Lobby Confrontation Highlights Political Tension In Hugo
Argument between Staff Member And Residents Documented by Deputy
HUGO - An altercation outside council chambers during the Nov. 5 City Council meeting resulted in a sheriff 's report and some harder feelings between a member of city staff and a group of people who are frequent and outspoken critics of Hugo's current council and city staff.
During the meeting, City Administrator Mike Ericson stepped out of council chambers and into the lobby of City Hall.
Minutes later, while the council meeting was still taking place, an argument between Ericson and the group could be overheard from inside the chambers.
As onlookers from inside the chambers began to shift their attention to the loud voices, Ericson slammed the door leading to the lobby.
The group of residents with whom Ericson had words - which according to the sheriff's deputy who was present in the lobby, included residents Jess Roush and Clyde Wagner, former planning commission member Victoria Hoffbeck and her husband, Doug Hoffbeck, and former mayor Mike McAllister - are all affiliated with We the People, a grassroots organization that is critical of the direction in which the current council and staff are leading Hugo.
According to the sheriff's report, when Ericson left the council chambers on Nov. 5 and saw the We The People group gathered in the lobby, he accused them of petitioning during the council meeting, which he said was an "inappropriate activity in City Hall."
"He also said it was intimidating to the citizens being asked to sign, and people were afraid to come to the meeting or walk through the lobby while McAllister and others were present," the report says.
The deputy then advised Ericson to return to the council meeting.
After Ericson left the lobby, McAllister told the deputy that he wanted to report the incident. The deputy told him that the incident didn't meet the criteria for harassment, but that the incident would be documented.
Roush then sent the city a letter asking to publicly testify during the Nov. 15 council meeting about the incident.
According to City Attorney Dave Snyder, the incident is classified as a "personnel matter," and under current state data practices could have been dealt with privately rather than publicly, but he said that Ericson insisted that Roush have the opportunity to speak on the matter.
Roush, who identified himself at that meeting as "a resident of this community and a representative of We the People," requested three things: a public apology from Ericson, which he received; "an assurance from the elected officials of this community that such false and groundless practices and accusations will not in the future be thrust upon other Hugo citizens," which was forthcoming from Mayor Fran Miron; and support by the council of the group's petition, which in and of itself would trigger an automatic state audit.
"Indeed," Roush said in his presentation, "there may well have been intimidating and inappropriate behavior in the lobby . but it was not mine, nor that of We the People."
The mayor said that he had received no indication that council members had changed their views on the audit issue.
Despite another council refusal to order an audit and the apparent ongoing tension between We The People and city council and staff members, Miron said that the city will continue to try and work with the opposition group.
"The public needs to participate in the process, and we need to be respectful of that . you have my assurance that we will work with you," Miron said.
We The People has been collecting signatures on a petition for a state audit of the city's finances. According to Washington County officials, the group needs to collect approximately 1,100 signatures to invoke a mandatory state audit under state statute.
For their part, council and staff have maintained that the city's finances are in good order, and that We The People has failed to articulate specific reasons why a state audit is necessary.
Council members have stated that asking for one would result in an unjustifiable hit to the city's coffers: statute requires that the city pay for the county's cost of certifying the signatures and all ensuing costs at the state level, which are not able to be estimated at this time.