In the mayor’s race, Eric Bookmeyer was re-elected with 4,024 votes to 2,819 for Max Weaver and 219 for Quinn Symonds.
In the at-large city council race, Scott Tornquist was re-elected with 4,684 vote to 2,323 for Leonard Foster.
In the second ward race, Travis Hickey was re-elected with 852 votes to 697 for Jodi Draper and 55 for Sheryl Gerk.
In the fourth ward race, Janet Solberg was re-lected with 890 votes to 729 for Matt Marquardt.
Peter, so the weather kept your voters away from the voting locations and helped your opponent? Are you saying Hugi voters don’t mind some rain and your voters didn’t? That again is another over the top statement. I agree with Mr. Ames and has stated that to you so many times. For you to insult the very people that have made Clear Lake what it is, including family friends killed your chances.
If you can’t get all the stuff in your Metro for your move, I have a son that is big and strong that can help you with your move. Please let me know if you need some help. I am sure this is another promise to us that you made that you would leave town if you lost by a large margin that you will break. Tapping my fingers right now waiting for a response……….
@Concerned Citizen and those of you that are doing Monday Morning Quarterbacking. I am doing the same thing.
First let me say, “Don’t give up on NIT”. It is definitely a good source of information. Information you may not like but will NOT get from the Globe Gazette. We all know how biased the Globe Gazette is!
I had made up my mind, prior to the election, it was not going to go the way the challenger’s wanted it to. I have told Matt that I don’t believe the information on this web site is getting to the folks in the cheap seats and I still feel that way.
To much has been expected of the NIT web site to inform the public and sway public opinion. The people that read, blog, and enjoy this site are few in comparison to those that vote.
Here are some of my recommendations for Matt and NIT. I am sure many of you will have some good ones too:
I have recommended to Matt that he put out new rules for commenting. NIT needs to present itself with a kinder and gentler approach in presenting opinions.
One think I heard repeatedly was folks do NOT like mud-slinging, personal attacks, cursing, and all the anger that gets put on here.
Those kinds of comments can be done away without taking away the commentator’s point of view. I also believe if some changes were made to NIT readership would increase.
Matt needs Moderator to screen the comments to stop personal attacks, cursing, and mean spirited comments that add nothing to the discussion.
Hard news (facts) need to be kept separate from opinion. Over time, NIT has accidentally gotten the lines blurred at time. I use the term accidentally because I know how much this site has grown and how busy Matt Marquradt is trying to run his business. It is a growing pain!
Let’s help Matt make things better! Tomorrow is another day.
Just saying.
WD I hope you are right about NIT changing. I’ve been saying this for awhile but it must start at the top ie Matt and especially Peter. I too hope NIT becomes a kinder and less confrontational web site. It can still be cutting edge without all the pettiness.
@Reggie (Red)-If you really want to stop the pettiness, it is real easy. Just make everyone post under their real name. People are always real brave when hiding behind a keyboard, but when the become accountable for their words they will stop and think before they post. I have always posted under my initials and there are a lot of people who have figured out who I am and that really doesn’t bother me at all. I too get very frustrated with the name calling and will admit I have done some myself. It is not something I enjoy and usually only do when someone makes my really angry. However, I think a lot of people come on here just so they can say things they normally wouldn’t say in person. They are the ones I call the “haters”.
LVS there is another way and still have anonymous bloggers but it takes a dedicated moderator to police the site. Have rules that are enforced across the board, not just enforced on the “enemy” bloggers. That has been going on for to long on this site. Welcome new ideas but if a blogger can’t follow the rules ban them for a period of time. This is what they do on all the other sites that I post on.
@Reggie(red)-I think that is what Matt is trying to do on N.I.T. It is somewhat difficult because you do not want stop or hinder people’s opinions but you do want to stop the negativity. It is a balancing act and will take awhile to implement.
LVS Matt needs to get a thicker skin and NOT protect Peter Children at all costs. Peter is the main instigator of of the pi**ing contests that go on around here. Make sure stories that come from NIT are backed up with facts and are verifiable, not just rumor. I enjoy the local news and information but don’t enjoy the anger and bitterness that emanates from some.
I totally agree with you. I’m hoping to see a positive change here. I like to read here and come away feeling good that I did. But lately, I left feeling sick. It’s a new day and better days ahead.
I see now that the election’s over, now you must be registered with NIT to post comments. Again, I expected some sort of petty ranting. I have been a reluctant supporter of the so called “NITwits” but I’ve about had my fill of this. I don’t subscribe to the Globe because of their slanted views, and I will never subscribe to NIT for their slanted views. Think I’ll just get my news from social media and public record from now on.
@Concerned-As far as I know it should have always been that way. Those of us that have registered have paid to comment on here. Why should you get to do it for free? It cost money to run a site like this and subscriptions help pay for that. Nothing wrong with it that I can see. Just one less hater.
@LVS, I agree with your statement.
Yea! The election’s over. It didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to, but it didn’t surprise me one bit either. The citizens of Mason City must be happy with the way our economy, job situation, and government, city officials, and chamber members have been acting over the last few years. Just remember Mason City, whether you voted or even if you didn’t vote, it was YOUR actions or lack of action that resulted in our elected officials remaining in office. I’m hoping MAYBE, just maybe we can return to real news now or will the mudslinging just get worse as we now have a vendetta to resolve?
Well that was disappointing!
Another thing… and Solberg is so about family. What about hers? The talk is she has nothing to do with her daughter and grandkids…. is there a little prejudice going on there??????
This doesnt surprise me the outcome. But the thing is I dont think it makes a difference who is in the council,the council is run by the city anyway and has to go by them. Its been that way for years and years. Council has said they want to bring high paying jobs in town but never happens. This town is a dead end and will never go anywhere.
Yep, get ready to see twenty more statues, investing more in a “library” that is dead, Frank Lloyd Wright houses that only 80 year old senior citizens on fixed incomes will visit, incentives meant for prospective out of town businesses going to businesses who are already in Mason City just to get them to stay, and plenty of other scandals. Apparently, this is what the majority of voters in Mason City want and feel will help improve our future.
P.S. Congratulations to Mayor Erb in Charles City. Think he’s had some 18 years in office and continues to show the RIGHT WAY to run a community and encourage new growth and job development.
I love all the people who get on this site and proclaim how great Mason City is today, and at the same time, ARE GETTING THE HELL OUT OF HERE! If its so great, why are you leaving?
There is really no words expressing my anger. Some of you people spend hours on here but you couldnt break away for 5 min to go out and vote. The only people who are happy about this turnout is the rich and his friends /family. Bookmeyer will spend the next 4 years paying back all the favors he made for his vote. Watch and learn. Matt has spent 3yrs bringing you nothing but the truth and facts and you people still turned away. Shame. One thing for sure is that I hope matt and max come back with a vengence .
@mad as hell-I don’t know about being mad, but I am very disappointed. People sit on their dead butts and don’t vote and then want to bitch about what happens. Well they have a opportunity to see what happens now due to their apathy.
Because that “vengeance” worked so well this time, right? Facts? I would say 10% facts and 90% spin and hatred. Stay on point, stick to the facts and stop the hatred! That would have swept this election a different way!
No , eric is bought and paid for by the rich. His promises get him elected. Matt cares about his home town and its forgotten citizens. What has bookmeyer done for the poor? Nothing. What has he done for all the crime that surrounds this city? Nothing. What he has done is tore down peoples houses, took away human rights, took a way the kids classroom treats , but then hands out candy on halloween with his election card. I could go on and on. Bookmeyer is a little, little man hiding behind his wife and her friends. Money can buy anything. For now. Enjoy while it lasts.
Matt will come back and he probably will hit even harder. Good luck
I have been living in this city for over 40 years and there have been good things and bad things about it, BUT this next 4 years will prolly be the worst. Im not a rich person and it just goes to show the majority of you that voted BOOKIE and his puppets in again will see. WHAT A SAD DAY HERE IN RIVER CITY. GOOD LUCK YOU GOODIE TO SHOES.
This is truly dilusional. I wish you well in your next community, but you lost the election because you behaved like a fool. You believed in the “insult them all” approach and it blew up in your face. Hugi was not a strong candidate and he did little to no campaigning. Most all of his votes, I would suggest, represented votes against you, as opposed to for him. You besmearched the names of some of CL’s well-respected community servants and leaders and the voters showed you what they thought of that tactic. Obviously the voters in CL believe our City is being run in exemplary fashion and did not want you involved. This was the worst beat down in election history, as far as my research has concluded. Why don’t you spend some valuable time researchig that one and report back to us??
Peter L
I have known Gary for a long time and he is a good man with a good head on his shoulders. He’ll be a great councilman. I don’t live in Clear Lake but do have a summer home there, so I have a vested interest. Now… shut up and grab your blues guitar go to Mom’s basement and whale on it! But leave the keyboard alone. I am sick of your tripe!
I want to personally thank Peter Children for his very important role in getting the incumbents re-elected. If it wasn’t for your over the top rumor mongering and especially your”kill the Mayor” comment, I think some of the challengers may have won. Again a big THANK YOU PETER.
@Reggie (Red) this time I agree with you. It certainly did not help. It is never good to bad mouth someone’s wife and kids. Just bad form. Unfortunately, Jodi Draper, who ran a very clean campaign was pulled into the negativity through no fault of her own. I never heard her ever say a bad word about her opponent. She was positive all the time. I really hope she runs again in the future. Before these people get to high on themselves they had better look at the percentages. It was not a huge spread and it show a lot of people are not happy with the direction the city is going. In this case, money talks.
LVS I asked Jodi And MB twice if they agreed with Peter. They did not respond so I,and probably others, took the non response as a big yes.I too think Jodi was different than the others but I think she threw her chance to get elected away being associated with Peter Children.
@Reggie (Red)-I do not want to speak for Jodi here, but, I would think she didn’t respond because just possibly she didn’t see it or, she was trying to stay out of the discussion. Isn’t it possible she didn’t comment because she had nothing to do with Children’s comments or beliefs. I have spoken to her many times and I know she was concerned about not being drawn into the negativity. She was not associated with Peter Children as far as I know but people thought so just because she was a challenger. I sincerely hope she decides to run again. If you had ever talked to her in person you would know what I mean.
LVS I believe you may be right about Jodi. From what I have heard she has the right stuff and would have made a good council person. Guilt by association is sometimes wrong.
I am not sure when or where that was asked. However my contact information has been up since around May. You could have called me anytime. I am responsible for my character and only mine. My Morale compass of right and wrong, and my ethics. But with that said I refuse to judge others on theirs. I believe in treating people with respect regardless of personal feelings positive or negative. I think what is most important at this time is we remember we are a community, we have family and friends that live here and we have differences, yes. But the threads we have in common should be pointed out and that is we love Mason City. Council Person Hickey never publically said anything Negative about myself or my family, he gave me that respect. I also gave that to him.
Jodi unfortunately NOT saying something about the crap Peter was saying is akin to agreeing with it.Good luck next time and a little piece of advice, distance yourself from Peter and don’t just stand on the sidelines when he spouts off with some total BS rumor.
@Reggie (Red)-There you have it. I told you she was a class act.
Jodi– you are a true winner!!! You may have lost the election– but you kept your dignity!!! You cannot buy that. There is nothing we could have done different to change the outcome of this election. This may sound crazy– but the results were encouraging. Jodi you won in the absentee ballots. And, the other votes were not a landslide. This has got to show the team that they will need to begin a dialogue with the community and assure us that they will begin to listen.
Thanks to everyone who supported Jodi is this election. Today is a new day and we move forward with our heads held high….
Jodi, I want to thank you for running for office, LVS and I have been supporting you on this site since the start, in fact way back when I told LVS to reach out to you and that happened right away after that. After talking with you personally, I was convinced right away. This election was very close. The way I look at it, you were only 95 votes short. This is a great showing verses a sitting official on your first shot! Bless you for wanting to serve the City, it is a thankless task. Those that think someone that runs for council does it only for money, is out of touch with reality, you don’t get rich doing it. I hope you run again!
Any of thgose absentee ballots an Elmwood or Memorial return adress on them – still hard to believe Jodi voted 4 times. –
Interesting– since all eligible Drapers did not vote absentee. For the truth — just call the Auditor/Commissioner of Elections Ken Kline.
All negativity should have stopped today. We are all moving on.. Maybe you should do the same.
Marybeth, I was surprised with the amount of non registered voters in this election. I know you can register on election day but this number seemed high to me. Maybe at town hall meetings and personal meetings, forums, things like that we can show them how simple it is to vote. I ran into a situation with a male and female couple that were not married but live in Mason City. Long story short, he was able to vote because he could prove he lived here, she was not because she had not changed her address on her drivers licence. These people are trying do do the right thing by voting and they correct these things after they find out that they can’t vote but by then it is too late. Look at the numbers, it was close, this could make a difference.
Well, no surprises for the election. It would have been nice to see a change on the council instead of everyone agreeing with Bookmeyer all the time and everything getting railroaded through. The man is a bully and will continue to bully the average guy so his buddies on main street that think they are important can continue to get their way. Sad. Still waiting for decent jobs to come to Mason City and nothing has happened and won’t in the next 4 years either. Of course, when your wife is a doctor and you live on her money, why would you care about the average Joe? Solberg has done nothing for her ward and they put her back in. Hickey has done nothing for his ward, but agree with everything everyone else says and kiss everyones butt. Sad! Oh well, all of us people that got out and voted can say what we think. The ones that didn’t vote should be ashamed.
This mind set lost the election. Had Max won would you have said the same thing, “Of course, when your wife is a doctor (or works in Max’s case) and you live on her money, why would you care about the average Joe?” So, really that’s a grade school comment. It is sad that more people didn’t vote. However, by not voting they sent the message that they were OK with the current Mayor and Council and/or there wasn’t enough substance from the challengers to make them vote otherwise. And FYI, those that didn’t “vote” can and surely will continue to say what they think!
Will: It is not amusing! It is sad and pathetic! And you must be some kind of an idiot.
To all the 65% of MC voters who sat on their butts and didn’t vote: You should be ashamed of yourselves. If you aren’t rich or a doctor, you will be giving your tax dollars to rich people for another 2 years. Mason City has given money to many of the rich, i.e. Scott Moorman and Minert. Now Jeremiah Hosmer wants your money. His grandfather is Bill Lyons who is a very very weathly man. I’m sure our mayor and council will okay that also. What is wrong with you people — don’t you care?
Amusing how few people voted. About 8,000
My wife and I are relocating to a larger city after raising our kids in Mason City. They attended MC public schools from K-12. Have lived in MC for 20 years I can say that MC now is the best it’s ever been. There is culture, tourist attractions, the city is investing in itself. Things are happening, slowly, but they’re happening.
It’s this culture and pride that will eventually draw jobs to MC and stop the young people from leaving.
Was the incumbent city council responsible for this change, of course not, but they are a group of people pushing to keep MC moving in this direction. No business (other than Pancheros) will want to set up shop in MC until there is a reason high performing employees want to come here and live, or stay here.
When the overabundance of naysayers and “it was good enough for me” old folks realize that investing in your community and schools is what will attract new businesses and an educated workforce, MC will finally have a reason to be proud again.
Well said!! Couldn’t agree more!!!!
Good things can happen, but they are still being done by people that have disdain for most of the people in Mason City. The vote totals do not represent Mason City as a whole, only those that voted. Until the incumbents overcome their hate for those that disagree with them and how they present themselves, the negativity will follow them and Mason City.
Now that the election is over and the voters have spoken, I would like to share a few thoughts.
I would like to say to Matt that I am sorry that things did not go your way this past Tuesday. I applaud your effort on running for council. Whether it’s local, state, or national it takes guts and courage to put yourself out there and run for elected office. I am sure that you are well aware that it is a thankless job. However, I feel that there three reasons why you lost.
First reason: The overall rancor, tone, and negativity of your alternate news site NIT. When you started out three years ago, it was a good idea to have another news site whereas the people can get their news and information. You claimed that you wanted to present the truth that people of Mason City weren’t getting. Somewhere you strayed from that concept. Heavens knows that the Globe has a bias and agenda and will never be a balanced newspaper. Countless times I have written letters to the editor only to have them edited in such a way that when the finished product was printed it took on a whole different meaning from when it first started out.
Somewhere along the line NIT has done the very same thing. Your website has a bias, an agenda and a slant. NIT has become nothing more than a scandal sheet/gossip column or an op-ed hit piece filled with innuendos, half truths, and distortions. Its lost its objectivity. In short, it’s no different than the Globe. It has been co-opted and influenced by certain individuals which leads into reason number two.
Second reason: Peter Children and Max Weaver. As of Tuesday night, the voters have seen through these two. They are a shtick, a cliché, a tired out routine. The majority of people are tired of their act, Peter in particular. Peter is a negative, cantankerous, bitter old man. And in thirty years’ time, you Matt will be another Peter Children. Old, bitter, and cantankerous. The longer you align yourself with both of these two; you will do yourself more harm than good. If you want to have any sense of credibility it’s time you distance yourself from Max and Peter or they will continue to drag you under. If I were you, I would limit Peter to one op-ed column a week and no more. If it were me, I would jettison him all together.
Third reason: Yourself. It’s time that you take a hard look at yourself in the mirror and see what you have become in three short years. Sit back with an objective eye and read over the articles you have written in the past. You need to re-examine yourself, where you are currently at, and where you wish to be in the future. I feel that you do have a future in city politics but not now. Not at the rate you are going at. Had you toned down your rhetoric and your “in your face attitude” you could have won this election going away. It wasn’t that people voted for Janet because she was doing a wonderful job, people voted against you because of the type of person you are and the citizens of Ward #4 could not afford to have you as their elected representative. You and you alone have reaped the seeds of the bitter fruit you have sown.
Maybe things in Mason City just aren’t all that bad as you and others claim it to be or report them to be. Tuesday night should be enough proof for you. Give it some thought. Best of luck to you and your future endeavors.
Well said CP.
Well said CP. I was interested in the change in local politics, until after the KGLO interview and hearing about Peter Children’s comments, and then not to apologize from anybody at NIT or Peter…you can bash a man’s political stance, but you leave the kids and family alone..that was complete crap. The tone was too negative with NIT, and it cost the challengers the election.
The second reason is Matt, you do have a condescending tone when you do speak…its a “talking down” type of talk that frankly is just annoying to hear. You are smart, I can tell by hearing you but rather than having a good conversation with someone as a partner or advocate, you talk down and then lash out with what you think is a good “jab” here and there…I watch your input at council meetings, after making comments about Bookmeyer at a bar at a council meeting, or lashing out in some fashion, do you think they will take you seriously? What if you won? Do you think any of the elected officials would have worked with you provided you have done nothing but bash them for 3 years? Thats not fair journalism, that is spin…pure spin..They wouldnt touch you with a 10 foot pole. Don’t kid yourself, you got some votes Tuesday night, but more because of the fact they didnt want Janet, not because your platform, which was what again???
Next time, keep the personal attacks away, focus on why they should vote for you, not against your opponent, and a strong platform (and a believable one) that you have ideas, and a fresh approach, but also willing to work with the current council.
Well done, CP. I couldn’t agree more. Although I am a supporter of change in Mason City, did my research on all candidates and did not vote in favor of any of the incumbents, I must admit I was still undecided on my drive to the voting place. I just wasn’t sure if a request for change in Mason City was worthy of placing a loose cannon in an elected position. Although past officials have done a poor job of this, our ideal elected officials should be professional, even tempered, well respected members of the community who can relate to all of the problems and find a solution without dragging others under the bus. I have yet to see this type of candidate and certainly did not see this candidate in this year’s election
Anonymous,
How pussy of you to let words from a man make up your mind. On both accounts.
They still only live in Mason City Iowa.
Gee, Peter, glad you aren’t bitter. I owe you $10… you got more than 73 votes.
Wow… you just sound like a bumbling idiot. Typical liberal that cant take his lashings and walk away with his tail between his legs… glad you dont represent the people- sounds like everyone would be high if you did!
There you go again taking another shot at Flory. Quit insulting people. How do you even know many of those are his ideas? He is directeted by the Council about what to do.
Dear Peter,
Please be the leader you make yourself out to be and “pick up and move”!
Thank you,
North Iowa
Stop being a sore loser Peter.
Amen!
Ohhhhhhh this sucks…. Beermeyer is gonna gain another 100lbs now, I thought this was a blue zone
Mason City has spoken! Guess all those record absentee ballots were going to the incumbents. Thank you to all the negative commenters on this site for helping push the incumbents to 4 more years.
Marquardt won the absentees 160 to 135.
Mayor and council,
You still only live in Mason City Iowa.
The people have spoken!!! Also Foster received 2323 voters, not 2823. Just saying…
This is a sad day for Mason City. It would have been nice to see at least one seat changed. When the council gives more money to Robin Anderson and keeps spending money on nonsense. And when the council members dont return phone calls and emails and ignore the people in their wards. Dont complain.
Awesome. The next 4 we will get to see the finale of their dirty deeds. Exactly what we want. Except for the core group of Bookmeyers YOU too will get yours from him.
The devil only needs you for so long.
The unforgiveable breech of dissing one of our very own shows everyone just how self centered you all truly are.
My friends and I would have been ok with max, leonard, and jodie winning but we thought that matt could not be trusted. He spent years making personal attacks on the incumbents and it eventually hurt the other challengers.
The people of Mason City have spoken and have decided to maintian the momentum and direction of the current administration. Thank you for getting out and voting and for keeping our City headed in the right direction.
It is not hard to believe the election results. Get out and talk to people in this town and do not rely on the trash talk constantly published in the comment section of this site.
I for one (and obviously the majority) am very happy with the results of this election.
Matt I commend you for your candidacy. It takes a lot to put yur name out there and run for office, I do respect you for standing up for your beliefs (though I often disagree with your opinion and approach).
Well put MC-Worker..
John, is it true you eat lunch in three or four cafés everyday
I have to admit I’m surprised. I didn’t think all the incumbents would win, and especially by that many votes. Wow.
Mason City Resident…I believe the margin speaks volumes.
Congrats on 4 more years
Is this steve minert? Of course you congrats on 4 more years
So hard to believe. This is very disappointing.
Very