Controversy over embattled Hawley, Minn., Mayor Davis Blakeway is still brewing among the city's 1,882 residents, more than a month after his arrest for second-degree burglary and making terrostic threats.
Blakeway, 29, will preside today over his second City Council meeting since being arrested Nov. 12.
Blakeway is accused in Clay County District Court of entering another man's home and tacking a death threat to a wall by jamming a knife through it.
He posted bail Nov. 14 and was released from the Clay County Jail. His next scheduled court appearance is Dec. 27.
Several residents called for Blakeway's resignation at a heated Nov. 21 meeting that he didn't attend. Blakeway then survived a vote of no confidence Dec. 5.
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The vote failed 3-2.
Blakeway and council members Kerri Anderson and Ted Dahl rejected the no-confidence vote. John Young Jr. and Stacey Riedberger voted for it.
Dahl on Friday criticized the vote, saying it was worthless.
"It was an inappropriate motion," Dahl said. "I'm not going to support something that is meaningless. It's a small town and I don't want division among the council."
Anderson, a former high school classmate of Blakeway, said he has voted against the mayor on several issues in the past.
"This issue, I happened to vote with him," Anderson said in an e-mailed response.
Monday's agenda doesn't include a discussion of the mayor.
"As far as I'm concerned, we're going to do the city's business," Dahl said.
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Gary Kuck, a 15-year Hawley resident and chairman of the city's Park Board and Planning Commission, said he won't pass judgment on Blakeway until he has his day in court.
He has criticized the young mayor in the past.
Kuck said he was unhappy with Blakeway's representation. He also said Blakeway has done nothing for Hawley and claimed residents want him to resign.
"It's settled down, but everybody wants an answer; that's my opinion," Kuck said. "But we're all waiting for that one day, when it comes to the point of his court date. If he's found guilty, then it's all over with. If he's not, we have to live with it."
Kim Mattson, a public works employee, said Hawley residents are talking about the mayor every day.
He said the city may never recover under Blakeway, who has been mayor since November 2004.
"Hopefully it gets resolved and everything goes back to the way it used to be," Mattson said. "But I don't see that happening."
According to a court complaint and information provided by the Clay County Sheriff's Department:
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Officers were called to the home of Kenneth Bjorndahl at 409 Reno St. about 9:15 p.m. Nov. 12.
Bjorndahl told officers he called Blakeway's wife, the bookkeeper where he works, on his cell phone and had a cordial conversation with her about an overdue paycheck.
After returning from a trip, Bjorndahl was told that Blakeway was seen coming out of his home. A note was found stuck to a kitchen wall with a knife.
The note stated: "Kenny, if you ever call my house again ... I'll kill ya. Davis."
Blakeway told authorities that Bjorndahl threatened his wife over the phone and was screaming. Blakeway conceded to officers that Bjorndahl made no direct threats.
Blakeway told officers he entered Bjorndahl's home without permission and wrote a note with paper he found inside.
When asked if he stabbed the note into the wall with a knife, Blakeway said he didn't remember, court documents said.
The Forum tried to contact Blakeway for comment, but two messages left for him went unanswered Friday.
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Readers can reach Forum reporter Joe Whetham at (701) 241-5557
