting a radar speed sign to put alongside Highway 273.
Motion by Lien, second by Langenbau to adjourn. The next regular meeting will be held on February 2th, 2015
Dated: January 5, 2014
Todd Longville, Vice-Chairman
Town Board of Trustees
Attest
Bethany Urban, Finance Officer
Published once at the approximate cost of _______________.