For the Good of the Order

Marion Fire Department Announces Two Promotions
Last Thursday, City Council began their meeting with two special promotions. Firefighter Aaron Butikofer was promoted to the rank of captain and Captain Curtis Sutcliffe was promoted to the rank of battalion chief for the Marion Fire Department. Aaron has been with the department since 2018. He is a certified paramedic, Army veteran and a member of Marion’s Special Response Team in collaboration with the Marion Police Department. Curtis has been with the City for 12 years and was promoted to captain in 2024. He is a certified paramedic, a credentialed Fire Officer through the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) and a volunteer peer assessor for CPSE. Thank you for your service, Captain Butikofer and Battalion Chief Sutcliffe, and congratulations!!

Sally Reck Inducted Into 2025 Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame
Congratulations to Sally Reck, former Marion Public Library Board of Trustees president, who was inducted into the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame this week! This honor recognizes individuals who have freely given their time and talent to benefit and change their respective communities. A retired elementary school librarian and educator, Sally dedicated over 35 years to volunteering at the library and led with grace and perseverance as a board member and president. Thank you for your commitment to our community, Sally!

FY 2026 City Budget Adopted
The Marion City Council adopted the FY 2026 budget at last week’s meeting. I applaud Team Marion for their continued commitment to our zero-based budgeting process. We begin each year from a zero base, which ensures greater scrutiny and more productive use of taxpayer dollars. This process also ensures we are properly planning for the infrastructure and equipment needs of our organization and community.

The adopted FY 26 budget is the result of a commitment to sound fiscal management. The newly adopted budget includes an additional 911 communications operator, upgrading the event coordinator position to full-time and adding staff for the operations of the Central Plaza at City Square Park. These items are offset by savings in other areas due to streamlined or reduced costs. Funds will also be allocated to additional materials for the library bookmobile. A $14.89684 property tax rate is budgeted to bring in the additional $1.2 million in property tax revenue required to fund needed services to our community. For more information, please visit our website.

YMCA Healthy Kids Day & Marion City Showcase Happening Tomorrow
Make your way to the Marion YMCA & Community Rec Center, 3740 Irish Drive, this Saturday, April 26, for the YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day and the Marion City Showcase. Between 9 a.m.-noon, there will be dozens of free, hands-on activities for the entire family to enjoy. Before the event, a family fun run will take participants on a one-mile route from the YMCA to Lowe Park and back. The walk/run begins at 8:45 a.m. Celebrating its 33rd anniversary in 2025, Healthy Kids Day® is the Y’s national initiative to improve health and well-being for kids and families. It teaches healthy habits, encourages active play and inspires a lifetime love of physical activity. In addition to learning about the five pillars of healthy living, kids will have a chance to get up close to various City vehicles and win prizes. There will also be games and giveaways. All activities are free and open to the public.

2025 Music Under the Moon Concert Series Announced
The Music Under the Moon concert series sponsored by Veridian Credit Union returns to the Klopfenstein Amphitheater stage at Lowe Park this summer. Three high-energy acts will take the stage, including:

• Saturday, June 14: The Hype, North America’s Ultimate Arena Rock Experience
• Saturday, July 12: The Johnny Rogers Show, Legends of Country Music & History of Rock N’ Roll
• Saturday, Aug. 9: Are You Ready For It? A Taylor Experience

The Music Under the Moon concerts are free to attend and begin at 7:30 p.m.

Marion Farmers Market to Open on May 3
The Marion Farmers Market reopens for the season on Saturday, May 3, at Willowood Park, 1855 35th Street. The market will be open every Saturday from 8-11 a.m. through the end of September. The first market is expected to host more than 30 vendors, including select vendors enrolled in the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and the Linn County Master Gardeners. Attendees will find fresh produce, baked goods, meats, flowers, honey, jewelry, woodworking, crafts and more at this neighborhood farmers market. In addition, Marion City Council members will hold their weekly office hours at the market. Every Saturday, beginning May 3, one or more council members will be available for questions and conversation during market hours.

City and Community Leaders to Celebrate Central Plaza Ribbon Cutting on May 7
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for Wednesday, May 7, at 4 p.m. in City Square Park to mark the completion of the Central Plaza. The project grew out of the ImagiNEXT community visioning process. The improvements will activate the park year-round by providing flexible space for daily outdoor use and special events. Work began in March 2024 and the project will achieve substantial completion later this month. The art sculpture is currently in production and will be installed in June and the grand opening of the ice-skating loop is slated for early December. With construction beginning on the Broad and Main on 6th building adjacent to the Central Plaza, the southeast portion of the park and former 11th Street right-of-way will remain under construction for staging and site access. As such, the commemorative brick pavers will not be installed until Broad and Main on 6th is completed.

Linn County Master Gardeners Plant Sale
The Linn County Master Gardeners are hosting their annual plant sale at the Lowe Park Arts & Environment Center, 4500 N. 10th Street. The sale will be held on Friday, May 9 from 4-7 p.m. and Saturday, May 10 from 8 a.m.-noon. Shop their selection of annuals, perennials, vegetables and native plants. All of the plants are locally grown in the Lowe Park greenhouse or the homes of Master Gardeners. Proceeds from this annual fundraiser in memory of Charlene Woeste will support educational programming throughout Linn County.

Ascension Park Playground Update
The playground at Ascension Park is getting an upgrade in early June. The structure is the oldest playground in our park system and is ready for replacement. The new playground will feature a structure for 2- to 5-year-olds and a structure for 5- to 12-year-olds, as well as artificial turf for better ADA accessibility. For improved access, they will be oriented closer to the shared parking lot with the church and walkways.  

City Accepting Hotel/Motel Grant Applications
The City of Marion is now accepting grant applications from any non-profit organization for a project that increases tourism within Marion. The funding source for these grants is the City’s share of taxes collected on overnight stays at hotels and motels within the city. Approximately $50,000 is expected to be available for the competitive grant program in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Applications are due by May 5.

Board and Commission Openings
Do you want to provide input on City policies and help shape both our city and its government? Apply to be one of 100+ volunteers who serve on Marion boards and commissions. There are openings on the Library Board of Trustees, Planning and Zoning Commission, Civil Rights Commission, Construction Code Review Board and Marion Arts Council. To be considered, please submit an online application. 

New Faces in New Places
Juno James recently joined the Marion Public Library as a part-time patron services support team member. Juno previously worked in the utilities field. Welcome aboard, Juno.

Word on the Street

• What is the City’s response to the recent protest in Marion?
  While the views of the demonstrators do not reflect the values of our community, they did have a First Amendment right to peaceful assembly and expression. The United States Constitution does not allow the City of Marion, or any other government agency, to choose who can demonstrate based on the content of their message. In accordance with the First Amendment and our local ordinances, everyone has the right to free speech and expression unless they commit a violent act or violate the law in some way. City officials were aware of the situation as it was occurring, and police officers were in the area to ensure the demonstration remained peaceful. The City of Marion remains committed to being a community where people of diverse backgrounds can thrive and feel welcome. 

• Where will the mobile traffic camera be stationed next week?
  Between April 25-28, the mobile speed enforcement vehicle will be located in the 2100 block of 10th Avenue, westbound. Then, between April 30-May 3, the mobile speed enforcement vehicle will be located in the 2700-block of 10th Avenue, westbound.

Upcoming Events

Here’s a look at what’s happening in Marion:

• Saturday, April 26 – Healthy Kids Day & Marion City Showcase – 9 a.m.-noon – Marion YMCA
• Saturday, April 26 – City Council Office Hours – 9 a.m.-noon – Marion YMCA
• Saturday, May 3 – Marion Farmers Market and City Council Office Hours – 8-11 a.m. – Willowood Park

Here’s an overview of several items that will be coming before the City Council in the weeks ahead.

The following are a few of the major activities on my calendar for the coming weeks:

• Internal meetings
• Meeting with Zach Kucharski
• Meeting with Patti Seda
• Time out of the office for Leadership Iowa

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