Photo by Sebastián González de León y León
Vice-mayor Bonnie Noble had a message before the adjournment of the May 8 Kenneth City Council meeting.
“Come back to Kenneth City,” said Noble. “We are changing.”
A Kenneth City Council Recap
Megan Zemaitis is the new mayor after defeating Robert Howell. April 11 concluded Lacy LaFave’s time as Town Manager. Chief of Police Michael Vieno is now the acting Town Manager. Don Kinney ran unopposed for the council seat.
Kyle Cummings resigned days after the Town fired LaFave. Cummings was the sole council member who voted against LaFave’s termination.
Anthony Chan swore in as a new council member at the May 8 Kenneth City Council meeting. Chan filled Cummings’ seat after winning the council’s vote.
On Jan. 11, Chan posted on Facebook to formally announce his removal from the ballots for the March 19 election.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances and a clerical error, I have been disqualified from participating in the 2024 Council Seat Elections for Kenneth City,” said Chan.
What’s next? Kenneth City officials are searching for a Town Manager.
Searching for a New Town Manager
For this item, the council brought forth a Request for Proposal (RFP No. 24-001). Two consulting firms presented at the May 8 Kenneth City Council meeting.
The council unanimously chose WolfCreek Consulting, from Coral Springs, to find a new manager. This organization has 25 years of experience with placing people in professional roles.
Jay Reynolds, president of WolfCreek Consulting, told the council he wanted to help Kenneth City avoid having to deal with the same issues again.
Photo by Sebastián González de León y León
WolfCreek and Kenneth City Council
WolfCreek shared that they perform an “extensive vetting process.” Reynolds said that his business will send multiple candidates who satisfy background checks and credential reviews and have adequate salary expectations.
According to Reynolds, WolfCreek will “try to be partners” throughout the process. He shared that they’ve placed professionals in organizations by working closely with clients.
Council member Bob Arrison explained to Reynolds and Kelly Rogers (who presented the other pitch for the RFP) the past issues Kenneth City experienced with background checks and “difficulty of attracting and retaining” staff.
“That won’t happen with WolfCreek,” Reynolds replied.
Chan asked about the firm’s exclusive rights to reach out to talent. Reynolds told him that it was “your call.”
“My money is on WolfCreek,” Chan said. “They have the experience.”
Noble noted that WolfCreek was the expensive option (by 2%), but the members on the dais said they wanted to do this right.
Both pitches said they need to gain experience placing town or city managers. But, with Kenneth City council members voting unanimously for WolfCreek Consulting, that is bound to change for them if they succeed.
Reynolds was cordial throughout the process, sharing insight into how his firm works and answering questions. To save money on commutes, most of the process will be via Zoom. The process will take at least 60-90 days.
“We won’t let you down,” Reynolds stated after getting the entire vote of the council.
Kenneth City Council Introduces A New Council Member
The May 8 Kenneth City Council’s session felt amenable. No one rolled their eyes or turned around while someone on the dais spoke.
Zemaitis called to action a motion to fill the council’s vacant seat. The council unanimously voted Chan to fill the position.
Rather than tense or confused, the public was friendly. At one point, Zemaitis asked if someone present wanted to be considered for the council seat. “Me! Me!” someone joked, prompting laughter in the entire hall.
The Gabber Newspaper’s Election Coverage
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Photo by Sebastián González de León y León
Financial Updates
Kenneth City launched a new accounting program, according to Susan Roberts with the Finance Department. She said the department currently tests the process for e-signature payments. Essentially, this means paychecks would be accessible in digital and paper archives.
Noble noted that Roberts’ efforts were moving “the town to the 21st century.”
Roberts asked for feedback on what details they wanted to see in the finance reports. She said a “quality finance department” is in the works.
Arrison liked Roberts’ proposed format for the reports. He asked for details on expenses that would cause the Town to go over budget. Noble proposed the idea of a Recreation Fund.
“Let us do more things for the kids,” the vice-mayor said.
At the next meeting, Kenneth City’s Town Council will receive an update on the budget. They will also review an audit that is currently “pending council approval,” according to Roberts.
May 8 Kenneth City Council Strategy Updates
The President of Advanced Engineering & Design, Inc. Justin Keller presented a resiliency and watershed plan. He said that they worked on identifying points to improve water quality and installing aerators in Lake Charles.
Noble asked about lake walls caving in. Keller said that was due to permits. The same happened with only aerators installed on one side of Lake Paul, Lake Laurie, and Lake Thomas.
When it came time to talk about the strategic plan, Noble mentioned the previous people they worked with who did not provide strategic plan services. The council brought in Baker Tilley to discuss the strategic plan.
Zemaitis said the strategic plan should have been completed last year. Tilley recommended workshops. He asked for ways to include all the previous work, Kenneth City officials and staff input, and the public’s intake to deliver a comprehensive strategic plan.
Noble highlighted the importance of a strategic plan that would provide a vision for the community.
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Photo by Sebastián González de León y León
May 8 Kenneth City Council’s Public Comments
Overall, the public comments centered on transparency and updates in policy changes. Along with that, people commented on challenges with permits and zoning, and quality-of-life issues affecting businesses and residents.
Karin Bach expressed frustration about not being informed about policy changes until after implementation. She said she only finds out once “laws are changed.”
Chuck Flint talked about issues that lead businesses to leave due to zoning confusion. “It’s a hot mess,” the Kenneth City resident stated.
Dawn Moore highlighted concerns about the deterioration in her neighborhood.
Ellen Dawn complained about recurring problems of garbage cans being placed in driveways. Kinney agreed that it was an issue.
During acting Town Manager Vieno’s updates, Cindy Hite said, “I don’t want graffiti.” She said signs had to be replaced on her street.
As the meeting came to an end, Vieno shared the new street designs. The council chose the teal option. Zemaitis said she polled the public on Facebook and that people preferred teal over green and blue.
The last comments in the meeting highlighted the return of a July 4 celebration and a pickleball clinic to use the new courts. Additionally, the council gave kudos to the volunteers who helped during the Spring Festival, prompting applause from the public. There was also talk about a public library.
Cummings’ Resignation
On March 9, the former council member Kyle Cummings told The Gabber Newspaper that he resigned because he does not want to be involved with the current council. He singled out Zemaitis and Noble.
Cummings said the Town ran into many issues before, going through multiple town managers. He said nothing will get done because “the same people who created the problem” are doing the same thing again.
“[I] don’t want to have the cycle again,” said Cummings.
Cummings reiterated his support for LaFave. He also claimed Noble and Zemaitis initially approved of LaFave.
“I’m sad for the City [sic],” Cummings said, noting he believed taxes would not go where the public needs them.
Zemaitis told The Gabber Newspaper she had nothing to do with the previous administration leaving.
As for LaFave’s approval, Zemaitis stated via email that she was not present when that happened.
“When it came time for council to vote for her to officially be the town manager, I was the only member to vote no,” Zemaitis said.
Noble said via email that she voted to promote LaFave to the town manager to allow them to “move away from using consultants.”
The Vice-mayor stated that she only voted to remove one town manager, adding that two town managers “both resigned as Kenneth City town managers for better opportunities.”
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