MASON CITY – Max Weaver called for the immediate resignation of council person Janet Solberg after the Globe Gazette revealed no evidence supported her claims of racism from citizens opposed to a failed pork plant.
Mr. Weaver, a Mason City citizen and city council candidate, thanked the Globe Gazette for its investigative work in pouring through hundreds of emails connected to Janet Solberg and the failed Prestage pork plant. Using the state’s largest newspaper, she made outrageous claims that citizens who did not agree with her on the pork plant (she strongly supported it) were to some degree, racist. She supported claims from Dr. Ron Prestage, who also used the media to lash out at Mason City and North Iowans who opposed his plant, calling them “kooks and racists”.
“Janet Solberg should resign effective immediately,” Mr. Weaver said. “She should tender her formal resignation to Brent Trout and step down from our city council. She should do this for herself and for the people of Mason City.”
As Mr. Weaver made his way to the podium to speak, Janet Solberg left the room, got in her vehicle and drove away.
“And by her leaving that chair tonight… that tells me a lot.”
Watch the video:
Go Max Go!! You got my vote!!! Here’s what I posted on the Globe Gazette opinion page on September 4th: Thanks John; you did our elected official’s job again! You took the time to dispel Ron Prestage’s outrageous depiction of Mason City as “kooks” and “racists “. In doing so you have confirmed my belief that this Mayor and City Council are tone-deft. They lack the sense of caring about the racist perception Ron Prestage created for our community. Get a petition ready to get Solberg out and I’ll be the first to sign it.
To sit in that chair and place negative adjectives to the citizens, to demean, to value one’s own opinion to the place that you allow yourself to be condescending to those that would vote for you,who you are to be representing, and then to allow yourself to lie, and feel validated in those lies because you feel you are right and want to be right, does not change facts. And when a person wants justice for those lies that were told about the people she represents, before she will listen she leaves? Once again showing Mason City she is beyond being accountable, beyond doing what is right, beyond listening? but I have to listen to her and what she decides to lie about? I really wonder if she ever took that drive to Wright County for “HOURS” on a very windy day and never smelled anything… My guess is that was a lie also! She has learned to be a politician, tell a lie when the truth would do just fine. I want respectful truth. I hope the 4th Ward votes her out or she does our town a favor and does not run. #BYEFELICIA
Why did people vote for the people on the council if they didn’t like them ??? Maybe they didn’t vote well now’s your time vote in three weeks then again every time a seat comes up for election problem solved
Janet is all about Janet. I’ve seen her in public and she is so full of herself (as Hickey has also become]. Words have consequences and she needs to go. The biggest concerns about the Prestage deal were water and air quality, costs to schools and utilities and most of all, the way it was thrown at us! VOTE MAX!!!
why does her hair look like a chickens ass?
A class action lawsuit for slander and libel against Prestage and Solbergb might be worth considering. Those comments are available now all over the internet, and will be for eternity. The only way to counteract the damage is a lawsuit. A class-action lawsuit requires 100 plaintiffs, who’s ready to step up?
I live in the 4th ward and Janet NEVER EVER responded to my e-mails, not only the Prestage project, but other issues as well. JANET SOLBERG is an embarrassment to the tax payers of Mason City. Is it true that she promised residents of the Central Heights area that she would get the streets paved out there if she won the election?
Janet’s comments were lies and she should resign. She sure is not a City leader. She lied just because she did not like the taxpayers of Mason City standing up for their rights. Majority of people were against this plant for very valid reasons and only a small minority of them had racist reasons.
Oh whatever grandstanding, lying. Weaver is the most legitimate in town . The most experienced, especially with the organized crime at work at the governing table. Wake up. Who could be a rational decent human that agrees with Solberg, bookmeyer, hickey, Anderson and so on. Really who thinks these people give a shit about many . You all witnessed what they are capable of this summer. Remember that. We do NEED MAX even if he is not your favorite.
Max being Max. Grandstanding just before the election and grabbing all the press. How politically astute of him and way cheaper than buying yard signs.
Just watched the video. Max is a true leader calm and composed. He’s got my vote.
She did our city a lot of damage by the things she said. How are we ever going to get legitimate, well-paying jobs here if our own council members make derogatory remarks about our city? She needs to go, and now!
She sounds like Hitlery Clinton, ( I was caught in a bad moment). Typical government BS, from the top to the bottom. As for being an ungrateful job, it just might be, but so are a lot of city jobs. But if you do what is right, you have nothing to be ashamed of.
Just like Hitlary, she made a bogus excuse and will get away with it. You liberals accept it from Clinton, why not Solberg? Weaver has no room to talk, he had lied many times over the years.
Max Weaver is right on this one.
The Globe didn’t find evidence of racism in her emails doesn’t debunk her claim of racists opposing the pork plant. One need only look at many of the comments on this website. Maybe this is evidence that Janet reads NIT.
Amazing. Skipper how do you feel being on the truthful side for once? Feels nice doesn’t it. I hope you get used to it and cross over to the good guys for good.
One of your articles you wrote basically you have to be tough in seat. Solberg showed pure cowardness by not facing the truth she knew Weaver would speak. Or I guess we could question if she is being bullied by bookmeyer and it is getting to her as it did Alex. Either way she left her voted in assignment and it is a true move of yet another act of disrespect toward our citizens and city. We are done with $Solberg as well as the entire group sitting there.
Her leaving says it all. The same as can’t look someone in the eye. She has abused our town and people long enough. They all have. For the love of what you love let’s take this town back! Please Solberg get out of your personal denial and leave !
I don’t know. She has officially said that she was caught at a bad moment and that her comment was taken out of a larger context. I guess that counts as an apology. And she is right about one thing: Being a councilman is an ungrateful job. Even if you do it well (speaking in general terms here) people will give you nothing but grief. If we don’t treat our elected officials with a minimum of Christian decency, can we really expect them to behave any better?
For sure! Get rid of her.She should have respect for our city.