Dayton Mayor Tim McNeil pleads guilty to misdemeanors in handling of festival funds

Dayton Mayor Tim McNeil has pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors involving mismanagement of committee funds for the Hennepin County suburb's annual festival.

"I would like to apologize to the residents of Dayton for the pain and suffering my negligence has caused — and particularly to my friends and family who have endured the past 18 months through no fault of their own," read an announcement McNeil made Thursday in a Facebook post.

McNeil also posted a statement from his lawyer, John Conard, who characterized the pleas as admissions of "technical violations of charitable registration laws" involving McNeil's role in managing the Dayton Heritage Day festival.

Neither McNeil nor Conard returned messages for comment Sunday.

The mayor will be required to return the festival money he misused, which will go to the Lions Club now running the Heritage Day parade, according to the Facebook posting.

Read more: https://www.startribune.com/dayton-mayor-pleads-guilty-to-mishandling-of-festival-funds/571637822/