Residents of Twin Lakes, a small Minnesota city with just 134 people, are pushing for a major change: they want to dissolve the city entirely and have it absorbed into nearby Nunda Township. The move comes after months of growing frustration between community members and their local government.
The petition for dissolution was led by residents Patrick Neilond and Pat Gavle, who say they discovered a state law that allows communities to request disincorporation through a special election. Once they understood the process, they gathered signatures from 34 residents—more than enough to force the question to be considered.
Those supporting the petition say their decision comes from deep concerns about how the city has been run. Several residents accuse the city council of frequently violating open meeting laws, ignoring public records requests, and allowing family relationships to influence government decisions. According to them, this has created a lack of trust and transparency that can no longer be ignored.
One of the biggest complaints involves the family ties within the local leadership. Mayor David Prestholt and two of the four city council members are related, including Council Member Lynda Vis, who is his sister. Earlier in the year, when a council seat opened up after a resignation, Mayor Prestholt appointed another one of his sisters to fill the vacancy. Residents say the appointment was made despite strong public objections, and that she was sworn in even before the next council meeting took place. For many in the community, this incident became a clear example of what they see as nepotism and poor decision-making.
Interim City Clerk-Treasurer Keith Haskell, who joined the city staff in October, believes much of the conflict comes down to miscommunication rather than intentional wrongdoing. He said that although emotions are running high, the situation might improve if everyone were willing to talk openly. However, he also acknowledged the difficulty of bringing a divided community back together.
Haskell himself has a complicated history with the city. Earlier this year, he filed a lawsuit against Twin Lakes after a public data request went unanswered. The case was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it could not move forward, but Haskell said he disagreed with the decision and considered appealing it. Despite this past conflict, he now works closely with the same officials he previously challenged. He says the city council has recently taken steps to stabilize the situation, including passing a resolution to keep Twin Lakes as an incorporated city.
Even so, many residents remain unconvinced. They argue that the problems run too deep for simple fixes and that dissolving the city is the only way to restore fairness and accountability. They have also requested a state audit of the city’s finances to clarify how public funds have been managed.
The future of Twin Lakes will now depend on the next steps in the legal process. A scheduling hearing with the State Court of Administrative Hearings is set for December 5, held over Zoom. During this session, officials will determine whether a special election should be held to let residents vote on the city’s potential dissolution.
For now, the atmosphere in Twin Lakes remains tense. Some hope to save the city and repair relationships, while others believe the time has come to move on and start fresh under township governance. Whether the community can overcome its divisions—or whether its long history as a city will come to an end—will be decided in the months ahead.
