Mason City administrator says city’s outlook rosy despite Covid

MASON CITY – Mason City’s city administrator plans to tell the town council this week that things are looking up in the community despite the challenging times the Covid pandemic has brought on.

According to prepared remarks by Mason City administrator Aaron Burnett that will be delivered at the council meeting scheduled for February 16, 2021:

Mason City has experienced a solid year of growth through COVID. Building permits have increased this year with notable new construction projects such as: the new Kwik Star locations, the River Apartments, the Veterans Administration Community Based Outpatient Clinic, the Tommy’s Car Wash, Bushel Boy and Discount Tire. Additionally, renovations and upper-story developments have improved the downtown and the surrounding community with projects like: Elite Boxing, Domino’s Pizza, Simply Nourished Mason City, the EconoLodge, and several multifamily renovation projects just to name a few. This continued investment is a strong indication of the economic resilience and trends in the community. The region is also seeing a rebound in employment numbers combined with these new capital investments. Strong local employment numbers help ensure that the construction and investment trends maintain steady into the post-pandemic economic environment.

Recreational amenities and public art are two of the often-cited reasons for individuals moving to and/or investing in Mason City. 2021 will continue to build on that trend with the recent announcement of the City dedicating capital improveinent funding and receiving a planning grant to develop the waterfront along the Winnebago River next to the MacNider Campgrounds with a new access and cabins. These amenities will complement the removal of the dams in the City and will make this stretch of the beautiful Winnebago River a destination for paddling enthusiasts. This water trail development will only be a short walk from the new High Line Trail that will start construction this year and less than a mile from the Riverwalk that will start design this spring and is planned for construction in Fiscal Year 2021-2022. Every community project the City undertakes is evaluated for the potential of tying in public art or incorporating artistic elements to ensure our community is attractive to both current and future residents. This art focus will be a central theme to Riverwalk design and will involve several community meetings to gather input.

A recent letter from the Iowa Department of Transportation provided an outlook for Road Use Tax revenues for 2021 and stated that revenues appear to continuing to recover. They also reported that some COVID relief funds would be distributed to cities and counties to support the important work within these local jurisdictions. The City of Mason City will receive $267,000 in funding to carry out road projects in the community which will allow for an increase to the total project undertaken in the fiscal year. Furthermore, the Local Option Sales Tax revenues continue to be solid and are not a point of concern for projected revenues, but Hotel/Motel Tax funds continue to be reduced compared to previous years. If the pandemic begins to subside, due to higher rates of vaccination, it is likely this revenue source will rebound quickly. Mason City tends to have a large amount of regional and business travel that has led to steady numbers throughout the pandemic, but also do not require a long lead time for planning once travel is safer.