After more than three months, Roger Bok was back in a familiar place Tuesday: in front of the Freeborn County Board, airing a collection of grievances.

Bok had been banned from speaking at the meetings since Feb. 4, when Chairman Mark Behrends invoked Rule 19, which allows the board to silence a speaker judged to be engaging in personal attacks.

Tuesday, Commissioner Dave Mullenbach moved to allow Bok to speak, Dan Springborg seconded the motion, and the board passed it.

Since the Albert Lea resident was banned, Commissioner Dan Belshan has moved to reinstate him several times, but each time the motion died for lack of a second.

It wasn’t the first time Bok had been banned from county board or city council proceedings, but this time, a citizen group seized on Bok’s case as a reason to challenge the Rule 19, which some say puts unnecessary restrictions on freedom of speech.

A citizen group called &uot;Eye on Freeborn County&uot; contacted the Minnesota Civil Liberties Union (MCLU), which publicly said it would challenge the validity of Rule 19.

Mullen-bach, however, said reinstating Bok was not a response to a potential lawsuit; in fact, he said MCLU never contacted the county to discuss the matter.

&uot;I just thought, here’s his chance. Let’s give him another chance,&uot; Mullenbach said. &uot;He has a lot of good ideas and I think he needs to be heard.

&uot;But he forgets he can get on the phone and call us.&uot;

Bok usually uses his time in front of the board to point out potholes, ask about street lights or question board procedure. He has been previously banned from speaking at county and city meetings by past county board chairmen, including Mullenbach, and Albert Lea mayors Marv Wangen and Bob Haukoos.

Mullenbach said he has continued to speak to Bok regularly outside of meetings even while he was banned, and has answered his questions. He said he didn’t support giving Bok the floor before Tuesday because he didn’t believe Bok was willing to change his confrontational style, but said he recently saw signs of remorse.

Belshan said he was happy Bok was reinstated, but will still push for an outright repeal of Rule 19.

&uot;I’ve asked that we repeal those rules a couple of times,&uot; he said.

Along with giving the board’s chairman power to ban a speaker, the rule also says a resident can’t bring up the same subject more than twice.

&uot;If something’s not happening, you may need to bring it up more than two times,&uot; Belshan said.

Other commissioners and County Administrator Ron Gabrielsen say the rule is necessary to keep meetings orderly and civil.

Bok, for his part, was happy to be back in the spotlight &045; &uot;for now,&uot; he said.