Mason City City Council Regular Meeting - December 3, 2024

The Mason City City Council met in regular session on December 3, 2024, with Mayor Bill Schickle presiding. The council heard the Active Living and Transportation Commission annual report, handled routine consent business, and took separate votes on a historic church deed, an Amazon-related street deed, and a public safety technology grant. Councilmember Simmons was absent; a quorum was present.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda was adopted with item 7 removed.
• The consent calendar was approved by roll call (Massan, Latham, Yeski, Adams, and Lee voting yes), covering minutes, claims, and permits; the appointment of Jeff Hines to the Zoning Board of Adjustment; the hiring of Tracy Young in the street maintenance department; a resolution scheduling a December 17 public hearing on budget adjustments; neighborhood improvement items totaling $550,000 for infrastructure and continued home rehabilitation (including the 29th home rehabbed under a $1 million neighborhood grant); an agreement with Russ Hardy for removal/modification of the dangerous 4th Street retaining wall; a related Amazon quitclaim deed item; and a grant application for equipment and software.
• Items 10, 12, and 16 were pulled from the consent calendar for separate consideration.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were offered, and the public forum was closed.

Special Presentation: Active Living and Transportation Commission Annual Report

• Commission Chair Dr. Steve Schert presented the annual report, joined by commission members Cynthia Hanson, George Reeson, Jim Miller, Jim Copen, and Craig Clark.
• Schert described the commission's vision for Mason City as a premier Midwestern micropolitan community for livability and well-being, and its advocacy for active living, safety, and inclusion in transportation, land, and waterways.
• Bike rental net revenue was up almost threefold; Craig Clark was credited for extensive volunteer maintenance. Twelve bikes were sponsored by eight businesses, with no significant expense to the city; sponsorship and future fleet options are being considered.
• The Friends of Willow Creek, led by Sharon Steckman and Skylar Lee, organized cleanups and plan another spring cleanup.
• The August 3 Winnebago River cleanup involved 16 volunteers and removed 590 pounds of trash, 840 pounds of recycled metal, seven tires, two televisions, and an appliance; participation was down from more than 50 volunteers five years earlier.
• Everett's Preserve opened October 17 after work by city staff, the Human Powered Trails group, and Rock Solid Contracting; the mayor praised the transformation of the area.
• The High Line Trail is nearly complete but needs signage; Prairie Rock Bike Park is planned for completion next year with support from a Destination Iowa grant.
• People for Bikes ranked Mason City 22nd in Iowa, 378th in the Midwest, and 1,453rd in the U.S., with rankings expected to improve after new trail developments.
• Councilmember Mason asked about bike rental users; Craig Clark said renters are mostly local residents. Councilmember Adams noted that businesses sponsored the bikes.

Item 10: St. John Baptist Church Deed

• On a motion by Councilmember Adams, seconded by Councilmember Yeski, the council approved accepting the deed to the historic St. John Baptist Church from the North Iowa Youth Center.
• Staff member Trisha outlined next steps: boarding up broken windows, mothballing the building, reconvening the Saving St. John's group, developing a preservation plan with Bergland and Cram Architects, and pursuing grants available to historically Black churches, many with no local match.
• The adjacent lot will be retained as green space, and the church may be reused as an event space. Councilmember Yeski confirmed the city would own the property and stabilize its upkeep.
• The roll call recorded yes votes from Adams, Yeski, Lee, Latham, and Massan; the motion carried.

Item 12: Amazon 43rd Street Deed

• The council approved accepting a quitclaim deed from Amazon for the improved 43rd Street right-of-way. Councilmember Adams noted the project involved little city incentive beyond waived permit fees.
• Staff member Aaron said Amazon is moving quickly toward operations, including hiring and preparing for snow fencing. The motion carried.

Item 16: Narcotics Task Force Technology Grant

• The council authorized submission of a grant for technology and safety improvements for the North Iowa/Iowa Narcotics Task Force special operations group.
• The police chief explained the requested drone unit would be used mainly inside structures during tactical operations, not as an automated patrol or drone-as-first-responder tool.
• Councilmember Lee supported the grant but asked the city to study drone policies from other cities to prevent misuse. The chief estimated the current unit costs about $25,000, while a broader drone-first-responder program might cost $75,000 to $100,000 to start.
• The motion carried, with recorded yes votes from Lee, Latham, Adams, and Yeski.

Key Outcomes

• The consent calendar was approved, and a public hearing was scheduled for December 17 on budget adjustments.
• The city accepted the St. John Baptist Church deed, with preservation planning and grant-writing as next steps.
• The city accepted the Amazon deed for 43rd Street.
• The city authorized the narcotics task force technology grant application.
• No further business was conducted, and the meeting adjourned.