Mason City City Council Regular Meeting – October 21, 2025
Mason City City Council Regular Meeting – October 21, 2025
The Mason City City Council held its regular meeting on October 21, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the Mason City Public Library. Mayor Bill Schickle presided. The council reviewed the city administrator’s monthly report, approved consent items, and took action on several ordinances and resolutions.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes of the October 7, 2025, regular meeting.
- Approved claims dated October 9 and 16, 2025.
- Approved permits.
- Approved the appointment of Kristen Stockberger to the MacNider Museum Board (Mayor’s recommendation).
- Approved a resolution levying assessments for charges on certain properties and certifying them to the county treasurer for collection.
- Approved a resolution awarding a contract to WHKS & Co. for professional services related to the N Pierce Avenue and 12th Street NW Roundabout.
- Approved a resolution accepting work and ordering payment for the Murphy Park Trail and Bridge Project (Project 22-1011).
- Approved a resolution fixing November 4, 2025, as the date for a public hearing on a Water Revenue Loan and Disbursement Agreement for up to $1,328,250 for water treatment plant upgrades.
- (Items 6, 8, and 9 were removed from the consent agenda for separate discussion.)
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke during the public forum or the public hearing on item 13.
City Administrator’s Report
City Administrator Aaron provided updates on several city projects and initiatives:
- Hotel Groundbreaking: The seven‑year‑in‑the‑making hotel project had its groundbreaking; completion expected December 2026.
- Fire Department Renovations: Ribbon‑cutting ceremony highlighted improved working conditions for staff.
- Bike Park: Received regional interest and is expected to win awards.
- River Walk: Already received awards from the Iowa Landscape Architects Association and a paving award.
- Website Rebranding: Updated city website launched as part of the rebranding initiative.
- Mall Development: New business “Moonshot” opened; additional inquiries received.
- Shelter 2 (East Park): Fire‑damaged shelter; staff working with insurance to assess damage and restore power to adjacent shelter.
- Airport: A delegation from Japan visited to study general aviation success at Mason City Airport. Discussions with Councilmembers covered road project timelines:
- South Federal (65) main line pavement complete; opening within a few weeks up to 17th Street; work south of 19th Street next construction season.
- 122nd Street/Mercy section slightly behind due to utility vault delays; paving imminent, button‑up expected within a month.
- Pierce Intersection/12th Street NW: Two contract awards (WHKS) for trail and intersection improvements designed to improve safety near Curries plant (employee entrance). Construction engineering included; Curries will fund the bypass through an assessment.
Discussion Items
- Appointment of Logan Wernet as Police Captain (Item 6): The council separately considered and approved the appointment. Police Chief Brinkley highlighted Wernet’s 34‑year career, 16 years as lieutenant, and leadership in field training. Captain Wernet spoke about succession training, staffing, mental health partnerships, and transparency.
- Watershed Coordinator Agreement with Clear Lake (Item 8): Resolution to enter into a Chapter 28E agreement with Clear Lake to hire a full‑time watershed coordinator (40 hours/week: 30 for Clear Lake, 10 for Mason City). Council discussed the $35,000 contribution from Mason City (equal to Clear Lake’s share), intended to improve water quality, flood control, and recreation. County contributes $15,000 annually. Approved.
- 12th Street NW Trail and Intersection Improvements (Item 9): Award of contract to WHKS & Co. for professional services. The project will construct a turn lane, bypass lane, and future trail connecting to major employers. Curries is funding the bypass via assessment. Discussion on timeline (early 2026 construction), utility coordination, and potential closure of the Pierce/12th intersection for the roundabout. Approved.
- Ordinance – Zoning Amendment for Small Commercial Buildings (Item 13 – Public Hearing & First Reading): No public comments. The amendment corrects a definition that inadvertently limited small commercial buildings to 2,500 sq. ft. (two‑story) instead of the intended 5,000 sq. ft. single‑story. Council approved first reading; second reading will be requested to be waived at the next meeting.
- Ordinance – Parking Area Definition (Item 14 – Second Reading): Clarified definition of parking area between sidewalk and curb. Approved.
- Ordinance – Nuisance Trees (Item 15 – First Reading): Updated nuisance code to clarify that dead, dying, or diseased trees (not just Dutch elm disease) are nuisances. Approved.
- Ordinance – Variance Definition and Zoning Board of Adjustment (Item 16 – Second Reading): Updated definitions and procedures to comply with state code. Approved.
- Ordinance – Accessory Dwelling Units (Item 17 – Second Reading): Amendment to comply with state law allowing larger ADUs. Councilman Adams noted that a “no” vote would not change the requirement because state law supersedes. Vote: 6 in favor, 1 opposed (Councilman Latham). Approved.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda: Approved as a block (items 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12).
- Police Captain Appointment: Logan Wernet appointed (unanimous).
- Watershed Coordinator Agreement: Resolution approved (unanimous).
- 12th Street Improvements Contract: Awarded to WHKS (unanimous).
- Zoning Amendment (Small Commercial): Approved on first reading (unanimous).
- Parking Area Definition: Approved on second reading (unanimous).
- Nuisance Trees Definition: Approved on first reading (unanimous).
- Variance/Zoning Board: Approved on second reading (unanimous).
- Accessory Dwelling Units: Approved on second reading (6-1, Councilman Latham voting no).
- Upcoming Event: Ribbon‑cutting for Delaware Apartments on October 22 at 4:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
And good evening, everyone. Welcome to the regular meeting of the Mason City City Council. This is the meeting for October 21st of 2025. I'm Mayor Bill Schickle. Thank you for joining us this evening. The first item of business is the roll call. Diana, would you call the roll? Lee. Present. Adams? Present. Simmons. Present. Yesky. Here. Massan. Latham. Present. The next item of business is the adoption of the agenda. Is there a motion to adopt the agenda? So moved. We have a motion by Councilman Simmons. Second. Second by Councilman Adams. Second by Councilman Masson. Further discussion. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. All those opposed, same sign. Next we have the public forum. This is your chance to comment on any item uh on the agenda. If you have an item that you would like to comment on, you can uh step forward, use the podium, state the number of the item, and uh the floor is yours. We will have a separate hearing on item number thirteen. Um so we'll have the public forum at this time. Seeing no public comment at this time, we'll close the public forum and we'll move to the next item on the agenda, which is the city administrators monthly report. Aaron, go ahead. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, council. Uh just a few updates and then happy to answer any questions. Uh well, I think the the biggest news is probably already out there. I think it got covered a few places, but uh we had the groundbreaking on the hotel, so seven years in the process, but truly exciting day, well attended, even though it was uh not the nicest day, but um great celebration, and then uh that will be wrapping up around this time to December of next year is when that'll be completed. So really to fast time frame, but the work is commencing really quickly over there with Henkel, so uh exciting on that front. We also had the uh fire department ribbon cutting, which was uh really exciting. I think uh the most impactful part of that was really the um the the speech by the by the staff talking about the the improved working environment. Really that was the goal of that project. I know that that's uh a long goal of the the council to really improve both the police department and fire department for uh the employees and our public safety departments and uh I think we we really achieved those goals with the investments we made there. Uh some excitement out at the bike park. I had the opportunity to uh tour uh uh metro community through the bike park to kind of show them what we're we're doing. I've had the opportunity to present on that project a few times and know um Brian Pauly's presented on the project also. A lot of interest all across the Midwest and in what we're doing in that space.
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