by Matt Marquardt –
According to plans shown to me Wednesday by a Forest Park resident, Mercy Hospital has altered its expansion project plans for an energy center and loading dock area on its north side.
A house that some say is historic, 63 Linden Drive, located on the corner of Linden Drive and 1st Street SW that was originally slated to be moved or demolished, now would remain untouched in the new plan, just unveiled this week.
Forest Park neighborhood residents are putting the pressure on Mercy and City Hall to change the expansion project or give it up altogether. They have a petition drive in motion at this time and they are circulating information to the neighborhood.
Forest Park residents have further expressed concern that the council has “already made up its mind” on the issue of changing zoning to accommodate the project.
One Forest Park resident told NIT this week that during a conversation about the project with Councilman Travis Hickey, he told her “this looks like this will pass.'” That resident also was troubled by a rumor she heard that city hall staff and council members had been “taken out to lunch” by Mercy officials to discuss the project. There is a $3 maximum allowable ceiling on any meal for elected officials in Mason City.
Today via phone, Councilman Travis Hickey said that if anyone went to lunch with Mercy officials “it wasn’t me” and that he had not heard of any such meeting taking place. City Administrator Brent Trout was out of the office and had no reply to an email asking about the matter, and City Planner Tricia Sandahl simply said “No” when asked if she knew about any lunch meetings with Mercy.
Hickey also said that “I have not made up my mind” as far as his vote goes, although he did say he would vote “yes” to allow the change of zoning at Tuesday’s council meeting. “This will be on first reading, and that doesn’t mean it’s a done deal,” Hickey explained.
Hickey advised any concerned residents to appear at the September 4th Council meeting at the library and to address the council on that agenda item.
Mercy is ridiculous! They can operate just fine without more room for their office people to sit on their arses. So sick of their offices popping up everywhere & the only people that actually WORK for Mercy are the cafeteria people, CNAS, SOME NURSES & SOME DOCTORS. Sick of it. Then they don’t even accept Iowa Care? Primary huge hospital in North Iowa doesn’t take IOWA CARE?
Why waste everybody’s time with a petition. What Mercy wants, Mercy gets!
Well that doesn’t look as bad as it sounded. Maybe some trees will still be saved on the north side of the new road? The noise isn’t going to be any worse than it is now. The people on the east end of Linden will be affected more with all the trucks driving by, although no different than it is now getting to the road behind the hospital.
Any projects Mercy has done has benefited the patients and families in some way….The money that is spent is worth it, perhaps it is spent on the most updated surgical, radiology, E.R. technology. These things all benefit the most recent updates to helping our patients and their families in both diagnosing and treatment of illness.
Hickey will vote however the mayor wants him to. At least be honest about it! Mercy has gotten too big for their britches and act like they own the town. That west campus sits out there with hardly anything in it and they could have added on to that years ago. Then the middle of town wouldn’t be so crowded and so many people wouldn’t have lost their homes due to Mercy buying them out. They can’t get doctors or keep doctors, but keep tearing up the town and expanding. Why?????????
Well you’re right about one thing…Hickey is Bookmeyer’s boy. Hell, Bookmeyer carries all those boys balls in his purse. Most of all, Hickey’s. He even carries Janet’s balls too. Oh yea…dude looks like a lady. Lol. That’s not nice Voice!
If Hickey said he would vote “yes” while also stating “that his mind isn’t made up”; Who is making up his mind for him?
Like everything else their minds are made up!! I have never heard this council saying No to anything and when it comes to Mercy they get what ever they want. Even if any council member did go to lunch they would never tell. Makes me sick the council doesn’t care what the tax payers want.
I would like to say do you live in Mason City? Or Mercy City? Enosgh is enough. They continue to expand and do this monopoly move, via homes, shopping centers, store fronts, etc. when is it to much. I noticed the hospital bills are not cheapet. So ask your fellow council personhow they feel about re naming the town Mercy City. Sounds like the city needs so mercy. When this is saif and done.
Andy, my sincere regrets on the death of your english teacher.
FROM NIT STAFF: Please do not make this kind of comment. Thank you.
how is 63 linden drive historic? apologies if i have missed the answer from a previous article.