MASON CITY – The Mason City council voted 5-1 to approve a resolution for a development agreement with Prestage Foods of Iowa, LLC.
City staff recommended the approval of the resolution setting a public hearing for May 3, 2016 to consider a Development Agreement between the City of Mason City and Prestage Foods of Iowa, LLC. That is believed to be the final vote on the economic development agreement between the city and Prestage.
The lone “no” vote was from at-large councilman Alex Kuhn.
The council heard hours of public comments – both pro and con – before it finally was able to discuss the agenda item themselves, well after 1:00 AM Friday morning, after the rest of the agenda had been addressed. One notable speaker was legislator Sharon Steckman, who addressed the council on the possible encroachment of hog confinements in Cerro Gordo county. She finished up by telling the city council to “slow down” on its apparent path to approving the development deal with Prestage.
When the council finally reached agenda item number 35 – dealing with Prestage – Councilmen John Lee, Brett Schoneman and Travis Hickey again made it clear they are firmly behind the development, with Janet Solberg and Bill Schickel voicing little or no concern, as well.
Mr. Kuhn, however, says the city is giving Prestage too much. Citing the company’s reasons for choosing Mason City for their hog processing plant, one of which was the fact that there are already plenty of hogs in the area, allegedly, to feed the plant’s 10,000 per day requirements when it opens in about 2 years, Mr. Kuhn said no incentives should be necessary to lure the plant here. With his strong ties to labor, Mr. Kuhn also says the wages will be too low, and pointed to historic wages from decades ago that would rise only 20% from that time period to now, while the cost of living has risen 175%. Furthermore, he claims the plant will have too much employee turnover, leaving needy people in the community that will need assistance such as food stamps, tax credits, reduced price school lunches, and more. He says the $15+ million in tax incentives given to Prestage from the city should be used to cover those potential needs in the future.
On March 21, 2016, the North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corporation announced that Prestage Foods of Iowa would construct a 600,000+ square-foot pork processing plant in Mason City. Prestage Farms, Inc. is based in North Carolina and has hog raising facilities in North Iowa. Prestage has been in Iowa for 12 years. The proposed plant will be their first pork processing facility (they have existing turkey processing facilities in several states). Prestage Foods of Iowa proposes to employ 900-1,000 employees initially on the first shift (Phase I), and intend to provide a second shift in the future, employing an additional 1,000 (Phase II). The capital value of the plant is expected to be $239,250,000.
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Development Agreement:
The proposed development agreement provides for City construction of certain public improvements and for incremental tax rebates, as incentives for development of the pork processing facility. Construction of the public improvements is based on two phases. Phase 1 is the initial construction and operation period, with the majority of the workers on a single day shift (there will likely be a small night-time cleanup crew in addition to the day workers). Phase II adds a second shift, with a corresponding increase in the number of workers and need for water and wastewater capacity. The City’s obligations under Phase II begin when Prestage Foods delivers the Phase II Election Notice (Exhibit J in the Agreement), indicating to the City that they will be hiring for the second shift and requesting construction of the additional public improvements needed for Phase II.
The Phase I public improvements are those required to enable the initial, single-shift processing after the plant is constructed. Phase I improvements include:
1. Water utility system improvements, to provide up to 1.5 million gallons of potable water per day to the processing plant.
2. Wastewater utility system improvements to treat up to 1.5 million gallons of wastewater from the processing plant. The Operations and Maintenance Manager notes that the current facilities can handle this volume, and no significant upgrades will be necessary.
3. Road Improvements. The City will construct an approximately 2,800 linear foot, standard width extension of Pierce Avenue, ending in a cul-de-sac, together with related improvements to the existing roadways at South Pierce Avenue, South Federal Avenue and 43rd Street SW. The City will apply to the Iowa Department of Transportation for a RISE grant to fund these improvements.
Regarding the water and wastewater improvements, the City Engineer believes that our current facilities have the capacity to meet these needs, but utility mains will need to be extended to the site and other improvements specific to the increase in demand on both systems will be needed.
Adding a second shift will require more water capacity and more wastewater treatment capacity than can be provided under Phase I. The Phase II Public Improvements would be constructed when the developer is ready to begin a second shift and has made the required notification to the City. The Phase II improvements include:
1. Improvements to the water utility system in order to provide up to 2.8 million gallons of potable water per day to the processing plant.
2. Improvements to the wastewater utility system in order to treat up to 2.8 million gallons of wastewater from the processing plant. As with Phase I, the Operations and Maintenance Manager notes that the current facilities can handle this volume, and no significant upgrades will be necessary.
The Phase 2 improvements are to be completed within 24 months of receiving the Phase 2 Election Notice from Prestage Foods, barring unavoidable delays.
The City will fund the water and wastewater utility improvements in both phases with general obligation bonds (and, in the unlikely event that the RISE grant is not received, the road improvements will also be funded with GO bonds). These bonds will be repaid by the significant water usage fees generated by this facility. The Agreement obligates Prestage Foods to pay a minimum of $950,000 per calendar year for purchase of potable water. If Phase II is implemented, Prestage Foods must pay a minimum of $1,950,000 for the water purchase. This additional revenue, along with the TIF revenues not paid as rebates, will be sufficient to service the debt that was needed to finance the improvements.
In addition to the public improvements, the City proposes to provide a 10-year, 50% rebate of incremental property taxes. The amount of the annual rebate is subject to the actual taxes paid (based on the assessed value of the improvements on the property); however, the total 10-year rebate cannot exceed $15,500,000.
In return for City incentives, Prestage Foods of Iowa must meet minimum employment commitments and maintain a minimum property value. For Phase 1, Prestage Foods of Iowa must provide a minimum of 922 full-time equivalent jobs by November 1, 2019, and maintain at least that number through the life of the agreement. When Phase II is implemented, Prestage Foods must add at least 850 full-time equivalent jobs within 30 months of the City’s receipt of the Phase II Election Notice. From that point, Prestage Foods of Iowa must maintain a total minimum of 1,772 full-time equivalent jobs at the plant, through the end of the Agreement.
If actual certified full-time employment numbers drop below the numbers as required above, the amount of the incremental property tax rebate is reduced by the same percentage. However, if the number ever falls below 50 percent of the required minimum in any year, no rebate will be paid for that year.
Prestage Foods of Iowa also must enter into a Minimum Assessment Agreement that requires the assessed value of the property, beginning with the completion of construction, to be at least $100,000,000 for the life of the agreement. The actual taxes collected will be higher should the assessed value exceed $100,000,000, as expected; however, in the unlikely event that the assessed value drops below that amount, the taxing bodies will continue to receive property tax based on the $100,000,000 minimum assessment.
Budget Impact: There is no immediate impact to the budget related to this resolution. If the development agreement is approved and Prestage Foods begins construction, the City intends to sell General Obligation bonds for construction of the public improvements. This debt will be repaid through water revenues and TIF funds, as noted above. The City will see positive impacts to its budget in future years as the property value is no longer needed to pay for public improvements.
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Click here to see concessions from Prestage Foods to Mason City, announced earlier this week.
The Angry fellow Anonymous below is RIGHT!!!!
This is Kim Wong/china -Wee want to tank the peeple from River city ia for letting us bild hog factory there. We like pork chop but government comtrols won’t let us build stinky plant here. Tanks again.
That’s right NEVER vote an out of towner in a position to rule our city! HUGE mistake! They are all out of here after this. With their beloved resumes.Course the mayor may want to rethink what looks good on one.
Can you hear us now?! Has he given you the things you thought by getting him in? Noooooo. Max has the decency to really listen and include everyone at the very least. Shoulda coulda woulda
Thank you to the people who voted Bookmeyer back in. How are you liking your mayor now?
OH ! I forgot your TIF -which means the tax on this company approx over 1 million dollars per year which you the taxpayers have agree to pay for them – brings your payout to 5.5 million per year = HAPPY birthday sweet smell of success !
A 45 million dollar loan -10 years thats 4.5 million payback per year = approx 750,000 per year interest that selling water should pay for so its only costing the tax payer 4.5 million per year PLUS hiring additional cops/more educatiors etc -I think you people should be happy your taxes are only going up 15% for something that will only change your community to little chitcago.
Sometime when you are free, take a drive through Storm Lake, Marshalltown, or Sioux City. While you are observing filthy, dirty homes and businesses all over these towns, stop and talk to citizens of these towns who have lived their most of their lives and ask them what is USED to be like compared to what it is like now. An influx of people have moved from Marshalltown to Ankeny as the plant there has destroyed their community…..as it has in Storm Lake and Sioux City…..completely destroyed them. Wait until all of that raw sewage runoff gets in to our water……wait until people start getting sick from the stench in the air that WILL come no matter what kind of safeguards you are being told about. If you think the drugs and the crime in North Iowa is bad now…..you haven’t see anything yet. The quality of life is about to get worse than you have ever seen it in the history of North Iowa. Good/Smart people will be leaving town while we get people with the mentality of being able to kill animals for a living moving in. Let’s vote down a casino and bring in a slaughterhouse. Wow.
The casino was opposed by the Chamber of Commerce… the same people now in favor of the pork plant. Probably wanted the mall built too. Probably wanted NIACC moved outside of town way back when. A real history of ruining Mason City. Let’s hope they get one right this time, since it looks like the plant is going up no matter what.
Not so fast Matt. For the record……. the real voice of opposition to the Casino was the local clergy. They beat it to death in their pulpits Sunday after Sunday and said that River City would become Sodom and Gomorrah. The council tucked their tail between their legs and became a non starter.
I agree the clergy poisoned the water. All in the name of Jesus. I was told the big shohts at the Chamber were also against it… led the vote against it. They are good at mobilizing voters. Remember, in the end, the people of Mason City failed themselves on that one. As they have so many times before.
Interesting since the Rev. Terry Hamilton-Poore, head of a Mason City ministerial association that opposed the casino, left Mason City in 2006 three years after the casino was voted down.
And then Mason City council member Lori Henry who opposed casino gambling in the county as well.
She was very outspoken about it and coincidentally has also since moved on.
Reality check is correct about the clergy..the most outspoken was the Presbyterian Church here. But the committee that was formed with reps from city, county,and other venues voted yes to move forward with it. The other reasons have been hidden behind the scenes for all these years. That is the real story.
That was a totally different chamber back then They were not against the casino. But they did not have the power in those days. There was no way to fight the real power then. If you messed with
them you really got burned. One community leader tried and she had to leave town or suffer. If u think it is corrupt now..u should have been involved then..u were probably in Jr. Or high school. It was a mess.
Its interesting how the real power brokers evolve over time. Now the clergy are silent and the governor other high profile wannabees are taking all the credit with the lights and camera running. Somebody is gonna make a bunch of money but its not Joe the plumber and his wife the waitress.
So much for the limit on the number of words in a post.
Oink oink……. she’s the real hog in the room. Then she repeats the blithering all over again in case you want to read it just one more time.
Comments with more words than the auto-limit go into a holding area until I review them. I can either delete or post them.
Its just an observation Matt. Your publication, your call. Others however have been called out for posting far less and she posted a duplicate copy twice.
I just took down the second one. Thanks for the observation!
Notice who spoke in favor? Realtors, farmers, a manure handler, retired packing house supervisor, man that “recently” bought the cold storage facility..
Against; retired & active educators, retired Doctors, retired packing house workers, family farmers, self employed, bankruptcy attorney running for Senate, state legislature, local merchants, concrete contractor, a pastor, a realtor, housewives, Healthcare workers, (cma), nurse…
I understand why people would want this here as well as why people would not want this here. Myself… I feel the jobs and the money mean nothing to anyone if land around becomes toxic in the long run. Yet in the same breath were the land to become toxic so too would the product and honestly, what business would foolishly shoot itself in the foot that way. So I see no reason why you wouldn’t actively seek ways to keep such things from happening. I live on this side of town and we’ve all done a lot over the years to fix up this side of town since I was a kid. I saw it change from a pretty run down place to a beautiful area where you want to raise families. A place where neighbors become friends akin to family in a way I’ve only ever seen here in our town.
Here’s what I don’t want to see happen to my town and especially the neighborhood in which I live. I don’t want the streams that run by here contaminated to a point were the kids are at risk playing in them because I too played in them growing up not realizing I could have been hurt myself. I don’t want this facility to become the ungodly stench that those bird confinement buildings that dot the countryside have become. Every time I drive near one I want them destroyed because of what they do to those of us that actually have to live near them. Just because they are in the countryside not seen by cities in general doesn’t mean they aren’t a plague to those around them. Animals can be kept but they don’t have to be kept in utter filth that ruin their health and value as well as the value of everything around it. If you can’t keep your facilities from becoming this way then I highly suggest you don’t come to my city to begin with.
Here’s another weird fact. There’s an immense difference between living and dying. Death tends to linger. Especially when not cleaned up properly. One death is bad enough. Many is worse but when the scale becomes unimaginably uncountable after time goes by there is no longer any possible way to erase it’s existence. Trust me when I say it’s not pretty. I lived in Omaha NE for some time. You know they once had the cattle stockyards there. I did not know. I was getting groceries one summer evening and the whole side of town around 24th street smelled so awful I was gagging. I couldn’t even finish my shopping I had to get in my car and leave that side of town as fast as I could. Even back at home a few miles away I could still smell the stench. It just wasn’t so bad I couldn’t breath anymore but it was still terrible. It was absolutely putrid. I cannot accurately describe to you how utterly awful it was. Mind you, I’m a farm kid. I grew up with awful smells of all sorts. It was unimaginable that something so terrible could possibly have gotten the best of me and in a city of all places. That was when I found out about the stockyards. I wasn’t even directly on the stockyard area when I smelled the stench. I was quite a ways away from it still. There’s a whole freaking town built on top of that area now and it “STILL” reeks on a regular basis every single year. Sometimes even on nice days that aren’t too hot. Even with all the parking lots covering it over you still smell it. It will never go away. The filth permeates that place. I can’t go there anymore. I think they put the zoo on that side of town to mask the smell but honestly I’ve never smelled that stench anywhere near or around the zoo. The zoo itself is quite immaculate and could never come close to what I smelled near the stockyard area. I’m gonna tell you straight. Don’t you dare do this to my town and to my people. I refuse to ignore such a slap in the face if you do.
That being said I “EXPECT” nothing less than Absolute Perfection when it comes to compliance with not only the people of the town but more importantly the well being of the land your facility occupies. Hazardous spills of any type will NOT be tolerated by me. The water quality is to be monitored regularly, (I live here. I too will be monitoring it regularly.) filters will be used around water sources & regularly changed, and any discrepancies will be given a maximum of 3 months to be fixed or you’ll be shut down. Reopening will hinge on your past performance. Air quality is the biggest issue. If it smells like a farm I could could care less. We live in farm country so that’s no big deal. I dislike the smell of pigs more than any other farm animal but whatever. Keep your facility extra clean and don’t make my city smell like a freakin pig sty. If it ends up smelling of putrid, toxic, death I promise to have you shut shut down never to return.
I do however see possibility for decent to great success in this venture though. It is precarious and depends on a lot of people to see it through. Each and every stage will need thorough planning as well as constant active follow through in order to obtain success. Failure too would be rather simple to come by especially in disgruntled employees not treated as family would be treated. Sabotage from outside sources would be enough to damage standing within the community as well so that will be something you’ll need to be on guard for. I suggest setting up video monitoring everywhere in order to keep everything well maintained but also to guard yourself while also keeping the public like me at ease. Keep your facility neat and clean and I see you going far while prospering. Obviously we don’t want wastes to putrefy but I see those wastes generating revenue by producing fertilizers which is king in farm country which I’m sure you already know. So done right this could truly be one outstanding facility that would be a true benefit for our city for sure. Done wrong and we all know you just bring utter ruin to our shiny city as well as the precious land surrounding us which is worth far more than any city ever could be worth. Please don’t hurt that which is most precious to us. I implore you. If your going to do it. I beseech you to do it right to begin with or don’t do it at all.
Thank You
Our City Council cannot deny that a majority of people are against this plant. Its bad enough that our politicians in Washington DC won’t listen to the public the council shouldn’t follow suit. I can’t see this passing on the final vote unless public sediment turns around in a hurry.
Public “sediment”?
Sediment
a: the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid
b: material deposited by water, wind, or glaciers
Perhaps you mean…
Sentiment
a: an attitude, thought, or judgment prompted by feeling
b: predilection
c: a specific view or notion
d: opinion
Thank you for the correction.
No. I think think he was right the first time. Sediment – that sludge that settles to the bottom – lol!
I don’t feel that most people are against it. Everybody I have talked to have been open to it. There will be growing pains without a doubt. You can make the best of it, or you can cross your arms and dare people to make you move.
I pray to God this don’t happen but I am afraid of a terrorist attack on Mason. Like the one in OK city back in the day. That McVay, he drove up in a U haul he loaded it with a fertilizer bomb, drove off in his other car. It goes off, thousands of people either got killed or hurt real bad. Some body hate’s on brown people on white’s that mixes with brown’s and black’s, thats all they got to do. 2,000 workers like them that gets them jobs that is like putting a big bulls eye on the place.
I’m not sure what to say. All I know is that it makes me shake my head.
@ Savage. Me, too, we were just talking with our neighbor about this the other day. It is scary as hell. But a possibility we just cannot ignore. Least not in this day in age. I am with Wanda, will pray it does not ever happen.
Never thought of this until now, but it is a legitimate concern. There are crazies, white power types, neo-Nazis, etc., who could do something like this. It would not be hard to pull off. Yikes.
Agree, it is like “huh, WTF”
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
We have more to worry about than the workers who will come to get the jobs and actually work for a living. I am more worried about all of the imports from Chicago, Des Moines, Waterloo, Detroit, St. Louis and others who have already changed the face of Mason City for the worst. These are the people who are destroying our culture and filling up our court system and keeping our Police Dept. going 24/7. And, they come here to work– but the job is to sell drugs, look for vulnerable, low-self esteem women, get them pregnant and keep the welfare system going. Then once they are hooked, the domestic assaults begin and the child neglect and abuse begins and children living in that environment are never safe due to the danger and violence involved in the drug business..The North End and The South end are now growing and moving towards the middle of town, with these people. Crime is up and there seems to be no end in sight. I would rather have 2000 people here that want to work and raise a family, than 2000 drug-dealing thugs any time.And, the schools are already having issues with how to handle the social impact due to the environment these children are coming from. It is absolutely tragic… that is what I see for Mason City.
Impossible to deny much of what your comment lays out. Only ignorance would allow someone to argue against this reality. As I have said in recent days, I invite anyone who questions the condition of Mason City to drive around, slowly, and really LOOK at what you see. The houses. The buildings. The cars. The people. The weeds on the sidewalks, the trash in countless yards. Federal Avenue, all up and down, filthy. Car lots on every corner. Take it in and think about it. I’m ready to declare desperate times in Mason City, for the community.
WHAT is the solution? IS there a solution? Desperate times call for desperate measures, some would say, which got us here.
Although I am on the fence about the pork plant (I’ll admit, one day I’m “for” it, another day, I’m “not so sure”), I can’t deny that the downward spiral is speeding up. The town is loaded with low-paying jobs and people who can’t do higher-end work or are too lazy to even try; retail and fast food begging anyone to work for them, for peanuts. No one can support a family on those jobs. Maybe the hog plant is the jolt Mason City needs. Maybe it is a lethal injection. It seems impossible to look into the future to predict what will be the result, should Prestage build their plant here. Both sides make compelling cases. As I told Mayor Bookmeyer, I hope the right thing gets done, whatever that might be.
I would also remind everyone of this fact: This pork plant is an OPPORTUNITY that the Corridor and city hall are obligated to present. It would be wrong for them to dismiss it outright, without bringing it before the people. That being said, as it seems the deal was closed long ago, the process is questionable. Remember, there were no illegal moves made here by city hall, the corridor, or any elected official. This form of leadership was voted into office. You voted – or didn’t vote – and those who won elections now call the shots. It seems they have decided the pork plant is coming to town. If that becomes the reality on May 3, I suggest we all get behind it and work to make it a SUCCESS.
I understand your perspective. If only there were a crystal ball that could predict the consequences of all of this. Time will tell and I agree..if the plant is voted through, we all need to do what we can to make it a success and get our community ready.
Best comment that I have seen. Well said Matt.
I don’t always agree with you Marquardt, but I must say you bring up some interesting & valid points this time.
Thanks.
City and company officials can paint that outhouse any color they want and make it real pretty and………..it is still going to be an outhouse.Quality of life is about a lot more than money.
Those who think that high paying, skilled jobs will ever come to Mason city are dreaming. Simply put, we don’t have the educated workforce to support anything other than jobs like Prestage. Take a look around you the next time you go to Fareway or Walmart or the racetrack. Those are the people new employers have to work with…. Unskilled, high school educated (most times) with a criminal background of some sort. We should feel lucky prestage wants to move here… And maybe those who move in will raise their kids with a good education and keep them out of trouble so the next generation can earn the skilled jobs that everyone is dreaming will come to Mason city
This thing is the biggest joke ever. Mason city is the laughing stock of the whole area. What a backward council, and it all starts at the top., which is the administrator. The entire bunch need cleared out!
Oh, everyone is laughing at Mason City. But it’s not the City Council that’s backward. Residents do nothing but bitch and moan. Still angry over the past and refuse to work for a future.
They are to busy drawing welfare and living off drug sales and food stamps to worry about working.
Kuhn is right and that has been the way I have been thinking about this. Lets back up and think about it, Iowa is the largest pork producing state in the nation. If I wanted to build a pork processing plant, wouldn’t I want in in the middle of hog heaven? Prestage should be paying us to build the plant here, not the opposite. There should be no State or Mason City incentives for them to come here at all. If they don’t like that, let them build in another state that may give them incentives. They would lose in the end because they would have to pay for the higher transportation costs to get the hogs to their plant. I would bet you they would build the plant here regardless of if they got incentives or not. Iowa is the best place in the country to build a processing plant.
I shut the meeting off a little after 10 o’clock and up until that time only 2 residence of Mason City spoke in favor of this project. There were others who lived out of town or those who earned a living off prestage farms. This decision should be made by the citizens of Mason City to the out of town people should go home and talk to their own Councils and convince them to try to lure this away from Mason City. Its obvious the people here don’t want the risk involved with this company and hopefully in the end the council will listen to the people who elected them and tune out the others.
Eric and company. I don’t have the nerve to tell you to your face but Prestage is talking and laughing about YOU!
I heard it. Chumps all of ya! Just how easy and gullible you all are. I am for this coming to town but I really can’t take the thought of someone trying to sell it to you then making fun of you along the way. Now that isn’t right.
Would any on on this site research the topic of “Agenda 21 which they have now changed to Agenda 30”, and give a report on this subject, is this coming next, please watch and share with as many people you can, https://youtu.be/2MQlIpJ2lmM.
Not all that Prosser(sp) said was good. More people more crime. More students no room. Language barriers, etc.. You could tell he wanted to let it all out but the good speaker that he is he got around it. Unlike Bookmeyer who can’t talk worth a pile of pig poop. So bad.
This is a tragedy of the highest form and we are letting 5 people dictate our living arrangement and standards to come.
We should be out in force around city hall fighting for the WRONG in all of this! We have some tough cookies around here, hard to believe they are just sitting on this. You wouldn’t have dreamed of letting 5 thugbullies get away with anything back in the day. What!
Well this what happens when city council allows more bars and beer stores to open, keep the citizens drunk so the citizens stay unaware of what’s happening.
The non-profit I’ve posted links to below has been successful in defeating Prestage in several communities before Prestage set their sights on Mason City.
http://iowacci.org/issues/farming-the-environment/farming-the-environment-what-weve-won/
http://iowacci.org/farming-environment/prestage-fight-latest/
As citizens against Prestage, I know it’s easy to feel we’ve been defeated by the City Council and Prestage, but let’s not give up our power just yet…
Rich Mathes is such a arrogant, condesending ass… ” If the plant doesn’t work out, just vote the council members out.” Too late then dumbass, the damage will be done. This, and many other things with our city and schools, should go to a PUBLIC VOTE! WTH?!
Well, at least he ditched that atrocious leather jacket thing he usually wears. My God, that things was BAD. Looked like Prestage hitched him to a manure spreader and drug him up and down 43rd Street. Fashion police must have intervened, he wore a suit and tie Tuesday night when he bumbled through another goofy lecture at the podium.
F#CK THE BLUEZONES!!!
Thank you Matt. Both of your posts are right on. We sit here in the midst of it. You should hear it.
We know Prestage not only can smell money they smell dumb as seated in front of them. They are laughing up a storm today and the rest of their lives. Not just about this but they hear Bookmeyer spew out agenda’s so fast and half words they knew they had an easy target the very first time he talked. Example: Tha Citzen of mase cit wil be respegful in the gallery. I don’t know just listen and you will all know. I hope when he goes for his next job they listen to tapes of his speaking. Amaze balls.
WHERE was MAX? First clue…he knows when it’s done it’s done. We are getting a pig company coming to town! Not a blue zone any more. We will look the part, 3rd world environment for sure.
We used to think THEY wanted jobs for locals what happened to that? This is raw to say the least, get your plans in order start searching for home sweet home now.
Attending that council meeting = waste of time. I stayed home and watched the whole thing on TV. Ordered pizza. Why put yourself through that as a citizen, sitting in that smelly room with people who aren’t listening anyway? The deal was done March 21, maybe sooner. I think it was cooked up in Des Moines long before that. I think the Governor was involved with the pork industry. They picked MC. Brought the local hotshots in to sell it and smooth it and gut out the 7 weeks of vitriol from the people. They knew the council was an easy sell – they don’t dig deep. I commend those who went to the microphone, though. Someone’s got to do it, for either side, just to keep them honest to a degree.
It was a done deal long ago, No amount of complaining will change it. Just like Central Park, Vision Iowa and Northscape. All done deals before we ever knew about it.
That is absolutely true LDS. You should be proud of the mayor.
Voting is also a waste of time by that logic. You SHOULD go to the room. You should report on what the camera isn’t picking up. You should go there because it’s irksome to the Mayor and all the people that think they can do what they want no matter what the taxpaying public wants. You can embarrass the mayor with facts (not opinion on his looks). You liked doing that the last time I checked. KEEP IT UP PLEASE.
Janet Solberg is a twit.
The only question that she asked was if insurance benefits were included on the wage proposal.
When she was informed that it was not (as anyone with common sense would know) her only comment was
“some of us do not get provided health insurance”
Not to mention her checkered past.
http://uidecisions.iowaworkforcedevelopment.gov/decision/webapi/decision?f=d6b0cbf1-038e-4a0c-9f38-9e40017e218f
This woman is an idiot & way out of her limited abilities
I reported long ago, Solberg had her eye on the city’s insurance business. She had all the city’s policies pulled so she could look at them. Was her motivation to became a city council member to “serve the people” or to “get rich” on potential new business with the city? We must all form our own opinions. I said it then, I’ll say it now, she is an embarrassment as an elected leader – totally in over her head up there. Jesus knows she sold her soul to stay in office in the 2013 election. She’s got nothing left to sell in 2017, though. We’ll see how that goes.
I can’t stand Janet Solberg!!! She is the worst and SO ignorant. She has forgotten where she came from and now thinks she is all that. And I wish she would lose the leather coat she ALWAYS wears. Let’s vote her and ALL out next time!
Thanks Kuhn for having true vision of the destruction of Mason City.
I cannot believe these people want our city to be what it will be! It will be like a mini war going on daily for many many reasons. The look won’t be pretty for visitors.
I’m guessing all of us the people who are against it will make it known nation wide don’t bother coming here! Quite embarrassing actually to promote blue green clean whatever with what it’s going to look and smell like.
I got bad news for you. The town is in ruins right now. I invite you to drive around and LOOK… actually take it in, the sights about town. Look at the people walking the streets, driving the cars, sitting on their porches. It is like East Waterloo. All the neighborhoods surrounding the downtown are left to rot. The people look nuts. The town is full of smells already. Even the council has admitted all their efforts over the last several years have been a failure in turning things around. Population decline, no good paying jobs. But everyone’s hiring… for minimum. Low unemployment because everyone needs 3 of these great jobs just to survive.
Agreed.
My opinion Exactly
Conscience. Nobody gives a damn about anybody. It’s all me me me. Travis Hickey Whoa.
Travis Hickey is not even half the man, or politician that Alex Kuhn is. Travis is just a puppet of the mayor. Travis, you have no backbone! Keep sitting next to Janet and do what ever the mayor tells you to do.
I like Travis, he only shoulder-blocked me about 8 times in high school in the hallways. Decent guy now, more mellow. But he owes his political soul to the mayor. Jody D. woulda beat him on ’13, he knew and the mayor knew it. It was pure desperation for Hickey and Solberg. I think she sells insurance in Nora Springs now, maybe Dale Peterson needs a policy, cause apparently she can’t sell one in MC. Is she still working at Fleet Farm?
Of the twelve people who are for this oh plus our officials each have something to get out of it. Real estate or insurance or moving manure and so on. Can you not see beyond that?
How can you really want to live in a place that is going to be so rough and smelly? Why? This will not further your careers. All of you will move. Most can’t do that. Do the right thing. One of you has got to wake up!
ATTENTION PRESTAGE!!!!!! YOU need to move a long to a place who want’s you! Back off, you will find another place. You are giving out agony and misery to sooo many. Do you really feel right about that? You can make more money any place and they might want you, wouldn’t that make it easier too?
This is how our elected officials listen to the voice of the “people”!!!
why do we keep hearing about the school system? They would sell their souls if it means a few more dollars in their pocket?
The school system will receive over 6.000 dollars a year for each additional kid.
Why do they need more?
Let’s say that only 500 workers come from out of the MC area & move here.
Each worker has an average of two kids (some more, some less).
1000 additional students.
1000 students x $6000 = 6 millions dollars.
With the recent cut in state educational funding, just where in the hell is this 6 million going to come from?
Poof, magic dust money perhaps?
MC currently has about 4000 students and then add an additional 1000 for an increase of 25%.
You think that this school system will be able to handle a 25% increase in students?
Not just talking teachers here, but infrastructure, buildings, classroom sizes, etc.
Every school will need interpreters for several different languages also. It was mentioned that 18 different languages are now spoken in I think Storm Lake.
I never had an opinion of Kuhn either way. But last night, I thought “jesus, finally somebody with a brain up there” he is right though, if his colleges are dead set on destroying North Iowa for sake of padding their resume’s and the under the table payouts, shouldn’t we be able to make a better offer? Learn how to negotiate, for christs sake!!!!
I think you are right about THE PAYOUTS!!!
Looks like my concern list on FB was a great deal of the total discussion.Lee should have stepped away due to conflict of interest thru his education job and his wife profiting as a Realtor. (same with Brett S)…So antway,,,looks like the realtors in town are smiling due to all the rents and sales that will be pending….the rest of the town gets ready for higher taxes and monies paid into this venture… BAD DEAL for MC
Pray for Mason City.
Peter Children
Their lying to you about the city water supply – when the second shift is added the water usage will be approx ONE TRILLION GALLONS PER YEAR for this plant – F what the DNR says – I say they really have no idea of the impact on our water supply and quality as with their sister twister the EPA which in itself is a disaster. By the time you figure this out you area will be another deadtroit/flint Michigan. The people responsible will be long gone and the DNR will fire/transfer some flunky employee who is their scapegoat. Happy 20 dollar bill and their never was a Revolutionary war or a constitution.
I should have known something was up 2 years ago. My neighbor down the block who works for the globe gazette started buy houses (mid income fixer uppers?) this guy was always into buying and selling classic cars and suddenly starts borrowing money up to the yazoo to buy rental houses. Man I wish he would have clued me in to this insider deal. Those houses will double in value and renting will be no problem either. The media knows best – just like they never print bankruptcies in the paper anymore – remember all those people that lost their houses from 2007/2014 – banks and real estate company probably own 2/3 of the homes in America. Mr. Kuhn has the same approach as Mr. Trump -slow down/think this thing through. But this will never happen because the elite and the banksters alone with lobbyed politicans say take the money and run an fk the middle class because we know whats best for them – in other words they people are sheep and will will herd them where ever we please.
I agree it should be the citizens of mason city deciding this NOT the. Circus of freaks they got running the city !!
The council was elected by the citizens to represent them. That is what they are doing. Most people are in favor of it. The vocal minority just likes making fools of themselves by acting like children who didn’t get their way.
That ‘circus of freaks’ was elected by the majority of people in this city, the same people who voted not to have a casino close because of the ‘kind of people’ that casinos draw. How’d that work out for you?
Instituting a culture of death. What kind of human being kills 3,333 animals per day then goes home and pretends like he’s psychologically OK? You’re courting disaster. No wonder higher crime exists around slaughter factories.
Shut up cry baby and go away. No one likes you and you need to stay off this site like you were told. Grow up and go away.
And this is precisely what started my protracted grievance…anonymous bullies whom i “struck a nerve” with, relentlessly trying to silence me off NIT.
Now here’s the part where the NIT editor gets to correct history by deleting you, thereby imparting the message to the orhers that unprovoked bullyism will not be tolerated on NIT.
Umm…you missed one editor. Please delete this comment. It’s off-topic harassment.
Rights of citizens have been taken away and area citizens are feeling first hand the effects of socialism.
Taxpayers are forced by their government to give 15 million dollars of their money to a Corporation without any chance to vote on this Public/Private venture.
This project amounts to Corporate Welfare. Here we can trace the money from the wallets of working people to the bank accounts of big business and “we the people” don’t have a dam thing to say about it.
I want jobs, but not at the expense of the taxpayers.
The worst part of socialism is the loss of freedom. This project exposes just how many freedom’s we have had taken from us.
Watching how this project has been proposed and pushed thru should be alarming to everyone!
Because of the “lust” of $/money they have forgotten, the Creator and His creation, also, http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Leviticus-11-7_11-8/, and they have “chose” not be good stewards to the land, they have taken sides with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abaddon, can one sense the sorting of the “wheat and tares”.
Citizens are the ones who need to be voting on this environmental disaster not 6 people, it is the citizens water, air and land i.e health that will be affected, the citizens of Mason City and surrounding areas homes will be worthless, please watch this video, “The Impact of Factory Farming on the Environment in North Carolina”, https://youtu.be/A6QTfFUxSR8, no civil society would allow this “animal abuse”, and their natural resources destroyed.