A Blue Earth County jury has awarded more than $3.1 million to former Good Thunder City Clerk Ashney Helleksen in a whistleblower lawsuit against the city.
Jurors found Helleksen’s reports of suspected legal violations and her cooperation with a Minnesota Office of the State Auditor investigation were motivating factors in her termination in 2023. The jury awarded $600,000 in compensatory damages and $2.5 million in punitive damages.
The lawsuit alleged the city retaliated against Helleksen after she reported concerns involving former Mayor Robert Anderson, who was later charged with multiple felony and gross misdemeanor offenses. The city has not yet announced whether it will appeal the verdict.
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