The Hutchinson Utilities Commission meets at 3:00 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month at the Hutchinson Utilities Office. The commission shall consist of five (5) persons, registered voters of Hutchinson, who shall be appointed by the council. One of the members may be a member of the city council appointed annually by the mayor with the consent of the city council, at the first meeting of the city council in January of each year. After initial appointments for such terms as are set by the council, a member shall be appointed every year for a term of 5 years, to fill the place of the member whose term has expired, except for any city council member appointed to serve on the Utilities Commission, and in such case, that person shall serve a one year term subject to reappointment. No member shall serve more than two consecutive five-year terms, exclusive of the fulfillment of an unexpired term, but shall be again eligible for such service following a break in service of not less than one year.
The Hutchinson Utilities Commission meetings can be seen on HCVN Channel 7 on
Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m., Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m. and Thursdays at Noon.
You may also access video streaming of the meetings at the same times listed above on
HCVN’s web site.
View Hutchinson Utilities Commission Minutes
Commission Members:
Don Martinez, President
Don C. Martinez is the President and Director of CenBank, a community bank with locations in Hutchinson, Buffalo Lake, and Ortonville Minnesota. He has been with CenBank since moving to Hutchinson in 2006. Don is also a Director for the Grand Marias State Bank and Central Bank & Trust.
He is originally from Riverton, Wyoming where he graduated from high school and attended Central Wyoming College. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business from Barrington University and graduated from the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado (Boulder) in 2007.
Don and his wife, Cathy, were married in 2004 and have two children.
He is involved in many organizations in the Hutchinson community. These include the Hutchinson Ambassadors, and Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce Board.
He enjoys spending time with family and friends, golfing, traveling, and continuous learning.
Matt Cheney, Vice President
Matt Cheney is the owner of Redline Systems Inc. He started the company in 2010 near Litchfield then relocated the business to Hutchinson in 2014 as part of an expansion project. Today the company specializes in after market attachments for the heavy equipment industry with a product line for skidsteers, compact tractors, Telehandelers, and wheel loaders. An entrepreneur to the core Matt lives and breathes his business.
Prior to starting Redline, Matt was a plant manager for Smith Equipment in Baldwin, WI, and spent eight years as a shop foreman for a local manufacturing company.
Matt was born and raised in Hutchinson, graduated from Ridgewater college with a welding degree and South Central college in North Mankato with a degree in small business management. Matt and his wife, Liz were married in 2012 and have one son Zachary.
Kathy Silvernale, Secretary
Kathy Silvernale is the Financial Controller of Heartland AG Systems at its corporate headquarters in Hutchinson since June 2019. Prior to this, she was the VP of Finance of Hutchinson Manufacturing, Inc. for 33 years.
She is a long-time resident of Hutchinson, a graduate of Hutchinson High School, and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Kathy has participated in the Blandin Community Leadership Program. She previously served on the board of the United Way of McLeod County as a board member and its President, is a former member of Hutchinson Rotary, and also served on the church council at Faith Lutheran Church as its Treasurer. Kathy is actively involved with a few other local women who host an annual fundraising event benefiting local non-profit organizations.
Kathy has been married to her husband, Michael, for 20 years. They have three grown sons and two grandchildren.
Kathy enjoys spending time with family and friends, motorcycling, traveling, walking, golfing, and attending MN Gopher football games.
Anthony Hanson, Commissioner
Anthony Hanson is the President of Citizens Bank & Trust Co. in Hutchinson, a locally-owned community bank that he joined in 2009. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors, Bank’s Credit Committee, Executive Committee, Information Technology Committee and Marketing Team.
A native of St. James, Minnesota, Hanson graduated from St. James High School and St. John’s University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management with an emphasis in Finance. Anthony is also a 2006 graduate of the School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin. He and his wife, Kristi, have been married for 20 years and have 3 children, Samuel, Audrey and Jacob.
Anthony is actively involved in the community as a past member of the Southwest Initiative Foundation’s Loan Review Committee, past chair of Hutchinson’s City-School-Community Advisory Committee, and is a member of the Economic Development Authority Finance Team. Currently he is a Board Member of the Hutchinson Blue Line Club and was formerly a Board Member of the Minnesota Bankers Association ISI Committee, the Hutchinson Area Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Main Street 2020 Subcommittee.
Anthony has participated in the Blandin Community Advantage Leadership Program and is also a past President of the CarMc Bankers Association, which is a consortium of banking professionals from Carver and McLeod Counties. He is a former member of the Hutchinson Ambassadors and the Hutchinson Jaycees where he served as President as well as the Commodore for the 2008 Hutchinson Jaycee Water Carnival.
Hobbies include fishing, golfing, reading, watching movies and spending time at the lake.
Robert Wendorff, Commissioner
Robert (Bob) Wendorff retired as the Manager of Crow River Mutual Insurance Company of Hutchinson, but remains as a consultant to the company. Crow River Mutual Insurance Company is a local county mutual insurance company which writes property insurance in an eight county area. It specializes in farm and homeowners insurance. The company has been in continuous operation since 1880. His responsibilities include oversight of all aspects of the company operations.
Robert is a Hutchinson native, graduating from Hutchinson High School. After graduation, he attended Minnesota State University; St. Cloud and Minnesota State University; Moorhead, majoring in business. In 1973, he began working with his father in the insurance business. In 1983, he purchased the insurance agency -Wendorff Insurance, Inc. from his father. In 1985, he was appointed Manager of Crow River Mutual Insurance Company. In 2013, he sold his interest in the insurance agency, and on January 1, 2021 retired as Manager of Crow River Mutual Insurance Company.
Robert has served two terms on the board of directors of Minnesota Association of Farm Mutual Insurance Companies. He served on various committees during those terms in office. He holds the Professional Farm Mutual Manager designation from the National Association of Mutual Insurance Company. Over the years, he has attended many industry schools and conferences involving the insurance & risk management business.
Robert has been married to his wife, Laurie, for 45 years. They have three grown daughters and four grandchildren. In his spare time, he enjoys golfing, cars and spending time at the lake.
