MASON CITY – The Mason City Council and mayor finalized an ordinance change Tuesday night that cuts their pay for one year.
The council cut their pay because of “tough decisions” they made during the budget process recently completed, they said Tuesday night.
The council made unanimous decisions before the budget process, however, to spend tens of thousands of dollars on remodeling City Hall and paying the Chamber of Commerce’s Robin Anderson for sculptures to be placed near her downtown office. The council also never scrutinized other major expenditures, such as $105,000 to the North Iowa Corridor, which never brought a new job nor industry to Mason City in years.
According to a memo from City Administrator Brent Trout, Iowa law does not allow the salary of an elected official to be changed in the current year the elected official is serving. Therefore, the pay cut of $2,500 per council member and for the mayor will not take affect until 2014. The ordinance contains language that allows the current pay amounts of $7,400 for council members and $13,200 for the mayor to go back on the books on January 1, 2015. The council members will make $4,900 each in 2014 and the mayor will make $10,700.
The salary cuts will save about $20,000.
Watch video:
httpv://youtu.be/q02QGg5LsR0
Whitewash.
Big deal, they should look how much money they waste on their pet project.This town has lost so many jobs over the years.They shoud be ashamed what our industrial park looks like.It is a wasteland compared to the 80’s and 90’s out there.What a bunch they don’t care or maybe they are just IDIOTS!
@#*#*-you are right and besides that they should take a look at the mall and the plaza downtown. What a waste they are getting to be with all the empty stores. If it wasn’t for the employees in the mall there wouldn’t be anyone in there at all. Now, look at the industrial park and see what is there.
This outfit knows no shame. They really do think the voting public is stupid. Who knows, maybe the voting public will buy into this phoney baloney BS.
I sure don’t.
We need a whole set of new leaders for this community. This group is in the dark ages and totally self serving.
Another head shaker!
I’d take a pay cut if I got free lunches and haircuts too.
Proof, please.
Proof hehehehehehe. Proof and NIT is like all other oxymoron’s, they don’t quite go together.
another pathetic selfserving gesture
This was done soley to improve their image with the coming election; let me say this, it will take a hell of a lot more than what they proposed. None of them are worth a dime. They are a colossal joke.
If they were paid what they are worth, they would owe us.
heheheheh
Yea, does not begin to cover all the wasteful spending that has been going on. They did it so they can say they are doing something good for Mason City. Did you know 13 more sculptures are coming soon? I’d rather them keep there pay the same and save money and not have all this blue zone at tax payers expense and the sculptures.
Good for them. I know this is not a lot of money but the gesture is what counts. These are hard economic times and it is good that they are willing to tighten their collective belts a little.JMHO
How about this gesture.
All Scott was doing was “shushing” Matt for talking from the audience during the open forum. What do you think he was doing?
Bahahaha I never seen this before! What the heck is he doing?
I think he was trying to give Matt the finger but got mixed up and used the wrong one.
he could be going for a snack.
This must be right before Tornquist ran out of the room like a frightened rabbit. The only time I saw an elected official move faster was when they told Bookmeyer he could bartend for free at the Park Inn.