Thisweek Farmington and Lakeville

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Indian dance and Japanese drumming come to the Burnsville PAC. See Thisweekend Page 9A.

NEWS OPINION SPORTS

Thisweek Farmington-Lakeville OCTOBER 15, 2010

VOLUME 31, NO. 33

www.thisweeklive.com

Opinion/5A

Sports/6A

Public Notices/7A

Announcements/8A

Classifieds/13A

Senior Spotlight/18A

Dahl’s legal troubles continue Lakeville Mayor Holly Dahl faces more scrutiny related to husband’s failed business by Derrick Williams THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

Lakeville mayor Holly Dahl is facing additional legal scrutiny, this time over the legitimacy of documents her husband, Kevin, provided to a bank for a business loan that Holly had personally guaranteed. According to the trustee in an involuntary bankruptcy case against Kevin Dahl, a financial statement provided to Community Banks of Colorado for a $500,000 business loan in 2007 was fake. According to court documents, bankruptcy trustee Nauni Manty found that Kevin provided a financial statement to the bank representing that he and Holly had more than $9.8 million in securities that never existed. Holly is listed in court documents because she also personally guaranteed the loan. A “portfolio summary� provided to the bank by Kev-

in claimed New Yorkbased Silvercrest Asset Management was managing the multimillion dollar Holly Dahl account for Kevin and Holly. Community Banks of Colorado said in a claim for relief filed on March 5, that they would never had entered into the transaction had they known of Kevin’s true financial condition, or that of his business, Dahl Financial & Consulting Services, LLC. The bank goes on to say Kevin “knew the financial statement was materially false� and used it to “deceive� the bank into entering the loan. The bank is seeking $544,044.38 in the bankruptcy case. Kevin Dahl didn’t immediately return messages seeking comment. When reached

by telephone, Holly pointed to a statement released on Oct. 1 addressing their legal issues. “These reports are troubling to my family and me as we consider them personal and unrelated to my public life as an elected official,� she wrote. All told, Kevin has $1.7 million in judgements against him and his business, but the loan from Community Banks of Colorado is the only one Holly personally guaranteed, she said in her statement. “I am embarrassed and saddened by these reports and personal attacks on my integrity in a community I love and serve every day,� Holly wrote. “When one places oneself in a public position as I have, it is an unfortunate reality in politics that personal attacks become the method used to discredit others.� Last month, Holly faced a contempt of court hearing

in Dakota County District Court because she hadn’t responded to subpoenas to be deposed for a different case against Kevin. As a result, Holly was deposed on Oct. 7, at which time she provided the plaintiff in that judgement with financial records for both her and Kevin. Holly is seeking re-election as Lakeville’s mayor on Nov. 2. In addition to the financial turmoil Holly and Kevin are experiencing, Kevin is battling advanced colon cancer. “(Kevin’s) battle with cancer, and the various complications that are associated with this disease, have made it nearly impossible for him to conduct his business affairs, let alone meet his financial obligations,� Holly said in her statement. The bankruptcy case against Kevin is ongoing. E-mail Derrick Williams at: lakeville.thisweek@ecm-inc.com

Hosanna! planning to build senior housing facility Congregation must approve plan before moving forward by Derrick Williams THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

For the congregation of Lakeville’s Hosanna! Lutheran Church, a ministry for seniors is considered a top priority, according to Pastor Bill Bohline. That’s why the congregation, at its annual meeting at 2 p.m. on Oct. 31, will vote on whether to move forward on a senior housing development to be built on the west side of

Council debate rises over proper use of public comment time THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

Are some Farmington City Council candidates using city meetings to campaign during televised public comment time? Candidates Jerry Ristow and David Pritzlaff both

appeared at the Oct. 4 council meeting and posed numerous questions to council and staff. Pritzlaff has been an outspoken regular critic of some council actions at the meetings; once from the podium, he called for Mayor

Todd Larson’s resignation. At the Oct. 4 meeting, Pritzlaff asked critical questions and quizzed council members; Ristow, generally less abrasive in his statements, also made some pointed comments to various council members.

Photo submitted

Ben Wratz, a volunteer with the Farmington Fire Department, dressed in his fire gear.

Farmington graduate, firefighter dies in motorcycle crash Memorial service at Lord of Life Church

Hosanna’s 58-acre property. “We have always had the desire to steward this land in a way that honors God and serves the community,� Bohline wrote in a letter to the congregation on Sept. 24. “A careful study of the demographics, the financial markets, and the community needs indicate that conditions are favorable to support such a project.� Lakeville City Administrator Steve Mielke acknowledged Hosanna, and its poPhoto by Rick Orndorf tential partner in the senior Hosanna! Lutheran Church could also be home to a new 98- living facility, Ebenezer, have unit senior housing facility if the church’s congregation ap- shown the city a concept for proves the plan at its annual meeting on Oct. 31. See Facility, 8A

Public comment: Citizen forum or bully pulpit? by Laura Adelmann

Ben Wratz

Some council members have interpreted those candidates’ public comments as a form of campaign tactic. Larson said he welcomes all comments, but wants to keep them from interfering with the council’s work. See Forum, 11A

by Laura Adelmann THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

A 2008 Farmington High School graduate was killed Oct. 10 in a motorcycle accident in western Wisconsin. Benjamin “BJ� Jacob Wratz, 20, was driving his motorcycle with three friends when at about 3:15 p.m. his bike skidded out of control as he drove around a bend. The bike crashed into a bridge rail and was propelled into the south fork of the Bad Axe River on Vernon County Road in the town of Sterling. Wratz, who was wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Vernon County coroner. In an interview Tuesday, Wratz’s mother, Chris Wratz, called him a “happy, smiley kid who would always go out of his way to help anyone.� Wratz was a volunteer with the Farmington Fire Department and was attending Hennepin Technical College to become

A champion for the underdog, Mark Bellows runs for mayor Pastor, therapist, Lakeville Police chaplain, Bellows says a call to duty is fueling his campaign by Derrick Williams THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

“I’m just hoping people get to know me,� Bellows said. “There’s just a lot of people who don’t know who I am.� So why would someone who thinks he’s an unknown run for a seat as mayor? “I’m running out of frustration,� Bellows said. “I’m running on a set of values and a vision I have for the city. It feels it’s a bit like a call to duty.�

Mark Bellows has been standing just outside the public eye for most of the 23 years he’s called Lakeville home. Sure, he’s been on Lakeville’s City Council for 10 years, a role someone could say is front and center for the community, but he acknowledges that many people don’t know much about him beyond his soft-spoken nature in the council cham- The day job bers. And Bellows might know And that would prob- something about calls to Photo by Derrick Williams ably be just fine for Bellows, duty. While he’s involved in Mark Bellows, a 10-year Lakeville City Council member, is 56, if he wasn’t running for mayor. civic government by night, running for mayor on Nov. 2. General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000

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by day, Bellows is the pastor at Lakeville’s Hope Community Church. Bellows started the church from scratch, knocking on doors, he said. “I’m a fortunate and blessed person. I love what I do. It’s my life,� Bellows said. “I never feel like I go to work.� Hope has been dubbed a recovery church by some, but it’s a title Bellows said he’s not entirely comfortable with. “It’s broader than that. We see people come to wholeness here,� he said. “There is an See Bellows, 17A

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a professional fireman, a dream he’d held since about eighth grade. He had just finished a first responder class. Chris said her son was not a very experienced rider and always wore a helmet and protective gear. Wratz was involved in 4-H and particularly liked clowning. He had been an ambassador in Atlanta for the National 4-H Conference, and just recently became screened as an adult 4-H leader. One of six children, Wratz was known for taking care of others, including changing the oil in the cars of each of his family members. At the time of the accident, his youngest brother, Jonathan, 10, was doing a homework assignment writing about his hero, Ben. Oldest brother Matthew, 24, described Wratz as a good kid with a bright future. “He was very caring. He See Wratz, 11A

THE CANDIDATE Name: M a r k Bellows Age: 56 Experience: Bellows, a 10-year Lakeville City Council member, is running for mayor for the first time. During his time on the council, Bellows has served on numerous committee assignments. He currently works as pastor at Hope Community Church (www. hope-cc.com.), and has also served as chaplain for Lakeville’s Police Department for more than 20 years. Bellows is also a licensed marriage and family therapist. Bellows has lived in Lakeville since 1993.

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