NIT – It’s been the declared goal of Mayor Eric Bookmeyer and the city council to grow the population of Mason City.
We’ve heard the rhetoric, we’ve heard the grand schemes, the declarations. We’ve listened and cringed as the mayor bloviated and spittled all over the lectern during his “state of the city” moon speeches that the city must somehow grow.
It hasn’t.
In fact, new population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau say all the supposed “hard work” by the mayor and city council are doing just the opposite: Mason City is still shrinking.
In fact, Mason City is estimated to be losing over 100 people per year since 2010, the year Bookmeyer (and two other new city council members – Travis Hickey and Janet Solberg) strolled into city hall. Here are the latest numbers:
CENSUS 2010 – 28,079
POP. ESTIMATE 2010 – 28,049
POP. ESTIMATE 2011 – 27,952
POP. ESTIMATE 2012 – 27,767
POP. ESTIMATE 2013 – 27,664
POP. ESTIMATE 2014 – 27,458
That’s 621 less people living in Mason City than when Eric Bookmeyer and his two favorite council members took office.
It is clear, this mayor and council have failed to grow Mason City. Numbers do not lie. Many say, the slippery slope is un-forgiving, and the path the city is on can’t be reversed under this leadership. Low paying jobs are the calling here; $9.50 an hour is to be bragged about if you listen to this mayor and council. We have seen top-notch outfits like Winnebago snub Mason City for smaller cities miles down the road; the good jobs aren’t coming. Even Clear Lake is thriving, and its population losses are leveling out, the numbers show:
CENSUS 2010 – 7,777
POP. ESTIMATE 2010 – 7,768
POP. ESTIMATE 2011 – 7,750
POP. ESTIMATE 2012 – 7,725
POP. ESTIMATE 2013 – 7,678
POP. ESTIMATE 2014 – 7,682
Do you think Mason City can once again get back on the path to growth? What will it take to accomplish this?
Good paying jobs, huh? Go ahead and try to find someone in the Mason City area with technical experience who can pass a drug screen and background screen in Mason City Truth is… you can’t! We’re in a sort of chicken or the egg scenario here. Everyone complains about there being no jobs in Mason City when most of the people here only have a high school degree, smoke a little weed on the weekend,have a job history of 3 months on each job, have a criminal background of some sort and have…
This town is sad, I will be moving out of mason city also,, Can not make a living here,
You folks that follow MC politics on NIT notice how silent the remarks on this article have become. The Chamber and Mason City elite don’t have a way to defend the truth that has been said here.
The Mason City City Council, Mayor, and Chamber of Commerce are hiding in shame, hoping the people of Mason City won’t read these comments.
What a pathetic group these bottom feeders are that control Mason City.
This should help the discussion. Mason City in 1960 had a population of 30,672 people and has been on a downward trend since.
Thats right. And millions and millions spent downtown isn’t changing the course of history very fast.
I agree, but what do you suggest they do? I see what they are trying to do. Is the risk worth the reward I don’t know. Everybody on here is really good at playing the blame game, and not offering any solutions.
I would like nothing more then to see Mason City grow it benefits us all.
The population of Des Moines reached a peak high in 1960 with 208,982 and then began a slow decline until 1980 when it reached rock bottom at 191,003. Since then it’s been a slow climb back a new record high 209,220 as of 7/1/14. Investing in the downtown, amenities, and nightlife are in large part responsible for this. Young, educated people don’t want to relocate where there is nothing to do, no culture. Business don’t want to locate where young educated people don’t want to be.
@Savage-I hate to be negative about our city, but experience has made me bitter. I would love to see our city turned around like it was in the 60’s. The only way that will ever happen is to get good paying jobs that everyone can qualify for. Getting in high end jobs is nice but the people qualified are very few in this town.
100% agree. It by no means is going to be a quick fix. I think the disease has slowed we need stop it then get rid of it.
@Anonymous-Good comment. he problem is and was, they just don’t care. They feather their nest and to hell with the people in the town. We are just a tool for their pet projects.
They are able to maintain that power and control because the Globe and other MC media outlets keep the general population (voters) in the dark regarding the real cause and effect issues that guide Mason City.
This plays right into the lazy side of the people emotions, not wanting to face the truth. Fix that and Mason City will change.
Sad!
I don’t know about Texas but I do know that in Mason City the Chamber controls growth. The Chamber even had the “control of growth” verbiage put into the comprehensive plan. I think it was back in the 30’s.
It has always been about money, power, and control. Over the years the Chamber has stopped at nothing to maintain their control. The Globe has helped them perpetuate that control.
The Chamber has done some pretty rotten things to people over the years.
Here is the scoop:
The Mason City Chamber tells people they should buy in Clear Lake to live. I just talked to a couple that moved from Dubuque that was advised by “a lady” at the MC Chamber they would be happier if they bought in Clear Lake. They told me this after I asked them why they choose to live in Clear Lake instead of Mason City. I was really shocked when they told me. I think the MC Chamber of Commerce has been a big reason for all of Mason City’s growth problems.
@Anonymous-I saw that happen in Texas. There was a city called Midland that was for the business owners and snobs that thought they were better than anyone else, then there was Odessa 20 miles away for all the working (Blue Collar) folks who worked for a living. Midland didn’t want the Blue Collar folks in their city and made them feel uncomfortable when they went there. Then came the bust and the white collars went out of business and wanted the blue collar taxes but it was to late. Just…
I heard about this. The MC Chamber actually, allegedly, advised a man NOT to buy a home in MC. Scandalous! I heard he walked into the “commerce center”, asked about the prospects of buying a home in MC, and one of Robin’s drones warned the man NOT to buy in MC. Can you believe this? And we gave Robin millions to upgrade her offices, and THIS is how our community is re-paid? People of Mason City, wake up, boot this corrupt organization OUT of here.
Excessive alcohol use decreases ones sperm count. Therefore Mayor Eric can claim no responsibility for making babies and has personal responsibility for our population decline.
Interesting information, but why is one federal agency issuing two population numbers for 2010. Isn’t the Census a real count? Why did they do estimates? When you break it down by percentage, Mason City has lost 2.21% of its population since 2010. Clear Lake has lost 1.22%. I believe the Census population estimates have a margin of error of about 3%. That means the population might actually have increased both places. Stupid statistics.
Common sense tells you MC is losing people, just look around after 6 PM. Ghost town.
It’s a combination of several things, jobs, limited things for people to do, and crime. I think the crime is the biggest factor. You start cleaning up the North end buildings and criminals. The rest will start to fix it’s self. I know of many people that have left Mason City still work but will not live here any longer.
Why would you move here? There are no good paying jobs and the chamber runs this damn city and continues to recruit low paying jobs. And if you don’t agree with the people in power you are considered a person against Mason City
A perfect summary of the actual “state of the city”. The one the mayor will never tell.
This should surprise no one. If you drive around town and see all the empty homes where families were once living and all the vacant lots from the houses torn down you would be surprised that the number isn’t worse. The downtown is dead except for the weekend drunks and the office people who work there. Now with all that population loss how can the schools possible need more money? I suspect mismanagement.
Only the people who read the glob/kglo/kimt and somehow believe anything the mayor says would think that this town is on anything other than life support. I suspect very few people are fooled any longer. It’s obvious now, either city hall is a huge failure, or this continued plummet is all by design – which would be even more sinister.