Election 2012

Against the Odds: Matt Little, 27, Elected as Lakeville's Next Mayor

Little, a freshmen City Councilor and law student, defeated incumbent Mayor Mark Bellows and a third challenger in Councilor Laurie Rieb.

City Councilor Matt Little is Lakeville's newest mayor. The soon-to-be 28-year-old law student, and current City Councilor, defeated incumbent mayor Mark Bellows and challenger Laurie Rieb on Tuesday, Nov. 6. With all precincts reporting, Little received 12,175 votes, or 43.93 percent of the 27,715 total votes cast. Bellows had 10,803 votes, or 39.08 percent of the total. Rieb received 4,638 votes, or 16.73 percent. Little went to Facebook to unofficially claim victory, saying: "I want to thank everybody who made this possible. Looking forward to building a better city!"  See our election results page. Lakeville Patch will have far more on the elections on Wednesday.

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AV

10:47 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012

ABSG, in my experience, Dave Fellon, the president of Progressive, is pretty childish, so maybe you've got something there!   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Honored to Support Laurie Rieb for Mayor

Letter writer: "For over two decades, Rieb has represented the residents of Lakeville. Her leadership has helped to make Lakeville the wonderful community it is today, placing 19 within the nation as a best place to live."

To the editor, We are honored to support Laurie Rieb for mayor of Lakeville.   For over two decades, Rieb has represented the residents of Lakeville. Her leadership has helped to make Lakeville the wonderful community it is today, placing 19 within the nation as a best place to live.   Rieb will continue to engage community members and stakeholders through community visioning processes. She works collaboratively to bring differing view points together to find solutions that work best for our community and city. Her focus on fiscal stability is appropriate while recognizing the need to provide necessary services to residents and businesses.   Rieb will provide solid, but inspired  leadership to recognize opportunities for innovation that …

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Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Enthusiastically Support Laurie Rieb For Mayor

Letter writer: "She is respectful of others and is not afraid to bring people together to resolve conflict or differences of opinion when it occurs."

To the editor, We enthusiastically support Laurie Rieb in her run to be the next mayor of Lakeville. For fifteen years we have called Lakeville home and consider it to be a great place to live and to have raised our daughters. Our family has enjoyed the many amenities this community has to offer including the fabulous parks and trail system, beaches, Lakeville Area Arts Center and many community events. For just over the same amount of time, Laurie Rieb has been working tirelessly serving the residents of Lakeville as a volunteer and in city government to make sure that this community stays this way.  Laurie is a great communicator who works hard and is a skillful problem solver. She consistently and successfully works with others to build…

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Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Vote for Laurie Rieb for Mayor

Letter writer: "Laurie does what needs to be done to help her community continue to grow and be healthy and vital."

To the editor, I am pleased to offer my support to Laurie Rieb in her quest to become the next mayor of Lakeville.  Laurie has been a strong advocate for Lakeville, where she has lived for 25 years.  She is an eight year member of the Lakeville Convention & Visitor’s Bureau Board of Directors, and a twelve year member of both the Lakeville Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Lakeville Business Association. There are those people who talk about what needs to be done, and there are those who do what needs to be done. Laurie does what needs to be done to help her community continue to grow and be healthy and vital. With six years of experience on the Lakeville Planning Commission, and as a twelve year member of the Lakeville City Council, …

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Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Choices are Clear—Vote Matt Little for Mayor

Little: "Fundamentally, being a good leader for our community has always been about working with people to solve problems and build a better city.”

To the editor,  After last Tuesday night’s Lakeville Mayoral Candidate Forum, we can clearly see some vast differences between the candidates. There are also some wonderful similarities. For example, as the moderator pointed out with one question, each candidate has claimed to be fiscally conservative. While each candidate has a different formula for fiscal conservatism, in the end we have three people who are driven to save money and lower taxpayer burden. Most compelling, however, were the closing remarks of the candidates. Councilwoman Rieb made a clear pitch of personal pride. She is, indeed, a loyal public servant. But we are left to wonder how she will lead as mayor. Her vision seems to be that the office of mayor is simply the next …

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Matt F

8:46 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Additionally, I cannot sit here and let Little's posse write letters to the editor that are false. I just watch the city council forum for Swecker, Anderson, and Bares. It was interesting to see all three are for the visionary plan study whereas Little is against it   more ›

Election 2012

WATCH: Lakeville Mayoral Candidate Forum

Lakeville's mayoral candidates participated in an election forum on Oct. 9.

Lakeville's mayoral candidates participated in an election forum on Oct. 9. The video of the form can be found online. Moderated by the Lakeville Area Chamber of Commerce, the forum, held at City Hall, included incumbent mayor Mark Bellows, as well as challengers Matt Little and Laurie Rieb. Little and Rieb are both members of Lakeville's City Council. Lakeville Patch will follow the election through Nov. 6 election day.

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Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Elect Laurie Rieb for Mayor

Letter writer: Laurie Rieb "quickly identifies problems and is open to effective, creative solutions."

To the editor, This is to endorse a dear friend and wonderful candidate for Mayor of Lakeville: Laurie Rieb. I have worked for years with Laurie in business, and as members of Lakeville Rotary on our annual fundraiser "Taste of Lakeville." Laurie is dedicated, insightful, intelligent and caring. She quickly identifies problems and is open to effective, creative solutions. She doesn't waste time and gets the job(s) done!  Laurie is a natural leader who deeply cares about Lakeville's future and about our community today. She has not lost sight of the City's poressing daily problems and is constantly advocating on behalf of the hundreds of businesses that make Lakeville thrive and grow!  Please consider Laurie Rieb when you vote Nov. 6. Thank…

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Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Do Your Homework For Mayoral Race Candidates

Letter writer: "It’s time to re-elect Mayor Mark Bellows and allow Lakeville to continue to flourish ..."

To the editor: Do your Homework! I understand, but am somewhat frustrated, with recent Letters to the Editor relating to Lakeville’s Mayoral race. Letters to the Editor offer a snapshot of a candidate; they do not tell us who a candidate will be once he or she is given the keys to the city of Lakeville. We are each entitled to vote for the candidate we wish; however, consider checking a candidate’s website, asking direct questions, and checking a candidate’s voting history before casting your vote. This list of questions may help you get started: Firstly, what platform does the candidate stand on—Democrat, Republican, other? Is the candidate fiscally conservative or does he support programs that grow government? Careful! Do not count on …

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Election 2012

Lakeville City Councilor Laurie Rieb Announces Candidacy for Mayor

Rieb, whose City Council seat is up for election this year, is going all in for mayor.

Lakeville's City Council is guaranteed a new face this year, one way or another. Laurie Rieb, who has served for 12 years on Lakeville's City Council, is not going to seek re-election for her seat, she has announced. Instead, Rieb will be running for mayor this fall. The filing deadline to run for Lakeville's elected offices isn't until Aug. 14, so it's not known who exactly she'll be running against, but incumbent Mayor Mark Bellows and City Councilor Matt Little have both said they're seeking the seat as well. Rieb ran for mayor six years ago, but lost in the election to Holly Dahl after both ran for the seat when longtime Mayor Robert Johnson retired from elected office. The following is from a press release announcing Rieb's mayoral …

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Lakeville's Heritage Center Gets Final Approval; Bids Due April 2

Bids will be accepted beginning in March for the Heritage Center's renovation. Concerns over financing still linger among some council members.

Lakeville’s Heritage Center project will officially be open to bids from construction firms beginning March 20 after the City Council on Tuesday night approved the project's final plans as well as a resolution to open bidding for the project. The approval brings the oft-debated project one step closer to becoming a reality. The estimated $1.12 million conversion of the city’s vacant police station into a shared-use facility that would house the senior center, historical society and Yellow Ribbon organizations remains a source of fluid financial uncertainties with regard to hard costs and financing. But the City Council voted 4-1 to approve the final plans for the building and place the project up for bids despite some ongoing concerns. …

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