MASON CITY – The Mason City Council will review the city’s preliminary Capitol Improvement Budget at a work session Tuesday night at 6 PM at City Hall.
According to a work session packet, water rates could rise by $15.24 per year for the average user.
Also according to city hall documents, nearly all the streetlights in the downtown area are set to be replaced, costing the city $1.115 million. “Everything inside the old loop,” said City Finance Director Kevin Jacobson today via phone. General obligation bonds would be used to pay for the project if it makes the final budget. G.O. bonds are debt, Mr. Jacobson confirmed.
Documents also show that a 1% rate increase for sanitation may be required to cover expenses. The sanitation pick-up rate is $9.60 currently. In 2014, a projected rate would be $9.70 per month.
See the work session packet here.
@anonymous-Gee, did I make someone a little uncomfortable and defensive? Maybe he better go and change his depends. Thanks for the post.
@visitor, what makes you think posters give a sht what you think? You’re just another faceless azz wasting cyber space. How’s life under the bridge?
@happyguy, LVS and those like him would make a good circus act. Clowns that can talk out both sides of their mouth with their heads hidden up their you know what.
I come on here once or twice a day. Yet I seem to always find the same names posted at various times of the day. Don’t you people have a life? Do you ever leave the house? You know, you could turn off off your computer, get your butt off the chair, and actually do something. I thought losers were people who watched television 24/7. I was wrong. It’s bloggers who think the world wants to know their ingenious thoughts and compelling analysis of the numerous doings of the day. You people are pathetic. If this is what your whole life consists of, you don’t have a life.
Yeah who do these American citizens think they are posting their God given right to an opinion. And what’s a perfect person like you doing in a place like this sitting at your computer bching about it. Shouldn’t YOU be doing something else more constructive? Or is it your job to tell others what to do with their life. Maybe we worked for 45 yrs and now we’re retired and we like to compute. Does that compute? You really should find something to do considering you find us distasteful.
And how would you know how often people are here if you’re not here at the same time? hmmmmm? Look out you’ll break that glass wall.
@Anonymous-for once I agree with you.
Not everyone who spends time on computers is in perfect health. Sometimes, the computer is the main way that people can stay in touch with the outside world and current events. Writing may be the only way they can be involved, so don’t tell them to get a life. Walk a mile in their shoes first.
@anonymous-Read my post, retard. I said I am only on here once or twice a day. And as for my knowing how often and when people are on here, gee, the date and time are on every post. If you weren’t so comatose from being on your computer, maybe you would learn how to actually read. And about something else to do with my time – I volunteer at the hospital, the community kitchen, and sometimes I help out at the library. What do you do, braindead? And Katie, those people in bad health, what did they do before computers? If they want to be a robot in front of a screen that’s their choice. My opinion, get a life. But, hey, thanks for the response. It’s fun reading about people trying to justify their lives.
You just negated any credibility you may have had by using the word retard.
@katie-You’re another one that’s here all the time, so you’ll excuse me if I chuckle at the words of someone who lives in a little world all of her own. And as for credibility, I’ll let my words speak for themselves. It’s rather interesting that the people who object to my post are some of the ones who post the most on here, so it’s obvious that I may have stepped on a few toes. And as for my use of the word retard, I suppose that’s just another way I look at people who spend so much time on the computer. But than again, I live in the real world, so I take your views with a grain of salt.
@visitor-why don’t you try 5 east. I am sure they would welcome a holyier than thou nut case like you.
@ Visitor: LOL If I wanted to live in a little world all of my own, I wouldn’t stress myself out by interacting with the likes of you on this website. I also work part-time.
I spent 2 hours visiting with a retired female FBI agent the other night over dinner. THAT certainly took me out of my own little world. LMAO @ Visitor
Me thinks you people protest a little too much.
Matt that’s because Imfo that they want the public to believe is fed from the fatman straight to the GG monkey boy. Thank god we have your site to sort through the bs.
Taken from the GG story regarding a lower tax levy. Appears there WON’T be any increase of $15/mo on your “water bill”. Sanitation fees will go up a few cents.
“And while everything is still preliminary, City Finance Director Kevin Jacobson said the only foreseeable increase in utility rates is a 10-cent-a- month hike in the average user’s sanitation bill to cover an increase in landfill fees.
For the first time in many years, there is no anticipated increase in residents’ water bills.”
How can Skipper report that when the budget is still in discussion? Not one thing was decided nor voted on tonight.
Ask Kevin or John. Maybe it was written after the meeting instead of posted before the meeting.
Kevins words:
City Finance Director Kevin Jacobson said the only foreseeable increase in utility rates is a 10-cent-a- month hike in the average user’s sanitation bill to cover an increase in landfill fees.
Would lead a reader to understand it means;
there is no anticipated increase in residents’ water bills.”
says “no antisipated”. Doesn’t say “no increase”.
Just for the sake of being accurate, the documents from city hall said $15.24 per YEAR for the average user. And, again, that was a preliminary figure brought to the council to see. They played with what figures they could during the meeting. The consensus seemed to be that they could hold the line on water rate increases by moving things around.
Exactly. Good reason to not publish anything about rates until AFTER a work session. Readers tend to have a knee jerk reaction to headlines that allude to anything that says rise, taxes, increase or has $ figures in it.
Sure. So do not publish what is a clear possibility, a possibility that City Hall staff – which the council HEAVILY RELIES ON – is bringing forward to the council? Sorry, that’s not how I work and would be a dis-service to our readers and the people of Mason City.
Matt: This reminds me of when Curries wanted city money for their north street plant. The company said if they didn’t get the new plant, there was a possibility they may have to relocate. Everyone said that Curries was blackmailing the city. Yet, if Curries hadn’t told people that, and had not gotten the money, and had moved, everyone would have complained that Curries should have let them know the possible outcome of not getting the money. To be forwarned is to be forearmed. Knowledge is power. Especially the kind of knowledge you report here on the NIT site that would otherwise be hidden from citizen’s perusal. Kudos for being on top of this situation.
@happyguy, thanks but I’ve no fear. I eat bad mouth ignorant bullies for breakfast. LVS is pst because I’m right. I love finding proof of their lies and exposing them. Nobody likes being made to stand naked on State & Fed. Great entertainment.:)
@Anonymous-you and your lover Happy Guy together couldn’t handle one side of me. I stopped discussions with you because you are STUPID libs and in Happy Guys case he is Blissfully ignorant. All you know how to do is make personal attacks. It doesn’t matter what type of facts and truth is presented to you you are not capable of understanding it. You are a waste of time and a waste of space.
And what personal attack did I make on anyone regarding this article? NONE! Take your head out of you azz and realize there is more than one Anonymous. I believe you owe ME an apology. thanx in advance.
@Anonymous-are you kidding or on drugs/ Go back and read your posts from yesterday. All I did was make a tongue in cheek comment about the 1.5 million dollars spent on the chamber and you started calling me names. My comment had nothing to do with you or Happy Guy but look at all the slander I got from you. Now if by some chance you are a different Anonymous I am sorry but you have to admit it is hard to tell.
Anonymous looks like you made LVS’s same s**t list that I did. He is very critical of calling people out on the exact same thing he does. He is very hypocritical on what he says and posts. He must have very long legs to walk on both sides of the street at the same time.
WTH?!!! My water bill is already over $100 per month (including garbage) with 3 in our household. WHY the increase?
Can you take steps to conserve water? A lot of your water costs are within your control.
You might be in need of a plumber.
Nope. All 3 toilets replaced and check out ok. 3-4 showers total a day, laundry, water softener (new), and dishes. I never waste water or water the lawn, in summer. Still…$100/mth.
I thought rip-off Alliant was putting in new street lights. There was an article about this just a few days ago.
LVS it’s just another another of the fat mans and the chamber’s cronies trying to defend the endless amount of money being dumped into the downtown. These bottom feeders care about nothing other than elevating their over inflated egos. Or in the fatmans case his waste line.
Yeah we’re having a 3some as I type.
@blog-you are absolutely correct. All these left wingers believe in is spend other people tax money and give the rest away to the welfare baby’s. Don’t pay any attention to that Happy Guy. He is just a frustrated Teamsters Union Driver from FedX and will back anything the Fat man and his buddy Hickey come up with.
LVS
January 22, 2013 at 4:42 pm
What would you know about education you pious hypocrite.
How would you know what I am? You don’t know me. Are you God?
Probably a lot closer to being there than you are. You socialist, communist are all alike.
where does all your name calling and hatred come from? You claim to be an independent but you talk like a teabagger. You claim to hate name calling and you have called others out on it yet a least a third of your posts contain name calling. You seem to walk both sides of the street quite often.
@Happy Guy-aw, did the truth hurt your little feeling. You just can’t criticize left wingers. They will just take their marbles and cry their way home. just call your Momma or your Daddy Obama.
maybe
January 22, 2013 at 4:27 pm
I have 4 in my house and my mother is just herself.
And that’s why you pay more.
I do have a leak on my washing machine so I have to shut the water off there between washes but otherwise yes I believe it’s because of my son and daughter.
Glad to see they are finally going to replace the street lights. The old ones are in really bad shape with a lot of rust. This is something that the City Council has been talking about for at least 10 years. If they don’t replace the old crappy lights, someone is going to get hit by a falling light.
Wow-that 1.5 million in state money (our taxes) that went to the Chamber of Commerce for their building could have been used for lights for the downtown. Add in the 40K for statues and we could have maintained them for about 10 years. Go figure.
The I-JOBS money has regulations as to what the money can be used for. So the $1.5 couldn’t be used for anything other than what it’s designated for. Blame Vilsack. HE created the program. The Chamber was SMART ENOUGH to UTILIZE IT. duuuh Get educated before you open your pie hole with lies.
What would you know about education you pious hypocrite.
Anonymous…be careful of LVS. He really good at name calling. Looks like he is after you now. He isn’t speaking to me. I’m so sad
Off topic but since you brought it up….here’s the truth about whee the money comes from for the statues. Doesn’t cost you a dime unless you want it to. An online search brought yielded the truth.
Read and weep, “Pinocheo.” (be sure to read the line where it says “no taxpayes money was involved)
If the statues could talk, they would probably say that art is a great way to bring culture to the community, but some may wonder where the funding for such a program comes from.
Steinberg said, “Some of the support is coming from a hotel/motel tax which is actually outside visitors that are coming into mason city. It’s the tax that they pay, so that’s some additional support there.”
Also helping out are local businesses and donations from people who want to sponsor individual pieces for the year. There is no taxpayer money involved. The end goal is to eventually have the program stand up on it’s own. Just like these statues.
LVS doesn’t believe in the truth. He and some others that post here seem to think that truth and facts only get in the way of their fictitious thinking.
I’m curious. What does the average household pay for water? Our business pays about $100/month. It doesn’t say what percentage the water may go up – just the sanitation. Could some homeowners please say what they pay on average a month? I think the sanitation increase is extremely modest.
I am on the north end and I pay 75, my mother is on the south end and she pays 35.
Hmmmm. Average $50? LOL Thanks for replying.
Means you use more water than your Mother.
I have 4 in my house and my mother is just herself.
@Katie-we live in the North End and pay around $45.00 p/mo.
We live close to downtown and pay $40 a month.
There is no “average”. It costs vary according to how many in household and their useage habits.
Their are 2 people living in home both over 18 and are bill is 35 and some change one month and 40 and some change the next.
$36.78 total water/sewer/garbage
$36.78 is what I pay, also. That’s the minimum amount, no matter how much (or how little) water you use. Singles are discriminated against, and especially those of us who are very careful about not wasting water. Doesn’t seem right.
Maybe they are replacing those hideous lights on Federal Ave, they are in the old loop after-all.
or
Maybe we get even more of those eyesore pieces of wonderful lights.
I don’t understand it. The City is actually going to spend money on infrastructure! Wouldn’t it be better spent buying more statues!