The Mason City Council held its first regular meeting of the new year on January 7, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the Mason City Public Library. The meeting featured the Mayor's State of the City address, approval of consent agenda items (with one item pulled for separate discussion), and public hearings on three ordinances: a zoning change, an annexation, and a franchise agreement for a transmission line. All votes were unanimous.
Mayor Bill Schickle delivered a 30-minute address titled "Keep Moving, Keep Improving." He highlighted that 2024 was a breakout year for Mason City. Key points included:
Councilman Adams requested discussion. Chief described that change orders #25–34 total about $168,000, primarily for an upgraded alert call system. The new system will have 44 addressable speakers, zone paging, and panic buttons tied to security. The existing two-wire system was inadequate. The project budget is approximately $6 million; the overage is about $30,000, covered by leftover funds from other projects. The resolution passed unanimously.
First reading to rezone 5 acres from Z6-R Restricted Industry to Z4 Multi-Use District. Councilman Latham expressed concerns about intersection safety at 12th Street and North Pierce, a problematic T-intersection. City Engineer Mark noted that a roundabout is under consideration, with design in FY25 and construction in FY27, funded via CIP. No development agreement is attached; the rezoning itself does not obligate the city to incentives. The rezone passed first reading unanimously.
First reading to annex 40 acres on the west side for a Tractor Supply store. This is a voluntary annexation. The ordinance passed first reading unanimously.
First reading for a 25-year franchise to SOO Green HVDC Link PROJECTCO, LLC to construct, operate, and maintain a 360-mile underground transmission line along railroad corridors from southwest of Mason City to Plano, Illinois. Raj Rajan, VP of Project Development, presented: the line will connect MISO and PJM grids, capable of powering 1.5 million homes. The project cost is $4+ billion, creating 12,000 construction jobs and 75 permanent jobs (split between Mason City and Plano). The cable is buried entirely in railroad right-of-way through Mason City. The city will receive tax revenue (estimated $7,000 per mile per year, allocated by the state) and a fiber conduit bundle for broadband. The project is 100% committed to organized labor. Council members expressed support, noting safety and economic benefits. The franchise passed first reading unanimously.
And good evening, everyone. Welcome to the regular meeting of the Mason City City Council. This is the first meeting of the new year, January 7th of 2025. I'm Mayor Bill Schickle, and the first order of business tonight is the roll call. Diana, would you call the roll? Lee. Present. Adams. Present. Yeski. Massan. Latham. Here. Simmons. President. Let the record reflect that all members are present. Welcome everybody. We are so delighted to have you with us this evening. Welcome to Mason City's first annual State of the City address. Do you remember when you first learned to ride a bike? You know, it's something that uh most of us can never forget. And no matter when that was for you, it may have been one of the first times you learn to keep moving and keep improving. Keep moving and keep improving, which is the theme of my remarks tonight. Ladies and gentlemen, honorable members of the City Council, City staff, distinguished guests, citizens of Mason City. Here's the state of the city. Twenty twenty four was a breakout year for Mason City. In the new year, Mason City is poised to become America's new outdoor recreation destination with more amenities at a lower cost than any city in the nation. When we hold the grand opening for the Prairie Rocks Trail System, the destination Iowa Bike Park and the Riverwalk District will showcase recreation and other opportunities for every walk of life. The closest similar facility will be Bentonville, Arkansas, which draws a thousand cyclists a week. So what does all this mean for you? If you're a cyclist, or if you simply enjoy nature, it means fellowship, fun, and fitness. By the way, even if you're not a cyclist yet, it's never too late to try. I know I am. And here's the breaking news tonight. Ben Moldrow works with the main street communities across the country. He recently told our team that city has the lowest cost of living for a community with our amenities than anywhere in the country. And here's a little more breaking news tonight. The Iowa Bicycle Coalition is announcing that Mason City will be a study for an economic impact report to be released in January, uh January 25th at the Iowa Expo in Des Moines, which draws about 5,000 people. Mason City will be showcased as a shining example of what's possible. Earlier this evening, uh Luke Hoffman. Welcome. We're delighted to have you with us. And I know that the cost of housing is a dream killer. For more than a decade, housing construction has failed to keep up with changing households throughout the United States. This has driven a nearly 50% increase in the median household sale price. And rent is outstripping gains in local households. To cut housing costs, Mason City is building, building, building. It's been decades since we've seen this much building in Mason City. More than 200 units in just the past year. So what does all this mean for you?