On Tuesday, Bluestem took A look at the floor debate: non-profit refugee resettlement program audit amendment fails. One of the things we noted was that amendment author Representative Steve Drazkowski stated the week before that Kandiyohi County was among local government interested in the audit.
We found no evidence that the county board supported this notion--which the Republican controlled Minnesota House rejected in a 94-36 roll call vote. We speculated that Draz was thinking of Bob Enos, whom Willmar voters declined to elect to anything.
Unbeknownst to us, the Kandiyohi County Board had addressed a request from Bob Enos earlier that morning. In the West Central Tribune, Anna Polta reports in Willmar man won’t get County Board forum for refugee concerns:
A Willmar man won’t get the platform he sought to talk to the Kandiyohi County Board about refugee resettlement outcomes.
But Board Chairman Roger Imdieke said Robert Enos could submit a documented proposal for discussion, and he urged citizens to talk to their county commissioner if they had concerns about local issues.
At their meeting Tuesday, the County Commissioners took the rare step of responding publicly to Enos with a three-page prepared statement read at the end of the meeting by Board Chairman Roger Imdieke.
The statement said it wasn’t the county’s responsibility “to provide a public stage to those who have an ax to grind with the state of Minnesota and/or the federal government. To do so would result in chaos.”
Citizens who have concerns about issues that fall under county government jurisdiction may bring them forward in a proposal for the County Board to consider, the statement said.
Polta notes later in the article that a board member had asked "Enos to provide a copy of the refugee resettlement report but Enos did not do so."
It does not appear to be Enos' message that is generated the response, rather Enos' demand that he be given a special place on the board's agenda that would not be accorded to any other Kandiyohi County citizens, who are all asked to supply documented proposals for board consideration.
While we favor public comment periods for boards and councils, Enos isn't being singled out here. He's not that special.
Enos has a tendency to attempt to control the frame and flow of information. Enos referred the paper to interviews he had held on St. Cloud radio stations; one can listen to the April 15 podcasts (here and here) of one show, Ox in the Afternoon. It's pretty much Enos' standard schtick. He discusses a report but doesn't provide a URL for its location.
Polta continues:
“That will give the Board of Commissioners an opportunity to read and discuss the proposed resolution. Then, if needed, we have the opportunity to invite citizens and experts to our board meeting to present reasoned and balanced positions on the merits of the proposal,” Imdieke said in the board’s statement.
Enos had contacted the County Board last month, asking to be placed on the agenda to share what he described as new information from St. Paul and Washington, D.C., about refugee resettlement outcomes in Minnesota.
It wasn’t the first time Enos has raised refugee resettlement issues with the board. In July 2015 he came unannounced to a board meeting and delivered a 13-minute speech, warning the commissioners about the cost of refugee resettlement in Kandiyohi County and urging the county to conduct an audit to determine its financial exposure.
A video excerpt of his appearance before the board showed up the next day on YouTube, purportedly posted by the Center for Security Policy, a think tank that according to its website is focused on identifying “challenges and opportunities likely to affect American security.” The organization is listed as an extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Enos also has spoken in St. Cloud about refugee resettlement and reportedly has ties with Ron Branstner, a St. Cloud businessman [he's a car salesman, the Star Tribune reported] and anti-immigration activist. . . .
Enos discusses his warm friendship with Brantsner at the beginning of the April 15 Ox In the Afternoon podcast segment 1.
The article closes with statistics about refugee health screenings by Kandiyohi County Public Health, conducted for the Minnesota Refugee Health program which show a steady rise in refugee health visits over the past five years.
Despite the efforts on Enos and Branstner to stir the pot, Willmar remains a relatively inclusive community. MPR reported in 2102 that Willmar showing the way to a more diverse Minnesota. In December 2015, the Tribune reported Muslims in Willmar say life here has remained peaceful, free of harassment; most of Willmar's Muslims are Somali people.
An an attempt on social media to fearmonger about the city's Somali residents drew the rebuke from the editorial board of the paper, Our fair city of Willmar is doing just fine, thank you. The editorial drew a fond letter from Governor Mark Dayton, Kudos on defending Willmar immigrants.
Life isn't perfect in West Central Minnesota for refugees, but many people have worked to make the town more inclusive--from Willmar High School superstar and student group organizer Muna Abdulahi to work by Willmar Area League of Women Voters President Jessica Rohloff--for years.
What's up with a guy who devotes so much time and effort to curry angry instead?
Photo: From September 2014: Bashir Yusuf speaks to participants in the Walk the Corridor tour Tuesday at his restaurant, Somali Star. Event participants visited ethnically-owned businesses in downtown Willmar. (Tribune photo by Gary Miller). via Walk the Corridor, West Central Tribune. In his interview with the Ox, Enos dismissed refugee-owned businesses for only serving "their own." Bluestem will wait for him to denounce women-owned women's clothing stores, midwife services and the like, since lady dollars for lady goods and services must be equally tainted (sarcasm).
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