Tim Gabrielson takes over Mower County First District Commissioner duties from Richard P. Cummings today.

He will be sworn-in along with other elected officials, when the county board convenes for its first meeting of the new year.

“I feel like I have been on the county board for the last year and a half,” he said of the long campaign and post-election period he has tackled.

The incumbent First District county commissioner, Cummings, did not seek re-election last November, ending a 32-year, eight-term skein of public service.

Gabrielson first survived a September 2008 primary election and then defeated Dan Vermilyea in the November general election to win a four-year term, representing the First District.

The district includes the towns of Brownsdale, Mapleview and Waltham and the townships of Lansing, Red Rock, Udolpho and Waltham as well as the First Precinct of the First Ward in the city of Austin.

Gabrielson’s familiarity with county government after a lengthy campaign had him “thinking” like a commissioner.

“Because I had been at basically every meeting and know what’s going on and have talked to a lot of people,” he said. “It feels like a natural fit to me.”

Gabrielson is a graduate of Austin High School and a U.S. Army veteran. He and his wife, Diane, have two children: a daughter, Melissa, and a son, Jason. Gabrielson has been a Farmers Insurance agent for 25 years. The Gabrielson family attends First United Methodist Church of Austin and has lived in Red Rock Township for eight years.

Since he announced his candidacy for a county commissioner post, Gabrielson has attended every regular meting of the county board.

The real test for Gabrielson comes after the first-of-the-year organizational meeting, when the commissioners get “down to business.”

There’s a lot of business, requiring the attention of the elected officials in 2009.

The new jail and justice center project requires constant attention as the commissioners move closer to taking bids on construction of the new facilities.

The county will also take bids on abatement of asbestos in the Robbins Furniture and Design Gallery buildings and their demolishment later this month.

Then, the commissioners can focus their attention on creating a geothermal well field in the Robbins block for the new jail and justice center facilities across Second Avenue Northeast.

Local government officials have been critical that the state of Minnesota is attempting to balance its budget on “the backs of local government.”

Unfunded mandates and cost shifts continue to frustrate local government.

At year’s end, Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced $271.4 million in state spending cuts, including $44-million in local aids and credits to counties, plus $73 million in human services funding.

“My first challenge will be to get acclimated to being a county commissioner,” he said. “Then, the jail and justice center will be the biggest issue we tackle. We need to get this project wrapped up.”

Gabrielson said he has visited at-length with KKE Architects Inc. and Knutson Construction Services about the bids for the project.

“It’s a waiting game right now for everyone,” he said. “We all are anxious to see what the bids are when they come in this spring.”

Gabrielson said the looming state budget crisis will inflict pain on county spending plans, but added the county is running out of places to cut spending.

“The county has been doing that already,” he said. “Now, all that’s let is to look at areas where we can cut services.”

Gabrielson said he is “excited” about making his debut in elective office politics as a county commissioner.

“I am really excited about it,” he said. “I think I have prepared myself well for the job.”