Summary: Whistleblower Retaliated Against in Stewart, Minnesota

Bethke say, "Pray for my city."

WHISTLEBLOWER HARASSED

Stewart resident Delvin Bethke has been contending with what he considers a corrupt city for many decades. He says he has been heavily retaliated against by city officials for whistleblowing city corruption.

Bethke says he has been harassed for cooking wieners, for making "Pray for my City" signs, the city has tried to take his land, shut off water twice, failed to install requested utilities.  Bethke says McLeod County deputy Ken Reynolds shot his horse -- yet was acquitted.  

Most recently, the city has filed criminal charges on  Bethke for a claimed zoning violation.  However, Bethke says city zoning does not require a permit for a transient structure.

The city has demanded that Bethke get a permit to move his shed.

So Bethke applied four times for a permit. And the city rejected the first three applications, claiming it wasn't properly filled out.

However, Rule 5 of Minnesota Civil Procedure requires administrators to accept all filings, even if not properly filled out:  "The administrator shall not refuse to accept for filing any documents presented for that purpose solely because it is not presented in proper form as required by any court rule or practice."

It appears that Stewart city officials are willing to violate this Minnesota law to retaliate against a whistleblower.

Finally the city accepted the fourth application, but were still hungry to harass Bethke, wanting to fine  him $300. 

CITY CAUGHT FALSIFYING MINUTES

The city has been caught falsifying the City Council Minutes. This video shows the city claiming that Zoning Board member Terese Rosenow was at the meeting when she wasn't. This corroborates Bethke's allegations that the Stewart City Officials are not honest and are defrauding him and others.

CITY SHUTS OFF WATER FOR SECOND TIME

As of September 2019 the City of Stewart appears to be behind the neighbor's threat to shut off the water to one of Bethke's properties, where Bethke's son and young child were staying.  The is a property where Bethke had asked the city to install a new independent waterline, because his shutoff was tied to a neighbor, but the city again failed to do so. 

Bethke's neighbor Chuck Paul says that the city is harassing him to shut off Bethke's water.

BETHKE'S PROPERTY FLOODED DUE TO CITY'S BOTCHED STORM DRAIN

After the City of Stewart took a shortcut when installing a new storm drain line in 2018, Bethke's property and that of his neighbor's flooded.  Then Delvin Bethke was reported for apparent septic failure, the apparent failure due to the city's botched storm drain.





TIRES SLASHED MANY TIMES

In addition to all of this harassment, Bethke's tires have been slashed five times in 11 months:

1. Tires slashed first time - October 3, 2018 
2. Tires slashed second time - October 30, 2018  
3. Tires slashed third time - April 4, 2019  
4. Tires slashed fourth time - June 17, 2019 
5. Tires slashed fifth time - August 7, 2019 

OUTLINE OF ALLEGED RETALIATION AGAINST BETHKE

This is an incomplete list, but will give you an idea of the corruption Delvin Bethke has been dealing with.

• Stewart Reports Bethke for Apparent Septic Failure -- Due to City's Botched Storm Drain
• City's botched storm drain floods Bethke's property -- Then Bethke reported for apparent septic failure due to city's botched storm drain.
• City appears to be behind second threat to shut off of Bethke's water -- Bethke had asked for a proper waterline to be installed, but the city again failed. Neighbor Chuck Paul says the city is pressuring him to shut off Bethke's water. September 2019
• First water shut off to a property Bethke was letting a mother with children stay at - This forced the children into foster care, where they were sexually and physically abused. One child had his eye poked out.
• City threatens Bethke for not getting an unnecessary permit --  City ordinance doesn't require a permit for  transient structure, but the city demanded one anyway.  Then after refusing Bethke's permit three times, the city then threatens Bethke with arrest for not getting a permit - October  2018
McLeod County Deputy Ken Reynolds Shoots Bethke's Horse and Gets Acquitted  -- Bethke believes this is a part of a campaign to threaten and harass him. 

• Fire call for cooking wieners - The city tried to charge Bethke, but his insurance company refused to pay
• Fined for vandalism to his shed - The city demanded Bethke get a permit to repair, but the building inspector said no permit was needed
• City tried to fine Bethke over an address sign - Bethke was able to get the charges dismissed.
• City tried to fine Bethke for growing watermelon - The city tried to call the watermelon a weed.
• Pulled over by sheriff - Countless times

• City Routinely Goes Against Bethke's Requests and Charges him - In 2012 Bethke says the city went against his written requests regarding installation of utilities: The city installed water lines he didn't need; the city said they put in water and sewer on another property but didn't, and still charged him for water; and on another property put water and sewer lines in, never hooked them up, but still charged him. In 2018 the city failed to install a drive-over curb as Bethke had asked.

Bethke's notarized form requesting a drive-over curb, which he paid more for.