MASON CITY – City Council member Scott Tornquist just couldn’t take another word Tuesday night.
Tornquist stormed out of Tuesday night’s city council meeting in the middle of the public forum before the meeting was adjourned after at least three run-ins with citizens that evening.
Tornquist, who has had run-ins with citizens in the past, earlier in the evening exclaimed “I’m done!” as he traded words with citizens over the Mercy development agreement (see video).
Prior to that outburst, Tornquist told NIT Publisher Matt Marquardt that he would “throw your ass out” after Marquardt told Tornquist and Mayor Eric Bookmeyer to have respect for citizens (see video). Tornquist, backed by Bookmeyer, loudly interrupted Mason City citizen Sandra Servantez when she mentioned the Park Inn Hotel as she described the “chaos” the Mason City Human Rights Commission is currently embroiled in due to Bookmeyer’s appointments to that board.
Later, a man who was approaching the podium to speak at the public listening post said in a loud voice “Mr. Tornquist, you are in error!” He was referring to Tornquist’s earlier rant on the proximity of homes to Mercy’s property.
After Marquardt’s remark to Bookmeyer and Tornquist about having respect for citizens, Bookmeyer told Marquardt that he did “not expect to hear another word out of you this evening” and asked if that was understood. There were two police officers in attendance Tuesday night.
Later, when Marquardt exercised his democratic right to address the council during the public listening post, Bookmeyer deemed Marquardt’s remarks about witnessing Bookmeyer being thrown out of the Other Place bar a “personal attack” and Tornquist then grabbed his coat and briefcase and headed for the exit.
“You can talk all night if you want,” Tornquist said as he walked out the door.
Watch video:
Tornquist is such a douche! Who the heck does he think he is? VOTE these bums out next election!!!
I think they are molding turnedcoat to be the next mayor, training so to speak
Our mayor and council members should be ashamed of themselves for the way they conduct themselves. Ridiculous! Mason City is struggling in more ways than one and all they care about is stupid stuff. Statues, Park Inn, the chamber. C’mon people, we need more police, a safer community, and jobs.
I hope that NONE of the yahoos get re-elected. It’s time for some common sense and people on the council that actually care about the community and the people that live here.
It’s too bad that Bookmeyer and Tornquist just don’t resign. That’s my Christmas wish!!!!!!
I have never or willever agree with Mercy taking over more and more of Mason City. Its not going to lead to anything good. On a family vacation in Virginia a couple years ago my family and I stumbled on an abandoned town: seventy houses, a hospital, school, post office, the whole town.Wondering what the deal was we went to the historical society in the next town. The town had been built for the hospital employees and has been vacant since the early 1930s, when the hospital failed to stop an outbreak of smallpox. The buildings still stand because the CDC hasn’t cleared them for demolition in fear of another outbreak. Mason City’s heading this way.
What a joke! Im glad I dont live in that sh*thole anymore. You got druggies and drug dealers, drunks, whack jobs and every other kind of scum. These asswipes are more concerned about helping out their buddies on a bunch of worthless crap instead of trying to find ways of getting higher paying jobs into town. And they hate to hear the truth and want to silence the 99% of the city who are against them. Hopefully at some point the people will get smart and vote out every single one of them.