MASON CITY – A old face from Mason City’s political past is re-emerging as up to four city council seats will be on the line in coming months.
Former mayor Bill Schickel Will seek a Mason City council seat, he announced Tuesday via Twitter.
Currently, Mr. Schickel is the KCHA Radio station general manager. In addition to being serving three terms as mayor of Mason City, he was also a state representative and the former co-chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa.
According to Mr. Schickel, he called the opportunity to a “chance to give back to city I love. Maintain momentum.”
He also stated that he would intend to “Make sure ALL are represented”, with his own emphasis on the word “ALL”. This could fly in the face of the current mayor and council, who many say cater to and favor their own crowd while ignoring most of the citizens.
In the wake of Scott Tornquist’s abrupt resignation, and an election this November that puts three seats on the line, four city council seats could see new faces. Mr. Schickel did not specify which seat he would be interested in, but word around town is he would be seeking the at-large seat vacated by Tornquist. The city council will decide whether to appoint a person or hold an election for that seat.
Announced on Twitter….. Gee, it’s Iowa and he’s not Ashton Kutcher.
Heres the scoop:
Bill Schickel is a Socialist/Democrat that claims to be a Republican. RHINO is another name for him. (Republican In Name Only)
Behind that big smile he flashes is a big time friend of ol Doc Blodget, another liberal claiming to be a conservative.
Bill will listen, nod, smile and give you the old two step political answer you want to hear and then vote to spend your tax money the way his liberal elite friends want him to. Oh and he will hide behind religion too.
If you think he really gives a crap about the hard working tax payers you are smoking your socks. He backs TIF and all give-a-way tax to the rich programs you can think up.
He will get elected as…
He will get elected as the Mason City Voters are to stupid to think for themselves.
Right now I am going to vote for Rick Mathes and give the guy a chance. We need new blood no matter what.
@Watchdog-where I am not a fan of Schickle there is really not a lot to choose from. I am very reluctant to vote for a realtor as I have seen what they do when on the council. I think you may be right in that Schickle probably will get elected. He has the power machine behind him. I sure wish someone would come out of the woodwork that could compete.
First of all, Rhino is an abbreviation for Rhinoceros.
RINO is the acronym that you should have used.
And if you think that Gary Blodgett is a liberal, you have a serious perceived reality issue.
And you contradict yourself.
Tax breaks for the wealthy are a deemed prerogative of the Republicans, not the so called “socialist/democrats”.
They have a different agenda.
Matt, you are 100% right about what Marinos did and has done to “your” city. It’s criminal and just as important the citizens have just lay down and let it happen.
Well I don’t care for Schickel either. What an arrogant and uncaring man. I was in a restaurant when he ran for office last time. He stopped and shook hands with everyone he knew (they were all rich) but didn’t acknowledge anyone else. If you’re a politician, shouldn’t you be courting the ones you DON’T know? Sheesh.
I met him a couple of times and he was very nice, friendly. I am intrigued by his Twitter post. I’ll take him over the two other candidates right now.
I’ve known Bill for many years. He’s never struck me that way. Heck, I’m a middle class citizen, always have been. And he has never treated me differently than he treats anyone else.
@ Eileen, you sound like a neanderthal bigot who needs to live at Good Shepherd. I got a super idea for racists like you: why don’t you get your republitard hero Blodgett to tell his drug addict son to get up a posse, and just shoot all these “Detroit” people you and yours hate so much? Toddy boy has the guns, and I hear he doesn’t work, so it would be the perfect job for him.
The main force against the casino was the clergy, they were the most powerful lobby preaching against it ….and they won. It cost this city money, money that is now going out of town. I think in the end Cedar Rapids will even up with a casino….what difference does it really make, no one forces anyone to enter.
@ border, there was another big reason why Mason City did not get a casino. His name is Gary Blodgett, the Republitard who represented us in the legislature when this was decided. Old doc held public meetings on this, and knew most of his constituents were for a casino. He said no way, claimied welfare recipients would blow tax money and that gambling would increase drug traffic here. Crazy? Dumb? Oh yes.
@ JD, I remember that, Blodgett heard us loud and clear, he did not give a rats. Doc was not good for Mason, to bad he ever was our city’s excuse for a Legislature. That filthy rich Republiturd bought his way down to Des Moines, he never did nothing for us average MC people. All he cares about is his rich friends. Still there is people to this day, they like Gary. They are fool’s.
We helped Mike Dunn when he went up against old doc, this was about 2000, maybe ’98 last time Gary went for a re-elect. Mike got closer votes to Blodgett then anybody else ever did. Doc pulled it out, he out spent Mike something like 30 to 1. If Mike would of had doc’s style money, he would of beat Gary. Blodgett gave the state GOP around $50,000 to use for his race, nobody even knew it was his own money till after it was over. Sneaky. Do not even answer your door to any Republitard!
I think Dr. Blodgett did a good job for us, we don’t need no casino. Shickel is ok, but somebody need to clean up Mason. Turn our cops loose let them kick butt. Alot of bad people in Mason, run them out of town. Make them go to Waterloo or Des Moines, maybe back to Detroit where they fit in good. Not here. We know a welfare lady she gets bigger every time we see her, she don’t work, keeps having babies to. Our neighbor says fix her.
Strange? I don’t remember that at all. I remember Schickel and the churches but nothing about Blodgett. You had better be telling the truth. Slander is a sueable offense. And, of course Blodgett can afford to find you. That would shut you jealous big mouths up.
Slander? Is that like your slanderous post accusing the mayor of engaging in kickbacks to repaint the road signs in town. You keep getting caught peeing like a puppy.
Well there big Puppy-Are you still sniffing my crotch like yesterday. What mayor are you talking about? What is his name, and most of all that was my opinion just like my opinion of you is you are a sneak and a coward. Now, don’t pee on your leg.
Russian Hardy and landlords like him are the ones responsible for the drug problems in Mason City. If they didn’t rent to these people, maybe they would leave Mason City.
*Russ
Depending how many dead and illegal democrats vote !
Carson or Rubio will win easily if they get the nomination !!
I have a real problem with Jeb Bush. It seems to me he is just like Clinton and is trying to buy the vote. Rubio -s a young family man who is just trying to raise a family and is a long way from being rich. I also have a problem with the Bush/Clinton dynasty.
Oh, heavens, yes, LVS. One thing we’ll never see is a Republican trying to buy votes.
In my opinion, you’ve been using way too much Koch.
Bush.. Clinton…. Schickel …. No thanks … Vote Carson 2016 !!
Good choice. I am impressed with Dr. Carson. I don’t know if I will vote for him yet, but I am impressed. I also like Rubio as a young guy with fresh ideas.
He’s a tax n spend republican. His wife is a tax n spend liberal ..
I like Mr. Schickel. He has good character, especially compared to what’s in City Hall now. However, at first glance, when he was mayor in the ’90s, this was a time of great decline here; nothing was solved. The North End got worse, the town shrunk, jobs left. It was not a progressive time. Is he ready to lead, to stand up to Bookmeyer and the elitists? He says he is, and if he gets in, I’ll support him until he shows me otherwise.
He has had his turn. We need new people with new ideas.
Just another elitist to join the Bookmeyer gang. Another tax and spend liberal.
It sure seems like he is another downtown spender who has little in common with the average Joe.
We’ve had enough of Bill. He vetoed the prison South of town And I believe he was also against the Casino and support of the Target distribution center, We would surely take those jobs today.
I have heard people talking about the casino that wanted to come here but I don’t know the actual facts. What was the real deal with that? Did Diamond Joe’s really want to build here in Mason City and they were denied?
YES, the casino could have been here, with all it’s dollars, jobs and benefits but council and others didn’t want “that element” in THEIR town.
As I understand it, the “voters” turned it down to to mis-information and no leadership from the people that could have made it happen. The bible-beating hypocrites didn’t want it due to the “Sin” of gambling, so they fought it, too. Same people, I guarantee you, that are buying lottery tickets at the convince stores. Mayor Marinos is a prime culprit here. A Mannequin would provide better leadership and have thrice the personality of that dolt. She and her ilk have run this town into he ground. I was out on my bike last night, just riding around, and there was nary a soul to be seen on most streets. I’m talking DEAD. You think a casino might have stopped this outcome? I say YES. I truly wish my fellow townspeople would wake up to these realities they have been dealt by this same small group of morons who run this town.
There is so much more to that story. I wish even all these years later, that someone would have the guts to print the truth. The study committee appointed to look at the issue, thought it was a great idea…. check into what really happened… no real surprises there.
Bottom line, the voters turned it down…..end of story. No matter how you spin it this way or that way, it was up to the voters of Cerro Gordo County and it was turned down. Had it been a tax increase for the school system, they would have voted and voted and voted…..till it passed.