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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- At Tuesday’s town hall meeting in Ottumwa, President Obama selected Ottumwa City Administrator Joe Helfenberger to ask a question.

Helfenberger asked the president for help, help concerning the 17 year, $160 million sewer separation project.

Helfenberger said the city has spent $30 million over the past five years and is having a tough time funding the project.

Helfenberger said Mayor Dale Uehling was sitting near Secretary of Agricultural, Tom Vilsack, and they talked some at the meeting.

“We’re optimistic that we can work with Agricultural Secretary Vilsack to make some inroads here and see about getting some assistance,” Helfenberger said.

Helfenberger said the issue represents something much greater than a small town struggling to fund a project.

“As far as grant money, as far as additional time, as far as clarification and streamlining to getting answers on meeting rules, I think the process really needs to be looked at and this is basically a national issue.”

Helfenberger said decisions and priorities need to be made regarding government spending.

“One of the highest choices should be clean water. We need to put the federal dollars towards these community wide projects that are just an extreme burden on individual communities to meet all the standards alone.”

President Obama did offer some hope in his response at the rally.

“I will make a commitment to you to have my team investigate exactly what it is that needs to be cleaned up and is there someway that we can put this on a better funding track,” Obama said.

Helfenberger said he almost missed the opportunity to go.  He said some problems came with work that held him back and he tried to give away his ticket.  He finished his work and since he still had the ticket he headed up to Indian Hills and arrived just before the event began.