 It was a busy work session for the Bemidji City Council tonight as former Bemidji Mayor Richard Layman was sworn in to represent Ward 4. Layman fills the seat that was left vacated earlier this year by Patrick Plemmel. The former mayor was selected through an interview process that the council held last week. Layman says that he is ready to get to work and is looking forward to helping improve the Samford Events Center by making it function the way it was intended to work. We need to make sure that it's affordable, that we fill the place and that it's what people want and so that's those are some of the things that they need to focus on and I'm hoping to be a voice in the decision to make that happen. An appointment was made because there was less than a year left in the Ward 4 term. Layman says he has not decided whether or not he will run for the seat again in this fall's election. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.