Keewatin mayor charged with felony theft of city water services

KEEWATIN — The mayor of a small Iron Range town was charged with felony theft on Tuesday, Aug. 19, after a former city employee reported he failed to pay fees associated with a second water line on his property.

The Itasca County Sheriff’s Office spent the last year investigating a claim that Keewatin Mayor Michael “Mick” Labine turned his water valve on and off without paying the associated fees to the city.

According to the criminal complaint, the investigation began in August 2024 when a former deputy clerk and public utilities clerk told Keewatin Police Chief Chris Whitney that Labine was stealing services from the city. Whitney contacted the sheriff’s office, which took over the investigation.

The clerk reported the city charges a $100 fee every time the city turns someone’s water on or off, plus another $10 per month user fee. Labine is the former city crew supervisor and allegedly knew how to use the tool to turn water on and off.

The complaint stated Labine owns a double lot and turned on the second valve in the spring when his family came to stay in a camper and turned it off when they left a few months later. He's allegedly done this for more than a decade and would owe almost $2,500 in fees

The clerk told investigators she didn’t know why she didn’t report the crime sooner. She said she is “being bullied out of being on the City Council” and admitted to not getting along with Labine. She said nobody else gets to turn their water on and off for free.

Investigators spoke with multiple city staff, who allegedly knew of Labine turning the water valve himself or had done it for him over the course of several years. One employee told the sheriff's office that the process is normally to call City Hall to make a request to turn on water. A work order is created and sent to the public utilities department, "no matter whether you are the mayor or anyone else," the complaint stated. Another employee said they never received a work order or a slip of any kind regarding Labine's property.

Labine allegedly told authorities he believes the clerk is trying to get back at him due to a relative's poor performance in a city job. He also claimed he only turned on the water this year. He said if he hadn't paid for his water, it was because the city workers did not turn it into the office to be billed. The complaint stated that he repeatedly told the investigator that if he wasn't being charged for the water fees, it wasn't his fault, and said he did not look at his bills before paying them.

Records show that Labine has not paid for water shut off and/or turn on for the past 10 years. The investigator also reviewed Labine's utility bills for the past three years and did not find any records associated with payment for the water services. The charges are contained to that three-year time period.

Labine faces two felony theft charges: theft by swindle, and obtaining services with no payment. He also faces a gross misdemeanor for public officer misconduct by exceeding his authority. Both felonies carry a maximum sentence of 5 years, a $10,000 fine or both. The gross misdemeanor carries a maximum 364-day jail sentence, $3,000 fine or both.

Labine’s first court appearance is set for Oct. 8.