Lakeville Mayor Mark Bellows Officially Announces Re-Election Bid

Mark Bellows has offically announced he's running for a second two-year term as mayor of Lakeville.

In a statement issued to Sun Thisweek, Bellows said he's running because an “overwhelming number of residents who asked me to serve again and to be a voice for the conservative values of this community.”

In 2010, .

This time around, he'll be facing City Council Member .

Bellows has had an active first term, establishing the city's first Financial Advisory Board, hosting a Developer's Forum, and helping lead a marketing strategy for the city to attract and grow business. But Bellows' has also sparred with the council over budget issues and the Heritage Center.

In the Sun Thisweek story, Bellows was said to have cited former Lakeville Mayor Robert Johnson and former Dakota County Sheriff and Lakeville Police Chief Don Gudmundson as supporters.

A 24-year Lakeville resident, Bellows is the Lakeville Police Department's chaplain, something he's done for more than 20 years, and the pastor who started Hope Community Church in the 1980s. He's also the owner and operator of a non-profit that helps people coming out of jail transition back into society, a licensed therapist and he and Hope facilitate support groups for addicts.