WILLMAR - The purpose of the Willmar City Council’s open forum came into sharp focus when local resident Bob Skor attempted to have city staff answer his question regarding rehab work underway at the City Auditorium.
Skor has been attending council meetings and has been asking questions of staff about the Auditorium and other topics during the open forum.
During Tuesday night’s council meeting, Skor expressed concern that the roof is leaking from recent rain storm into the building and he asked City Clerk-Treasurer Kevin Halliday if the city is seeking repair bids.
Halliday is in charge of obtaining bids and overseeing the lead abatement process underway at the Auditorium. At past council meetings, Mayor Frank Yanish has allowed Halliday and other staff to respond directly to Skor.
This time was a little different, however.
Mayor Pro Tempore Denis Anderson, presiding in the absence of Yanish, said the best way to handle Skor’s question was to have city staff respond to Skor on the specifics of his question.
Skor interrupted Anderson.
“Excuse me. But you know, I hear that answer so much,’’ Skor said. “Kevin, can you give me a quick answer on that?’’
“This is not a debate,’’ Anderson said.
Skor tried to speak and Anderson stopped him.
“Now just a minute,’’ Anderson said. “The purpose of the open forum is for people to come and give us their opinions. It isn’t really a questioning thing. If you have a question, we are more than happy to get the answers back to you.’’
“You mean to tell me you don’t have this answer?’’ Skor asked.
“No, I do not,’’ said Anderson.
“Well, I’m not asking you,’’ Skor said. “Can I get an answer?’’
Halliday said he was following the direction of the mayor pro tempore.
“OK. All right,’’ said Skor.
Skor also asked that signs be placed at intersections that flood during heavy rainfall and he requested information on the amount of rain water that enters the sanitary sewer through the manhole covers.
City Public Works Director Sean Christensen said he would get the information for Skor.
At Anderson’s request, Christensen updated the council on the storm sewer system and he said it worked as designed during the last storm by holding water in detention basins.
He said the system was at full capacity and downstream below the city was at full capacity, so water can’t get out of town any faster than it currently does. Christensen said the same flooded intersections were dry two to three hours later.
“It does drain. It drains slowly but for the most part the system does exactly what it’s designed to do,’’ he said.
