From Deseret News archives:
Workman, visitors like 'open-door' session
Residents ignore 'guzzle-gate,' focus on own concerns
That's judging from the people who turned out to meet with County Mayor Nancy Workman in her first "open-door" session Tuesday afternoon.
Each of the 10 or so people who responded to Workman's open invitation to come to her office and talk to her about whatever they want had concerns apart from what has been hogging the headlines of late.
"That's the world today," said one woman, who asked not to be identified.
She wanted to talk to Workman about people in her neighborhood leaving their garage doors open.
"Every county government, every city government has something. . . . Other than (the county's "guzzle-gate" scandal and investigation into Workman's hiring of two employees), I think she's doing a marvelous job."
Others talked to Workman about sound walls, about problems with the state Department of Motor Vehicles, nonprofit organizations employing disabled people, keeping kids off drugs, and the sewer system.
"It's not about me, or what's around me, the mayor," Workman said after the last resident filed out. "People want to talk about what's affecting them. 'To heck with your car — what about me?' "
Workman was pleased with the experiment, which she plans to continue monthly.
"I thought it was great," she said. "People call into the office all the time, they want an appointment, oh my gosh, that's hard. . . . We weren't (overwhelmed with respondents) and they went away happy."
Frequent County Council visitor Bob Fisher was one of those. He wanted Workman to do something about the county health department giving him grief about a wading pool in his front yard.
"This is the first time I've been in her office in the four years she's been here," Fisher said. "I've tried 1,000 times" to get an appointment.
Like many local government officials, Workman interacts with residents fairly regularly through community council meet-and-greets and the like, but she said it's nice to get her ear to the ground and hear from residents themselves, in her office — even though it occasions some work for her staff. Most people come in with a request that Workman's people have to follow up on.
Peter Corroon, Workman's opponent in the mayoral election, said he favors an open-door policy.
"The citizens know what's best," he said. "I tried to see the mayor when she was county recorder and was unsuccessful, so this is a good step. Too bad it took three-and-a-half years or maybe seven-and-a-half years to do. . . . My philosophy is it is a good thing."
E-mail: aedwards@desnews.com
