For the Good of the Order

Congratulations to Marion’s Newest Firefighters
Marion’s newest firefighters, Zebulen Schneider, Mathew Sitter and Michael Behn took their oath of office and had their badges pinned during last night’s City Council meeting. They were joined by their family members, peers and the community. They each joined the department over the past several months and have been training during their shifts. Congratulations, Zebulen, Mathew and Michael on this milestone in your career. Please stay safe!

Library Earns National Public Relations Award
The Marion Public Library (MPL) has been recognized with a national PR Xchange Award for excellence in library marketing by the American Library Association. The library’s 2025 – 2028 Strategic Plan won the top honor for born-digital annual reports and strategic plans in the library operating budget category of $1–5 million. This document ensures that the library remains responsive to evolving community needs, leveraging new technologies and fostering partnerships to enrich lives and support lifelong learning for all. This year’s competition attracted more than 297 entries in print and electronic formats from over 100 institutions, including public, academic, school, state and special libraries. Entries were evaluated based on the quality of content, format, design, creativity and originality. Congrats MPL!

Kudos to Andy Smith
A love for this community is at the heart of what we do as public servants. The Water Department has been working on a water main project near the Grand Avenue basin. Earlier this week, Andy Smith noticed a young fisherman having trouble with his line. Not only did Andy help get his pole back in working order, but he also offered a few tricks of the trade and shared his love of fishing. Way to reach higher, Andy!

Oak Shade Cemetery Crypt Wall Rehabilitation Begins July 21
On Monday, July 21, crews from Rathje Construction will begin work on the rehabilitation of the crypt wall at Oak Shade Cemetery. This work includes removing and replacing the block wall on the north side, as well as restoring the original limestone wall on the south side. During this time, the cemetery road adjacent to the wall will be closed. The work is expected to be completed by Oct. 1, weather permitting.

Take the Aquatics Park Survey
As the City of Marion continues to develop plans for a new aquatic center, City leaders want to understand how much of an investment, if any, taxpayers are willing to make. In partnership with Community Perceptions, every Marion household should have received a survey in the mail recently. Anyone over the age of 18 can complete a survey. To obtain a unique code or copy of the survey, call the Parks and Recreation office at 319-447-3580. The results will help inform the City Council as they determine whether or not to pursue a referendum in November. The survey will close on July 28. Additional information about the proposed aquatics park is available at www.cityofmarion.org/aquaticspark.  

Construction Season is in Full Swing
Three high-traffic road segments in Marion closed on Monday as part of the 2025 Pavement Patching Project. Sixth Avenue from 8th Street to 15th Street is closed to traffic. 10th Street and 15th Street will remain open for north/south traffic. Traffic will be rerouted to 7th Avenue. Access to Marion City Hall, Marion Public Library and other businesses along 6th Avenue will be from the north or south via 10th Street or 15th Street. Traffic signals in the Uptown District will operate in flashing red mode during this closure. Trails remain open. The work is expected to last 2-3 weeks, weather permitting. Work began on Phase 1 of the Boyson Road project from the Marion city limits to Alburnett Road. Boyson Road will be closed to traffic, with local residential access only. Detour signs will be posted using the new portion of Tower Terrace Road. This phase is expected to last 2-3 weeks, weather dependent. Additional closures will be necessary as this project proceeds to Phase 2. Work continues on the 29th Avenue project from 35th Street to Highland Drive. 29th Avenue will be closed to traffic, with local residential access only from the east. Detour signs will be posted. This phase is expected to last 2-3 weeks, weather dependent. 

5th Avenue Reconstruction Project Continues
This week, Rathje Construction crews achieved a major milestone by completing all mainline roadway paving associated with the 5th Avenue Reconstruction project. With this phase complete, the focus will shift to completing driveway, sidewalk and sewer boxout replacement work between 4th Street and 7th Street. Work is expected to occur over the next few weeks before transitioning to its final restoration phase. In other positive news, 7th Street from 5th Avenue to 6th Avenue has reopened to traffic.

Help Keep Motorized Vehicles Off Marion’s Trails
Marion's pedestrian and recreational trail systems are designed for non-motorized use including walking, jogging, running and bicycling. Motorized scooters, dirt bikes, mini-bikes and other motorized vehicles are not permitted. These types of vehicles pose a serious safety risk to other trail users and can cause damage to the trail surface. Assisted pedal E-bikes are allowed. If you witness someone operating a motorized vehicle on a City trail, please report the violation to the Marion Police Department's non-emergency line at (319) 377-1511. This will help keep our trails safe, enjoyable and accessible. Thank you for doing your part! 

Road Closed Signs are Not Suggestions
We understand the inconveniences that come with road closures. The road construction timeline is compressed in Iowa for obvious reasons, and even more so when we try to work around school start dates and major community events. However, the number of people spotted or pulled over for taking it upon themselves to move road closed barriers is quite alarming. Road closures are for your safety. Moving a traffic control device (Road Closed signs, barricades, or cones) is a fine of $250, minimum, and considered a simple misdemeanor. If the person who moved the signs causes another person to crash or cause damage to their vehicle, they would also be held liable in civil court.

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.

Rain Garden and Barrel Rebates
Did you know the City of Marion provides up to a $1,000 rebate for residential rain garden projects and a $50 rebate for rain barrels? Rain barrels are a great way to collect and store rainwater for later use. Marion residents are eligible to receive a $50 rebate for a purchase of a rain barrel, with up to three barrels per property. Information on this rebate, and more, is available at www.cityofmarion.org/stormwater-management.

Linn County Urban Ag Field Day Open House
Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach and the Linn County Master Gardeners are hosting a field day open house at the Lowe Park Arts & Environment Center, 4500 N. 10th Street. The event will be held on Thursday, July 31, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Explore the Linn County Master Gardeners’ urban gardens and learn techniques for your own neighborhood garden. The community is invited to explore the gardens at their own pace or join a scheduled presentation of the individual garden locations. Learn more on the ISU Extension and Outreach website.

Barnyard Discoveries coming July 19
Join the Marion Public Library on Saturday, July 19, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. for a fun and educational farm program. Barnyard Discoveries will be onsite with their mobile farm featuring a fully enclosed, accessible trailer filled with animals and interactive learning tools. Learn about agriculture and the importance of farming in U.S. All ages are welcome. This program is possible thanks to a special donation from Farmers State Bank.

We’re Hiring
If you’re looking for a collaborative team where you can learn and grow while making a positive impact in the community – look no further. Current full-time openings include planning division manager, police officer, human resources generalist and equipment operator. Find a full listing of both full and part-time opportunities at www.cityofmarion.org/employment.

New Faces in New Places
On Monday, July 21, Kaitlyn Elmubarak will join us as a communications operator with the Marion Police Department. She was previously with UnityPoint and currently serves as a volunteer firefighter for the City of Hiawatha. Welcome to the team, Kaitlyn!

Congratulations to Sydney Kaup on being promoted to full-time library assistant with the Marion Public Library! She was previously in this role in a part-time capacity. Congrats, Sydney!

We also want to congratulate Sue Wilber on her promotion within Human Resources. Sue was promoted to human resources manager after serving as a human resources generalist for the last 10 months. Congrats, Sue!

• When will 8th Avenue next to the former Methodist Church open to traffic?
  This closure is due to renovation work on the former church. There is currently a crane on 8th Avenue that is being used to deliver materials and workers to the top of the Belltower Lofts project. The developer is working as diligently as possible to finish the rehabilitation work, but it’s not a fast process. We anticipate the closure continuing through the end of the month with the street reopening on Aug. 1, weather permitting.

• What is the status of the Grand Avenue basin?
  Alliant Energy is currently designing the electrical service to support the aeration system. Once finalized, a contractor will be brought in to bore the underground service line. We anticipate this work occurring over the next nine weeks. From there, the electrical components will be installed as well as landscaping. Full project completion is expected by the end of September, weather permitting.

• Where will the mobile traffic camera be stationed next week?
  Through July 18, the mobile speed enforcement vehicle will be located in the 2700 block of 29th Avenue, westbound. Between July 20-24, it will be located in the 2100 block of 50th Street, northbound.

Upcoming Events

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

• Friday, July 18 – Pop-Up Acts in the Artway featuring Spencer Ammons – 6-8 p.m.
• Friday, July 18 – Moonlit Movie Series featuring Mufasa: The Lion King – 7 p.m.  – Lowe Park
• Saturday, July 19 – Sunrise Yoga – 7:30 a.m. – Lowe Park
• Saturday, July 19 – Marion Farmers Market & City Council Office Hours – 8-11 a.m.– Willowood Park
• Wednesday, July 23 – Downdogs in Uptown – 6-7 p.m. – Central Plaza at City Square Park
• Thursday, July 24 – Marion Big Band “Swingin’ at Sunset” Concert – 7 p.m. – Central Plaza at City Square 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 week:

• Internal meetings
• Meeting with Angelica Vannatta
• Meeting with McGrath Volkswagen Dealership
• Scheduled time out of the office

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