MASON CITY – The Mason City City Hall facility will reopen to the public on Monday, March 22 from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday (excluding major holidays).
One noticeable change in the operations at City Hall, all non-City Hall staff and visitors will be asked to check-in at the main desk on the first floor prior to proceeding throughout the building. This is being done in keeping with social distance guidelines.
In accordance with state and federal guidelines, recommendations and protocols, the City has taken the following steps to minimize risk for visitors and staff:
- Requiring staff to self-screen for illness before reporting to work each day
- Establishing hygiene expectations
- Adding hand sanitizing stations
- Encouraging visitors to wear a mask if they are able
- Increasing frequency of cleaning
- Posting safety guidelines at entrances
- Encouraging social distancing by utilizing directional signage where appropriate to avoid close proximity of patrons
- Requesting visitors do not enter the building if they are COVID-19 symptomatic, have been exposed to COVID-19 or a high risk for severe illness with a pre-existing condition
Services and business will continue to be conducted via phone, mail, email and www.masoncity.net and citizens are encouraged to utilize those options when possible.
The Development Services Department is located on the Third Floor of City Hall. Services include building inspections, rental inspections, code enforcement and nuisance abatement, planning and zoning, the Employee Safety Program, and Mason City Transit. Information about services, including applying for building permits online and tracking the location of the nearest transit bus, can be found on the City’s website, www.masoncity.net. If you need to see or speak to Development Services personnel, please contact our office at (641) 421-3626 to make an appointment. If you are in City Hall to apply for a permit, meet with an inspector, or do other Development Services business, first speak to the staff at the Front Desk on the First Floor, who will call the relevant Development Services staff person and activate the elevator so that you can come up to the Third Floor.
The Engineering Department and Traffic Control Division is located on the Second Floor of City Hall. If you need to meet or speak directly with a specific Engineering staff person, please contact our office at (641) 421-3605 to make an appointment. If you are dropping off or receiving items or information, first speak with staff at the Front Desk on the First Floor, who will call the Engineering Department’s front desk for someone to meet with you on the first floor. Contractors may continue acquiring records and permits via email or by calling the department.
City job applications are available in the main lobby of City Hall and online at www.masoncity.net (click on the apply button). City job postings are also available online and on the bulletin board in the main lobby of City Hall. To make an appointment with Human Resources staff, please contact 421-3378.
Mason City Transit remains running at full service with all routes running as normal. Face masks are still required on all buses until further notice. Mason City Transit will resume fare collection on April 1, 2021.
City Council Meetings will continue to be held on a virtual basis via Zoom at this time until further notice. Residents can watch City Council meetings via live stream on Mediacom channel 117-2 and on demand on the City’s website on the ‘Streaming Council Meetings’ page.
The Margaret MacNider Campground will be open to the public Mid-April (weather pending). Call 641-421-3679 for more details.
Highland Park Golf Course is open with few restrictions. Masks are required in the club house. Contact staff at the clubhouse at (641) 421-3689 for additional information.
The Mason City Recreation Department is doing a wide variety of activities for all ages. Please check our full summer brochure on the masoncity.net webpage.
Mason City Recreation Summer Camps and Childcare programs are available this summer. Please call our office to register 641-421-3673.
Mason City Family Aquatic Center will open this summer. The anticipated opening date will be June 1st after we complete a number of construction projects.
The Mason City Arena will require masks and social distancing will be maintained for all events until further notice.
United Express/Skywest Airlines at the Mason City Municipal Airport is operating as normally scheduled. Administration offices at the Municipal Airport are reopened. Masks are required at the airport per federal guidelines.
The Charles H. MacNider Museum is accepting visitors but continues to limit the number of patrons in the facility at one time. Museum visitors are asked to register in advance. The operating hours will be: Tuesdays – Saturdays 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Thursdays. Masks are required and if you do not have one, staff will provide one for you free of charge. The Ceramics Studio is available to museum members with a ceramics membership by appointment. Kids Club will be presented online with art kits for the foreseeable future and there are limits of the number of attendees for in-person classes for youth and adults. The Imagination Playground continues to be closed at this time. Contact Museum staff at 641-421-3666 for additional information.
The Mason City Public Library plans to start allowing patrons to make appointments to browse the collections sometime in late April. Please watch the library Facebook page for library updates. At this time, patrons can make appointments to use computers, print, photocopy and fax items. Patrons can go online at www.mcpl.org or call the library at 641-421-3668 to request items. Library staff will contact the patron when items are ready for pick up. Items can be picked up in the Mason City Room entrance to the library Monday through Friday between 10:00 am and 5:30 pm.
As we still need to be cautious about the COVID-19 pandemic, safety warning signage is placed around City facilities as a reminder.
Residents are asked to do their part to keep family, friends, neighbors and our community safe. The City of Mason City appreciates the public’s understanding and we will continue to monitor the situation and make decisions that support public health and reduce spread of COVID-19. The City’s priority is protecting the health and safety of our residents and continuing to serve you.
For additional information and questions related to City services and programs:
- Contact the appropriate City department, staff list is available at https://www.masoncity.net/staff.aspx?id=17987&catid=482;
- Submit a request through the City’s Citizen Request Center at www.masoncity.net;
- Send general email at cityinformation@masoncity.net.
