Lake Elmo Business Files Non-Payment Claim Against Lumberjack Days

L&D Signs of Lake Elmo is the latest business to file a claim stating .

L&D Signs submitted a civil claim in on April 19 alleging that Dave Eckberg of St. Croix Events never paid the Lake Elmo business for $2,837 worth of electrical work that was rendered during the 2010 Lumberjack Days event.

Joseph Kiesling—who submitted the claim on behalf of L&D Signs—said the company was contracted to do electrical work for the festival’s vendors during the 2010 event.

The civil court claim states L&D Signs has yet to receive payment.

“It’s like anything else,” Kiesling said Wednesday afternoon. “You don’t get paid, you don’t eat.”

There are employees to pay and trucks to fuel, Kiesling said.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a business or person dealing with personal finances: If you don’t get paid, you can’t pay the bills,” he said. “Somehow, someway the money has to come from somewhere.”

A conciliation hearing for the matter is set for May 24 at 1 p.m. in Washington County District Court. Kiesling said he has not filed a report with local law enforcement.

The claim is the latest in a .

An investigation was launched last fall, and in March, the Stillwater City Council enacted a moratorium on Stillwater festivals in light of the rash of complaints the city has received.

The case was eventually forwarded to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, where detectives have been actively .

Last month, Sheriff Bill Hutton told the Pioneer Press the investigation could be wrapped by the end of May.

"We're trying to get everything done," Hutton told the Pioneer Press last month. "Lots of interviews have gone into this. It has not been set on a shelf."

After the investigation is complete, the case will be forwarded to Washington County Attorney Pete Orput for possible charges. 

Click on the links below to read other stories about this investigation:

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