Schickel to give “State of the City” address at Mason City council meeting tonight

MASON CITY — The annual update on the condition of Mason City will be delivered by Mayor Bill Schickel at tonight’s meeting of the City Council. Mason City’s city code states that the mayor at the first regular city council meeting of each year report to the council concerning the municipal affairs of the city. Schickel says during tonight’s speech that he will be reviewing what’s taken place in Mason City in 2019, preview what’s ahead for the city in 2020 and give an update on current city projects. 

=== The council tonight will also consider the first reading of an ordinance to establish the Reinvestment District that’s part of the River City Renaissance project. With the Iowa Economic Development Authority Board of Directors conditionally approving the city’s project as part of the Iowa Reinvestment Act, it set the commencement date for the district on January 1st of this year so it can start capturing the five-percent state hotel-motel tax and two-thirds of the state sales taxes generated inside the reinvestment district during a 20-year period. The city will use the funds to retire the debt incurred when developing the projects, with the state rebating the funds to the city on a quarterly basis. 

The council meets tonight at 7 o’clock in the Mason City Room of the Public Library