MASON CITY – A special meeting on the vacant City Administrator position in Mason City has been set for Friday at City Hall.
On Wednesday, April 4, the Mason City council met with a candidate for the vacant City Administrator position. The name of the individual has not been released.
Today, a special meeting has been set for Friday. According to the meeting agenda, the meeting is at noon at city hall. Mayor Bill Schickel is recommending that that council approve that he (the mayor) and city staff be allowed to enter into negotiations for a City Administrator candidate.
The city administrator is hired and fired by the city council.
Or maybe the present mall owner? He can “forgive” his own tax debt!
Phil Chodur is going to be the new city admin! Thanks Robin, John, Bill, and loyal followers. All the taxpayers dreams will now come true!…..or did we mean “nightmare?” You decide?
Bill Shickel negotiating anything is not a good thing. Bill and John Lee have both proven to have poor decision making skills. Now they are going to give away the farm because of their failure to lead and are now going to settle because nobody will want to work with them because they can’t be trusted. Paul Adams isn’t any better he has not shown any leadership since he has been elected to the council either.
Just criminal is the other name for it.If everything is in line for very good candidate why not give name.Council we have in bunch of town HACKS. LEGAL THEIVES.Call it what it is PEOPLE on MC.
Hey dummy, the candidate probably is currently employed and has requested anonymity. The city would be legally liable for releasing nrmatiin about the candidate at this point.
This site always finds the dumbest of the dumb in north iowa.
True that.
NIT is a gathering place for the terminally stupid of NI.
Like a flame to moths, NIT draws in some of the most idiotic dumbasses in North Iowa.
Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t the other 5 candidates (the 5 that weren’t chosen) have quite a bit of publicity introducing themselves and some background on each BEFORE their interviews? Obviously none of those 5 had the qualities to become another “city paid criminal” like the ones interviewing! BUT THEY DISCLOSED THOSE CANDIDATES! If you were born with any common sense and have been following the thievery by our city leaders and friends over the years and more in the future…. then wondering why they keep this chosen “one” in confidence is is a no-brainer! Bend over taxpayers…..no lubricant this time!
I bet it is Gatehouse’s David Rachie as our new City Admin
the person’s identity “can’t be released yet due to confidentiality clause.”
Imagine THAT coming from the crooks running the city? We cannot and WILL NOT devulge the chosen one’s salary and benefits package either….just shut up and pay it! This speaks volumes about your great leaders and their ability to rob you blind! Everything is on a “need to know” basis……and the taxpayers “DON’T NEED TO KNOW A F###ING THING!” Mason City is sinking at an alarming rate! Sickening watching all the white collar crime in this once great city!
If there is a confidentiality clause in place, you do understand the city can ‘t release information on the candidate, right?!?!? Why should you have a say in the day-to-day operations of the city?!?!?! Do you know how painfully inefficient it would be if every curmudgeon in this city got to weight in on every single decision at city hall? If you don’t like the direction o f the city, then your sole remedy is your vote every 4 years.
This is one of those times when you can predict the future by looking at the “players” and more importantly “the past”! Not going to be a good outcome considering your fearless leaders and their track record! Bend over again taxpayers!
Bookmeyer needs a new job….
Watch them screw this up again.
Robin, John, and the mayor ( in the order of who wear’s the pants) have chosen their “yes” person and the raping of the taxpayers continues! Don’t ask any questions…..just pay your taxes! The closed door meetings are about to divulge the new addition to the white collar criminal gang! Pretty sad….and sick! Impeach and fire them all because the whole bunch is a waste of valuble air and space!!!!
Let’s keep this semi-positive. We don’t know who it is and I believe it is wrong to select a person to enter into negotiations with and fail to disclose the identity of that person. Frankly, I’m hoping it is Scott Flory from Clear Lake, but I understand he considers Bill Schickel a weak leader and a glad handler.
I agree with some of the other commenters that there is a duty to disclose the name of finalists and if this is who the Mayor will be negotiating with them there is a breach of duty here to disclose publicly the candidates name. Call the State ombudsman’s office.
Lol what a mess. Why would council put Bill in charge.
So, no negotiations have been completed? They will have to announce who it is then on Friday. The agenda will need to include the individual’s name or it will be a violation of the open meetings law.
Open meeting law violation. You have to reveal the name of the finalist publicly before going into closed session to negotiate a contract. So, we will be hiring a City Administrator that is unknown to the public until it is announced they are hired???
21.9 Employment conditions discussed.
A meeting of a governmental body to discuss strategy in matters relating to employment conditions of employees of the governmental body who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement under chapter 20 is exempt from this chapter
Obviously, the Mayor and Council have gone beyond strategy session. They have zeroed in on one candidate and no others. They have announced this publicly. They are required to disclose at this stage the name of the candidate. I hope the media contacts the board in Des Moines that now oversees these matters. Way to get off on the right foot. Announce the name of your selected candidate.
Calls will be made.
Iowa Open Meetings, Open Records Handbook, 12th Edition, p. 58.
Q: Are job applications public records?
A: The Iowa Supreme Court ruled in April 1988 that under a 1984 amendment to Chapter 22 public agencies can make job applications confidential.
Everyone knows it will be interm city admin Kevin Jacobson.
Jacobson has neither the intelligence nor demeanor to be an effective city administrator.
I disagree. Probably the smartest guy in city hall and he wins awards, not to mention he keeps people like the mayor from stealing our money and giving it to Gatehouse. That is called integrity and leadership – something sorely lacking in city hall these days.
One of the extremly few times that I agree with Matt.
Kevin Jacobson would be a good choice.
He would be a good choice, but I can’t believe that he would take the job. He is good at what he does now, and has power in city business. Anyway, why would he want to be the whipping boy for the mayor and council.
Not to mention that he’s been doing TWO very responsible full-time jobs for months now! Wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t take it, but sure hope he does.
A city this size doesn’t need both positions. Keven has been running things and been doing a good job in my opinion. Just take the intereum title off, give him the pay raise and eliminate the finance director position. We have the guy to do it. Again both positions are not needed with our shrinking population.
Well said Matt!