GOOD THUNDER, MINN. – A lawsuit springing from small-town drama could have multimillion-dollar consequences in southern Minnesota. A jury awarded the former city clerk of Good Thunder more than $3 million in damages after she claimed she was punished for reporting potential conflict-of-interest issues with the mayor. The jury on July 23 agreed that whistleblowing was a factor in the city of Good Thunder firing Helleksen in 2023. The city council of Good Thunder, which is about 20 minutes south of Mankato, had a closed special meeting about the case on Thursday. The city of Good Thunder, Minn., held a closed meeting on July 30, 2026, to discuss a jury awarding $3 million to a former city clerk in a recent whistleblower case.