KIESTER CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Monday, March 9, 2026 April 13, 2026
THESE ARE APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL
The Kiester City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, March 9, 2026, April 13, 2026 at the Kiester Community Center.
Mayor Hope Bauman called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. Council Members present: Marcia Dahleen, Brandon Hagenson, Paul Martin, Jason Kluender came in after the approval of the agenda. City Maintenance: Gary Skartland; City Clerk: Doris Troll; Members from the public: Monty Flaskerud, Al Bauman.
Mayor Bauman called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. Then the meeting turned over to Greg Burkhardt from Carlson SV for the 2025 Audit report.
Agenda: Motion to accept the agenda, by Jason Kleunder, seconded by Paul Martin. Vote 5-0; motion carried.
Council minutes: Motion to accept March 9, 2026, with corrections by Brandon Hagenson seconded by Marcia Dahleen, vote 5-0. Motion carried.
Claims: Motion by Brandon Hagenson, seconded by Hope Bauman, approving claims totaling $76,389.09. Vote 5-0; motion carried.
Financials: Motion by Brandon Hagenson, seconded by Paul Martin, approving the financials as presented. Vote 5-0; motion carried.
Past Due Water Billing: Motion to shut off on 4-27-2026 if not paid by Brandon Hagenson, seconded by Marcia Dahleen. Vote 5-0; motion carried.
Ambulance: There was no report.
Fire Department: There was no report.
Library: the author event for Cary Griffith event on May 7. The library would like to use the city conference room as well as block off the street and have 2 picnic tables set up. Motion to allow by Brandon Hagenson seconded by Jason Kluender, vote 5-0. Motion carried.
Eda: The pickle ball court will start to be installed on the 2nd weekend of May. We have raised $ 8000.00 in cash donations, and we are waiting for one more to come with the amount of donations unknown. The basketball hoop and the fencing will be installed with the help of Jason Garvick. We are looking into seeing how much it would cost to have a company paint the lines for us and we would use the monies that were transferred from the liquor store to the park fund. The empty lot by the city garage will be listed for sale. We have a new survey of where the property lines would like to be drawn up. Michele Aphs has turned in her letter of resignation from the EDA board. Motion to accept with regrets and thanks for the help she has contributed, by Hope Bauman seconded by Paul Martin, vote 5-0. Motion carried.
Public Comment: The historical society would like to use the city conference room for an event they are holding on 5-16-2026. Motion to allow by Brandon Hogenson seconded by Paul Martin, vote 5-0. Motion carried.
One resident was here to express his displeasure with the new water rates. He also wanted to know if the apartment buildings were going to pay be paying for their water compared to the residents. He was informed that the cities’ hands are tied as the USDA is the one setting the rates because we will be grant monies as well as loan money from them.
Another landlord was present to ask the council if it were police to have the tenants name on the water bills, where they would be responsible. He was informed that the whole water and were ordinance must be rewritten and the clerk will have a conversation with the attorney on this topic.
Maintenance: I have started the discharge process at the ponds. And when the small pond is down low enough, I will coordinate to have the gates replaced at them. The snow fence will be taken down when the ground dries up. The tree pile was burnt down last week. UCS will be here the first week in May for their service day work. The door at the park will be replaced. The new door opener is in the city shop and all we are waiting for is the electrician. I have contacted Easton Nursery for ideas and quotes for landscaping around the city sign by the ambulance garage. The infrastructure construction crews have started for the season.
Clerk Update: Journal entries for audit of 2025. A Motion was made to have Carlson Sv make the entries and not the clerk by Brandon Hagenson seconded by Marcia Dahleen, votr5-0. Motion carried. Moving the current cd to the 4m investments to receive a higher rate of return. A motion to move what has come due and collecting any interest at the bank as of today by Brandon Hagenson seconded by Hope Bauman, vote 5-0. Motion carried. Moving forward any CDs that are coming due will have a resolution to move them into 4 m account. The clerk did the second reading of ordinance no 2026-11 water rates. Motion to approve ordinance as read by Paul Martin seconded by Jason Kleunder. Vote 5-0. Motion carried.
The contract for Mansfield town ship is here for council approval Motion to approve by Hope Bauman seconded by Brandon Hagenson vote, 5-0. Motion carried. The Water billing was discussed next. The current system has the bank taking the monies from the residents’ account and placing them in the city’s account. This had been as a courtesy to the residents that have accounts at our bank However with the billing going to be changing every month. Does the city still want to go this route. The issue is that the bank would have to change the amounts every month and what they would charge us is unknown, as well if there is a way for the city to recover that expense. The second route would be to purchase a program from Banyon for $ 1300.00 to accommodate the 29 residents that currently use it. The clerk would enter the amount every month and then transfer the files to the bank and there would be a charge every month. The 3rd option would be to send everyone a paper bill and have them come into the office with a check, or credit card to pay with the use of the current paya.com system that we have in place. The council chose to have paper bills sent to all the residents. The clerk will send a letter with the May billing to those who are on the system though Global Innovations. The clerk will prepare the paperwork for the interfund loan that was recorded in 2024 before any of the grant loan monies from the USDA grants and loans had been secured. The clerk will prepare that resolution for next month.
Mayor Update: she had nothing. One of the council members. Had brought it to the council members’ attention to the various houses that have bags of garbage outside of their homes, as well as abandoned cars. Adjournment: Jason Kluender moved to adjourn, and Brandon Hagenson seconded his motion. Vote 5-0; motion carried.
Respectfully Submitted by
Doris M Troll
City Clerk/ Treasurer
