For the Good of the Order

McKenzie Honored by the Government Finance Officer Association
Deputy Finance Director Brian McKenzie was recognized for his outstanding service. Earlier this week, Brian was honored as an award recipient for Outstanding Public Service for 2025 by the Government Finance Officer Association (GFOA). This award honors individual GFOA members for their dedication to the finance profession, their colleagues, their organizations and their communities. Congratulations, Brian! We are lucky to have you on Team Marion!

Fireworks & Fireflies is Happening Tonight
Marion will host Fireworks & Fireflies presented by Conlon Construction tonight. This free community event will take place at the Klopfenstein Amphitheater at Lowe Park beginning at 6 p.m. Mayor AbouAssaly and City Council members will welcome attendees prior to The Ice Breakers taking stage at 7 p.m. The Marion Chamber will be serving up beer, seltzers, pop and water from the Snack Shack, with proceeds going to support the Winter Lights Project. NEW THIS YEAR! visit the Kids Zone on the Irish Drive side of Lowe Park. Enjoy inflatables, face painting, food trucks and the Barnyard Discoveries petting zoo between 6-8 p.m. Attendees can bring lawn chairs, blankets and coolers. Patrons are asked to leave pets, sparklers, fireworks and pop-up tents at home. Two free shuttles to Lowe Park from the Linn-Mar High School parking lot will run continuously starting at 5:30 p.m. Additional details, including a list of FAQs and a parking map, are available at cityofmarion.org/fireworks.

Independence Day Holiday Hours
Marion City Hall and other City offices will be closed on Friday, July 4, in observance of the Independence Day holiday. Regular business hours resume on Monday, July 7. Garbage, recycling and yard waste collection will be delayed by one day for Friday routes. Collection will take place on Saturday instead. The Yard Waste Facility is also closed on Friday, with regular business hours resuming on Saturday. On July 3 and July 4, the Marion Pool will be open for lap swim from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and open swim from 1-5 p.m. The Marion Public Library will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on July 3 and closed on Thursday, July 4. The bookmobile will not run on Friday, July 4.

Reminder about Fireworks Rules
In accordance with State law, consumer fireworks are only allowed to be launched in Marion on July 3, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and July 4, from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. this time of year. Fireworks may be purchased and used only by persons 18 years of age or older, and used only with the property owner’s permission. Fireworks may NOT be used in public parks. Any other dates and times are authorized by permit only. The use of fireworks outside of the designated dates and times is considered a nuisance in Marion’s code. Property owners allowing fireworks to be discharged on their property outside of the established dates/times may be subject to citation for a municipal infraction. The fees for a municipal infraction are $750 for the first infraction and $1,000 for each subsequent infraction. Residents can report fireworks usage outside of the permissible dates by calling the Marion Police Department's non-emergency line at (319) 377-1511.

July 9 Reception Planned to Introduce Police Chief Candidates
Marion residents and members of the business community are invited to a public reception on Wednesday, July 9, to meet the four finalists who will be interviewing to be Marion’s next chief of police. The open house will take place at the Lowe Park Arts & Environment Center, 4500 N. 10th Street, Marion from 6-7:30 p.m. One internal candidate and three external candidates will be interviewed to lead the department of 48 sworn officers, 10 dispatchers and six civilian employees. The candidates, listed alphabetically, include: Chad Nott, Douglas Riniker, Jeremy Sprague and Schonella Stewart. The open house will be held in a come-and-go format with no formal presentations. Light refreshments will be provided. Attendees will be invited to share their feedback about the candidates through a brief survey.

Eat. Drink. & Be Marion: Pub Crawl Fundraiser
Uptown Marion will host its 11th annual Eat. Drink. & Be Marion: Food & Pub Crawl Fundraiser on Thursday, July 10, 2025, from 6:30-9:30 p.m. With a ticket, you will receive a complimentary glass, t-shirt and exclusive deals from participating businesses in the Uptown Marion District. Also, enjoy live entertainment, $1 bar specials, food samples and extended shopping hours as you walk to each participating establishment. Ticket proceeds benefit the ongoing revitalization and beautification efforts of Uptown Marion – A Main Street Iowa District. Must be 21 years or older to participate. Early bird ticket pricing is available for $50/person until July 4. For more information visit: UptownMarion.com.

Door-to-Door Solicitation Reminders
We’ve received reports of unlicensed solicitors in the area and wanted to remind residents of the process and their rights. A solicitor is any person who goes from place to place soliciting or taking orders for sales. All solicitors, peddlers and transient merchants are required to obtain a license through the City of Marion prior to the first day of any sale, offer for sale or solicitation. If you decide to speak with a solicitor, you should ask to see their identification and City of Marion license. Their City of Marion license is evidence of compliance with all requirements of the Code and will indicate the length of time the license is valid. If the individual is unable to display their license, you should call the Police Department at (319) 377-1511 while they are at your house or in your neighborhood. All peddler, solicitor and transient merchant licenses have time restrictions of 8 a.m.-9 p.m., seven days a week.

Pool Employees Receive Hands-on Training
Earlier this week, staff from the Marion Pool practiced real-life scenarios for emergencies at the pool, including receiving CPR training. Special thanks to the members of the Marion Fire Department and Marion Police Department who led this training for our lifeguards. Together we can keep our residents safe.

• Where will the mobile traffic camera be stationed next week?
  Between July 3-7, the mobile speed enforcement vehicle will be located in the 1500 block of 50th Street, southbound. Between July 9-13, it will be located in the 2700 block of 50th Street, southbound.

Upcoming Events

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

• Thursday, July 3 – Fireworks and Fireflies presented by Conlon Construction – 6-11 p.m. – Lowe Park
• Saturday, July 5 – Sunrise Yoga – 7:30 a.m. – Lowe Park
• Saturday, July 5 – Marion Farmers Market & City Council Office Hours – 8-11 a.m.– Willowood Park
• Wednesday, July 9 – Downdogs in Uptown – 6-7 p.m. – Central Plaza at City Square Park
• Thursday, July 10 – Eat. Drink. & Be Marion: Pub Crawl Fundraiser – 5:30-9:30 p.m. – Uptown Marion (ticketed event)
• Friday, July 11 – Pop-Up Acts in the Artway featuring Merrill J. Miller & Friends – 6-8 p.m. – Uptown Artway

Please note Pop-Up Acts in the Artway is not happening on July 4 due to the holiday.

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 week:

• Internal meetings
• Meeting with Marty Lenss
• Annual Chamber golf outing
• Eat. Drink. & Be Marion. fundraiser

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