Good Thunder, Minnesota City Pays $3.1 Million to Former Clerk in Whistleblower Verdict

A jury in Blue Earth County ordered the city of Good Thunder, Minnesota, to pay former city clerk Ashney Helleckson more than $3 million after she won a whistleblower lawsuit. The verdict includes roughly $2.5 million in punitive damages and $500,000 for lost wages and emotional distress.

Helleckson alleged she was terminated in retaliation for reporting mayor Robert Anderson’s alleged misuse of public funds to the Minnesota Office of the State Auditor. Anderson faced embezzlement, theft and contract‑violation charges in 2022 and later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor to have felony charges dropped. The lawsuit also referenced prior harassment claims against a city council member.

Good Thunder is a small community of about 500 residents located ten miles south of Mankato. The case was tried earlier this week, culminating in the multi‑million‑dollar award to the former clerk.