By Kari Lucin, staff writer

Two commissioners spent about two minutes bickering during Tuesday’s Freeborn County Board Meeting.

The brief argument over freedom of speech, parliamentary procedure and the taxes allegedly owed by County Administrator Ron Gabrielsen spurred rumors in the community that Gabrielsen had uttered expletives during the meeting.

In fact, Gabrielsen cursed prolifically after the meeting during an interview with KATE radio, but did not speak at all during Commissioner Dan Belshan’s attempt to bring the subject of Gabrielsen’s taxes up to the county board.

Instead, Belshan and Chairman Mark Behrends vied for control during the commissioner items portion of the meeting, when commissioners usually bring forth topics of county concern.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue’s Web site, Gabrielsen owes $52,085 in back taxes to the state of Wisconsin.

Gabrielsen says the amount of taxes he owes is still in litigation, after his mother’s death and his own divorce complicated his tax bill.

The following is a partial transcript of the exchange between Belshan and Behrends during Tuesday’s Freeborn County Board meeting. The transcript is deciphered from audio tape. There were many interruptions and instances in which the two men tried to speak over each other.

Behrends: Anything else, Mr. Belshan?

Belshan: The one other item that was brought up earlier, that (pause) let’s see here, excuse me. I

would wonder, wondered if Mr. Gabrielsen would like to dispute any of the information that was

brought up during the &045;

Behrends: That has nothing to do with anything here.

Belshan:

This is a question, under commissioner’s items.

Behrends: This is, uh, if you want to ask him personally, but now is not the time.

Belshan: Well, if it is public &045;

Behrends: Do we have anything of county concern? That’s what we’re talking about here.

Belshan:

Mr. Chair?

Behrends: No, I will not let you go down that road.

Belshan: May I have the floor? Mr. Chair?

Behrends: So pick another subject if you would like.

Belshan: This is of public nature, it is on the Internet, and if we, if there’s a mistake there, it does, does it really &045;

Behrends: No, this has nothing to do with anything here. So do you have a different subject you would like to uh, beat to death again? So?

Belshan: I, I don’t believe I’m beating anything to death.

Behrends: Anything else, Mr. Belshan, this morning?

Belshan: Yes, I have the right to speak as county commissioner, could I have the floor? And it’s under commissioner items, and I may &045;

Behrends: Not on something &045;

Belshan: There’s a freedom of speech in America.

Behrends: Not on something personal, no.

Belshan: This isn’t personal, this is public information.

Behrends: I will not let you go down that road, so &045;

Belshan: I don’t believe you have the right to stop me from speaking.

Behrends: Well, then, I’m doing it, if you don’t like it, I’m sorry, but we’ll (garbled).

Belshan: Well I’m going to ask a question, and, and if there’s silence, that’s fine. The question is &045;

Behrends: No.

Belshan: Would Mr. Gabrielsen Š

Behrends: We are not going down that road.

Belshan: Š like to comment on the information on the Wisconsin Department of Revenue’s Web site that says he owes over fifty thousand in taxes. That’s the question.

Behrends: Mr. Belshan, this is ridiculous.

Behrends pounds the gavel twice.

Belshan: If he doesn’t want to dispute that, that’s fine.

Behrends: Mr. Belshan.

Belshan: It’s one question, and if there’s &045;

Behrends: And it’s over. OK, what else do you have?

Belshan: That’s it.

Behrends: OK, great job.

Belshan: I’m sorry that it upsets you so much.

Behrends: You’re always keeping things very relevant around here.

Belshan: Mr. Chair, but (garbled) to the county’s position when we have staff, if there’s public things that are tarnishing the county’s image I think it’s, it should be…

Behrends: This is ridiculous. OK, we’re moving on.

Belshan: I respectfully disagree with you.

Behrends: As always, the crap you bring up is ridiculous.

Belshan: I respectfully disagree with you, Mr. Chair.

Behrends: Mister &045;

Belshan: That’s all I have.

Behrends: Commissioner Mullenbach, please.

The meeting turned to a new topic as Commissioner Dave Mullenbach began to speak.