April 6, 2023 |
Photo – Rawlins City Hall – Bigfoot99 file photo
Rawlins City Council, this week, weighed the benefits of hosting regular town hall meetings with the public. During a workshop, prior to Tuesday’s regular council meeting, the governing body discussed the need for town hall-style meetings. Mayor Terry Weickum said he’d heard requests for council to meet with town employees to talk to the public. Mayor Weickum asked if council members were open to the idea.
Mayor Weickum said public meetings were held regarding the dog park and the skateboard park, but an actual town hall meeting was only held to address the water crisis. He said the meeting was well received by residents.
Councilman Chris Weisenburg asked who would host the meetings. The councilman said he wasn’t clear if the town hall meetings would be for the council members or city employees. Weisenburg said the council already has two meetings a month. Mayor Weickum said the meetings should be for people knowledgeable about a subject to answer questions from the public.
Mayor Weickum said the subject matter will decide who should attend the meeting. Councilman Bruce Seilaff was concerned that having council members present would create a quorum. The mayor said the council would never take official action during a town hall meeting.
Councilwoman Jacquelin Wells suggested they wait until a new city manager is hired. She said the city manager should be the one to schedule a town hall meeting and set an agenda. Mayor Weickum said they need to ensure the most knowledgeable people attend.
Mayor Weickum asked the council if they agreed the city manager should be responsible for handling the meetings. Vice Mayor Steve Sanger said having the council members present at a meeting could create a problem with future voting. Mayor Weickum said they just wouldn’t make any official decisions during a town hall meeting.
The council members discussed different ways to ensure a quorum wasn’t had. The idea of rotating who attended the meetings, so that no more than two or three council members were present, was mentioned. Mayor Weickum said the subject matter will dictate who should attend.
Councilwoman Tonya Lewman suggested a spring town hall to address the city’s water situation. Councilman Weisenburg agreed, saying the matter shouldn’t wait until a new city manager to be hired.
Mayor Weickum said Interim City Manager Tom Sarvey will have an update about the city’s water in the next few weeks. With the information in hand, Mayor Weickum said he would be open to scheduling a public meeting.
Councilman Weisenburg suggested a town hall meeting about snow removal. He said it would help the community understand how the city handles plowing and snow storage.
Councilwoman Lewman agreed that more town hall meetings would be a good thing. Councilman Weisenburg reiterated the need to have someone knowledgeable about the subject being discussed run the meeting.
Mayor Weickum said the city handles public relations better now than in the past. He said a town hall meeting will allow people to learn about a subject and consider how it affects them.
The city council agreed that having town hall meetings specifically for the council members was unnecessary. Two meetings a month are scheduled where the public can hear information and address the council. Mayor Weickum said his cell phone number is readily available for people to call him with their concerns. The town hall meetings should focus on professionals presenting information to the public.
