Mason City – NorthIowaToday.com has learned that recent efforts by Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Robin Anderson to dis-include the Mason City district representative of Congressman Steve King from a planned trip to Washington, DC resulted in Mr. King’s office countermanding Anderson’s heavy-handed power play.
Merlin Bartz, the former Iowa state Senator who lost re-election last fall, was hired by the Congressman in December to manage his Mason City district office. As plans were underway for the Chamber’s annual mecca to the nation’s capital, Anderson, in her capacity as Executive Director, told members of her board of directors that she planned to break with precedent and not invite Mr. Bartz to join the group. For years now, dating back to when Mason City was represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Fred Grandy, Jim Nussle, and Tom Latham, the district representatives of those Congressmen went along for the four-day festivities, which are ostensibly to help gain favor with the Iowa Congressional delegation.
“For whatever reason,” a source close to the Mason City Chamber told NIT, “Robin decided that Merlin shouldn’t” make the trip to DC. Anderson has something of a history of dis-including people that she doesn’t think are worthy of making the cut. On at least two occasions when Max Weaver was the at-large City Councilman for Mason City, Robin Anderson publicly stated that Weaver would “never” be “allowed” to make such trips, as long as she ran the Chamber.
However, when Congressman King’s office in Washington, DC learned of this edict, it quickly got reversed. According to our source, who deals with the Chamber on a regular basis, “someone from King’s office told Robin that the Congressman wanted Bartz to accompany the Chamber members to Washington. Robin wasn’t exactly thrilled to find out that she’s not as all-powerful as she wants people to think she is. As things stand, Bartz will be on that plane.”
Mr. Bartz said last week that he is not allowed to comment on the matter.
Robin Anderson refused to take 4 phone calls and didnot return detailed messages asking about her attempt to keep Bartz out of the trip.
NorthIowaToday.com Publisher Matt Marquardt caught up with Anderson at the grand opening of Congressman Steve King’s Mason City office and attempted to question Anderson:
httpv://youtu.be/YRl5XFqz028
Wow, I just had flashbacks of high school. The commons. Mercy sakes, how old do you have to be when the “people in charge” seem like kids, I ask you.
I’m trying to figure out why Robin was making the decision to not take Merlin along. Didn’t the other article say that Debra Derr was heading up the delegation? Wouldn’t the decision be hers to make? It seems to me that Robin was stepping on Debra’s toes and overstepping her bounds on this one.
Found this on facebook.
My question is, who pays for this little trip for Bookie, Robin and their entourage? Is this taxpayers money? Because if it is, I as a taxpayer am really, really tired of our city giving Robin Anderson money!!!!!!!
Chamber Sponsors Trip to Washington, DC:
Mason City and Clear Lake officials will leave Wednesday, February 13th for a trip to Washington, DC to gain support for issues affecting the North Iowa business climate. The delegation is scheduled to depart at 5:33AM from the Mason City Municipal Airport, and will be available in the airport lobby prior to departure for interview and comment. This is the 11th year the Mason City Area Chamber of Commerce has organized a trip to the nation’s capitol. In recent years, representatives from Cerro Gordo County, Clear Lake, and Mason City began making this annual trip together with a common agenda.
Chamber President Dr. Debra Derr will lead the delegation that includes Vice President Kim Pang and Executive Director Robin Anderson representing the Mason City Chamber; President Nate Carney, Board Member Gary Peterson, and Executive Director Tim Coffey from the Clear Lake Chamber; Mayor Eric Bookmeyer from the City of Mason City; Mayor Nelson Crabb and City Administrator Scott Flory from the City of Clear Lake; Airport Commissioner Gary Wattnem; and Executive Director Brent Willett from the North Iowa Corridor EDC.
The purpose of the trip will be to provide and seek information on the following issues:
• Support for programs that increase workforce preparedness
• Airport funding and the Essential Air Service program
• Renewable Energy opportunities
• Improvements to Mason City’s water treatment plant
• Improvements to Clear Lake’s water distribution system loop
• Funding for the proposed widening of 12th Street NW and North Eisenhower Ave. in Mason City
• Assistance with issues faced by health care providers
• Information on programs that align with the Blue Zones Project initiatives
In addition to meetings with Senator Grassley, Senator Harkin, Congressman Steve King, and congressional aides, the group plans to meet directly with federal agency representatives at the Federal Aviation Administration and FERC Commissioner John Norris.
Members of the delegation WILL be available for media updates throughout the trip. Please contact Robin Anderson to arrange interviews.
The Chamber pays and then each entity reimburses the Chamber. The citizens of Mason City pay Bookmeyer’s way. I imagine some of the $200K+ the EDC gets from MC, CL and CG will help pay Willett’s way. At least Trout stayed home this year.
This whole deal is just Bookmeyer and Queen Robin glad-handing and making contacts for themselves for their own personal gain. None of us benefit one bit from this trip. All the pol’s these buffoons will see are here in Iowa all the time; no need to go out to DC.
I was wondering why they bothered to make an appointment to see King when he was just here cutting a ribbon for his office. It seems they could have made an appointment with some other organizations to promote our area as a place ripe for a business opportunities. It seems as if new contacts would be more helpful than ones that are already firmly in place.
I hope they do more than meet and greet our Representatives and Senators. I hope that our Congressmen set up meetings with people who can actually help our area. Just showing up in DC to say hi to people they already know is a waste of money.
Why wouldn’t Robin Anderson think she was all powerful have you seen what her special interest group has done to our city. Its time the people take back our local government and tell Bookmeyer and Trout to treat the chamber and Anderson just like any other special interest group and no more her dictating policy for the people of Mason City.
Again and again. Poor Robin with her fake pearls, what an ass. She gives women a baaad name. Remember it ALL comes back Robiiin.
Give these people jobs to do and they act worse then children.This are the people who represent Mason City.Mason City deserve much better.Chamber take trips but never really bring any real jobs to city.But smaller towns in area seem to do much better in bringing in JOBS.Get off the high horse and try and do your job better.
Who is the chamber president on the board? May want to explore that one a little bit as well.
When are people going to wake up and see how much money she is costing the tax payer. Why are my taxes paying for her and others to go to Washington DC? Don’t tell me it is chamber money because my taxes get tossed over to the chamber all the time!!!!!
I am not a Robin backer BUT I must congratulate you Matt. That is some of the finest ambush journalism I have seen in some time. You really blew this story wide open with that snippet.
Cool, glad you like it. Lots more coming! Stay tuned.
Wow Matt, can’t you learn to lay off people? I’m sure she has more important things to do then dealing with you.
I’m just getting started, actually. Stay tuned for a lot more of this.
Hey there Gma, do you live in a cave? Do you not pay attention to what’s happening in Mason City. Robin Anderson has the mayor and our council wasting “my” and your tax dollars on bullcrap! It’s about time someone like Matt actually is taking a stand and trying to show the behind the scenes and corrupt bull that goes on. Wake up!
Grandma Jean, you should be THANKING Matt for all of his hard work in seeking the truth. Our community would be much better off if there were more people like him around here. Thank you, Matt!
Merlin might want to get a pencillin shot before the the trip in case she bites him.
Video is too funny! What’s the matter Robin? Seeing the picture of the ribbon cutting at King’s office, Robin’s just beaming a huge smile! She is such a fake!
I think this trip is nonsense anyway. Why do we have to keep footing the bill for Robin’s crap? Trips, statues, when will someone tell that woman NO?
This broad has been riding her broom around downtown Mason City for more than thirty years. One look at that photo tells you all you need to know about her. Looks like she’d run up your back with ice skates on.
I don’t blame her! Have you met him?
The “Humane service”? Robin Anderson has more in common with the Humane Society than Lionel does!
I think we need the Humane Service more than we need this floozie – Plue Lionel is cuter !
I had a chane to be a member of the chamber – told them I had better use for my 500 bucks – Grandkids you know!
Robin Anderson better be careful about what she says and whose around when she says it. When you treat people like dirt they might get you back.
King finally has did something I like. About time some one showed her she is not their boss.
The chamber always says the whole city benefits from what they do. That’s bull. How do we benefit when the chamber director tells our Congress member his staffer can’t be in DC with the King people out there?
Oh how I love to see Republicans fight each other!! Somebody should tell Robin that she can catch more flys with honey than with vinager.
As a dues-paying member of the Chamber of Commerce, I’m appalled that Mrs. Anderson pulled this outlandish maneuver, and I will contact the Chamber office today to voice my displeasure. Anderson not only devalued my dues by getting off on the wrong foot with Rep. King, but she picked a fight in the name of the Chamber and got stomped.
Anderson was dumb to try to lay down the law on King and his staff. She should of known that King would bitch-slap her on this. If Grassley and Harkin had MC offices, would Robin have told them two there guy couldnt go. Heck no.
Who does she think she is? She acts like she’s so important while she gets paid to spend money that is not hers.
I voted against King and Bartz, but it’s nice to see a Republican take Robin Anderson down a few notches, and knock her off her high horse.