The Freeborn County Board Tuesday unanimously approved Sheriff Mark Harig’s plan to seek donations for defibrillators and a police dog. His request to use his budget to buy two tasers was also approved.

Harig said that at the moment, the county has to request another agency’s dog when it needs a search.

Sometimes that’s not easy because another agency’s dog-handler may be busy, sick, injured, or off duty, he said. The training for the deputy who will take care of the dog will take place next fall. Harig has said the money from drug-related seizures will pay for the cost of the yearly care of the dog.

Two tasers, weapons that shock and stun opponents, will be paid for with the Sheriff’s budget. County Administrator Ron Gabrielsen explained that he wanted the board to approve the purchase to demonstrate a shift in policy. Harig said the tasers will be of particular use in the county jail where unruly prisoners have attacked and injured jailers.

The sheriff will spend about $2,000 for two tasers and all other related equipment. The defibrillators cost around $2,200.

Commissioner Dan Springborg was absent but sent a letter of approval for Harig’s plan.

In other county board news:

-No board members seconded a motion by Commissioner Dan Belshan to require Gabrielsen to get the county board’s permission to seek counsel from private law firms.

Belshan said he didn’t see why it was

necessary to seek independent counsel when County Attorney Craig Nelson is available.

The subject came up when Gabrielsen explained conclusions a private law firm had provided on board procedures. Gabrielsen said the board is not required to tape meetings, although members of the public and board can do so if they wish. Also, a commissioner cannot make a valid motion while another commissioner has the floor. And commissioners can rescind previous orders and actions.

Gabrielsen said the clarifications were necessary &uot;to stop some of the nonsense that goes on at county board meetings,&uot; referring recent arguments surrounding board procedures. He said Nelson isn’t always available to answer questions, and that his expertise lies in prosecution, not governmental procedures.

Belshan responded that what may seem like nonsense is just appropriate questioning, and argued that Gabrielsen shouldn’t have the power to spend thousands of dollars on services that Nelson can provide, although later he agreed Gabrielsen has to consult private law firms occasionally.

Belshan’s motion to require Gabrielsen to provide the board with copies of bills from private law firms also never came to a vote. Belshan said that he would find the information himself and report it to the county board.

Gabrielsen later defended his use of private law firms, saying he’s never lost a lawsuit and the reason is that he consults lawyers when necessary.

-The board passed a resolution to stop printing the full minutes of board meetings in the Albert Lea Tribune, in favor of printing a much shorter version. Full minutes will be available at the courthouse and on the county Web site.

Belshan asked that a statement expressing his disagreement with the resolution be added to the minutes. &uot;Saving money by summarizing minutes may be legal, but it’s not ethical. It’s shutting out the public under the guise of saving money,&uot; Belshan read from a written statement.

Commissioner Mark Behrends then asked that his disagreement with that statement be recorded in the minutes. He said the public was not being shut out, because the minutes would be available elsewhere.

-The board approved a measure to allow the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to place a screen on the Geneva Lake dam to control the carp population in the lake. They also approved a measure to permit a drawdown to increase vegetation in the lake.

-Roger Bok of Albert Lea, who has been banned from speaking at county board meetings twice in the last few years, was given a certificate of appreciation by Commissioner Dave Mullenbach for his work maintaining park benches in Pickerel Lake Park.