MASON CITY – Jodi Draper has declared her intention to seek the At-Large City Council seat in Mason City in this November’s city elections.
The seat is currently held by Scott Tornquist.
“I am excited for this challenge,” Draper told NorthIowaToday.com. “I feel Mason City has a very bright and productive future. I look forward to hearing what the people of Mason City want in their Council Members.”
Draper plans a series of community meetings to discuss her specific plans and ideas as a City Council member. Draper and her supporters are planning a coffee meeting on Saturday, May 4th at Cabin Coffee (1304 4th Street SE) at 10:00 a.m.
“Jodi is not asking for campaign dollars, but just a few minutes of your time to meet the voters, and for you to see what her visions are for the community and is asking for signatures to get on the ballot,” a Draper supporter told NIT.
Draper, 42, is a married mother of 6 and lives at 1305 North Adams Avenue. Draper’s children range in age from 24 years old to 14 years old. Still living at home are her two sons who attend Mason City Schools.
Draper attended Clear Lake, Iowa schools until the middle of her Sophomore year of high school when her family moved to Shawnee, Oklahoma. She moved back to Iowa in 1990 from Oklahoma and has resided in Mason City since 1992.
Draper was employed by Mercy Medical Center from 1999 to 2009. From September of 2009 to present she has been employed at Cerro Gordo County Social Services as the Finance Manager for the Regional County Social Services. The agency includes 21 counties in Iowa for Fund 10 (Mental Health and Disabilities).
Draper has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business, graduating with Honors.
It is great that Mrs. Draper has stepped forward to show others that a change is needed on city council. Good Luck Mrs. Draper I will support anyone who runs to change what we have.
Wait! I hope she has a better background than the newly announced Mayorial candidate. Best of luck to you, Mrs. Draper!
@ LVS: maybe Urdahl has no political stroke in Mason City. But he has a rich, neanderthal rightwingnutcase from Clear Lake funding his re-elections. Now, Urdahl wants Gary Blodgett’s help in keeping Jodi Draper off the City Council. Clear Lake has had enough neanderthal rightwingnutcases old doc has helped elect, including Crabb and Amosson. Don’t let Mason City go down the same, far right path.
@Laker-I don’t understand. Why would Urdahl or Blodget care about the Mason City Council? I have never heard anything about Urdahl being involved in Mason City politics and I have alway thought he was to self centered and lazy to get involved. Am I missing something?
You’re not missing anything, LVS, you got it. Dr. Blodgett was my orthodontist and our daughter’s orthodontist. Our son worked on one of his campaigns maybe 15 years ago. We are not fans of Jay Urdahl and we hardly ever agree with Todd Blodgett’s extreme politics. But Gary himself is a super nice guy. So, how come some of you rag on him for being willing to work with the other side?
@Class of ’68-Thank you.
Good luck to Ms. Draper. It takes a lot of guts to put oneself out there for everyone to hammer on. Contrary to most opinions on here Scott Tourquist is anything but dumb. If he decides to run again it will be a uphill battle for her.
@Reggie (red)-You are very correct in your statement about Tornquist. He is a very smart guy and that is part of his problem. He is like a lot of smart people who look down on people that are not as well educated or smart as he is. You can tell in any of his dealings with the public that he is talking down to people and has very little respect for the dumb public. That will be his undoing.
@ Reggie, yes it does take guts to run. I do not disagree with the stuff on here about Urdahl who is pond scum. Never voted for Gary Blodgett and I think his gun crazy junkie son is dangerous. But just seeing all this gossip could make any body not want to run.
How do you figure Urdahl can end up bossing Jodi around Voter. The story I seen says Jay wants money from Blodgett to beat her. Can you read.
What’s new about Jay Urdahl wanting more money? He pretty much lives for the stuff. I think it would be so funny if Jay loses next time round, that’s when Gary Blodgett would drop him like a bucket of warm steaming manure.
@Lori P. what does Urdahl and Blodgett have to do with this young lady. Urdahl is Cerro Gordo County and Blodget is in Clear Lake. She is running for Mason City council. The last I heard Urdahl has no political stroke here in Mason City at all.
LVS you need to ask Urdahl why he wants money from Blodgett to beat this lady. If you read NIT you would of got the story a few weeks ago how Jay asks Blodgett’s son how to beat Jody Drapers. Urdahl gets a expensive free lunch out of it up to the Quarry. He wants money from his sugar daddy Dr. Blodgett and from Gary’s junkie son who is a Nazi. Jay I am sure will skim money off the top of what he gets from Blodgetts to give to Tornquist, that is just how he does things.
I wish this young lady all the luck to beat Turdquirky. Okay now Drapers is the one Jay Urdahl wants to lose. Look back on past stories, NIT reported about Urdahl and Phil Dougherty, they both got a free lunch from the nazi crackhead Todd Blodgett those two no goods ask him for money to beat Miss Drapers.
Democrat your right, Republitards will get behind Tornquist to beat Jodi. Urdahl is a pretend Democrat, he leeches off everybody and Gary Blodgett yanks him around like all get out. Wake up people.
@ Cheryl, Dr. Blodgett hasn’t lived in Mason City for a good 15 years. What makes you think he cares who gets elected to our City Council? I do believe his son broke the law by paying for Urdah’s and Dougherty’s lunch at the Quarry. Whatever happened with that? Did the Ombudsman issue a warning, or fine those three? Or did old doc get the dogs called off his spoiled, errant kid?
You must of never met Gary Blodgett NIACC. I do know the man, he is all about control. In Doc’s far right world, everything and everyone has a price. If he helps Urdahl keep Mrs Draper out its because he likes to have control.
Is Jay Urdahl Mrs. Draper’s boss? One can only pray that if she wins this election, she does not become another puppet of Jay Urdahl.
@ Democrat: Real classy. Why would anyone want to be on the same side as you. Keep your mouth shut so you don’t damage Ms. Draper’s chances.
Here we go again….just stupid.
Anyone else notice that stinksofstupid is the local NIT troll?
Whatever you say, LVS.
@stinksofstupd-you are a real idiot studying hard to be a moron. What a paranoid dumb A## you are.
We can all agree she is better than Turncoat no matter what. So right out of the gate she holds sway with knowledgeable voters.
Hopefully Turncoat won’t ever run again.
PS: FOR THE RECORD:
I am not LVS as Stupid in response a down below wants to infer. LVS and Watchdog are two totally different people. My handle is registered to me as a paid subscriber.
Check it out with Matt, he will set you straight.
I will have you know that Tournquist had “Eagle Scout” listed on his qualifications when he ran. Eagle Scout!
He can’t be an eagle scout. Eagle scouts are smart. Turnquest is so stupid he doesnt know what youtube is. Plus he runs away like a frightened rabbit whenever he is called out. Remember when he threatened Marquard and then ran away from him. That was some funny shi*t.
I have intentions of attending her meet and greet to find out what she is all about. Whilst I would rather not re-elect the current Councilman, I will not go so far to say anyone but.
I wish her the best of luck. A vote for her should be based on what she wants to do, not on who she is running against. I worry that some of you would vote for Hitler if he ran against Tournquist.
Scary, isn’t it?
@bodacious-Hitler would be a step up from Tornquist.
@LVS: now that’s really sick. Maybe you don’t have your head screwed on right.
@Katie-I don’t like Tornquist at all. He is a Turncoat plane and simple.
@Katie-besides, what is sick about it. The truth is the truth. I said years ago when Tornquist was first running that I didn’t feel he could be trusted and unfortunately I was right again.
EAGLE SCOUT!!!
Is there not a huge controversy with gays and scouts?
I agree Katie.
@bodacious-I disagree.
You have an uphill battle, Jodi, and I wish you the best.
Ms. Draper, I want to know more about you and will try and attend your coffee.
You will need some campaign donations to get your name and platform out. You should have a campaign committee to help you.
Our current Mayor and City Council truly do not represent the majority of the citizens in Mason City. The citizens of Mason City are ill informed what the current city government does with their tax money. Mason City is wandering in the the darkness, rudderless and leaderless.
This is quite an undertaking. I pray for good Mayoral and other council candidates for this fall’s election.
Good luck!
I think if this gal sticks to it and works hard, she will easily defeat Tornquist, if he has the audacity to run again. Time for Scott to sell his house and head back to Indiana. We need real Mason City folks to lead this town, and this council is packed with fake posers. Let’s boot 3 of them this November. Anyone who can raise 6 kids and graduate from college with honors deserves serious consideration for everyone’s vote. Thank you Jodi for having the courage to take on this campaign.
Glad to see someone wanting to step forward and try and make a change. Looking forward to hearing her ideas and vision for Mason City.
This lady looks like she will be good. Anything will be an improvement but she is way above that. I am sure I will vote for her but would like to find out some of her beliefs and ideas. She lives in a neighborhood where there are real people.
She does? Is it the glasses that make her more qualified? Her hair? How did you reach this informed opinion?
What ever is up your skirt? The man said anything would be better then what we have now. That is a very valid opinion!
Watching your blogs you are constantly running off at the mouth whenever LVS blogs. LVS did not post anything out of the ordinary and you try and find fault with it.
Would not hurt you to look in mirror and take your own inventory.
And a chill pill too!
Whatever you say, LVS.
C
@watchdog-stupd is so paranoid and childish she thinks everyone who disagrees with her is me. I tried to tell her that most people agree with me and barely tolerate her and her stupidity. Do like I am doing and just ignore her and she will probably go away or back to 5 east.
No, I just think the ones who are YOU are you.
she sounds like a person that has worked to get everything she has, and knows how hard it is to raise a family in these times. Some of todays public figures either were born with a silver spoon or think they were born with one in their mouth.
Finally a real candidate and someone with integrity. Mrs. Draper is ideal person to serve and should easily beat Tornquist in this election. She has my vote.