Editorial by Matt Marquardt –
This mayor, council and administrator continue to ignore the real problems in Mason City and make new ones, and people are taking notice.
Case in point, the move to privatize the city’s sanitation department and the revelation that more departments will face the same scrutiny. As NIT has written for months, the morale at City Hall is at all-time lows, and the evidence is piling up as to why. Everyone’s job is on the line; the old ways are no longer good enough. Mayor Bookmeyer has made it clear he knows better than all his predecessors and he has set out to implement his 21st century dogmas; we, his subjects, are lazy and do not work hard enough. We are not “lean” enough. Bookmeyer has determined that only through the pursuit of a bottom line and a profit can the city reach its peak potential. City workers are feeding at the trough and they need to go, one at a time or now, perhaps, a department at a time.
(PHOTO: Council members Travis Hickey and Alex Kuhn listen to City Administrator Brent Trout describe plans to possibly privatize one or more city departments. Kuhn was the lone dissenter and wanted no part of it.)
Bookmeyer sits at the meetings, mostly quiet, but behind the scenes conducts Brent Trout to set about on this mission; he has his council in place, perhaps five out of six sold on the idea. Their mission is to downsize City Hall and hire what amounts to a hodge-podge Haliburton to take over. Those of you in the know remember the U.S military followed this same plan in the second Iraqi war. Duties once performed by military were farmed out to private companies like Haliburton. That’s why it cost the military astronomical sums to wash loads of clothes or deliver fuel from Kuwait to the battlefield; the private sector was in control, and they could charge whatever they wanted. The taxpayers didn’t find out until later that we got screwed.
Now, you and I face this same transformation here in Mason City. After sanitation falls, which department is next? The MCPD? Has the mayor already instructed Brent Trout to call Blackwater for a bid?
I call this “dogma” fewer services for fewer people for fewer dollars. Even as our city pool sat empty this glorious weekend, hot temps and hot tempers flaring, Central Park and the Cultural Crescent were primped and primed for the Mercedes and Infinity drivers; their playground was immaculate. The city’s restless youth took to the streets with reckless abandon; they had our brave law enforcement officers on their heels at times, reaching for gas and smoke canisters, sometimes desperately calling all over the area for backup as brawls erupted all over the Music Man’s favorite park. Mr. Toot might have dropped his trombone and ran had he been there.
Our Mayor and Council were not to be seen nor heard. Where were they? Why have they swept this under the rug? Will this calamity ever be addressed, explained to the public? Is running a city only about dollars and cents, or is it also about serving all the citizens, the youth included? Why is the focus on ignoring the many to please the few?
(PHOTO: Councilman Scott Tornquist told the sanitation workers that they should embrace the request for proposals process as their jobs are on the line.)
This Mayor and Council need to step away from the accounting ledger for two minutes and look around. The police are down several officers; the morale at the fire department is sinking. These are our sworn protectors. The youth of the city, many abandoned by their parents to one extent or another, are never given a second thought by city leaders, but yet, they live here too. They are becoming more bold; they have disdain for law enforcement and some of them are becoming vicious. This city will devolve into pandemonium if City Hall, law enforcement, parents and volunteers do not get their act together and start addressing this forgotten segment of the population. This is a problem with no bottom line, no red ribbon to be cut; it is not confined to a blue zone. It may be impossible for our leaders to grasp this issue, but they must. The creative thinking may not exist at the council table, but something must be done. The foundation of the city is crumbling even as its core gleams in golden light when the sun sets.
Citizens, councilors, mayor, parents, volunteers, take notice and do something.
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VIDEO:
Watch the Mason City Council, Mayor Eric Bookmeyer and City Administrator Brent Trout discuss the privatization of of the sanitation department and the possibility of more to come. 55 minutes.
here in belmond the private hauler makes us buy these yellow bags… 10 of them for 20 dollars. you have to take your garbage put it in their yellow bags which are small, make sure they tie and set them on the curb.
we have to pay for double the garbage bags which cause more trash in the long run
I lived in another town that had a bunch of small independent garbage businessmen. You could hire anyone you wanted and it was about $20 per month. The good news was could have as many cans as I needed and didn’t have to buy stickers for more than one can a week. They never dared leave garbage on the ground if it blew out of can or they would lose their customers. I think that is a better model than a large org like wastemanagement or a municipal provder. Our wages and benefits paid to union employees is too rich for our budget
City POPULATION
MARSHALLTOWN 27,552 populatin
$ 10.69- $24.96 per month
SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIVATE HAULER
Yard waste must be taken to compost facility and citizens will be charged for disposal some general fund money is used to subsidize facility.
BURLINGTON 25,663 population
$ 11.45 per month
Service provided by municipal employees
Yard waste is picked up 3 weeks in spring and 7 weeks in fall for leaf bags only.
BETTENDORF 33,217
$ 12.68 for 64 gallon
Recycling picked up monthly yard waste each bag must have a 50 cents sticker attached. Extra bag of garbage must have a $3.00 sticker
MUSCATINE 22,886
$ 18.25 50lbs or 40 gallon
Recycling picked up bi-weekly, yard waste picked up weekly but must have city of Muscatine bags at a cost of $1.00 each
FORT DODGE 25,206
$14.00 month 35 gallon
Recycling picked up weekly, yard waste picked up weekly at a cost of $1.00 per bag
OTTUMWA 25,023
$16.00 month 1 can
Recycling weekly, yard waste weekly at cost of $1.00 per bag
Horrible idea
Kuhn is the only hope to stop this
And kudos to Kuhn for being the only one to stand up to big chunky monkey in the middle seat. I think Tornquist lost his balls with his hair. Or maybe he didn’t lose them and they are just in his wife’s purse. Hickey? Seems like a good man just scared of dough boy and needs to start doing his homework. Solberg? Clueless as they come. She can’t see anything but the inside of her colon. These clowns gotta go.
If ANYONE thinks that a company like waste management will come in and do the same job and we will still pay $9 or less per month is cracked. I don’t believe it. Not only that but how much sense does this make…Brent said that the workers could be placed in “other” city jobs. So, if that is that case, isn’t the city still paying their wages? How is that going to be cheaper for the city?
They talk about how painful this process may be and that they need to go through this RFP process….well no they don’t. 3 of them can say we are not interested in this, we have more pressing issues to work on. That would kill this whole idea, which is a bad idea. We have more control and accountability of that department with them being city employees and being a city service. I live in Ward 2 and not sure I could vote for Hickey again.
The mayor cant win. He wants to build a comunity center so people will have some where to go and the kid’s will have some thing to do and then NIT bashes him for not doing any thing for the kid’s.
Here is the facts. The sanitation crew is overstaffed. Working six hours a day and getting paid for ten. Now you go to a bidding process and Joe Bohl says private haulers can’t do it for less and they aren’t doing it for less in other areas. Part of that reason is because of the North Iowa Landfill. We have some of the lowest tipping rates in the state. If we took our garbage to lake mills you rate would double because their tipping fees are almost twice as much. So Joe you have to compare apples to apples. Secondly a company like waste management can do it cheaper because their guys will work a full day for the same amount of work. That alone will reduce their costs. Second they will take the recyclables and sell them on the open market and make money from it which will also reduce their costs. Third they would probably utilize a garbage truck with a arm on it. So one guy running the truck will do the work of three city workers. This will reduce their costs and chances for accidents and injuries. In the end the sanitation department will lose out because they are union and will not be willing to bargain to save their jobs because believe me private industry will be able to do it cheaper because they are smarter and know how to do it and still make a profit. Joe Bohl himself has said in his blogs that there are issues that need to be addressed. My prediction is that pride will cost the sanitation department their jobs. I hope I am wrong but I guess time will tell.
Mason City! What a load of bull. City workers make more than the average worker in the city, pay only $50 a month for medical insurance and have two supervisors, Stangler making $100,000 and Berrglan(?) $80,000 who aren’t worth half the money. Next time you see a group of city workers at a site…check and see how many are working and how many are spectators. One day I witnessed five men planting one tree in the parking lot behind the Dollar Store…just one example. If you’re paying $9 a month for trash removal, just how much do you think the taxpayers are having to put in to cover the cost. It don’t add up otherwise, with each man making at least $15 an hour plus benefits (i.e. the city puts in $750.00 each month in the health care pool for each employee).
Matt – I will bring up the same question with you as I did with Peter on his article, it is listed under this comment. Look forward to hearing your response. Thanks.
Mr. Children – I understand your frustration and respect your opinion, but when KUHN stands up and says NO the way he did when he was outnumbered at the table 7-1; you have to give him some credit. He won that argument last night and took guts to stand up to all of them the way he did. In my opinion; you lose credibility when you don’t give him some respect for actually doing what you think he should do. It goes to prove you will bash all of them no matter what they do, even if you agree with one of them; in this case KUHN.
I do know lots of people from towns that have there garbage run by private companys and they all say the exact same thing..SHIT. they can not stand what they have to go threw just to get there garbage picked up. Let alone what they have to pay for it. It might look good know and always does right away but you wait if it goes to private like i sayed previously, better start opening your wallets and shelling out more dough. If this council wants to start saving money maybe we better look into quality work and workers like we already have instead of hiring it done to outside companys because it really worked out well on the two bridges in town that we already have to dump a shit load of money into already. Im only 26 years old and have lived in this town my whole life and quite frankly you older people wonder why people my age and younger are leaving this town. I dont want to but for christ sake this is simple simon shit, if it aint broke..dont fix it.
Many of these departments should be run privately. Much savings in the long run. Why not save the $200,000 like Mr. Hickey said.
I represent the men in the sanitation department. We just wrapped up negotiations on a 4 year contract with the city and during these negotiations not once did Brent Trout or anyone else in city management make any proposals to change the incentive plan. We feel very confident that if the private haulers have to come in and meet or beat the current level of service we shall measure up very well. I think people should call around to other cities in Iowa and ask what they are paying for service then call your council members and tell them to leave their hands off this service before it ends up costing us all more money.
There is a real simple answer to the problem, put your phones on redial to all the council members and mayor until they get it pounded into there heads that they are retarded and should all do the right thing and step down and let new members that actually care about the community take there spots. Its pretty obvious that they have no idea that this is iowa and we are a community based state and town. We dont shit in our neighbors back yard, we dont sit around and watch people through hard times, we help each other. I guess if you want mason city to be run by big companys you better get your wallets out cuz that shit is never cheap and apparently the council hasnt realized that yet. Just remember election time, there are going to be alot of new names on the ballet for all different positions so dont be afraid to pick a new one.
It’s obvious that no matter what the public opinion is, Trout and Bookmeyer are not going to listen to the public. This is getting ridiculous. These are elected officials, with the exception of Trout, and as elected officials, isn’t it their duty to consider what the “public” wants????? I hope none of these people get too comfortable in their seats, I can see them being voted out in the next election. Then we will need a new mayor and council to clean up the mess this one has created.
Matt-I agree with you in part. I do think there is some waste in our city that could be eliminated. I am not referring necessarily to the sanitation department. People do not understand what incentave means although I am not entirely in favor of that. It tends to have the workers taking short cuts and misusing equipment if it is not watched. However, I do agree with you on our young people. They can say all they want that it is the parents responsibility but obviously a section of the parents have no intention of parenting. They all want to be friends with their kids and that won’t work. Kids need to be taught resposibilty and respect and it just doesn’t happen all to often in today’s society. Over the years I have seen lots of programs for kids put on by the park and rec and the city working with the schools. It just doesn’t work because the tough’s take over and the decent kids won’t go so it fails. As long as the kids know there is no penalty for their actions we will not be able to control them. They will stand right in front of you and tell you that you can’t do anything to them because they are kid’s. They are taught that in school. My answer to them is, tell me how you feel about that when you get out of the hospital. They know even the police can’t do anything to them. The milk-sop judges will turn them loose and they know it. They need DISCIPLINE and they are not getting it.
What do you expect? The public unions keep asking for more and more and more and more, why the people who are paying the bill are getting less, and less, and less.
If the public unions will not negociate for a fare wage during hard times, then get rid of them.
And yes, this encludes teachers, fireman, police man, etc.
Government employees are the highest paid for the least amount of work. They retire with full benefits 10 years before anybody in the private sector can? The unions have bargained their way into a wage and benefit package that is no longer affordable.
Oh, and by the way Matt and Peter, what the hell are you doing to improve the situation? All I ever see if both of you bitching, moaning, and name calling everyone who has an opinion other than your own.
You are actually against using discretion when it comes to how our city uses tax funds? I’m not trying to be insensitive to anyone who works for the city, but I’m all for giving tax payers a better deal. If there is fat to trim, then by god we should trim it!
And since when does it fall on city officials to teach children manners? I’m sick and tired of people passing the buck to everyone except the parents who are supposed to be responsible.