MASON CITY – The top two city officials have left town this week as what some are calling the biggest day in the city’s history – the 42nd annual RAGBRAI – rapidly approaches, and NIT has learned that 80’s rocker Brett Michaels and his entourage will be using the second floor of City Hall as a “staging area”.
City Adminstrator Brent Trout and Finance Director Kevin Jacobson will not be in Mason City this week; those two men are the city’s most-qualified top officials. Now, the duties of running the city have fallen to third-stringer City Engineer Mark Rahm. Citizens are speculating as to why some leaders have opted to vacate the city on such an important event.
Most confoundedly, City Hall will not be closed or shut off in any way Wednesday, officials confirmed Monday. As up to 20,000 bicyclists descend upon Mason City, and perhaps thousands more stragglers join in, downtown Mason City will be engulfed in beer-drinking frenzy starting Wednesday morning and throughout the night as a massive beer garden stretching from the north side of Southbridge Mall all the way to the Fareway grocery store kicks into gear. These thousands of folks – most of them good people – may not always be angelic. There will be food and drink consumed, much of it alcoholic. These thousands of people will need restrooms; port-potties will be lined up outside City Hall, but once word gets out there are nicer bathrooms open inside the building … well, anything could be possible. If elevators and staircases are open, nearly anyone could raid the building, and there is no indication that there will be a police presence inside.
Fifty-one year old rocker and reality TV star Brett Michaels and his array of 80’s hits will be the culmination of the party as he takes the stage Wednesday evening. His tour buses will roll into town Wednesday morning. Once he rolls into town, Michaels and his “entourage” will head into City Hall and use the second floor conference room as a “staging area”. City officials said that Michaels’ handlers have reserved the room from 7:00 AM all the way past 9:00 PM. There will be food catered into the room, and beyond that, no one outside the Michaels crew knows exactly what will be happening in the room. 80’s rockers are known for their ourageous partying, “groupees” and other notorious acts.
The Michaels tour buses have run into problems in the recent past. In 2010, Billboard.com reported that Michaels and his crew were pulled over by an Indiana deputy. Police dogs searched the tour buses and turned up marijuana as well as an unidentified controlled substance and citations were issued.
There is further speculation as to why Michaels needs City Hall in the first place. According to this Youtube video (sorry Scotty Tornquist, Youtube strikes again), Michaels’ two tour buses are known as “Outrageous Homes on Wheels”, complete with leather couches, granite countertops, kitchens, bathrooms, TVs and stereos. The tour buses are said to “remind Michaels of home” and he has “decked them out”. He said “everything has a purpose” on the buses.
Some have wondered why Michaels did not simply rent rooms at the historic Park Inn Hotel, or perhaps the North Iowa Commerce Center, with equal proximity to the stage and Central Park.
One Mason City resident expressed worry over the situation.
“My tax dollars help run city hall. I just hope the place doesn’t get trashed. I don’t want wild groupee sex in there, and I don’t want illegal drugs in there. Who is liable for damages, injuries, should they occur? Bikers in the building, some of them are party animals who won’t respect a place they don’t live in. Sounds like a recipe for a calamity.”
Police Chief Michael Lashbrook confirmed that there has been no request from City Hall for an officer to be in the building. “We’ll be around the area,” he told NIT Monday.
Take the tour bus tour:
httpv://youtu.be/7Rq5c9Pm8LM
I don’t think any of this is a big deal. Concert was great and Ragbrai went very well here BUT I thought it was VERY FUNNY when Mayor Bookmeyer came on stage between the bands for his moment in the spotlight and was BOO’d!!!
Hope Micheals brings in Hall, Big Kev, Tripple H, Xpac and Jarret!
Strange bedfellows. Philly and LVS. New best friends forever.
@Mother-we don’t always disagree. As a matter of fact there is a lot more common ground between us than most people would suspect,.
So true LVS. The similarities are numerous: We both get up early (me earlier)….enjoy a good BM and strong cup of coffee.. and we both love to pack tires with clay, loam and dirt as we promote alternative architecture in north Iowa. Two sides of the same coin.
You don’t have to always agree on everything to get along.
@Philly-yes and there are other differences as well. I worked over 55 years, raised a family, been married 52 years, bought my own home and live in it, pay my bills on time, drive a decent car and do not live off welfare. What did I forget, oh yeah, I don’t live in my mothers basement, and am not digging a mud hut pretending it is a house.
I forgot some, I paid taxes all my life and continue to pay every year.
Congratulations, you’ve always wanted to be average-normal to fit in. You did it. Hurrah. So why do you spend so much time giving people a hard time who want to try different things and follow a different life path than you? Are you just bitter because you never got to live your dreams…or maybe you never had any dreams? I’m really glad for you though LVS, you earned your spot on the recliner watching TV.
My other thought is if society can pay people welfare and it keeps them from having to be around guys like you (LVS) or beholden to them in some assembly line factory making some piece of junk that ends up at dollar tree, then I’d say that it’s a good expenditure of money….rather that then padding the pockets of Haliburton or Blackwater in some doomed foreign adventure overseas.
@Philly-aw Philly. Don’t you understand? It is something to do. Besides, I have been fighting and scrambling all my life to make a living and raise a family so it just comes natural to keep on fighting. It is not personal (at least not most of the time). You have a super, great day in your mud hut.
@Philly-Just for your piece of mind you should know that I had a very full life. I was a very good athlete and competed for a lot of years. I also traveled around the world extensively and worked in many country’s. I know people from everywhere. Of course you can’t live in a basement where you have to ask your momma if you can go to the bathroom. And you do have to know a lot more than how to smart mouth people who are better and smarter than you. That includes most everyone you know.
I don’t knock a person who has to struggle and fight off the forces of hell. But what I don’t get is how you fail to understand that I’m trying to make things better by fighting the forces of corruption. In order to do that, you have to first analyze what’s before you. And I also never knock a person for where they may take shelter. I’ve been in the elements enough to know anywhere warm and dry is not worth knocking…no matter where it may be. I’ve travelled outside US as well.
@LVS…You forgot….you don’t lay around complaining about things and expecting that the world owes you anything either. Plus, I respect that you have a deep and profound sense of patriotism, while also appreciating those that have served their country. Unlike others on this site.
@Buzz-You have it right. I support almost all of our vets, but like everything there are afew who demand respect and just shoot off their mouths. Vets like “maybe” I have a lot of respect for. I also have sever very young friend that were in Iraq and Afganistan and have nevr once thought anyone owed them anything. Then there are some that brag and you just know they are making it up. People like Peter will never understand because they think the world owes them a living without earning it.
Lets all pause for a moment…. hold hands…bow our heads and sing Kum By Ya.
Just because you have dirty blonde hair, some scruff, and blue eyes doesn’t mean you’re Kurt Cobain. 🙂
The hypocritical part is Brett michael’s music and bands are based on the “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll ” paradigm. Undoubtedly people in the past were cruising around the streets boozed up, on cocaine, meth or pills, listening to Poison (Brett’s entry band to fame), and getting chased around by the police…sometimes getting busted and locked up. Now twenty years later, the frontman is occupying city hall with all amenities and luxories provided by city officials.
@Philly-yep, he is a real shining example for our youth isn’t he?
It illustrates how quickly the rule makers set down their rule books when a little bit of limelight comes there way. I’ve always found it oxymoronic to see police conducting security for bands like the Grateful Dead or Pink Floyd…bands with known ties to drug use. It goes to show when it comes to renting stadiums and civic centers money and spectacle overrides purported values.
@Philly-Mostly, Money talks I think. If they think they can make money off it they all turn into whores.
Sorry to disagree with some of you but, 99.9% of the taxpayers in this town are getting nothing from all of this expense except a lot of inconvenience and loss of taxpayer dollars. Only those Chamber of Commerce Elites are making anything off of this. A lot of the businesses downtown will be losing business as they must close down because access to the city center and parking have been blocked off, so a lot of people will lose money on the deal.
NOT is way off base. If city hall was closed they would complain about giving the employees the day off. I doubt there is going to be a orgy in city hall. You guys make me laugh.
Who said anything about giving anyone the day off? Plenty to do elsewhere that could help the city. Sitting inside city hall surrounded by partiers accomplishes zero. It’s a wasted day all the way around with the potential for trouble.
Matt, city hall closes at 4:30. Downtown won’t get busy until 3:00. The band’s won’t start until long after closing. When are they going to be able to party again?
Why is City Hall going to be open?? Do you really think anyone is going to go to City Hall, when they have to park 10 blocks away and walk to it???
Lol! We’ve got trouble! Right here in River City! Take a chill pill for Christ’s sake!
What this sets is a statute that any non-Mason City residents or 1/2 baked reality persons can use our city hall 2nd floor whenever they want. This is not a good idea.
I’m sure they’ll be banging down the door to get into the 2nd floor VIP room at city hall. By the way, why does this extend to any non-Mason City resident?
How many non-elected mason city citizens get the use of the 2nd floor of city hall up to 12 hours free.
You’re the one who said, “any-non Mason City residents” will be able to use the room from now on. I was just asking for why you thought that was the case. Are you planning on attending the event?
Lighten up Matt. Have fun and enjoy the booze cruse. No need to make political hay out of this. Usually you and I are on the same page but not this time. Sorry IMO you are over the top, but its your dime and you can do as you wish. Best wishes.
agreed….I generally agree with Matt, but this just seems like someone “trying” to find a problem that doesnt exist. This event is a community event–why would the city not be a supporter? Clear Lake has events all of the time and bands use their community room for the exact same purposes. I’ve never heard anyone complain about that. Not an issue–shame on you NIT.
Geez, you had to type your comment twice… did I strike a nerve? If city hall was closed, there would be no story, because common sense tells you that very little – most likely none, actually – business will get done Wednesday in that building. No one will come there to pay a water bill. No one will come there to file a human rights complaint (giggle). Eric will not come there to act important and pick his nose in his crappy little corner office. Brent Trout is gone, I think he is taking a continuing ed. class on how to be a bouncer. Really, in all seriousness, the city is playing with fire here. Who pays if a roadie OD’s? I just hope we have paid all our insurance premiums. As for your shame comment, it don’t stick on me, but you are amusing.
Normally I agree with Matt’s articles about city hall, but this one reads like it was written by Rowan and Martin’s church lady. Does everyone in Mason City need to behave like a saint? Matt, have ever had fun just socializing?
Besides, considering that Mr. Michaels is severely diabetic, the level of partying is becomes questionable.
I do not understand the number of downtown businesses closing for Wednesday’s event. I thought this was such a great opportunity for the merchants to…
So now this is a major event in mason city’s history?
And wouldn’t the posters on this site have had a field day if City Hall had closed!
This event is being headed up by a rag rain committee and Mainstreet Mason City, not city hall.
exactly, if city hall were closed for the day==THAT would be the big issue NIT would cover. again, I generally agree with matt but more and more it feels like no matter what anyone does no matter their motives matt takes an opposite stance–thats not journalism. Thats just nay-saying.
So coke and booze will be done in the city hall. That’s classic mason city.
Maybe it already is. Just ask a few people associated with the “elites”. There may be a few people with a bit of a problem.
Yes, and those elites are not required to participate in the quarterly drug tests.
Good points and I agree where is the queen of MC Robin why dont she open her palace at 9 north federal and let BM and his wackos in there to party? I think city hall was an easy target and Robin knows wherever BM sets up could get remodeled and I dont mean a paint job so she sent them over to her personal funhouse city hall where she gets all her free money.