MASON CITY – Mason City’s Max Weaver has been a vocal opponent of the Prestage Foods pork plant that still just might get built in Mason City, and now he is pointing to a nearby packing town where a school is washing kids’ clothes due to poverty.
“Wake up mayor, council members!” Mr. Weaver told NIT, just as he wrote on his new blog, published at MaxFrankWeaver.com.
The former councilman has punished Mayor Eric Bookmeyer, Chamber Director Robin Anderson, and some of those who have championed a massive hog plant development from Prestage Foods that was scuttled the first time around.
Today, he asked NIT to take a look at his latest blog post, where he points to a story out of Austin, Minnesota, home to the Hormel meat packing plant.
The Austin Daily Herald reports today that because kids might be too poor to get their clothes washed at home, an elementary school has bought a washer and dryer to do it for them while they are at school.
“We firmly believe here that if students’ basic needs aren’t taken care of, they’re not going to be able to concentrate on reading and math and writing,” Austin elementary school principal Shelia Berger told the Herald.
The Herald reports that at Sumner Elementary School in Austin, “a washer and dryer housed in the school’s basement this year is helping students whose families might not be able to physically do laundry, get to a laundromat or have the financial ability to do laundry. School officials can also wash soiled clothes for students in the morning and have them back to them by the end of the school day.”
Max Weaver told NIT he read the article and it horrified him.
“I thought we were a ‘community on the march,'” he said. “That’s what Robin Anderson and the Chamber often say about Mason City. They also like to use the phrase ‘Keep Mason City Moving Forward'”.
“Can you imagine principals making $80,000 or $90,000 a year washing clothes all day long? Helping kids change their clothes? That’s what’s in store for us. Will Prestage Foods LLC keep Mason City moving forward? I don’t think so?”
Mr. Weaver says because Austin is home to Hormel Foods and Quality Pork Processors, (“both play a dominate role in the city’s economy,” he says) the town is impoverished and the kids are poor. So poor they can’t get their clothes washed at home.
“We have to stop this thing, one way or another,” Mr. Weaver emphasized, “or we will be the next Austin.”
Max has that much power! Fantastic that you think that REG! Sweeet!
OMG we might have poor people come to town looking for a better life. Hide the kids,lock the doors the big bad boogie man is coming. Fear mongering is all this is. Shame on you Max.
Obviously NOT! Do your homework! Jealous
This is a sign that more and more people expect others to do everything for them. Pretty soon their kids will be starving because they don’t want to go grocery shopping. Maybe if our kids are hungry, the school will shop for us. Maybe they will clean our houses if they get junky enough. Where will it end? My mom would have washed laundry in the sink if she had to. I don’t remember the poor kids in my school ever being dirty even when they only had a couple changes of clothes.
Sad situation. Talk about bullying.. the pro porkers are the very core of the definition of the word. The most unbelievable issue is the WORKERS ARE NOT even local people. Who thinks that’s okay? How does that really help Mason City?
Awful for the children. Obviously the officials that will make this happen think nothing will ever happen to them. They most definitely should think again. Straight from one of Austins principals mouth should at least make you think a bit more. Karma is alive and well Mayor and council. Did you just get a shiver? Bet you did. Of course heartless humans don’t feel those things . We are back to screwed.
How do you know, and how does Weaver know they are packing house workers kids? Weaver has been wrong much more than he was ever right.
The more and more I hear, the more happy I am that the Pork Kill was voted down. It was the RIGHT decision, keep it that way! No means NO!
And Hormel is union and pay is way different
Just another form of cost shifting on to the backs of the taxpayers in return for creating sub living wage jobs.But it will be different in Mason City won’t it Robin and Eric??Maybe the fine folks in the Country Club neighborhood could all adopt some laundry baskets to wash everyday for those no able to do so.Or maybe the Chamber of Commerce could buy a bank of washers and dryers,provide space,free tokens to run the machines,and just make sure that the door is left open so those in need can do it themselves .Maybe Robin could even offer her services to do the ironing.Cause she’s just awesome like that.
This may come as a surprise to many of you, but Mccsd teachers do the student’s laundry too.
I know.?this is true..
I’ve done it many times for a few of my students.
Best part of this article because it is a shame, is MaxFrankWeaver.com Mason city is fortunate for yet another site to get our real, true and accurate information.
I wondered why I saw boxes and baskets of clothes sitting along the school yard in Austin. Now I know.
Wonder who does their laundry when the kids are on break or summer vacation. Maybe Mr. Mayor, Council members Hickey, Solberg, and Schoneman can volunteer.
F Them! If they want the hideous claim to fame plant let em do it. Just so WE can PROOVE who was RIGHT all along! SO awesome to have that reveal, even if any of the assholes move we still would have the PROOF as the town dies.
It may sound crazy at first readers, but it is absolutely true. SAD but true. Take note. Mason City has officials that are not looking at the reality of this business. Please Mayor and council you can get something not as gruesome to benefit your town. I live in Austin Mn and my relatives live in Mason City. The only two places I know. I am really stuck now with no fresh life left, environmentally or safe.
Are we any better now? 75% of all kids on free or reduced lunch? Are we any better?
I believe it is Marshalltown that is at 75%, Mason City is closer to 50%.