Editorial by Matt Marquardt –
City Hall has dropped its pursuit of a multi-purpose arena, at least for the time-being.
This arena was to be Mayor Eric Bookmeyer’s crowning achievement, his mark left on the community, as he has been the main politician spearheading the movement to have it built. He orchestrated the formation of a seven member “fact-finding” team way back in 2010 and since then has directed his assistant Brent Trout and other city staff to spend city resources researching the idea. Trout and his staff have put in countless hours, and spent an unknown number of taxpayer dollars, driving to the Twin Cities and other locations to tour their arenas, putting together reports, making phone calls, meeting with architects, making deals to buy land, etc.
Now, all of a sudden, the idea is dropped.
Their reasons and timing are pathetic.
First of all, the Mayor had Brent Trout announce that the idea should be dropped, even though it was not Trout’s idea to begin with. Mayor, it was your idea, why don’t you show leadership and announce and explain to the public that the idea has been dropped, yourself? Why are you hiding silently in the corner like a frightened mouse while your mouthpiece takes all the lumps?
Trout said that the council and mayor want to focus on job creation instead of the arena. He made this announcement just a few minutes before he outlined the mayor’s master plan to eliminate twelve city sanitation jobs, good jobs, that support families. And there will be more jobs on the line as this administration stumbles forward, tearing down the fabric of the community with one hand and patting itself on the back with the other.
What is truly disgusting is just how dumb Trout and Bookmeyer and some of the council think the citizens are.
Case in point, the revelation from Trout that the arena project should be postponed because Governor Branstad wants to reform property tax in Iowa- cutting commercial property taxes, to be more specific. “The property tax reform legislation was not approved but the discussion from many legislators was definitely leaning that way,” Trout wrote.
Possibilities, possibilities.
It seems to have escaped Mr. Trout that Governor Branstad took office in 2010, when his boss Eric Bookmeyer took office and set about on his pursuit of the arena. The Governor made it clear even when campaigning, as well as since he took office, that property tax reform was a major goal of his. That’s over two and a half years of talking about this goal. If property tax reform was such a deal-breaker, the arena project should never have even been brought up in the first place. Forcing Trout to use this possible tax reform threat now as an escape hatch to save the political careers of his bosses stinks and shows that the mayor is afraid to admit that the public for the most part does not want this project to move forward; his idea was a dud.
Previously, Trout was more worried about TIF (tax increment financing) reform coming from Des Moines as a potential arena project killer. As you may have read, TIF has been abused by cities all over Iowa in financing projects like this one that TIF was never intended to be used for. In the end, the legislature passed an extremely watered-down TIF reform package that does not prohibit cities from using TIF for arenas and other public works projects (the possibility of stronger TIF reform was there, but the politicians backed down… similar to how they took no action on the property tax reform this session). Trout failed to show in his memo that TIF would be a major problem in moving forward with the arena.
In the end, the tax reform argument rings hollow, as Governor Branstad has held this threat over the heads of city governments since 2010, when the arena talk heated up here. The legislature did nothing, and as councilman Alex Kuhn so aptly pointed out (see video), it may never do anything. The TIF reform was weak and is not an issue.
So, why did the city suddenly drop the arena project?
I’ll tell you why.
Bookmeyer and council members Scott Tornquist, Travis Hickey and Janet Solberg all wanted this albatross off their backs as they prepare for next year’s election, and they made Trout cook up some reasons to drop it.
That’s the real truth that your city leaders will never admit.
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Watch full council discussion of postponing the multi-purpose area project:
I’m all for the multipurpose center and will be til it gets built. i hope it can be revived when i make it to the council
reggie continues to write because he is the beermans pocket pal assigned to try to protect him on NIT. Pretty pathetic way to have to spend your life.
“beermans pocket pal”? I’m not familiar with that term.I just don’t like seeing anyone raked over the coals unfairly and without a voice. Disagree with his vision or style BUT don’t attack him personally. Unfortunately, that is what this site does on a regular basis and a lot of followers emulate that stance.
The Mayor has been approached numerous times for input, quotes on stories, and feedback on issues. He refused since the day NIT was launched. In fact, Reggie, he told me he “would never give NIT a chance.” He also told me to “give up” back in 2010. He has always had the same opportunity for input here, and always will. NIT does not attack the mayor. I, however, have been critical of his performance as mayor, and other editorials from the public have been critical of his job performance and his antics around town. I have nothing against the mayor personally and think he might be a decent guy, but I don’t like how he has runs things thus far.
So many positives would come of it if he just sat down with NIT once a quarter for a no-holds-barred interview. Clear the air, answer some questions and move along. Sad, really.
In my opinion; it seems the only person who is allowed to personally attack Mayor Bookmeyer and get away with it is Peter Children.
Matt you say NIT “does not attack the Mayor”. I beg to differ on this statement.Whether it was you or your hatchet man, pit bull, bulldog, assassin ,Peter Children, you did and do attack the Mayor.Isn’t “drunkmeyer,Mayor six pack,etc attacking? Matt you will say it was other people saying this ,Peter,anonymous 1 2 3 and 4,but by not deleting their comments, like you do other peoples,you condone it.Therefore you/NIT does attack the Mayor.
ALL SO TRUE!!! I hope they let this dog to bee for good, referring to the multi-purpose center!
I am sick of most of the people on the council. They don’t care what the people want. I really wish I could move because if I could I would be gone but my husband will never move. I never thought I would hear myself say it but Mason is not where I want to be. The council is going to do what it wants and we the people are going to be paying for it. bookmeyer doesn’t give a rats ass how the citizens of Mason City feel. He was out a week or two ago talking to the older people not more than a year ago he was telling how we needed younger blood, he just wants votes for the next time he runs. I hope people see through him and see what he really is. I pray everyday that the next 2 years fly by and we get rid of bookmeyer, tornquist.
Matt great story this is exactly what people are saying on the streets and coffee shops in this town. The city council are legally the decision makers and its about time they step up and take on the responsibility. I can’t stand the fact that we pay Brent Trout over 150,000 dollars a year to be a yes man. If the council wants to save money lets keep our trash haulers and get rid of Trout.
I think if I was paid $150,000 per year I too would be a yes man for my bosses.That is what he is supposed to be, the point man and the implementer of their policies.You might not agree with his bosses,the council, but you shouldn’t fault him for doing his job.
Reggie shows his true colors… YELLOW. The people be damned, do whatever it takes to keep my job, right Reg? I hope to God I never hire your sorry ass, but sinc eyou are anonymous it could happen. I pity the fool you work for.
Marlene I am not quite sure how I am yellow?By explaining the nature of the city administrators job description? Trout is doing what the council,who were elected by the people,want.Therefore he is, by proxy, doing what the people want.
Wrong Reggie. Trout is petrified of the mayor. Trout works for him, no matter what the code says.
Hahaha. What a tool! What other favors would you perform for your bosses? Are you versed in kissing ass or what? Go over to the glob and see if skipper needs an intern!
“Reggie” Everybody has to answer to a boss but when we hire a so called profesional administrator and pay him 150,000 plus per year I expect him to be professional and tell his boss’s the truth even if they don’t like it. When the city decided to go to the administrator form of government we had a industrial park that had some major manufacturing and we two cement plants now we have nothing so its time to look at getting rid of the city administrator. I don’t like to think about Bookmeyer running the city because if he was any good at business he would be working but at least we can get rid of him at election time.
fault him for doing what job? he’s not a yes man- he’s an A$$ man. all he does is bend over and take it and then give it right back to everyone else. who cares if trout had to be the bad guy this time. serves him right.
So “ECHO”, its Trout’s fault the world economy went in the tank and a lot of the manufacturing jobs left the country?And “ECHO” what is the truth you speak of? The truth to one person can be a lie or falsehood to another.I get that you and others don’t like the direction this council and Mayor is going BUT don’t blame the messenger!
Matt how would you know or why they dropped this? This article is based on your opinions and conclusions. No real reporting. No interviews. Just more venomous hatred. If the council moved forward they would get blasted for wasting money. My conclusion is that they listened to Peter Children and decided it was time to move on to something else.
Who wrote this comment? Seems like Matt calls it like he sees it and completely backed up his arguments with video and a memo and facts about the Governor and Legislature. Another great piece by the leading writer in the city. Matt, keep after them and ignore people like anonymous, we are all reading and waiting for the next one.
Matt calls it like he sees it, for sure. But it is a bit myopic to say that this is the the current mayor’s project. This idea has been in place since at least Schikel was mayor. There were studies and discussions for over a decade but never any resolution to it. It was good of Bookmeyer to bring it forward to gauge the interest and feasibility of it.
You are right, this was brought up many times before in many different forms.Joint YMCA/City rec. center and events Center back in the 90’s. This Mayor and Council is damned if they do AND damned if they don’t.Bring jobs in BUT not those type of jobs. Help local businesses but not that business.Find something to keep families in Mason City BUT not that something.Lower our taxes but don’t cost any city employee their jobs.They look at and brainstorm ideas and get shot at by NIT. When has Matt and/or Peter ever come up with any of their own ideas for improvement?
Reggie-if you really dislike what Matt and Peter why do you continue to read what they write. And, just how many damned Anonymous’s are there anyway?? Why don’t you people who want to discredit someone come out of the closet and have balls enough to use your name.
Good question LVS.Like someone else said”It’s like a car wreck,you just can’t keep from looking”.
I think Matt said it best, you and I are both addicted to NIT. It has some kind of hold over us, we can’t keep away even though we disagree. Now I don’t agree with that and have proven so by keeping my distance these last few weeks, by my own choice. Reggie, on the other had, I see here nearly everyday leaving comments on lots of stories. He is addicted to NIT, not me.
Hey Watcher, I’m not sure addicted is the right word.I get mad when people come on here and bash someone and call names.This includes Matt and Peter.It feels like I’m in middle school again defending the defenseless.So addicted might be a little strong,maybe intrigued,irritated,righteous? But in the end it’s all semantics anyway.
There was also an article a few days ago in the Globe that this has been dropped. So yes, Matt does have this information correct. The only difference is that his style of reporting doesn’t sugar coat anything like the Globe does. He tells it like it is. I truly believe he has the community’s best interests at heart.
Not that it really has anything to do with this (or does it) but I was just at Menards and drunkmeyer was there. He left the parking lot to turn onto village green drive i think it’s called. Anyway he put his left turn signal on and then turns right. I’m not even kidding. He is either drunk right now or he really is THAT stupid. In the store I just looked at him trying to decide if i wanted to waste the time to confront him. So i’m starring at him, he makes eye contact i show the look of disgust on my face which i am sure was clearly obvious and he looks down at his feet. Not sure if he could actually see them or not but it is clear the man has NO spine. What a joke, i just laughed at him.
I too have seen our elected and unelected officials acting a fool in public. I saw one guy with red hair screaming at a tv set in a bar rooting for his Nebraska cornhuskers. He was a mess!
Just curious, what did you want the Mayor to do ? Interpret your scowl as indigestion and ask if you were feeling OK or get in your face and confront you? No spine or non confrontational and polite ?
I been in that very situation. I have said “hi, how are you?”
I’d just be curious how much did the city waste on this deal already. What did the trip the Minneapolis cost? How many hours of wages were spent? Other resources? And then to pull out a reason to give it up that’s been there along, as Matt pointed out? I’m racking my brain trying to figure these folks out.
A good point. Hickey is worried about the firefighters working too many hours as they protect our lives but it is ok for the administrator and his gang to waste their working hours any way they see fit. I heard Trout makes $100 an hour. Mr. Hickey is developing into a real hypocrite.
It’s good to know they finally came to their senses and stopped this B**S** before it costs us any more money. I don’t know how they came to the conclusion’s on their feasability study because they certainly didn’t talk to me or anyone I know. I really hope they get together with the county and the fair board and do something about the ice at the Events Center. I’m sure they can put in a new ice rink for a hell of a lot less than a civic center. Of course no one will make a lot of money selling land that is worthless right now because it is in the flood plain.
So to be clear, Bookmeyere and the other 3 council treated us like a yo-yo on this thing from the get-go. Clearly they chickend out and i’d be shocked or blown away if more than one of the four of these jokesters make it back to office. Thank you NIT for once again bringing the real truth out in the open.
aside from if drunkmeyer don’t get his way he has a 2 y/o hizzy fit, solberg is a drinking bubby with drunkmeyer turncoat like drukmeyer does not like to be questioned. and they ALL are a bunch of drunking spineless idiots.
but what even worse then the morons there now, rember how they got there. remeber they just didn’t just wake one day and say, i’m gonna move in to city hall and **** the city over. remeber it was the voter who put these morons where they are at. so not only can you blame them, but the voter is more t fault, after all you put them there. now enjoy.
as for Kuhn, maybe you need to tell drunkmeyer you can’t go to the bar now and then, you sound as stupid as the rest.
as for trout, thou its not that bright either, he neds to grow a pair and stand up to the other morons, after all he is city administrater right.
better yet next time around do some house cleaning at the castle and get rid of them all. but i’m afraid the voters are much smarter then the leaders, after all you put them there