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Mason City Human Rights misses deadline to submit funding request

MASON CITY – The Mason City Human Rights agency has missed a January 9th deadline to request funding in the 2014-2015 fiscal year.

Mason City Human Rights is made up of a department and a commission. The commission has five members now serving, but has traditionally had nine (city code calls for 5 members). Commissioner Matt Dodge will soon be leaving, as well, for personal reasons. The department now consists of a part-time worker, Amy Simpson, who had previously indicated she was leaving the department entirely, but has stayed on with fewer hours. Former director Lionel Foster was terminated last year, but his email address is still listed on the city’s website.

City Finance Director Kevin Jacobson confirmed Friday morning that he had not received the proper paperwork nor any notice of a funding request from the beleaguered department nor the commission.

The Mason City City Council has previously indicated that it would provide for a maximum of $15,000 in funding.

A call to the Human Rights office Friday went unanswered.

Current Human Rights commissioners are: Brian McNamara, Mark Stanton, Joey VanZomeren, Matt Dodge, and Karen Ries.

Steve Palmer, commissioner
Steve Palmer, former Human Rights commissioner

NIT spoke with former Human Rights commission member Steve Palmer Friday morning.  At this time, his term has expired but he has re-applied to serve on the commission.  He said he expects Mayor Eric Bookmeyer to re-appoint him in the near future.

As for the funding snafu, Mr. Palmer stated that the commission has been unable to gain a quorum at meetings in November and December.  As city code mandates that 5 commission members must attend a meeting and cast votes for any action to be taken, the commission has not had the opportunity to formally put together a budget request.

“I expect Kevin Jacobson to add something to the budget,” Mr. Palmer said.

 

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