OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Mason City Council Regular Meeting – November 18, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, November 18, 2025
BodyMason City, Iowa
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, November 18, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 46:18

Transcript — Verbatim
0:52

Good evening, everyone.

0:53

Welcome to the regular meeting of the Mason City City Council.

0:57

This is the meeting for November 18th of 2025.

1:01

Good evening again.

1:02

I'm Mayor Bill Schickle.

1:03

We're delighted to have you with us this evening.

1:05

The first order of business is the roll call.

1:08

Diana, would you call the roll?

1:09

Lee.

1:10

Present.

1:10

Adams.

1:11

Present.

1:11

Yeshewski.

1:12

Here.

1:12

Latham.

1:13

Here.

1:13

Mason.

1:14

Here.

1:14

Simmons.

1:15

Present.

1:16

Let the record reflect that all members are present.

1:19

Next item of business is the adoption of the agenda.

1:23

Is there a motion to adopt the agenda?

1:25

So moved.

1:26

Second.

1:30

Latham.

1:31

Councilman Latham.

1:32

Further discussion.

1:35

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

1:38

Aye.

1:38

All those opposed, same sign.

1:40

The motion carries.

1:42

Next we have a special item of business regarding the River City River Walk.

1:47

And I'll call on my great mayor pro tem, Councilman Paul Adams.

1:52

Thanks, Mayor.

1:56

It's a great honor to bring this item forward.

1:58

There is one slight revision to the to the resolution.

2:01

It's going to be naming the river walk as River City River Walk instead of Willow Creek River Walk.

2:06

So the resolution is full, is in full is naming the River Walk as River City River Walk and Bill Shickle Plaza and designating it a city park under the purview of the Mason City Park and Recreation Board.

2:28

So moved.

2:30

Motion by Councilman Lee.

2:31

Second by Councilman.

2:36

Yeah, so as uh as a process for each one of these spaces that needs to be uh designated as a city park, uh takes an action of the council to do so and and uh establish that as a city park.

2:49

I did get the second part of that name right with Bill Shigel Plaza, but uh I apologize for the first part there.

2:55

So uh this this action will allow them to uh take control of that area and make sure that uh that it's uh has the same oversight as the the other parks in within Mason City, questions um real quick before we we vote on it.

3:16

Uh just thank Mayor Shickle for his vision here.

3:18

I I looked it up.

3:19

This was first or at least brought up uh really to the public and and to the to the council and the state of the city address that he made in January of 2019.

3:29

So it's it's been a process to get there, long process to raise the money and budget for it and then get designed and get through construction, but um his vision back on that date was um putting the river back in River City, which I think this project accomplishes nicely.

3:45

So appreciate the leadership, Mayor.

3:47

And uh please call uh the role, Diana.

3:50

Lee?

3:51

Yes, Mason, yes, Adams, yes, Simmons, yes, Latham, yes, Cheshewski.

3:57

Yes.

3:58

Well, it looks like the uh motion carries Mayor Pro Tem Paul Adams.

4:02

Thank you very much for those comments and City Administrator Aaron Burnett, members of council as well.

4:08

Thank you.

4:09

Thank you so much for the desiccation designation.

4:13

When Aaron first announced this back at the ribbon cutting, I was literally speechless.

4:19

Uh some people thought that was kind of good.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural████████████████████████24%
Arts And Culture█████████████████████21%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████████████15%
Parks and Recreation████████8%
Affordable Housing████████8%
Historic Preservation████████8%
Transportation Safety██████6%
Water And Wastewater Management██████6%
Public Safety████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Mason City Council Regular Meeting – November 18, 2025

The Mason City Council held its regular meeting on November 18, 2025, at the Mason City Public Library. All council members were present. The meeting covered a special item naming the Riverwalk and Bill Schickel Plaza, the city administrator's monthly report, approval of the consent agenda, and action items including nuisance ordinance amendments, building code updates, automated refuse collection contracts, and a theater outfitting contract.

Special Items

  • Resolution to name the Riverwalk as "River City Riverwalk" and Bill Schickel Plaza, designating it a city park under the Mason City Park and Recreation Board. Mayor Pro Tem Paul Adams introduced the resolution with a correction from the agenda (changed from "Willow Creek Riverwalk" to "River City Riverwalk"). The resolution passed unanimously by roll call (6-0). Mayor Bill Schickel gave remarks expressing gratitude and emphasizing the collaborative effort behind the project.

City Administrator's Monthly Report

  • Aaron Burnett reported on:
    • Highway 65 opened to traffic.
    • Monroe railroad crossing repair project, budgeted over seven years ago, is underway.
    • Highway 122 is expected to open before Thanksgiving, with a second phase next construction season.
    • Property tax rollback set at 44% for the upcoming year, which Burnett stated is manageable.
    • Budget season preparation underway.
    • Open meetings training now required for all new elected and appointed officials within 90 days of taking office.
    • Grant applications for BUILD (federal) and FEMA floodplain evaluation for Ideal and Mason Creeks.
    • East Park retaining wall removed; land graded and ready for housing development RFP. Two houses retained on site; one moved to Housing Development Corporation.

Consent Calendar

  • All items under the consent agenda were approved unanimously by roll call (6-0). Items included:
    • Minutes of November 4, 2025
    • Claims dated November 6 and 13, 2025
    • Permits
    • September Financial Report
    • Fiscal Year 2025 State TIF Report submission
    • Levying assessments for property charges and tree removal
    • Urban Renewal Tax Revenue Funds appropriation
    • Internal advances for public parking and LMI housing projects
    • Perpetual gas pipeline easement for High Line Trail
    • IDOT agreement for Pennsylvania Avenue pavement replacement
    • Purchase of Chevy ¾ ton pickup for Parks Department
    • Contract award to Young Construction for Lester Milligan Park shelter roof
    • Contract award to Echo Supply for East Park pickleball court lighting
    • Public hearing date for Forest Park Economic Development Area (December 16, 2025)
    • Purchase of two Type III ambulances from Life Line Emergency Vehicles
    • Change order with Henkel Construction for Willow Creek Riverwalk Project

Action Items

  • Item 21: Ordinance amending city code Title 4, Chapter 1 (nuisances) – final reading. Updated definitions of diseased trees. Approved unanimously.
  • Item 22: Ordinance amending city code Title 10, Chapter 2 (building codes) – first reading. Adopts 2024 state codes. Approved unanimously.
  • Item 23: Two resolutions for automated refuse collection:
    • Resolution A: Purchase agreement with Cascade Engineering for automated refuse and recycling carts ($1.26 million). Carts will be delivered door-to-door within 45-60 days. Residents default to 65-gallon cart, with options to exchange for 35- or 95-gallon sizes. Recycling carts will be 95 gallons. Approved unanimously.
    • Resolution B: Purchase agreement with Elliott Equipment/Peterbilt for four automated side-loader refuse trucks (~$408,000 each). One truck will serve as backup. Trucks available by end of calendar year 2025; implementation likely late spring/early summer 2026 pending public outreach and training. Recycling will be every other week. Approved unanimously.
  • Item 24: Resolution awarding contract to CES Plus (Florida) for outfitting the theater at 100 South Federal Avenue (South Bridge Theater) for $202,000. Councilman Brett Mason presented plans: theater will reopen as an independent second-run movie theater with 123 reclining seats, five wheelchair spaces, state-of-the-art projection and sound, and a media box for corporate/event rentals. Opening target is May 2026 (40th anniversary of original opening). The theater will be operated under a five-person board. Approved unanimously.

Other Announcements

  • The Mason City Historic Preservation Commission will offer a 2026 Mason City Architecture Calendar for pre-order starting November 29, 2025, for $10 each.

Key Outcomes

  • All votes were unanimous (6-0).
  • Riverwalk and plaza officially designated as a city park.
  • Automated refuse collection to begin with cart delivery and truck deployment in late spring/early summer 2026.
  • South Bridge Theater contracted for renovation and reopening.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening, everyone. Welcome to the regular meeting of the Mason City City Council. This is the meeting for November 18th of 2025. Good evening again. I'm Mayor Bill Schickle. We're delighted to have you with us this evening. The first order of business is the roll call. Diana, would you call the roll? Lee. Present. Adams. Present. Yeshewski. Here. Latham. Here. Mason. Here. Simmons. Present. Let the record reflect that all members are present. Next item of business is the adoption of the agenda. Is there a motion to adopt the agenda? So moved. Second. Latham. Councilman Latham. Further discussion. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. All those opposed, same sign. The motion carries. Next we have a special item of business regarding the River City River Walk. And I'll call on my great mayor pro tem, Councilman Paul Adams. Thanks, Mayor. It's a great honor to bring this item forward. There is one slight revision to the to the resolution. It's going to be naming the river walk as River City River Walk instead of Willow Creek River Walk. So the resolution is full, is in full is naming the River Walk as River City River Walk and Bill Shickle Plaza and designating it a city park under the purview of the Mason City Park and Recreation Board. So moved. Motion by Councilman Lee. Second by Councilman. Yeah, so as uh as a process for each one of these spaces that needs to be uh designated as a city park, uh takes an action of the council to do so and and uh establish that as a city park. I did get the second part of that name right with Bill Shigel Plaza, but uh I apologize for the first part there. So uh this this action will allow them to uh take control of that area and make sure that uh that it's uh has the same oversight as the the other parks in within Mason City, questions um real quick before we we vote on it. Uh just thank Mayor Shickle for his vision here. I I looked it up. This was first or at least brought up uh really to the public and and to the to the council and the state of the city address that he made in January of 2019. So it's it's been a process to get there, long process to raise the money and budget for it and then get designed and get through construction, but um his vision back on that date was um putting the river back in River City, which I think this project accomplishes nicely. So appreciate the leadership, Mayor.

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