At Tuesday night’s Mason City City Council meeting, Mayor Eric Bookmeyer said that Mason City is on track to become a Blue Zone community and that support for the program is widespread.
“Mason City really has made a tug at these numbers,” Bookmeyer said. “I would encourage everyone to go to bluezonesproject.com … to move us to the next level.”
City Administrator Brent Trout said the project has come a long way in a short time. “With the individuals that have come on board … it is evident that we are on track.” He said the city’s application is “very strong” and said the business community, schools and media have supported the program.
The council supported the signing of a letter of commitment to the program 6-0.
Bookmeyer swore in three new City Council members: Alex Kuhn, John Lee and Jean Marinos. The three council members then took their seats and fully took part in the meeting.
Bookmeyer made recommendations for appointments to boards. The council approved 6-0: Scott Tornquist to the North Iowa Landfill Board; Alex Kuhn and Tim Latham to the Environmental Stewardship Advisory Commission and John Lee to the Historic Preservation Commission.
Watch entire meeting:
Has anyone gone out and looked at the web site. It looks very cool from what I can see. I don’t know enough about it to say if it would help or not help Mason City but getting people happier and healthier sounds great. I work part time in the fitness world and LOVE it. I would like to know more about the program than hear about how Bookmeyer spends his free time. Someone give me some more info on this like the pros and cons
Howie/others just can’t comment on some things can he. He knows it’s right on the money. Entirely funny!
Professionally stuffed up our ass. Who wants professional we want cool and with it! Bunch of no fun sittin there and no doubt about what someone said all 3000 pounds of it. Hilare! Weeeeeee wawaWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Drinks later! Weeeeeeeeeee
Turn down your Sybian Buzz.
You folks sure do like to pick on Bookmeyer. He must not be too incompetent, he is proceeding with his agenda and removed his opponents fairly easily.
I for one am greatful for a council meeting that wasn’t an embarassment….very professional!
You sure about that Bill? She looked entirely too tired for just starting out. Remember she hated it all then what could have changed her hate for it? Oh that’s right..SPITE.
Tell me they are embarrassed just a little. Not mentioning the 3000 lbs of blocked thinking sitting at the table. The transparency of yesterdays meeting and the obviousness of each and every vote to come. What we can hope for is just one of them to sit at home each night look at their kids or grand kids and let their conscience surface and decide to do the right thing. No more follow the leader or pack to feel approved of or IN with the crowd. Be your own self and show your kids how it should be. Then your payback someday will be outstanding in many ways. Don’t forget you can be out in heart beat too so tread careful.
The only blue drunkmeyer will ever see is if he chokes on a steak bone and turns it.
Bookmeyer is really pathetic, he’s a curse on this city and those who live here. The only difference between him and Marinos is she doesn’t stand up to pee.
“The only difference between him and Marinos is he doesn’t stand up to pee.”
Isn’t that how it’s supposed to read?
Not a big fan of government entities like our city promoting a corporation’s program that results in free advertising for them. This is what many people are sick of. We can get off our couches ourselves we do not need people running around in blue shirts drinking the Kool-Aid. People get some independence and stop looking for handouts from govt or cozying up to corporations. Parents should be teaching children to eat healthy and exercise-it’s your responsibility. Children should not think that government or businesses are their mentors, PARENTS are.
Agreed!
A bluezone, Its when mayor bookmeyer is blue in the face cause he is so out of shape!!!!!
Yeah Wellmark starts pushing this “Blue Zone” baloney, and then rewards themselves with a $45 a month extra insurance hike on 70,000 members. This Blue Zone crap is undoubtedly being paid for by Blue Cross policy holders. I say take a Yoga class instead. BTW I don’t think city councils and mayors should be paying respect to private insurance companies, by promoting and integrating their programs with official city business. People need to start checking for any kickbacks or payoffs being made to Bookmeyer or the council for promoting this crap.
Who do they think they are fooling anymore? “Support for the program is widespread”? Yeah, is that because Blue Cross told you to read off the script and say that support is widespread? Another mega corporate structure which is ripping us off blindly telling us how to think is all this is. Wake up. We can be healthy without Blue Cross designating us as such. Screw your Blue Zone. I’d rather see my rate drop.
Peter, do you have any way of substantiating what you say? One shred of credible evidence? Or is all that just supposition?
Proof of what I say? How about what’s directly in front of your face. Rate hike by Blue Cross synchronized with announcement of Blue Zone baloney. This is the game of marketing and politics Observer. It’s not something mathematically quantifiable…although to me it’s as easy as adding up one plus one to make Blue.
People like you Observer…people who are always asking for some form of quantitative “proof” to every supposition and instinct offered, essentially are naysayers at heart. Everything is no, no, no. No…your feelings on this matter don’t matter. No, you cannot petition the government for redress of your grievances. NO, you cannot sue that doctor who just harmed you. You’re NO,NO,NO…until of course it suits your needs, interests, or personal viewpoints.
Peter, I went into detail elsewhere about the rate increases, and you could not offer anything of substance to deny costs go up externally.
Experience teaches me that not every idea or concept that comes down the pike is either necessary nor practical. Personally, I measure such things based on what seems practical. When one looks at our community, there is a need for wellness, healthier thinking and behaviors. While Blue Zone may not be exactly the method, it is a good direction ( I fancy employer based activities).
Needless to say both Wellmark (a mutual insurance company) and Healthways who are supporting Blue Zone (which has been initiated in other areas of the country by a separate organization), have good cause to do so. And Wellmark being a mutual, those efforts can pay off to it’s members.
And to the meat of the matter Peter, I ask again you substantiate that there are “any kickbacks or payoffs being made to Bookmeyer or the council for promoting this crap.” going on.
Again, Wellmark and Healthways only support it, they are not the originators of the concept!
Peter hit the real issues. Drunkmeyer is surrounding himself with his yes people to push his country club backers agenda thru. Keep your checkbooks open. We already had speek no truth, see no truth and hear no truth on the council.
this town is going nowhere-guaranteed! you can take that to the bank. chamber of crime won’t allow it!
Well it’s very easy to see what the mayor is setting up for himself. Tornquist to the Landfill Board–to quiet any upcoming dissent by the Landfill employees, and Kuhn to the environmental stewardship advisory committee–to look the other way when CES starts building their facility and possibly violating environmental standards. Perfect appointments to get the job done.
Not to say that the three new council member will cure all the city’s ills, however without that clown Weaver, now the city may have a fighting chance to move ahead.
I been living well my whole life. That is just part of being responsible. Eat well and stay off the booze.
This is funny. The Mayor drinks like a fish and he does not look healthy? He looks pretty fat and out of shape to me. I am 69 don’t take any pills and bet you a Subway Sandwich I could beat him in a foot race.
I forgo signing up.
Bluezones sounds like a fancy word to rip off the taxpayers. Must be scheme to give more money away!
The new members should read this oath themselves, out loud, of course; rather than just repeating the words spoken to them. They can read. Right?
Where’s drinks tonight fellow drunks? Meet you. That’s progress we all can go out! Weeeeee Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Bullshit. BUT it will all come out and sorry will be the next word.
Progress!