Guggisberg tearful at send-off
By KURT NESBITT, Journal Staff WriterArticle Photos
NEW ULM - Tuesday in the county board chambers happened very much like most of the county board's regular meetings.
Requests were made, budgets were discussed, questions were asked and votes were taken practically all day long until five minutes to noon, when County Board VIce Chair Richard Seeboth calmly announced to the county department heads sitting in the audience that he wanted to take the last few minutes of the meeting to recognize Commissioner Charles Guggisberg and his receipt of the Association of Minnesota Counties' Outstanding Service Award.
"Twenty years is a long time behind the plow," said Seeboth, just before he asked his colleague to stand and be recognized.
Guggisberg stood to a room full of applause and picked up the black plaque and held it up in front of himself so some of the people in attendance could take pictures.
The District 3 commissioner said he was "very humbled" by the recognition and also "very grateful to all of you for making this happen."
"This is a hard day for me but I think it's time to let someone else get their opinions heard," he said, holding back some tears.
The county held a reception for the out-going county commissioner Tuesday afternoon in the county commissioner's room. Many people from Guggisberg's life and career came, shaking his hand as he sat on a old stool besides the county board table, wishing him well and sharing a joke or a story over cake, coffee or punch. Former Brown County officials mingled with commissioners from neighboring counties and with present-day county employees at the reception.
The annual county board group photo from Guggisberg's first term in 1988 stood on the end of the table along with his AMC plaque and a gag 'campaign poster' one of his children made eight years ago.
Another reception for Guggisberg is planned for 5 p.m. on Jan. 2. at the Kegel Klub.
The Association of Minnesota Counties awarded Guggisberg for his work in developing the county law enforcement center and county jail and his work with conservation groups like the Minnesota River Board and the Area II Minnesota River Basin Projects Board of Directors.
The association also recognized his work with Mankato Rehabilitation Center Inc., the Highway 14 Partnership, Minnesota Valley Action Council and the Brown County Ag Society, among others, as well as his relief work in the aftermath of the 1998 Comfrey tornado and the United Way Day of Caring.
He belonged to the Brown County Economic Development Partnership Board of Directors, the Joint Law Enforcement Center Management Committee, the Brown County Evaluation Center, the Brown Nicollet Cottonwood Water Quality Joint Powers Board, Minnesota River Valley Juvenile Detention Facility joint powers board.
Outside of politics and community service, Guggisberg coached softball and baseball for Essig, worked with the Milford 4-H Club and has played Santa Claus for the neighbor's children, nieces, nephews and friends for over 30 years.
He was elected to the Brown County board in 1988 after 12 years as a Milford Township supervisor.
Guggisberg announced late this summer he would not seek a sixth term as a county commissioner. He cited a desire to spend more time with his family as his reason for leaving office.
His successor, New Ulm school teacher Deborah Dove, will be sworn in Jan. 8 with the other elected and appointed officials of Brown County.
