By Aaron Vehling

Allegations ran high at the Chisago County Board meeting Wednesday night, Dec. 1.

During the public forum portion of the meeting Tony Peterfeso of Lindstrom accused Commissioner Bob Gustafson of using the Parksí acquisition and capital improvement fund to spend $979.87 on softballs and baseballs for the Chisago County Recreation Association.

Peterfeso had on his person an invoice for the purchase of the sports equipment.

Gustafson attributed the attack to ìpolitical gerrymandering.î

Laird Mork, county parks director, said in a phone interview following the meeting that when Gustafson sends him invoices he signs them and passes them on to the county auditor to be taken out of the appropriate fund.
He said that the balls were paid for from the parks and acquisition fund, and that the error was made in the county auditorís office.

Dennis Freed, county auditor, said in a phone interview that the error was an ìhonest mistake.î

ìBob (Gustafson) had nothing to do with it,î he said. ìIt (the invoice) should have been charged against the regular park fund, but instead it was charged against the acquisition fund. We are trying to fix it.î

Freed said that there was nothing done to intentionally try to do something illegal.

Adding to the discussion Wednesday night was Commissioner Lora Walker, who expressed concern about a possible conflict of of interest on Gustafsonís part.
She said that his role as both a county commissioner and director of the recreation association could give Gustafson a prestige status and a campaign advantage.

ìI urge you to consider the conflict of interest,î she said.

Gustafson argued that there is no political benefit to being a director because of letters to the editor and negative articles written about him in local papers regarding the issue.

Commissioner Rick Olseen said that while there is no question that Gustafson has done a lot for the recreation program, it is still appropriate to submit a report of costs to the county board.

ìI am concerned about a commissioner signing for sports equipment,î he said, referring to Gustafsonís signature on the invoice for the softballs and baseballs.

Olseen asked Gustafson if there is some way that he could pay for equipment in a way that was ìless dirty.î

ìItís a lot cleaner for me to take the bill,î Gustafson said. ìAll I did was sign that I got it (the equipment). It looks like a conflict of interest if the county writes me a check.î

Commissioner Ben Montzka replied to Gustafson by declaring that without formalities the county will become the latest example of a ìbanana republic.î

ìWe donít appreciate this way of spending our money,î he said.

Montzka offered a motion that the computer printout summary of bills to be paid be placed on each commissionerís desk, press table and public table prior to each meeting. The motion was not seconded when it was determined that such an issue could be handled administratively. Montzka then offered a motion to state that Gustafson is not the official recreation coordinator of Chisago County. Walker added an amendment that Gustafson add a disclaimer to future correspondence. The motion failed 2-2, with Gustafson abstaining. Montzka offered up another motion, this one to require the county auditor to select someone to audit including, but not limited to, the park budget and the park land acquisition fund. The board voted 3-1 in favor of the motion with Gustafson abstaining. Montzka also had an issue with Gustafson storing sports equipment on county property. He offered a motion to have Gustafson remove all property not related to his duties as county commissioner. The motion failed 2-2 with Gustafson abstaining.

In other business:
ï The board voted unanimously to reappoint John E. Keefe to a four-year term as county assessor.

ï The Board voted unanimously to return the Chisago County Ag Preserve District Ordinance to the Planning Commission with the request to schedule a public hearing to consider whether the acreage be lowered from 1,000 to a lesser number and to include a review of the benefits, enrollment, eligibility and the recommendation of the Department of Agriculture.

ï The board discussed turning back portions of two county roads back to Nessel Township. One is CR 52 from CR 3 to 540th Avenue and the other is CR 51 from CR 2 to 540th Avenue. In return, the county will take over as a highway road, Evergreen Avenue from CR 7 to CR 1.

A public meeting for the reversion of the two portions of county roads back to Nessel Township will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 11 at the Nessel Town Hall, provided the town board can accomdate such a meeting.

ï The board unanimously approved a gambling license for the Chisago-Isanti Hockey Association.

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