MASON CITY – The Mason City Parks Board this week re-asserted its control over parks in the city.
Some had questioned whether the Mason City Parks Board truly controlled what happens in city parks after Chamber of Commerce Director Robin Anderson – arbitrarily and without direct consent from the board – installed a sculpture in Central Park. Anderson brought a skid loader and City of Mason City employees to Central Park weeks ago and had them dig a hole in a perennial flower garden that had been tended to for years by volunteers. A concrete slab was poured and a red gambling dice sculpture was then installed.
At Tuesday’s Park Board meeting, the board explained that after meeting with volunteers who tend the flower garden, the consensus of the board was that the sculpture should be moved.
A location 15 feet east was selected for the sculpture to be moved. City of Mason City employees again will go and move the sculpture. It will be placed next to the transit station.
Citizens Janice Easley and Matt Marquardt expressed concern over the situation. Easley wants the dice sculpture out of the park entirely. Marquardt questioned the expenditure of city staff time and resources in installing and moving sculptures for Anderson’s so-called non-profit agency. It was said by city staff that only about 2 hours of city staff time and no other costs would be related to moving the sculpture.
Park Board member Frank Pearson motioned that a letter be drafted and sent to the Chamber of Commerce informing Robin Anderson that before any future plans for installing sculptures in city parks, Anderso must get approval by the Park Board. That motion unanimously passed.
“They need to come to us,” Pearson explained. “We don’t need Mao Tse-tung sitting in the middle of the (Vietnam) memorial. I’m not trying to give them (the Chamber) a black eye.”
Watch video of the entire discussion:
httpv://youtu.be/IVgN1zyrXtw
I just want to say Bravo Zulu for the outstanding American flag t-shirt. Although this is a direct violation of the Flag Code.
Fine LE Construction for preforming unauthorized work on city property and ban them for 2 years from bidding on any city/county work.
I know of a story where a city official had a vehicle towed improperly. the owner called the county sheriff who contacted the towing company about the vehicle they “stole”. the towing company passed the buck back to the city official who got into trouble for auto theft.
Its to bad all counties dont have a sheriff with balls enough to do the right thing.
The concrete pad the sculpture is sitting on was put there by Larry Elwood construction. City employees did not tear out the flower bed. The City found out the bed had been torn up when a volunteer reported it ge following day. no one at city hall saw Elwood working so it appears the work was done early in the morning before the building was opened or over the weekend. Had Larry Elwood construction called Iowa One Call to have any underground utilities located prior to doing the work, as required by law, the City would have had known the work was planned and likely would have stopped it.
And now it all becomes clear.
Where does Robin Anderson or the Chamber of Commerce get any authority to direct any city employee in their duties?