MASON CITY – The NIACC Pappajohn incubator isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, according to two Mason City business owners.
Leland and William Foster, who own and operate Cyclone Steel, Inc., were evicted last week from their space in the incubator.
“We got a letter in the mail Sautrday, I just happened to check my mail and the letter was there. We have to be out by the end of the day Tuesday (Dec. 4th.),” said Leland Foster.
Asked to explain why they are being evicted, both men laid the blame on NIACC President Debra Derr.
“She wants to bring a diesel program out here and use our space for the classes,” they said. “That’s not in the spirit of what this place is meant to be used for. It’s an incubator for small start-up businesses, not classroom area. I’m sure John Pappajohn wouldn’t approve.”
Both men said Derr refuses to take their phone calls.
Cyclone Steel’s incubator space consisted of a small office and a larger storage area where they kept construction equipment.
“It’s just a shell,” William Foster said. “They didn’t provide us with anything. No office equipment, no internet access. We had to wire our office ourselves.
“We got very little if any advice. They never explained about grants and other financial opportunities.”
Both men say they had never heard of the Micro-Enterprise program that the City of Mason City brokered in a partnership with the NIACC Pappajohn Center. The program is designed for small businesses who need help.
“We paid rent,” Leland said, explaining how the agreement to use the incubator space worked. “We paid rent and some others here didn’t, at times. We got a little behind. We admit that. They came out and told us not to sleep out here.”
The Fosters said they work long, odd hours throughout the day and evening and would be in the office at some of those times.
The Fosters said the eviction came at a bad time, just when business was picking up. They said they had just gotten back to the office Tuesday morning from what they described as a profitable job in the Des Moines Area. They also said NIACC refused to help them move out.
The next move for Cyclone steel, the brothers said, is to find an office in town and continue to try to grow the business. The Fosters said that Cyclone Steel employes 8 local people.
Both Leland and William went before the City Council in 2010 and asked for help for their business and were denied.
NorthIowaToday.com has been in contact with NIACC’s Jamie Zanios, Vice President of the Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center. Mr. Zanios has had an opportunity to watch the video interview (below) with the Fosters, and says there are “many errors and false statements” made. NIT plans a follow-up story when Mr. Zanios sends his full response.
Subscribers, watch video interview with Leland and William Foster as they cleaned out their office at the incubator on Tuesday, Dec. 4th, 2012:
httpv://youtu.be/07M5tTZ_Tk8
“We had to wire our office ourselves.” isn’t that illegal unless you are a electrician?? im sure neither are. oh well the city will turn its back on this because of who I is
This beats the hell out of reality tv!
How was my comment racist, dear? I meant no harm, and I’m not a racist. Your name is indeed unique, good for you. But your profane threats to kill people reinforce the racist stereotypes that upset you.
It was wrong to have brought Deoshea’s mom into this, but to “hope and pray that something real bad happens” to people one disagrees with is equally wrong. I doubt Deoshea’s mother would have approved of her daughter’s profanity, and crude threats of violence.
This site is getting more and more entertaining to read all the time. Thank you everyone!
Well since you explained it to me, Betty, I think I liked those people better when they had names like Jemima and Bessie Mae than these strange sounding names they use now. Thanks for the explanation.
Suzy, Deoshae is her name. Those people stopped using names like Venus, Jemima, Florida, and Bessie May a long time ago. Now they like names like Deoshae, Shabrika and Clorette. It is like a tribute to their african ancestors.
Could your comment not be anymore racist? My name doesnt come from my ancestors thank you very much, my name happens to be one of a kind! Thanks mom for making such a wonderful name for me!
” my name happens to be one of a kind”
Hardly: Deoshea Green, Deoshea Smalls, Deoshea Baily, Deoshea Deal, Deoshea Dukes, Deoshea Stoops.
It was wrong to bring the girl’s mother into this, I will agree. Can anybody tell me what is a Deoshea?
Let’s keep the comments about the story, not about personal issues. No personal attacks on either side.
Matt, unfortunately, people who live in glass houses shouldn’t ask to have their complaints or successes aired on your site. They will have stones thrown back at them. It doesn’t matter if you are successful or a failure. The people who post to this site will find some way trash you.
F*** YOU MOTHER ***KER IF I COULD FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE I WILL KILL YOU, BRING MY DEAD MOTHER INTO THIS SH*T , ARE YOU F**ING KIDDIN ME, ITS PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT NEED TO F**KIN DIE IN A HOLE , F**K YOU SERIOUSLY I CANT BELIEVE YOU WOULD BRING MY MOTHER INTO THIS!!! WAIT JUST WAIT I HOPE SOMEONE REALLY CLOSE TO YOU DIES AND YOU WATCH IT!!!
@Deoshea Foster-You know you are right. It is out of line to bring her deceased mother into this issue. She is not involved in the issue. You would not want to hear bad things about your mother if you were in the same situation.
Nice mouth. By the way, how’s your Fed Up program going Deosha????????????????
Im not going to sit here and argue with any of you. Talk all you want about me i could care less. At least i can come forward with my full name. My mom jus passed and doesnt deserve the disrespect someone put out on here. It seems to appear no matter what i have to say , one of you will say something back, thinking your cool and got the best of me, yes i freaked out the first time, who wouldnt? Yes my name is deoshea is beautiful and creative thanks to my Mom! Yes i tried started “fed up” but it failed , and? i dont care throw that shit out the window. Its people like you that dont give people chances to do anything in this town. I really hope and pray something real real bad happens to anyone who is as wrong as you guys have said. My mom was respected then and will now!!! And sence i dont know none of you, i dont have no regrets on sayin anything, yes karma is a bitch and i hope i meet her one day, cause then i will see be glad to see my brother and mother again!!!
To bad MC is gone so far down hill nobody takes on them scum. 40 years ago MC would of never put up with there crap. Back then cops would of support whipping them scum back in line or make them leave.
These Foster boys keep showing us by the bad and immoral and illegal stuff they are always in trouble for that some of these people just are not ready for the kind of freedom that they all have. I have always liked Abe Lincoln, but not when I read about their dishonesty.
Were’nt they trying to get rid of Human services last week ? Lional the brother? Whose behind this ?
I find it funny how no one has the Balls to use their real names !!! you have something to say to or about the Foster Brothers, have the Balls to use your real names …
FROM NIT STAFF: CLEAN UP THE COMMENTS PLEASE
Didn’t realize their Dad’s name was Lionel ??? LMAO … Dumb ass get your facts straight before you run your mouth !!!
Birds of a feather flock together. According to iowa courts online. Right Dawn???
People may be more willing to use their real name if retaliation were not such a way of life for certain individuals. God forbid someone feel as if they have been ‘disrespected’. You have to give respect to get it, it is earned.
and why do you keep capitalizing ‘balls’?
They will have their daddy Lionel Foster right behind them crying the race card as always. The Fosters have always expected everything for nothing. Get a real job boys! And stay out of the court system.
FROM NIT STAFF: PLEASE KEEP COMMENTS ON-TOPIC AND REFRAIN FROM ATTACKING OTHERS. THANK YOU.
Their sister just passed away.
Let me get this straight. They are a year and a half behind on rent, have never provided paperwork statements per contract, and skip out on meetings, and are upset? Quick call the NCAAP this is racism. Or maybe Billy should not have used his rent money to post bail last month.
“Cyclone Steel” is hardly a value-added industry to Mason City. It’s a shame they were enrolled into the program in the first place. Glad to see that NIACC and the Papajohn center are freeing up space for real innovative industry.
Surprised they haven’t used the race card yet! It’s seems to be the pattern with this family whenever something doesn’t go their way!
Amen to that. However, they did hint that others are getting benefits that they were not privy to. I smell discrimination law suit! It is only a matter of time before they start that…They talk about getting on their feet, at their age, I would have thought that would have been priority along time ago. Some people are happy leeching off of others. To me, the pride I have in knowing that what we have we earned without handouts from the government is worth so much. It would be nice if a criminal history were run on these characters before they are taking up space where someone else could be actually benefiting.
All they can say is NIACC didn’t help them, the city didn’t help them, boo hoo hoo. Pay your bills and work harder like everyone else who starts a business!!! Stop asking for handouts everywhere, we are sick of hearing about it!!!
Those two guys want money, fame, fortune and sex all for free. I say screw them.
I look forward to hearing NIACC’s side of the story. If John’s post is correct, why were these guys offered a spot in the incubator in the first place? They have not shown successful business skills in the past. They should have been offered business management classes rather than given a spot in a business incubator. Some people should work for others instead of being self-employed. Furthermore, you do NOT need a computer and QuickBooks to run a business if you have any head for it at all. How do they think people did it 20 years ago?
Yup, methinks they wanted free money handed to them by NIACC or investors without them having to do anything or put any work into it. There was probably grant money available, but you have to fill out forms and financials to get that money and these guys don’t seem to have the know-how to do that, probably weren’t willing to slog through those forms, and wanted or expected it all done for them. A business doesn’t run itself.
I don’t think you will hear NIACC’s side of the story Katie. I think it is obvious, Matt got sucker punched into doing this story. There is a history with these guys.
@John-I don’t think Matt was sucker punched into running this story. I think he was just taking the smart approach to a potential problem. These guys are fully capable of filing a complaint if he didn’t run the story. It is in their family history.
I agree Katie
“Our county attornee is the biggest moron I have seen in a long time.” Yeah he’s the moron, uh huh.
Why should anyone have to “go after” these guys for debts they clearly owe?
Why can’t we all just get along?
Get off these guys as they are out trying to make a liven, if they were in the food stamp line you’d bit*h about that, now for the money they owe the court system thats another story but as long as the state or county is not going after them I wouldn’t pay either. Just look at all the scum POS that get out of jail and pay nothing. Our county attornee is the biggest moron I have seen in a long time.
Isn’t William Foster a convicted felon? Is he not currently out on bail for an assualt. Look into their past criminal charges locally and abroud from attempted murder, drug dealing, child support, yeah if the county attorney did his job they would have a place to work…the trade division at the IOWA STATE PEN.
I for one support NIACC desision to open another trades program over “Business” people with a track record of not paying their bills. Colleges are for students to learn trades, not for a couple guys with a history of not paying other business to operate. There a plenty of other places thay can set up shop, NIACC should not let to people not paying rent to continue to rack up bill. Especially with their history of dime and dashing other businesses.
I will not waste my time writing about all their past criminal deeds that are well documented.
Leland and William still owes $25074.88 in a court case from 2005, not one dime paid after the judgement. HOME LUMBER & BUILDERS INC VS FOSTER BROS CONSTR CO INC ETAL
Case: 02171 LACV062612 (CERRO GORDO)
Leland and William still owes $5202.37 from 1998, 14 years to repay this debt. LAMPERT YARDS INC VS FOSTER BROS, ET AL
Case: 02171 LACV057889 (CERRO GORDO)
William still owes $353.55 HUBER SUPPLY CO VS WILLIAM FOSTER
Case: 02171 SCSC046940 (CERRO GORDO)
The $25k they owe Home Lumber is for a city project the Fosters got paid for. They never paid their bill.
Then we wonder why our graduates leave, and why businesses continue to leave. I’m surprised they haven’t packed up and left this shit hole town!!!!
They are not graduates of any college.