Another snow-less day arrived along with mild temps for this time of the year, so once we get past the seventh of this month, we’ll be out of those terribly bitter-cold days we almost always had which began the last week of December and ended after the first week of January, but for some reason those times must be gone forever, and all thanks to climate change. But, we still get those bitter cold days whenever the jet stream starts wobbling and with it comes those wicked Alberta Clippers. I hope it’s not gonna be a repeat of last year when we had minus 20+ below zero temps with a wind-chill far lower than that. I don’t want to sound overly-negative when saying that if we don’t get a good insulating snow cover to protect our sub-soil, we’ll likely have underground water pipes freezing all over our city. Let’s just hope and pray for a very mild winter and let it go at that.
One of Holtz Realty’s old clients stopped by to drop off a belated Christmas gift, and unbeknownst to him, there was one waiting for him, which he gratefully accepted. After hearing the details of an accident he had back in September, I insisted he’s being protected by a very strong guardian angel. I was getting the chills while he was telling me about a big machine coming off a trailer and pinning him until help arrived. Can you imagine someone over 90 years old surviving three broken ribs, a broken ankle, and multiple lacerations? Well, like the Ever-Ready Rabbit, he’s still ticking and kicking.
Just mentioning it now, has sent more chills down my arms.
Fortunately the sun was breaking thru the clouds on and off today as I was out in it more than usual, with my having to go and check on a vacant home, pick up my sold sign and grab the lockbox off the door of the home that was to close this afternoon, and then a quick trip over to my bank.
A contractor I’ve known for some time, stopped by to talk about that ticky-tacky apartment house they’re building down at the corner of 2nd St. NE and N. Federal. I wasn’t surprised when he mentioned they weren’t even installing that Tyvek wrap properly, and a number of other things that caught his eye while he was sidewalk-inspecting it. He also mentioned that a certain percentage of those apartments are earmarked for prospective tenants with Section 8 housing vouchers. I’m still wondering where they’re going to be parking.
As more and more of those ‘in the know’ are saying, we’re far more in need of affordable stand-alone housing instead of cheaply-built apartment complexes. Another guy mentioned today where a friend of his who lives at ‘The River’, has been dealing with drafty windows which leak water whenever it rains. I then insisted he drive by it before sunrise, and then he’ll really get a good look at how that siding appears to be moving. But of course there are some in our City government who think they really made a mark for themselves with that build-out. In ten years, there will be those who’ll be wishing it was still the lower parking lot of Southbridge Mall.
My first closing of the year went very well, so hopefully it’ll be the first of many. I believe it was a good match-up for that buyer, and before we left the closing company, I wished him the very best. Of course I had to walk past that ticky-tacky apartment build-out, and couldn’t help noticing even more flaws. I suspect in time, it’ll be one more folly that was rubber-stamped by our non-forward thinking City planners.
Because I happened to read the headlines of Mayor Schickel’s ‘State of the City’ address which was captioned, ‘Put Simply, River City is Booming’, I had to find the full version, and after reading it, I began to wonder if he was talking about another city. I’d say that speech had to be one of the most flowery I’ve read in years, and especially when knowing fully-well he was stretching the truth and telling some border-line lies.
First of all, I don’t believe for one minute, Mason City is gaining a reputation as ‘The outdoor capital of the Midwest’. Now come on! Do you or anyone else here in this city, believe ‘the last outpost’ is even in the same solar system of being considered an outdoor capital of the Midwest? Good heavens! After my 300 mile round-trip drive on Christmas, I can assure you, there’s far more outdoor activities going on elsewhere in our State.
He also mentioned that we now have roads that are smooth as silk. Bill, you’ve got to be kidding! Evidently he must do a great deal of walking, because there are countless streets here in Mason City which are in dire need of repair, and if he’s speaking about his drive down 12th St. NE, then so be it, but that statement borders on a bald-faced lie.
Oh, and then he talked about the new businesses like Chick-fil-A’s new build-out which is just another chain, Old Navy, Five Below, and Ross Dress for Less which will employ very few people being paid low wages, and then talking about that mostly automated factory which will be converting corn stalks into plastic. Really Bill? How about working a little harder at bringing in Fortune 500 companies offering higher paying jobs offering real benefits?
When he mentioned our real estate tax bills having gone down because of the money our City brought in, I’d like for him to show me where it is, because my tax bills were higher this year than last, and’ll likely be even higher next year, and all due to the many financial millstones we have around our necks, and all thanks to our city’s ‘inner’ circle getting what they wanted at our tax payer’s expense. If you care to read Schickel’s full speech, you’ll find it on northiowatoday.com
Tonight’s One-liner is: Man is the most intelligent of the animals – and the most silly.
