Opinion: Mason City Mayor Bill Schickel violated Iowa open meeting laws at Tuesday night’s city council meeting.
from: Matt Marquardt <northiowatoday@gmail.com>
to: mayor@masoncity.net,
Council Member Paul Adams <adamsatlarge@masoncity.net>,
tthoma@masoncity.net,
“Kevin E. Jacobson” <kjacobson@masoncity.net>,
Council Member John Lee <WardOne@masoncity.net>,
wsymonds@masoncity.net,
jmasson@masoncity.net,
jjaszewski@masoncity.net,
John Skipper <John.Skipper@globegazette.com>,
David Mayberry <David.Mayberry@globegazette.com>
date: Wed, Feb 21, 2018 at 12:28 PM
subject: John Skipper Day
Mayor Schickel, regarding your move at the city council meeting Feb. 20 to arbitrarily declare Feb. 23 “John Skipper Day” in Mason City:
Are you aware of Iowa open meetings law? It is very possible that what you did is illegal. I would reference you to the Iowa Public Information Board (HERE: https://www.ipib.iowa.gov/open-meetings) where they note:
“Nothing should be discussed at a meeting that wasn’t on the agenda, unless there is an emergency item that can’t be deferred for 24 hours.” Perhaps this board would be interested in your actions, as your “declaration” is nowhere to be found in the meeting agenda.
Furthermore, the Globe immediately posted a story bragging about what you did. They wrote: “Schickel also officially declared Friday, Feb. 23 as “John Skipper Day” in Mason City.”
(http://globegazette.com/news/local/mason-city-mayor-council-honor-longtime-globe-gazette-reporter/article_8ab6ec68-31c7-54d3-a715-50bfd0c462a9.html)
Where in city code does it give you the authority to make declarations of this kind? Furthermore, how can anything be “official” in Mason City without a vote by the city council? I would venture that this is not possible and the Globe is offering more fake news to its dwindling readership. I wonder, do you respect our city council? I also wonder, does the council appreciate being “skipped” over while you make city policy while they sit there, watching?
Matt Marquardt
NIT Publisher
Good grief, Marquardt is so petty. Don’t let those demons in your head get to you.
Don’t know Matt at all, but at least he’s not afraid to bring up the issues most of us are thinking/talking/complaining about with our friends!! Having the tenacity/identifying factor to do it says something!!
Mason City has a pathetic Mayor. Why is this the best we can get to lead this city? Mayor Schickel has no qualifications to be the leader of any community. Getting elected does not equate to leadership. Holding a prior office also does not equate to leadership.
Schickel and Lee have both proven their incompetence. Lee who has proven his thought process is blurred and he is a teacher to the kids of Mason City. That is pretty scary. Schickel has screwed up the process to replace Trout because of his ego and now he has been led by Robin Anderson and has been doing everything he can to get Gatehouse back in the picture and in the end will mess the whole project up. Just remember that Bill lied to the entire community when he said the project will not affect your taxes. What a crock.
Well Lee did the right thing and voted against pig plant, so he deserves some credit. He just should of never gone to the grocery store.
You mean his daughter did because she put a note under his door. Also John missed another meeting. What is up with this new council missing all these meetings. I guess it doesn’t matter when they only last 20 minutes now because there isn’t any leadership at the table they are just a bunch of sheep.
I bet Skipper picked out the pink tie for the mayor.
Mraquardt…. your anger, resentment and jealousy on so many levels is eating you up. Your blog site reads like the diary of a mental health journal. Please get some help young man.
Skipper was called up to the mayor’s seat and said he was “surprised” at Schickel’s blathering recognition. I believe he was lying about the surprise – he knew what was going to happen at that meeting. This is why Skipper’s replacement, Steve Boner, was sitting in the back of the room with his camera, waiting to get that photo that was used in the Globe’s story. That story was up on their pitiful website within minutes of the end of the meeting. In other words, this fiasco was all planned out behind the scenes and the people were lied to over and over again by Schickel, Skipper and Boner. All these people do is lie, and I think a lot of people are figuring it out.
January was National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. February is African American History Month – Mason City has recognized this before. But, Mr. Schickle refused to acknowledge either, even after I pointed out both to him. Instead, he chose to take time out of all our lives to acknowledge a hack who’s big stories include whether or not John Lee will run for re-election in 2 years.
Mr. Schickel’s goal, it seems, is to serve the Chamber, the Globe, the flyer-making heathens who put him in office. He appears totally overwhelmed by the job and has already committed gross acts of malfeasance (see: Paying bogus invoices to defunct Gatehouse).
I would venture that Colleen or Alex would have been better picks to be mayor than Mr. Schickel. I think Mr. Schickel should consider resigning as he is clearly not up to the challenge of being mayor.
F*k Mr Lee.
On the flip side, Mr, Skeckel has always a good view on matters. lol
Matt I commend you on Jouralistic in Integrity/
I doudt bitch.
As a citizen with many family members who served in our nation’s armed forces, who put their lives on the line for us everyday, I am saddened that the mayor spent time and effort to recognize a reporter instead of our heroes. I guess I see where his priorities are.
Good point. I suggest Schickel picks up a rifle and stands guard at the North Korea border until he realizes who really deserves a special day.
amen
Skipper was a reporter (and not a very good one) he is no more important than anyone else. This is so typicle of Schickle (Little Hitler). He has always been that way. Rules are for everyone else but never for him.
maybe he needs to pay more attention to the Central Heights paving project that mysteriously lost the funds to his watch.
Another lie in the fake news Globe Gazette story: “Skipper, upon receiving the award, was grateful for the council’s recognition.”
There was no council recognition.
STEVE BOHNEL is learning the fake news trade on the job from Skipper, so it seems.
this is simply a sad attempt at the Glob trying to give credo to their fallen paper.
I have nothing against Mr. Skipper, but please provide me a list of other M.C. citizens who have had this same honor bestowed upon them. We’ve had many dedicated, committed, and selfless citizens throughout my 50 plus years in this city NEVER having a day named in their honor! Seems like a personal recognition from Mr. Schickel in my eyes!
I agree. What about a doctor that cured an illness? A teacher that turned around a thug’s life? A police officer or a fireman who saved a person? I mean, really, the mayor is so clueless it is scary.
or lifelong Police officer Charlie Connor for his service.
Matt is correct: The mayor doesn’t have the authority to proclaim this. He has definite ties to the Globe (evident by the election coverage), and seems to go his own way without consoling anyone. I know of another mayor that did this!!
Can we slow this down a little. I gotta pop some popcorn and then sit down for the show.
Isn’t this site dedicated to informing the public of law breakers and the wrong doings of all government officials, that might not be published by other news outlets. You know the things that our government and fake news outlets won’t tell us. We can’t have our cake and eat it too. This world is so full of whiners,
Matt, you are worse than a 2 yr old spoiled brat. Maybe someday they will give you a special day !!!!!
Look at the facts, Jackie. Schickel is a law-breaker and Skipper is an out-of-work fake news professor.
Neither is a fact. Both are your opinions.
Rockford, your just mad because your not straight edged!
Call in the FIB – oopps! That was article on Infro Wars about Flordia.
More chair kicking by a disgruntled ex-employee.
Turn him in, you’re not going to take this lying down. This is straight up appalling and has no place in city government. How much of my tax dollars is going to be spent on changing calendars to show this special day? Unbelievable!!
The dumbass in you is very strong indeed.
No calendars need to be changed.
If you had read the proclamation, it stated that “John Skipper Day” is for Feb. 23, 2018 only.
You’re such a numbnuts.
Are you really that dumb you can’t see the satire in the post. Boy did you get sucked in! LOL!
Schickel the pickle is so phony. John Skipper day is so lame. This guy does not deserve any kind of recognition. Skipper is just another fruitcake reporter.
I am sure he and the Mayor are close friends so Schickel is just patting his buddy on the back.
what about those gatehouse invoices he wanted to pay that seems even more criminal that this gross transgression