Members of the public who wish to address the county board will have some new rules to consider.

Thursday, November 18, 1999

Members of the public who wish to address the county board will have some new rules to consider.

The Freeborn County board voted Tuesday to amend rules of procedure that would limit public address to five minutes unless granted permission by the chairman to speak longer. Also, members of the public would not be able to address the board on the same topic more than twice in a year.

According to County Attorney Craig Nelson, who drafted the amendment, the limit was imposed because some residents might bring up the same topic repeatedly, even after a decision had been made by the board. Overall, the changes are meant to make the board meetings more efficient.

“I feel that this doesn’t change anybody’s ability to come to the county board and share their concerns,” said Dave Mullenbach, fourth district commissioner.

Bob Berthelsen, fifth district, also supported the amendment to the rules, saying “It provides more structure if needed, but it doesn’t curtail anyone’s ability to come before the board.”

But Commissioner Dan Belshan, second district, felt the measure was “gagging the public.”

While some residents do bring topics of discussion to the board several times, Belshan said he doesn’t have a problem with that. But he feels the amended rules restrict the public’s access to speak with the council.

The amended rules also read, “A speaker who engages in personal, impertinent, offensive, slanderous, quarrelsome, challenging, profane, abusive or boisterous remarks tending reasonably to alarm, arouse anger, or cause resentment in others when addressing the Board of Commissioners, or when directed by the Presiding Officer to stop, shall be forthwith barred from addressing the Board of Commissioners and at any future meeting of the Board of Commissioners unless upon the speaker making a request to speak, permission to speak is granted by a majority vote of the Board of Commissioners.”

Speakers also cannot address individual commissioners, attempt to engage commissioners in conversation or solicit a response from comments.

The board voted in favor of the amendment.

In other business, the county board:

Approved drainage ditch assessments for payable year 2000.

Approved the road construction letting and bonding for state aid project 24-633-06, which would replace the bridge on county state aid highway 33.

Accepted a resolution to make a final payment to Midwest Contracting, Inc. for SAP 24-635-19.

Approved roadside weed spraying.

Tabled a motion to approve the use of White Woods Park by the Camp Courage Wagon Train. About 150 people and 75 horses are expected. The board may approve the use, despite an ordinance that bans horses from the park. The group has a crew that will clean up after the park is used for a picnic in June. County Administrator Gene Smith told the board he would need to check the appropriate method to address the issue.

Approved a caseload reduction grant application as presented by the court services director.

Approved minor changes and a rewording of the employee holiday policy.

Accepted Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s health care proposal.

Accepted the tax increment financing municipality reports for year ended Dec. 31, 1998.

Appointed Peter Vanerkel and reappointed Ken Mullenberg to the Turtle Creek watershed board.