MASON CITY – First Ward City Council member John Lee told NorthIowaToday.com that he has requested a “special presentation” on the city’s Micro Enterprise program.
Council member Lee told NIT that “I just back from a vacation this afternoon. Before I left, I requested to have a special presentation of the MicroEnterprise program at a council (meeting) in August. I asked for specifics to whom is involved in the program, how much each have received, etc. I will let you know if I hear back about it and when it may be on the council meeting.”
Last week, NIT asked Lee and the other five council members, as well as Mayor Eric Bookmeyer, if he was aware that a local business owner – Tyler Anderson – was spending city tax dollars on candy junk food items. NIT also proved that Anderson had spent hundreds of Mason City taxpayer dollars out of city limits, a clear violation of the Micro Enterprise program’s rules. Anderson spent $624.39 at Accelerated Wraps, a Forest City business. “Participating businesses can receive reimbursement for pre-approved goods and/or services purchased within the city limits of Mason City,” the Micro Enterprise program guidelines state.
More on this developing story on the way, including how one business owner spent thousands of tax payer dollars on a new sidewalk and then quit the business.
Mr Lee… I hope tonight’s presentation both in written form and his live presentation helped answer your questions on the micro enterprise program.
John Lee = the only real real leader in City Hall at this time. A refreshing burst of the truth versus lies, mis-information and fairy tales.
The opposite of leadership tonight: Travis Hickey. “How many jobs were created from this program (Mirco Enterprise)?” Get real Travis. Even the Pappajohn fellow wasn’t falling for that one. Next time, make sure Eric preps him properly so the propaganda is disseminated to the rabble properly.
PS: I wasn’t the only one who saw the dirty looks from Marinos, Bookmeyer and Tornquist as Mr. Lee spoke. How very little class these three stooges possess. We’ll see how well that works in 6 months.
To LVS: though some of us live outside of Mason City in small surrounding towns, it IS our business what happens in Mason City. Many of us travel to Mason City frequently in a week, to work, to shop, to eat, see a movie, etc. We spend our hard earned dollars in YOUR city and how the city is run and managed is OUR business when we do so much business there. DO NOT forget that if those of us who don’t live in YOUR city did not do any business in YOUR city then YOUR city would not have the business it has. And plenty of times Mason City tries to bully the smaller communities to get their way, often to no avail. Any government that is corrupt is the business of every citizen, no matter the jurisdiction of the vote.
If you really want all of us from outside of Mason City to stay out of Mason City, then be prepared for more businesses to fail, we outsiders do ALOT of business in YOUR city, and is therefore some money we spend goes back into your community. And if we stop doing business in YOUR city, then YOU will have to pay more taxes to your broken city and your broken government. Maybe us outsiders should have a vote as you people from Mason City obviously can’t or won’t vote for people who will make a difference and who will make a stand. Good luck!
Insider, are you some kind of idiot? Because you come to Mason City and use our services and spend money this becomes your business?
The Taxpayers of Mason City foot the bill for all of this and we have no say in it. We are pissed off and some dummy like you finds fault with LVS. Butt out! There is a lot of that are pissed off our Communist/Socialist/Democrats keep giving our money away and we get nothing back to show for it. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
Besides, SickandStupid/outsider, LVS was directing his comment to you not the general public. This has nothing to do with people coming to Mason City to work and spending money.
Get real!
@outsider-if you are who I think you are, you haven’t been to Mason City more than six or seven times in you life. Probably only when you were going to our hospital. If you don’t live here you don’t vote here and you have no voice in what goes on here. Stay in you own town if they will let you into town. You and your type of trouble maker are not welcome here. That is my opinion and the opinion of most people on here.
Matt-It is my opinion that people who use more than one name while posting on N.I.T. should be banned.
Don’t get too excited, Lee has done zero for his ward and the rest of the city since he sat in that chair. What makes you think that is now going to change?
How many remember when Nelson, Marsters & Weaver got up and walked out rather than vote for this free give a way. There were a lot of people mad at them. They don’t looks so bad right now.
Yes, yes they still do. I would say that was the ultimate prearranged “vote”.
So, we give $150,000 of free money to businesses for inventory if they promise to spend the money here?
It’s ridiculous. For instance, why are we buying thousands of dollars of candy bars at wholesale and giving them to the retailer to make ALL profit.
This is NOT right and government shouldn’t be picking winners and losers when it comes to business. This is perfect example of government overstepping its bounds and why people always say government expands.
It’s a hair-brained scam and the joke is on the all of us for allowing Boozeslayer and his court of jesters to pass it. Ppl of mc dont care anyway. Hell, they don’t show up to council meetings unless their home is under the gun.
This is the first time I have seen John Lee step up to the plate. I just hope that Bookmeyer doesn’t get to the elitists at Pappajohn Center to falsify documents etc. This really needs to be looked at because $ 150,000 of taxpayers dollars was used to fund this program. Using local dollars to fund out of town businesses is clearly an abuse of the regulations of the agreement. And furthermore not using common sense. I will be anxious to see if they decide on an oversight committee or person to approve the expenditures before they have been paid. Micromanaging is not right, but in this case, there is no accountability and that is not appropriate when tax dollars are being used.
Look forward to the outcome…
The whole micro-enterprise program is criminal!
This is precisely why NO tax dollars should have been used to fund any part of any business.
This is all corrupt.
Someone said this is non story. This is a huge story that is nothing short of a scandal.
The voters don’t have a clue about any of this. Thanks for trying to inform us Matt.
The graphics guys out at the Pappajohn Incubator do car wraps.
I think it’s good that John brings this up so everything can be looked at.
Good for Lee. I always thought he might be a good council member. I hope he asks the right questions and isn’t shut up by the mayor.
Hopefully she uses them wraps to wrap her face or wipe her butt! I guess let the taxpayers decide it was on their dime!
At least one council member shows signs of a brain and a backbone.
He’s not going to let this go. He thinks he has a story and he’s desperate to prove it. I’m just going to sit back and laugh.
@SIKand STUPID-Insane people from Whittmore should not comment about things that happen here in Mason City. You don’t get a vote or a voice. Stay home and stay out of our business.
This was brought up in the previous article discussion board, but are you positive that he received reimbursement for the vehicle wrap? You know that he had it done there but if he wasn’t reimbursed then isn’t it a mute point?
If he was reimbursed then I get why you are prying based on the language of the agreement. But at this point, it isn’t fair to find out whether he was reimbursed for what was turned in. Before getting all hot and bothered, why not find out that fact? Just asking!
Here’s a clue:
http://northiowatoday.com/2013/07/23/bookmeyer-campaign-member-blows-1750-city-tax-dollars-on-junk-food/accelerated-wraps-roller-city-2012/
So isn’t Ted Bair also guilty of misappropriating funds? He should know the rules. Why would he approve this? I would be very surprised if Roller City couldn’t get the wrap done locally.