Stewart Resident Says He is Being Forced to Pay for a Water Line he Doesn't Own

It appears the city of Stewart, Minnesota, is being overtly hostile to resident Delvin Bethke.  The alleged city attorney Lori Moldan sent Bethke a letter that threatened an aggressive response if Bethke didn't respond in a short period of time. 

Says Bethke, "I got a letter yesterday and tomorrow they are going to disconnect my water.  Is anyone having this problem in Stewart?"  Bethke maintains he has been persecuted by the city officials for years in retaliation for confronting their alleged corruption.





Bethke says, "The city is forcing me to maintain a water line that I do not own, and the city of Stewart is forcing my good neighbor to shut off my water."

The letter sent by the city's lawyers claims they will be "forced to proceed in a hostile manner."  However, the city itself appears to be quite hostile to its resident, demanding he pay for two things he did not request:  The drafting of an easement agreement and the installation of a water line.
If Bethke fails to respond, the city will summarily disconnect the water line when there is apparently no immediate need. The neighbor, Chuck Paul, said in a recorded telephone conversation with Bethke that he was unable to go on vacation this year because he couldn't turn his water off (because it would also turn off Bethke's).

Does Chuck Paul mean to say he pays for the city to turn the water off at the curb every time he goes on vacation? That sounds highly improbable. Given the city's zealousness for codes, there is certainly a water main shut off inside his home.  And given the city's zealousness for excessive codes, there is likely a second water shut off on the other side of the water meter inside his home.

It sounds like the city is not only being hostile towards its resident, but also retaliatory.

The Central Minnesota News Network has contacted city of Stewart and the city's new attorney, Lori Moldan, but we have not yet received a response. We will bring you any updates to this story.

CITY OF STEWART CAN'T KEEP ATTORNEYS

It appears that the city of Stewart is having a hard time keeping attorneys.  Fewer than four attorneys in less than a year have been enlisted in the city's prosecution of resident Delvin Bethke.  Bethke maintains he has been persecuted by city officials.

Lori Moldan appears to be a the latest in the series, representing the city from the firm Gavin, Donley, and Ostlund.  It appears no one wants to take this case.

One attorney even apparently resigned.

Here are the attorneys whose names have appeared in city and legal documents.


ZACHARY LARS LYNGAAS

Zachary Lars Lyngaas appears in the fall of 2018. He is a young attorney, admitted in 2016.




KENNETH JANSEN

Below is a letter with Kenneth Janssen's name on the letterhead from March 2019.  Janssen is also a young attorney, admitted in 2013.




AMBER DONLEY

Below is a court document with Amber Donley's name on it. Donley reputedly resigned due the corruption involved in this case and the harassment of Bethke. Donley was admitted in 2008, so she has more experience than any of the others.




LORI MOLDAN

And the latest attorney, Lori Moldan, who was admitted in 2015, also a very new attorney, appears in a letter to Bethke in September 2019.



Who will be next in the city's alleged assault on a resident?