State auditor says Kettle River violated state law

In the black and white world of auditing, the letter the Minnesota State Auditor sent to the city of Kettle River last month is clear.

"We found several instances where the city violated Minnesota state law," state auditor Julie Blaha told the Pine Knot News this week.

For city officials of the small town, population 172, things are apparently a bit more gray. Mayor David Lucas described the 10-page letter outlining administrative violations in three areas as "nothing."

Those items include unauthorized use of a city credit card by current and former employees; payroll violations including pay...