Donald “Lee” Gabel is in the third year of his second term as a county commissioner. As commissioner, Lee has focused on justice and public safety. He continues to lead the effort to cost-effectively fix the problems of undersized and aging jail and court facilities. Lee is also working with other county and community officials to address the problem of mental illness in our jail and to maximize appropriate alternatives to jail. Lee has spearheaded an effort over several legislative sessions to make counties less dependent on property tax to fund infrastructure projects.

Before being elected, he retired from the U.S. Army at the rank of colonel after over 27 years of military service. In addition to county duties, he also works as a consultant for the U.S. Army and as an institutional researcher at Lake Area Technical College.

He and his wife, Anne, also stay involved with Christian non-profit work. Gabel holds a BA degree, two master’s degrees, and the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. His marriage in 1985 to Anne established a permanent tie to Codington County. After retiring from the Army, he and his family settled in Watertown in 2012. Lee and Anne, have five children.