MASON CITY – The Mason City Human Rights Commission approved two new board members at a special meeting last week.
The board approved Mayor Eric Bookmeyer appointments of Matt Dodge and Joey Van Zomeran.
Joey Van Zomeren is the executive director of the Trinity House of Hope and the Northern Lights Homeless Shelter and is on the Board of Directors at the North Iowa Fair Association.
Matt Dodge runs an insurance office in Mason City and is one of the city’s largest landlords. He is also a member of the Mason City Civil Service Commission. He is likely to resign the position at the Civil Service Commission.
NorthIowaToday.com has confirmed that there was previous tension within the last couple of years between Mr. Dodge and the Human Rights Commission, and the matter was taken to a federal agency in Kansas City to be resolved.
The Mason City Council must formally approve the appointments before they become official.
Matt, when you say previous tension can you explain what that means? What happened some better reporting would be nice. How about some facts rather than inuendo and speculation. Maybe you could do a article with mr. Dodge and mr. Foster so we could know what happened and what the outcome was.
It would be good to investigate how many complaints have been filed against Dodge and what the outcomes were. I would think that this information would be public record.
LVS – for Dodge (& anyone else) to provide rental housing here in MC the unit has to be inspected & passed by the MC rental housing inspector, and, in order for the renter to qualify for rental assistance the unit must also pass the housing authority’s separate inspection – who is qualified by HUD.
HRC approves the appointments of the Mayor?? What happens if they disapprove and what other board has the right to disapprove mayoral appointments?
“there was previous tension within the last couple of years between Mr. Dodge and the Human Rights Commission, and the matter was taken to a federal agency in Kansas City to be resolved.”
Now this guy, who to me sounds like one of the reasons mason city needs the HRC. may be on the board? Sounds like a pole cat in the hen house.