Mason City Council Regular Meeting – September 5, 2023
Mason City Council Regular Meeting – September 5, 2023
The Mason City City Council held a special meeting at 6:00 PM for a closed session (pursuant to Iowa Code §21.5.1(i)) to evaluate the professional competency of an individual (City Administrator annual review), followed by the regular meeting at 7:00 PM. The regular meeting included a moment of silence for deceased Councilman Tom Toma, a proclamation, consent agenda, discussion on several resolutions, a public hearing, and an ordinance first reading. The meeting was presided over by Mayor Bill Schickle. All council members were present (Lee, Adams, Yeski, Simmons) and a quorum was established.
Special Items
- Proclamation – Filmmakers' Week (September 7-9, 2023): Mayor Schickle proclaimed the week as Filmmakers' Week in Mason City, recognizing the 16th annual Iowa Independent Film Festival. The festival will feature 61 films selected from 209 submissions representing seven countries, including local showcases. Councilman Joshua Mason, a board member of the North Iowa Film Festival, noted the local film presentation will be held in the Mason City Room at 7:00 PM.
Consent Calendar
- The consent agenda was approved unanimously (4-0) after removing items 14, 17, and 18 for separate discussion. Approved items included:
- Minutes of August 15, 2023
- Claims dated August 17, 24, and 31, 2023
- Permits
- June 2023 financials
- Designation of Trick-or-Treat as October 31, 2023 (5:30–7:30 PM)
- Promotion of Police Officer Ben VanDenBroeke to Sergeant ($40.62/hour)
- Appointment of Mike Voortmann as Water Distribution Worker ($29.02/hour)
- Resolution awarding contract to WHKS & Co. for IA Highway 122 Mercy Corridor Improvement Project final design (funded by local option sales tax)
- Resolution approving Amendment No. 2 with WHKS for additional services on Destination Iowa Trail Improvements (including Murphy Park trail and bridge to softball complex)
- Resolution approving June 2023 year-end fund transfers
- Resolution approving FY2022-2023 Annual Financial Report (noted increased fund balance and decreased debt load)
- Resolution setting a public hearing on amending the FY2024 budget
- Resolution authorizing notice to bidders for 2023-2024 Sanitary Sewer Repairs (flood control infrastructure)
- Resolution awarding contract to Ressler Custom Landscaping for 12th Street NW Monroe Viaduct retaining wall landscaping
- Resolution awarding contract to Bergland + Cram for Willow Creek Riverwalk final design and coordination
Discussion Items
- Item 14 – Purchase of Five Parcels from Iowa DOT: Councilman Lee asked why the city is purchasing the parcels instead of letting developers buy them. Staff (Finance Director Brent Hinson and City Administrator Aaron Burnett) explained that governmental entities have preference to purchase at a low price (under $20,000 total) to control development. The city plans to repurpose the land for housing, possibly through a request for proposals. Council expressed support for getting the properties back on the tax roll. The resolution was approved unanimously.
- Item 17 – Innovative Housing Project with North Iowa Housing Development Corporation: Councilman Adams introduced the project, which involves moving three houses donated by RCP Investments from the Blackmore Nursery site to city-owned lots (1526 S Taft Ave, 220 & 220½ 12th St SE, 316 5th St NW). The North Iowa Housing Development Corporation will receive the houses, and the city will use ARPA funds for moving and basements. Chad Schreck, President/CEO of the North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corporation, explained that the goal is to create affordable workforce housing (each house ~900 sq ft with garage and basement). The corporation aims to sell at near cost and reinvest proceeds. Councilman Adams expressed full support for this creative blight-fighting solution. The resolution setting a public hearing date was approved unanimously.
- Item 18 – Willow Creek Riverwalk Project Design: Councilman Lee inquired about the timeline. Staff indicated the project (from Washington to Delaware along Willow Creek) will go out to bid in winter for spring 2024 construction. Design challenges include steep topography and existing retaining walls. The Riverwalk will include pathways, plantings, art features, interactive play areas, and gathering spaces, designed to accommodate flood stages. The project is funded in part by Destination Iowa. The resolution awarding the design contract to WHKS & Co. was approved unanimously.
Public Hearing
- Police Department Remodel Project: No public comment was offered. The hearing covered plans, specifications, bid tabulation, and contract award to Kingland Construction of Forest City, Iowa. Councilman Yeski noted the project has been needed for years. Councilman Adams asked about timeline and disruptions. Architect Dana Thomas (Bergland + Cram) estimated 12–15 months; Chief Brinkley confirmed the project will begin this fall with minimal interruptions (bathrooms will remain functional, though heavy jackhammering in the jail area is expected for 2–3 weeks). The motion to adopt the resolution and award the contract was approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved (4-0) with items 1-13, 15, 16, 20.
- Item 14 – Resolution to purchase five parcels from Iowa DOT for housing development (approved unanimously).
- Item 17 – Resolution setting a public hearing on real estate purchase agreement with North Iowa Housing Development Corporation (approved unanimously).
- Item 18 – Resolution awarding design contract to WHKS for Willow Creek Riverwalk (approved unanimously).
- Police Department Remodel – Resolution adopting plans, specifications, bid tabulation, and contract award to Kingland Construction (approved unanimously).
- Item 22 – First reading of ordinance amending Title 9 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic) to align parking definitions with state and federal standards (approved unanimously).
- Closed Session – Held prior to the regular meeting for City Administrator annual review (authorized by vote per Iowa Code §21.5.1(i)).
- Announcement: Tony Award-winning actress Sutton Foster will visit Mason City on September 14, 2023, for a performance at the NIACC Auditorium.
Meeting Transcript
And good evening, welcome. This is the regular meeting of the Mason City City Council. I'm Mayor Bill Schickle. We're delighted to have you with us this evening. This is the meeting for September 5th of 2023, and the first item of business is the roll call. Diana, would you call the roll? Lee. Present. Adams? Present. Yeski. Here. Simmons. Present. Here. Let the record reflect that uh we have a quorum present. And uh next item is the adoption of the agenda. There is one slight modification to the agenda. Item number nineteen is a duplicate, so therefore it has been crossed out. Um is there a motion to accept the agenda with that uh minor change? Motion to approve as agenda as amended. We have a motion by Councilman and a second by Councilman Yasheski. Um all those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye. All those opposed, same sign. We have the agenda adopted. Before we get beginning Mason City lost its best friend a week ago on Thursday. Tonight we remember and honor Councilman Tom Toma. Thank you to Tom's family and his niece Isabel for allowing us to place these flowers at his desk in his honor. Can we have a moment of silence in honor of Councilman Tom Toma? Thank you. Next we have a special item of business. We have a uh proclamation uh declaring this week filmmakers week uh in Iowa. This uh Thursday through Saturday it takes place, and we're very honored to have the president and members of the board from the Iowa uh filmmakers here. Would you please uh step forward uh at this time before I begin? Just thank you for uh everything you're doing. The sixteenth year now for the film festival, drawing people from really all over the world to compete in the uh North Iowa Film Festival coming up uh later this week. Very, very exciting, and it's great to have you back. Welcome back, and it's an honor to uh present and read this proclamation uh at this time. Whereas the Mason City area has a long and rich history of movie making, and whereas the Iowa Independent Film Festival now in its sixteenth year runs uh Thursday through Saturday of this week, and whereas the Thursday night local filmmakers showcase will celebrate the films made within the one county area of Saragoga County, and whereas the competitive festival will show 61 of the 209 films that were submitted from seven different countries, and whereas the films represent a wide range of styles, including features and documentaries and animation and music video and experimental, and whereas dozens of producers, directors, and actors from all over the country and the world will attend the festival to discuss their films, and whereas nightly networking socials will be held to give filmmakers and the public a chance to mingle and discuss ideas and to make plans for the future. And whereas uh Third Word Councilman Joshua Mason is a longtime member of the board of directors of the uh uh North Iowa Film Festival. Now, therefore, I Bill Shickle, mayor of Mason City do hereby proclaim this week as filmmaker week uh in Mason City and express my appreciation. Can we show our gratitude? Thank you. Thank you. Very exciting. Councilman, where will that local film presentation be? I'll be right here. Right here in the Mason City Room.
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