County Attorney Craig Nelson is recommending that Freeborn County Commissioners reaffirm the decisions they made at their last board meeting, responding to an opinion by the state authority.

A citizen group questioned the legality of the March 4 meeting, in which Commissioner Dave Mullenbach participated through a telephone line from Arizona.

A state law about public meetings does not have any rule on the use of a telephone. But, it allows an interactive television with which commissioners and public can see and hear all discussions taking place in the board room.

The state did not clearly rule that the meeting was invalid, but recommended the county to reaffirm six items on which Mullenbach either entered a motion or seconded. They include a pay raise for Nelson and the appointment of Commissioner Dan Springborg to lead a special budget committee.

Nelson explained that the state was concerned that the public has no way to verify Mullenbach’s action visibly, though the meeting itself had a quorum even without him, and was valid.