MASON CITY – Today at a budget hearing at City Hall, Human Rights Commissioner Brian McNamara was “chewed out” by City Finance Director Kevin Jacobson for sending an email that questioned Jacobson’s professionalism and attention to detail in doing his job.
According to multiple sources in attendance, Jacobson “chewed (McNamara) up and down about that nasty email he sent out demanding that Kevin get to the table and explain the budget stuff to the commission. (It was) a good one.”
Jacobson questioned whether McNamara should remain on the Commission if he is allowed to be rude to city staff.
According to sources, McNamara “just sat there with his mouth open in amazement professing that he did not intend to insult” and said “that’s not what I meant.” McNamara also told Jacobson that Jacobson took McNamara’s email “out of context.”
McNamara, along with Commissioner Steve Palmer (both appointed to the Human Rights Commission by Mayor Eric Bookmeyer) has been accused of “slowing down the work of the commission” and has led the way in questioning expenditures and duties of the agency. The agency is in transition at this time as funding has been drastically cut.
Sources have also brought to NIT’s attention that McNamara has lead a campaign behind the scenes to halt communication between the Human Rights Department / Commission and NorthIowaToday.com; some have called this a “gag order.” McNamara refused to comment when questioned by NIT Publisher Matt Marquardt about this gag order initiative. Sources indicated that at least one other commissioner supported McNamara’s gag order and it was discussed over a lunch at Lorado’s. Information continues to flow freely to NIT despite these efforts.
This s_ _ _! has to stop. The Mayor’s puppets are out of control and they get away with it. Why can’t the majority trump the minority in this community???? It does not make sense to me. The only legitimate way is to vote the bastards out of office and then get rid of their appointees, just like Bookmeyer did to the most qualified Commissioner, Kathye Gaines. I am so sick and tired of this bloviating ignoramous of a mayor of ours. I think it would be wonderful if his wife found another town in which to practice medicine and get out of here for the good of the community. As far as Kevin J, if he is so bad, why does he get all the top accounting awards the state has to offer every year???? Just more power plays. And why doesn’t McNamara move to where his boyfriend lives and get outta dodge and let qualified people take over his spot on the commission??? Palmer is an absolute idiot. No qualifications to be on the commission. You just have to be a lackey and go to Trinity Lutheran Church to get positions with Bookmeyer. He will pick the weak. Those who have the need to have their egos boosted, since they are nothing in their own right. Just like Bookmeyer, if he did not have a wife that is a doctor, he would be out at McD’s saying ” Would u like fries with that”? But, he is not qualified to do that since you are supposed to smile and not sneer. He is a bully and it is time that he, his best friend Janet Solberg, Tornquist, and Hickey move on. Too bad the election is not until November!!!
You guys should love this. Jacobson is not a Bookmeyer appointee but McNamara is. This is the finance director standing up to Bookmeyer. LVS what was your interpretation of this confrontation?
@Reggie-I don’t know if Kevin misunderstood the e-mail or not but he was upset enough to make it public. I would expect a man in his profession to be professional enough to discuss something of this nature in private. Either that or he thinks he is so secure in his position he can say any thing he wants at any time.
I’m a city employee. I can tell you first hand that Kevin is very rude, the pot calling the kettle black.
Oh Kevin, you obviously don’t look in the mirror much, as you are possibly the rudest person in city hall. Besides, when is it the finance directors job to chew somebody out….
So Kevin didn’t like the tone of an email and he did the chewing. Does anyone actually know what the email said?
This should surprise no one. The corruption and game playing runs deep in our city government. Reggie thinks this is negative but I think it is a valid concern.
Anybody want to guess why John Skipper went straight to the Mayors office shut the door and didn’t come out for quit awhile after the meeting? You will never know what goes on behind close doors but I can tell you it ain’t good!!!!