Immigration Problem Affects

Cannon Falls Man and Friends

“Probably the worst two months of my life…” related 54 year old Phil Donnelly, owner of the Quill and Quilt, Bed And Breakfast in Cannon Falls and Anglo Travel, a corporate travel agency, based in Phoenix, Arizona.
The British born resident has been in the United States for 18 years. The past two have been spent in Cannon Falls. He loves walking his dogs along the nearby river and enjoys the solitude while running around Lake Byllesby.
Phil explained that he had planned to retire here.
This appeared to be likely until he applied for his visa to be renewed last January.

Phil is used to flying back to England to renew it. This originally was done every five years until the terrorist attack in 2001. Then he had to do it every two years. The visa has to be issued to his corporation and a new stipulation is to register the company with the U.S. Embassy, which can take up to 120 days.
While at the embassy in London he asked, “What do I do? I’m here and my company is in Cannon Falls, Minnesota.” Phil recalled that the embassy official just shrugged his shoulders.
Phil is concerned that “If they deny my visa there is no mechanism for me to return to the states to operate the businesses.”
And then he explained, he would lose everything.

Phil showed the three inch stack of papers dealing with his visa renewal. They include tax returns, business licenses, appraisal, etc. Legal fees alone have been about $67,000.
Some criteria for this type of visa are to show you’re making a meaningful investment, employ U.S. workers and have a business plan for the future.


Phil runs both of his businesses. In the Bed and Breakfast he prepares the food, does a “load of cleaning” and hires a local housekeeper to help when things are “hopping”. He explained that they have built up the business and it would be a tragedy to lose it all.
But, Phil admitted, “I’m in complete turmoil.” He added, “We’re preparing for the worst.” The Bed and Breakfast is currently closed and not taking future bookings.
If his visa isn’t renewed he must leave by early April.

Losing his business is not the only thing Phil would miss, he explained. “It’s been a wonderful experience to live here. I’ve made good friends.”

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Business friends of Phil Donnelly share their thoughts...

Jone Adams, Realtor
I first met Phil on-line when he responded to an ad for the Quill and Quilt B&B… From the very first meeting, I felt that they would be a wonderful addition to Cannon Falls and their actions have proved that feeling correct. Phil was always a gentleman during the negotiations for the purchase - suggesting a cost be "split" rather than have the seller pay the entire cost - he went overboard to be fair. His lender told me Phil's credit score was one of the highest he had ever seen. Phil just did everything right - always the gentleman. Phil came to town as a client – (but) when its time to leave, I will have to say good-bye to a trusted friend.

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Marci French, Massage Therapist

I had been working at The Quill and Quilt for four years when Phil and Juan bought it. I owned my massage business, “The Spa Suite” and rented space on the third floor where I offered guests massage and a variety of specialty spa services. From the day the moving van pulled up, I knew we would work well together. Turned out, not only did we work well together, we became quick friends. I think it’s unfair, to say the least, that Phil, who has created a beautiful life for himself, contributing to the community and yes, the nation as a whole, is being forced to leave his home. I hope that it isn’t forever and that, come summertime – we will find ourselves, once again, eating Dudley’s Pizza (light on the cheese – extra jalapenos) and sipping three-buck-chuck from their back porch / gazebo.

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Connie Bickman, former owner of 4th St. Marketplace

Everyone loses if Phil has to leave... every time he came into my shop (and took his shoes off at the door!) I knew there would be good conversation - everything from world events and travel to local news and how to keep the Cannon Falls economy alive. Phil's gentle personality and witty humor always brightened my day. He is an upstanding citizen who pays both real estate and state taxes on his businesses, and someone who genuinely cares about this town…. As a property owner, taking into account the failing real estate market, the bank will lose, the town and our tourist industry will lose a great bed and breakfast, the city will lose an active community advocate, people will lose jobs, the state loses tax money, and most of all, many of us (including his partner, Juan), will lose the privilege of spending time with this compassionate man. I know I will miss Phil’s energy and his smiling face. Cheers and good luck to Phil.

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Dina Fesler, Nonprofit Founder/President

Phil and Juan bring such a whimsical, international flair to a small Mid-western town! During last year's Passport to the World" series held at the winery, charity directors came from across the country, representing the many nations that Children's Culture Connection sponsors, and stayed at the Quill & Quilt. All agreed that it was such a treat to enjoy Minnesota culture in a historic B&B, yet with a unique British and Mexican stamp on it. I can't think of a more gracious and hospitable pair representing Minnesota to my guests!

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Tara Schwagmeyer - Massage Therapist at the Quill and Quilt Bed and Breakfast

I was so saddened to hear of the B&B closing... This has not only affected Phil and Juan's financial situation, their credit, and livelihood, but it has also affected me and my staff.
I had hired four other massage therapists to work with me because the B&B had become so successful. We offered couples massages for our guests in the Spa Suite. It was such a great work environment. The guests were always treated with so much respect by Phil that many had come back numerous times throughout the past years.
Phil built great relationships with folks who stayed at the B &B by giving his all each and every day. Grace is the word that comes to my mind. Phil was a natural at his work. Every guest felt welcome and special during their stay because of the incredible effort that Phil put forth.

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Jeromy Mouw, Financial Advisor

It was great having him in the Chamber. He was an major part of forming a new committee to spur retail growth in Cannon Falls. We need people like Phil who are willing to take a chance and start new business. It is the American way. I certainly hope he can resolve this situation and he can return to business ASAP.

A springtime snowfall...

Walk along in the big woods...

enjoy the soft sounds of snow crunching...

and the feeling of being a small child once again...




Watch a squirrel race from tree to tree...

Listen to the melody of the rippling water as it cascades over rocks and water logged trees...

Touch the fluffs of snow clinging to the branches like huge cottonballs...

And know that you have been privileged to be part of a universe inspired by God.

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It used to be humiliating

when asked if you "lived in a barn"!

The show, Extreme Home Makeover, is sure fun to watch. Although I feel so sad for the folks receiving a new home and all the difficulties they have gone through.
Plus, I think I would like to have more influence in deciding what the house would look like than they do. (Could be a “control issue” here, huh?)

Also, many of the houses they built were so huge!
How could I ever pay the taxes?
What’s worse is that I would have to clean the whole thing!

Actually I’m kind of comfortable in the smaller one I’ve got now. And someday I may even replace the 30 year old carpets that are bulging and sagging.

But I’ve got to admit that the show I saw recently really had me tempted! You see, besides building a new house they were putting up a fancy new barn!
Yup, that interested me!
We just have sheds here for the animals and storing hay.

A few years ago, new neighbors started building their beautiful French Country style home. They invited me to see it going up. But when I got there, all I could do was feast my eyes on their beautiful horse barn! (I tried to be polite and look at the house too.)

Well, after watching this one episode of the show where they built such a beautiful barn, I found out that my son and his family up in the cities had been watching it too. When the barn was being built he said to his children, “Grandma would like to live in that!”
(I guess all kids know their parents pretty well!)

But you know, some of the barns nowadays are so fantastic that you really can’t put a person down if they “live in a barn”!

Want to have a roomate, Buddy?

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Everyone’s home town?

Cannon Falls...

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everybody’s home town!

At least that’s what it seems to be when you see the full page picture of the main street of Cannon Falls in the February issue of the prestigious business magazine, Twin Cities Business.

The only problem was that the picture was included in an article about St. James, Minnesota! It was identified as “the business district of St. James near Mankato.”

The “eagle-eye” of local Mayor Glenn Weibel brought this fact to my attention.

So I contacted Gene Rebeck, Senior Editor of Twin Cities Business magazine. He seemed to cringe on the other end of the phone when I brought up this discrepancy. I tried to comfort him, as a fellow journalist, by saying that the mistake could happen to any of us, meaning we’re under the stress of deadlines, etc. But he might have heard me chuckling and I don’t think he got much comfort out of my suggestion!

I asked him to explain how it happened.

Gene admitted he had written the information overlayed on the picture. But in the rather complicated recap of all the people involved in putting out an issue like this, both he and I decided to just say that there was a “chain of misunderstandings” in getting the picture and the article together.

He was also cringing from not recognizing Cannon Falls because he had attended Carlton College in nearby Northfield. But he hasn’t been here in about 30 years, he recalled.
Like any of us, Gene seemed to be pretty hard on himself. He promised that a correction would be published in the April issue.

The article featured a story about AgStar Financial Services, who said they bring regional financing to create capital capacity in rural areas and work along with local banks with their financing opportunities.

I then began wondering what the town of St. James thought of it’s “new” look?

Their mayor, Gary Sturm, hadn’t seen the article until now. He focused on the town pictured as St. James in the magazine and quipped, “I've been out of town for a few days and on returning home it looks like the landscape has changed substantially!”

And then he kindly added, “Cannon Falls looks like a nice rural community.”

I think we can say the same about St. James.

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