Typically, Auburn officials allow what people say during the regular public comment period to pass without comment.

But once in awhile, what people assert as true during the three minutes they get to make their point near the start of every Auburn City Council meeting really crawls under somebody’s skin.

As Auburn resident Keith Anderson found out at a recent council meeting, questioning the expenses the City of Auburn incurs hosting the annual Veterans Day Parade.

“I don’t know how much the veterans parade costs the City, but I’m guessing it’s about $200,000 to $300,000,” Anderson began.

Given that, Anderson continued, why don’t the largest companies that profit from war pick up some of the City’s costs?

That was enough for Mayor Nancy Backus.

“Mr. Anderson,” Backus said, “I try not to respond to some of these things because I don’t want to engage in an argument. But I need to correct some of your facts. It does not cost the City $200,000 to $300,000 to put on that parade. It’s probably $10,000 at the most, and $6,500 of that comes from the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.”

Basically, the mayor added, City costs are limited to paying the wages of those employees who choose to work that day, and not necessarily in overtime.

“We are more than a parade. We are trying to salute our veterans. We work every day to honor our veterans,” Backus said. “We have veterans in Human Services, we have three people working Veterans Services. And I will not allow anyone to say we are just a parade. We are so much more with that.

“And if you’d like to come in and talk with us, make an appointment, and I will be happy to talk with you,” Backus said.