Dear John,
Let’s sweep all the bullshit off the table and let’s invite the unvarnished truth into the room and give it a seat. The reason I suggested that is because it sure in the hell wasn’t in the room Tuesday night at the council meeting.
Gatehouse’s representative, David Rachie stepped up to the podium Tuesday night and whipped up a large bowl of frosting and then piped it directly into the ass of all six councilpersons. Seriously, have you ever seen a pastry chef at work? Have you seen them fill a piping-bag then blast it’s content all over an unsuspecting cake? That is exactly what happened at Tuesday night’s conclave.
This “big boy” and I mean that literally, really wasn’t selling a hotel…..no he was selling a siding job. He wants to sheath City Hall with aluminum siding. Keep in mind that every word he uttered is on tape, or should I say a CD. Listen carefully John; this guy went on record with outlandish promises, promises he can’t possibly know nor begin to deliver. Do you actually believe Rachie is clairvoyant, that he can see clearly into the future…..is that what you believe? He blatantly promised a convention every weekend with a minimum of 600 people plus two smaller events of around two hundred during the middle of each week. Even with the director of Visit Mason City Lindsey James’ endorsement, one has to wonder, where have these promised smaller conventions been up until now? We have the facilities to do this now.
How nice… John, John!! Wake up! What are you thinking?
I know you’re smart… give me a couple minutes to figure this out. OK….got it.
There it was right in front of me but…..in my haste I overlooked it. This closer had already assessed this council; in front of him sat the 6 people who are going to drop $12.5 million into a building they don’t own… and pay 5 million dollars to lease it back. These are people who believe in the real Santa Claus who keeps his sleigh in Bookmeyer’s garage, and this same council is convinced that Eric Bookmeyer knows what he’s doing. Rachie was simply playing to what he thought was their level of mentality.
As long as we have got the truth here we might as well use it. I always found it to be quite refreshing in any setting. When Gatehouse first entered the fray, Janice Solberg, Travis Hickry along with Brent Schoneman all supported G8 because Bookmeyer favored it. Trout also supported G8. At that time Trout along with most of the city staff recommended G8 the developer from California.
Then over the course of two days, March 16 and 17th, something happened. Something big. Days that will live in infamy. A real-life cou-de-ta. Everything turned around.
Enter now Robin Anderson. Executive Director of the Mason City Chamber of Commerce. Some say she introduced David Rachie to Mason City – is she the “friend of a friend” that brought him here? Many think so. On those days of infamy, Robin Anderson, with the help of four council members, jumped and mugged Bookmeyer and wrestled the keys to city hall from his tight fists as he cowered in the corner. She introduced Gatehouse development who brought an entirely different perspective to the table. Suddenly the main player shifted….Bookmeyer was out, way out and Robin Anderson moved to the number one power broker spot.
He was beaten into submission and gave up his years-long pursuit of G8, as it is now ousted from the Renaissance project.
Now for a scary thought. Robin Anderson is now in charge of the $38 million River City Renaissance with Gatehouse development. Robin has never been elected to any office – ever. As of March 16-17, her thumbprint is all over the development. Literally reviewing the plans from Dean Snyder Construction, who’s in charge of the project. Evidently with Rachie’s permission.
So folks the problem even gets bigger. Are you following along, John?
When you find out who’s riding shotgun with Robin, it’ll frighten you, John.
Now enter one Barb Hovland. Status-seeker extraordinaire. She wants to dig deep – very deep – into the pockets of the citizens of Mason City for a third bailout of Music Man Square. Don’t believe her when she says “no public dollars” to save the Square.
Meanwhile, back at the mancave, perched in his wife’s basement in the Glen, wounded Eric is feeling the heat. Gary Schmidt of North Iowa’s most powerful construction company – Henkel Construction – comes a calling. Influential people who have sizable investments in the Chodur hotel lean on Eric to make sure that the development gets done.
Are you still with me John? Have you called your “sources” to check this out? Why are you making an 83-year-old man do your work?
Peter Children
Mason City, Iowa
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After reading of this indescribable tragedy it’s my opinion thst the “Mason City Room” should be re-named the Alex Kuhn Room.”
Unfortunately,Peter, you wouldn’t know truth if hit you with a baseball bat. Conspiracy, conjecture, rumor and hearsay is what you know. Keep spitting out your “theories”, it gets NIT hits and that’s all that matters right?
Pete, here’s how a real reporter writes a true story on Bookmeyer’s conduct involving Alex Khun’s suicide!
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/rekha-basu/2017/04/07/basu-did-city-councilmans-opposition-pork-plant-lead-suicide/97746682/?for-guid=480DC20D-71D8-E411-9AF1-90B11C3D639D
To Doctorcy; please let it be known that it was I Peter Children who first contacted the writer from Des Moines, Reka Basu to come here to examine and also listen to what took place here. There was myself and three others who gave her a verbal accounting of what transpired….afterwhich she decide to write the story. I had known Rekafor many years, she’s a wonderful writer.
Now what else don’t you know about me?
isn’t that reporter, reka basu, an illegal that isn’t a citizen of the u.s.? And if only one side was given to her in the initial contact that would indicate that her story would be slanted to that particular opinion of the subject. She’s nothing more than a reporter that is narrow minded on the subjects she writes about
Actually she spent several days here over a period of a couple three months and she wrote and thorough report and I didn’t see it as one-sided I thought she brought in a level playing field here.
So you think that because Rekha Basu’s name is not Suzie Smith or Jane Johnson that she must be an illegal.
What massive ignorance & stupidity on your part.
Rekha Basu is a naturalized US citizen.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/rekha-basu/2017/01/31/basu-chose-american-its-now-endangered-values/97289154/
She is also a highly intelligent, highly educated woman with some serious credentials and experience.
http://expertfile.com/experts/rekha.basu2
https://www.elo.iastate.edu/tgc-f14/rekha-basu/
Try to do some research on topics or people before you make yourself known to be a fool and an idiot.
I always appreciate your perspective Peter. Always. Your argument begins to unravel when you get distracted and take off on a Skipper tangent. Let your argument stand or fall on the mertis of your work, not a rant about others. The opinion of an opinion writers opinion matters not to me. That said…. great article.
I have never treated John Skipper unkindly, not once.
That’s bullshit Peter. The title of your op ed implies that Skipper lies.
Great article !
http://northiowatoday.com/2012/08/08/editorial-robin-anderson-stuck-her-hands-in-our-pockets-tonight-and-pulled-out-40k/
Shes been at it for years
Great information Pete, but you forgot to mention that Gatehouse Capital of Dallas, Texas. is requiring a developer’s fee of at least $400,000, and it could be more. They also want the tax payers of Mason City to become a gap lender, and loan them $3 to $3.5 million dollars in gab financing, which could mean that Gatehouse either has enough cash in the bank to do the hotel deal themselves but would rather keep their cash in reserve. It could also mean that they will bring less cash to the hotel deal, or no cash, and still build the structure. Either way, Gatehouse will make a sizable profit using our tax money.
By the way, the Des Moines Register just release an very comprehensive report on Alex Khun’s death. It puts Bookmeyer and Hickey in a very bad light!!
And let’s not forget about the hotel that Chodur wants to build, just one block south of this possible disaster, as I see the property has been sold. Like I said before, we’ll have three money pits within two blocks of each other that tax payers will be paying for. Good article Mr. Children.
Regardless if you agree with Peter or his writing style, this is full of true and accurate points. The question as to why or how Robin Anderson is allowed to make any decision in regards to spending citizens tax money, is the biggest. This community will not let this go without a vote, and I’m sure will vote correctly. I am all for a hotel, just do it on your own dime. No city money!
This is rantings borne of bitter ignorance than anyone who has anything constructive to offer.
Then why don’t you explain it to us…please do it in a manner everyone can understand. I am very interested in hearing your explanation….no disrespect but I don’t think you,know your ass from a hole in the ground
Mr. Children, there are some anonymous posters on this site that have really nothing intelligent to say or add to any conversation. They are quick at name calling because of self esteem issues that they learned during childhood, and everything they post has a negative tone. When you ask them a question, or to give proof of what they say, they never answer, and move on to the next post to criticize.
You are right Allen and LVS is one of the worst at it.
Your just mad because Peter is straight edged and that is just tooooooooo sweet!
I just found out the the 5,000,000.00 in rent is paid over a period of 20 years. Let me do the math for you; It comes to $250,000 a year and that comes to $684.93 a day every day 365 days a year when they are open or closed when there is an event or not an event the rent is still due. Now comes the best part The upkeep and maintenance cost have to be applied on top of all this. The more I find out the more perplexed I am as to how this quagmire was even put together.
Now knowing a bit more than we did before I ask you this; how,many of you would sign on to this.? Remember this floats or sinks based upon traffic. Know this, the only way out for you if it becomes reality, is to sell your house and move.
By the amount of negative comments from the downtown lackey’s you hit the nail right on the head. As you said, math doesn’t lie but they damn sure do. Greta article.
“Great Article” of course.
Follow the money and you will see who cashes in – Sure as hell won’t be you dummy. Fat cat con artists at work.
Nice article Pete – And as Henkel construction would say -you hit the nail on the HEAD ! PS -we have worth county black Bartz and Mitchell county supervisor crazy Stanley WALK trying to shyster the taxpayers of these 2 counties into paying 36 MILLION dollars for an Alliant energy pipeline from the Casino by Northwood to Mitchell county along a route for possible future development (also at taxpayer expense) Worth county is NO. 1 in debt in the whole state of Iowa per capita and these supervisors keep putting the burden on the taxpayers with a farce known as TIF and now these two captains are trying to use a scam called PORT AUTHORITY something that came about with the TPP trade agreement – This scam lets elected officals raise city/county debt limits above Iowa’s debt limits and too be paid for by the local residents. Its is a CON GAME and Al CAPONE would be proud of the Mafia members Bartz/Walk. Would’nt trust them if I were you. Oh! yea! Manly has our contribution to this crowd – Old sweet talker Regan Banks – and yes our city council members are as dumb as a box of rocks. ( or maybe there is a shining lite at the end of the tunnel showing the money trail.
The real myrstry in all of this is two fold; Bill Clinton was quoted as saying; “Everything in life boils down to arithmetic.” Well we have A lot of that in Mason city. The problem is it just doesn’t add up!
Someone out there as the answer, maybe it’s a mathematics professor at the college or maybe it’s the siding salesman from Minneapolis. Before we can balance the cash drawer, the daily receipts we must know how this complex mathematical formula really works.
So let’s take one more look at the basics; we sold the mall in downtown Mason city for 1.5 million. That’s a given, that part is real. Now those in charge of the city where you live have decided to put $12.5 million back into the mall to build a ice-skating rink, and to add to the mystery we’re going to pay the new owner another $5 million in the form of rent. Just how does this add up? Who made this deal?
Yeah, ask a siding salesman. Thats were the truth is at. Why arent you bringing these points up at a council meeting? Then you could look Skipper in the eye while you bash him.
I, personally, am afraid of this huge huge Mason City investment, too! I am voting no as way too much money invested for unknowns! Can we really bring enough people to come to downtown Mason City to not only fill the hotels on a weekly basis, but to attend events enough to pay for upkeep.. are we building another mall mess??? I’m not convinced this is a good idea??? Help me understand???
Have you checked on the events that fill NIACC….can Mason City do both????? It’s not on a weekly basis at NIACC.. has anyone checked the potential figures of event draws with NIACC or Diamond Jo’s??? How many do they pull and how often….? Lots of questions…..
I ,personally, am afraid for a country where your vote counts just the same as mine. It’s long past overdue that votes are weighted based upon IQ.
Vulgar, rambling, mostly unreadable rant.
HERE’S THE SCOOP!!!
The money is made, DOING THE DEAL. It makes no difference to the smooth talking salesman if the “project” is successful on not. So much money is made just building this “bridge to nowhere” that the people promoting this project will say and do anything to sell this poison pill to the taxpayers of Mason City.
We all have to pray the voters of Mason City vote this whole boondoggle down.
Robin Anderson, the Mayor, and the City Council should come to their senses.
You are a big WHINING BITTER old man,you are what is wrong with this town,but it won’t be that long and you will be part of history come on HISTORY.
Speaking of bullshit, there is no way in hell that Children wrote this entire opinion by himself.
Coup d’etat
Thank you, that was driving me nuts.
For someone who claims to be super intelligent, you’d have e to wonder how he got that wrong.
You are such a clueless asshole Peter Children.
Go back to kissing the mayor’s ass Kevin.
Some people just can’t help themselves because they are born STUPID. Jeremy Schultz the TROLL is one of them.
Larry V Shithead, you’re fired!
LVS calling someone an ass kisser haha
Talk about calling the kettle black!!