MASON CITY, Ia. — Amid political back-slapping and chamber hoopla, Mayor Eric Bookmeyer took note of an unusual perk that would come along with Prestage Farms' $240 million pork processing plant and its expected 2,000 jobs: Lower water rates for Mason City businesses and residents.
The massive pig processing plant, initially killing 10,000 hogs daily, would use the extra water capacity the small north Iowa city built a decade ago for new, big businesses — an economic development investment that, until now, never fully materialized.
Mason City and other small Iowa towns "have seen long-term decline," said David Swenson, an Iowa State University economist. "Even though they've added business, even though they've consolidated trade within their region, they're still not growing."
But Mason City leaders hope the new 650,000-square-foot meatpacking plant south of town will reverse the city's fortunes and decades-long loss of workers — adding hundreds of jobs, new housing, new families and new services.
"Big job opportunities is one way you can do that," said Chad Schreck, CEO of North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corp.
Questions, however, are rising around the project: Will the plant smell? How much water will it draw from the state's important Jordan aquifer? Will the region have enough workers to fill the jobs? How will the expected influx of immigrant workers affect the community?
Concern about the plant is especially keen in Clear Lake, the small popular tourist community nearby that's named for the 3,643-acre lake it's built around.
Scott Flory, the Clear Lake city administrator, said many are worried about the potential smell — either from the plant or from new hog confinement operations that might want to locate nearby.
"We'd be very concerned about the potential introduction of large-scale confinements," Flory said.
Mason City is a city in and the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 28,079 in the 2010 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. Wikipedi
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Population: 27,704 (2013)
Quite an interesting situation. I was down there the other day. Came in from the west at the Clear Lake exit. Only went in as far as the Super Target. Saw a lot of newish looking cookie cutter power sports and automobile dealership buildings along the way.
It had the feel of a growing thriving area. They seemed to have things that you would think would only be in a larger town like a Mankato or Rochester. That was my impression anyway.
I was surprised to see what the Mason City population was. Surprised me that it wasn't more than it is. Right now it's around what Austin's was around 1972. Even though Max said they never grew. lol Part of the reason they lost population was because American Can left. So they do stay relatively stable as the one trick pony hog town that they are. And being the county seat, just like Albert Lea, never hurts either.
Something like this hog plant does seem to really have an allure. Especially if you're a government sponsored economic wooer (developer) individual or entity.
The 27 million in incentives Prestige Farms will receive is just the tip of the iceberg...Max is right, these are low wage jobs with high injury and turnover rates...
Our right-wing friends don't see this as socialism, but here we have a prime example of socialism for Corporations on the back of the taxpayer..
Remember boys and girls,
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