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Editorial: City Hall silence speaks volumes

by Matt Marquardt –

An item in Mason City’s 2013 budget piqued my interest and I decided to ask City Hall for some information about it.  I asked about a $60,000 remodeling plan for the first floor of City Hall.

The persons I asked were City Administrator Brent Trout, Mayor Eric Bookmeyer, and our six City Council representatives.  They are Alex Kuhn, Jean Marinos, John Lee, Travis Hickey, Janet Solberg and Scott Tornquist.  I also included Finance Director Kevin Jacobson in the list.

I sent the following questions about the planned remodel to the above nine persons:

“Brent, how does the walk-through with the architect work, for the first floor City Hall remodel?  Is that just a preliminary thing to take a look?  How did the figure of $60,000 come about?  Is that an estimate?  How was that figure arrived at? Has Mr. Cram already been hired to design the remodel?  I talked to another Mason City architect today and he knows nothing about the project.  Will other architects be invited to look at the project?  Whose idea was it to remodel City Hall first floor?  Can I see the plans?”

I also asked about the budget and getting information on that.

“Also I am still waiting to hear back from you about getting copies of the CIP budget and the operating budget, the same materials the department heads received prior to Tuesday’s meeting.  I emailed Chief Platts about the fire truck and he got right back to me.  I have people asking what is going on and they are expecting a story.  No other media attended Tuesday’s budget meeting and the public is demanding information.   I’d greatly appreciate answers to the above questions from you and those that are receiving this, some of which campaigned on ‘transparency.'”

No one ever gave me a response to these questions.  I did get a copy of the budget from Kevin Jacobson and had a brief discussion with him.  I came away from that with a feeling that if he talked to me without permission from higher up the ladder, his job could be in jeopardy.

This is all troubling for several reasons, but let me be clear on a few points first.  I am always courteous to these people, but I am blunt when I am working, and maybe they didn’t care for my tone.  Too bad.  I’m not here to make friends, I just want answers.  Why am I entitled to answers?  I am a taxpayer here in Mason City, a resident, a small business owner, no criminal record, I have never been kicked out of a bar or made my barber cry.  These people represent me the same way they represent everyone else in this town.  They are spending my money.  I believe this is still America; have a right to ask questions and get a timely answer.  Furthermore, the public somewhat expects me to report  on various issues; in fact, I get calls and emails when I don’t.  I am doing my job, a job I hired myself to do that I enjoy.  Here is a reality check for these eight individuals: Let me clue you in on the fact that many people are sick and tired of hearing the skewed news you hand deliver to the other media outlet.  I am talking about regular people here, 99% of which do not fit or are not allowed in your social circles.  These folks are either skeptical of what you are delivering to the other media outlet or outright call it lies and misrepresentations.  It is cooked news to them.  Here is the bottom line:  Silence is still an answer.  A huge portion of the public is not buying your cooked news, and when you offer no answer to a regular citizen like myself, you are encouraging stories like this one and the propagation of rumor throughout the community.  So now I ask, why no answer?  Are you hiding something, are you afraid of what I will report, or do only certain people get to ask questions and get answers?  How much transparency is there, really, at City Hall?

 

 

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