MASON CITY – At a public forum held Tuesday evening for Mason City mayoral candidate Max Weaver, some ugly accusations were leveled against Mayor Eric Bookmeyer.
Millie Evans attended the forum, and told the overflow crowd of about 60 people that Eric Bookmeyer was approached by her friend after he was elected in 2009 and asked how he would help the people of Mason City.
Millie said that her friend approached the mayor and congratulated him on winning the election, shook his hand and said “what good things are you going to do for us?”
Millie said that Bookmeyer replied “This isn’t my damn city. I’m not doing a damn thing for these people. I’m here for the power.”
The awstruck crowd gasped as former council member Max Weaver picked up where Millie left off and told of a late night phone call from Eric Bookmeyer.
“He was kind of looking for advice, maybe we would bond,” Mr. Weaver said. “And I told him how it was. You have to be able to talk to the different people in the different neighborhoods.”
Mr. Bookmeyer’s response, according to Mr. Weaver, was “That’s not going to be a problem for me, I don’t talk hillbilly.”
Mr. Weaver said that he had heard enough.
“So that pretty much ended my relationship with Eric and it had just started a couple weeks before that.”
32 thoughts on “Bookmeyer’s words: “I’m here for the power, I don’t speak hillbilly” citizens say (VIDEO)”
Matt, can you post the entire forum. I wasn’t able to make it.
I have to admit when Bookie first ran i actually thought he would be a good thing for this city and how he was going to bring jobs and more jobs- i saw a a lot of fire in his belly, now i just see his belly.
Oh and right two older gals sure know how to be snakes in the grass! That is stupid.
NO other town in this country would NOT have debates no matter what side. What does that tell you people?! And printing the wrong times for Max’s meeting. Obsurd. Shame on you KIMT and Globe gazette! That tells us exactly what’s going on here.
Anon you obviously didnt watch the whole video. Anyone who can’t see the absolute honesty in Max is goofy.
Bookmeyer needs to get his power where ever he is from! He really doesn’t give s shit about this town. They did run him out of his town so I guess not there.
Max you are for sure the epicenter of good quality caring for we hillbillies and if the other side would listen for 1 minute they might like what they see too.
We constantly harp about lack of new jobs. Here are several key points to look at when we point our fingers at local people. These elements are completely out of our control
The business tax climate of Iowa is ranked 40th out of 50 states by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation.
Iowa just missed the Tax Foundation’s ranking of the 10 worst business tax climate states for the second year in a row.
The lowest ranked states were Maryland (at No. 41), Connecticut (42), Wisconsin (43), North Carolina (44), Vermont (45), Rhode Island (46), Minnesota (47), California (48), New Jersey (49) and New York (50).
The top 10 with the best tax climate were Wyoming, coming in first, followed by South Dakota, Nevada, Alaska, Florida, Washington, Montana, New Hampshire, Utah and Indiana.
The Tax Foundation ranks states according to five categories. Iowa ranks 49th for its corporate tax, 38th for property taxes, 36th for unemployment insurance taxes, 32nd for its individual income tax and 24th for its sales tax.
‘If we want businesses to locate in Mason City than the state of Iowa is going to have to step up and prepare a more inviting environment first.
Not Bookmeyer, our present council, possible newly elected council and not even Max can change that.
I come to this site for entertainment only. Max and matt what and how are you going to make mason city better? I have never heard other than to trash and slander the other oppositions. I have no sides but, what are you going to do other than take control. We live in a great city and country and instead of working together we choose to have a cock contest, and that goes on down the line. Mason city could be so great, but here we are divided as we have been for quite some time. Time to quit pointing fingers and be supportive and work together. People that have ideas do not speak up as if this site or others do not agree they get slandered and choose to not speak up. Grow up!!!!!
I as well as my son have asked this very same question. We are still waiting for a response. So again, Matt what is your vision for Mason City and how do you plan on taking us there? It isn’t good enough for me to just hear the bashing Matt does. It is time to hear some of Matt’s ideas on the fixes for the problems.
None of them the guys running for mayor are worth voting for we need totally new blood so Mason City isn’t a joke to outsiders.
Go for it!
New blood here. In case you missed it the majority of my platform was released in full on this very site. I encourage you to look at it and give feedback!
Great to see jack and janice there. I was worried after the school elections. Max having a meeting of the finest minds in town at the library.
“Mr. Bookmeyer’s response, according to Mr. Weaver, was “That’s not going to be a problem for me, I don’t talk hillbilly.”” This quote makes no sense. Either Max remembers it wrong or it should have said “This IS going to be a problem for me, I don’t talk hillbilly” The way it reads now is that the Mayor is calling the people of Mason City SMART not dumb, unlike Matt and Max implied.
Yep, you’re too smart. It must be made up. Genius!
any one from the GG or KIMT there?
Millies comment, much like Janice Easley,s “snake in the grass” remark isn’t news, its all about Matt being Matt, cherry picking the low hanging fruit to suit his own agenda.
It IS news.
I see you keep coming back as the resident Troll.
Welcome. Can’t stay away huh? Exciting isn’t it?!!
Were those words said in jest or were they said in a very hurtful way? I have on occasion been around the mayor and he has made a few statements that were entirely in jest. I don’t know if that was the case in these two instance or not. Even if those were said in jest they were said in poor choice. If not they were awful. Visual impressions are also very misleading. From those outside the community Max comes across very poorly. He does take positions with our blue collar force. Unfortunately no blue collar employees make the decision to expand or relocate and corporate people are scared as hell of Max. Just like Bookmeyer doesn’t maybe speak Hillbilly, Max doesn’t maybe speak the corporate lingo either.
All I wish for is positive thought provoking stimulating dialogue on what the candidates will or won’t do. I want to see what the lions do in the circus ring while everyone is watching, not the crap they drop when no one is watching. Count me still as undecided.
I’m no fan of Eric but all the crap about “She said….she said…he said” is pure BS and smacks of tabloid journalism. It detracts from the real Headline.
Max had a great crowd, represented himself with common sense, passion and is a serious, viable contended. Please don’t “dis” the real story in the future.
Given time everything catches up with you. It is about to catch up now to mayor Bookmeyer
Make up your mind is it hillbilly or hillbillie?Attention to detail would be a good trait for mayor.
It took Bookmeyer his entire term to let the people who live here to get to know him. And when they did, they did not like what they saw. We really need someone edcuated enough to do the job. Weaver has the street smarts to get it done.
A straight-forward account from Max on the mayor. Not bashing. Max told a true story of his interaction with Bookmeyer and you can’t sugar-coat that. A true diplomat if ever there was one. I took my neighbor in my car today and we got our votes in. Can’t wait till November.
Max
Thank you for stepping up and running for Mayor. Tomorrow morning my wife and I will be voting in your favor. I can only imagine the stress that running a campaign entails. To the folks that don’t like the current Mayor, instead of sitting behind a computer and telling stories, spreading negativity etc etc I challenge each and every person that wants to vote for CHANGE grab somebody encourage them to get out and VOTE! If everyone that loves Max gets somebody else to vote for Max, then he will win. If you simply sit back and wait you will be complaining in November. So fire up the car, get out spread the word.
Mason City Family for Weaver!
“Mr. Bookmeyer’s response, according to Mr. Weaver, was “That’s not going to be a problem for me, I don’t talk hillbillie.”
Sorry to pick on you again, Matt, but didn’t you mean to say his response was “That’s GOING to be a problem for me…”?
It doesn’t make much sense the way you’ve written it.
I didn’t see your post before but I totally agree.
Could it possibly be that “it wouldn’t be a problem” for Bookmeyer if he had no intention of talking to the “hillbilly’s”? Maybe he didn’t want to take the time or isn’t capable of learning the “hillbilly” language as that could be his “view of Masonians”… Just sayin’
he’s gotta go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! elect lenard, matt, max, jodi .. git-r-done…………. let’s have an open debate with all the delegates and the people of m/c……. but he blow another hissy fit!
I live here and I don’t really like Mason City. There is absolutely not much to offer (professionally and entertainment wise).
I don’t know the mayor, so I’m neutral on all of these debates/election issues. I do think the mayor probably does not have a lot in common with the average citizen of Mason City. He is educated, whereas most of the citizens of Mason City do not have a post secondary education. I’m not taking sides, but I do think the demographics of this town would portray more of a blue-collar, uneducated workforce. Nothing wrong with that, but maybe that is why there is a disconnect.
Just in case you are wondering there are plenty of people in mason city with secondary education. That statement was very insulting to the people of Mason city.
Go to City-Data.com and you will find Mason City’s college education stats are actually quite good. I don’t care if you have an education or not but if you don’t have common sense to look up and confirm info before you post the wrong facts I don’t see how that is helping out this city much. A clue for you would be that we are fortunate to have a community college here along with opportunities to take courses from other colleges like U of I, Iowa State, and BV.
That’s why the mayor makes no sense to me, he doesn’t speak my language!
Sounds like our mayor for sure.