For the Good of the Order
Lifesaving Awards Presented to Marion YMCA Employees
At last night’s City Council meeting, two YMCA staff members were recognized with lifesaving awards for their role in administering CPR to a program participant. On July 14, Carol Camenisch suffered a heart attack during a water aerobics class. With the assistance of class members who got her to the pool deck, aquatics director/lifeguard Connor Ironside and lifeguard Evalyn James performed CPR on Carol until the Marion Fire Department arrived. Their collective actions prove the importance of quick recognition and initiation of CPR in the chain of survival and reinforce why Marion Fire is such a proponent of community-based CPR. To make the occasion extra special, Carol and her family were able to be present for the award presentation.
School Resumes Next Week
Ready or not, school is back in session for most area students next Tuesday. The Marion Police Department and National Safety Council offer these timely reminders to get the school year off to a great start. Stay alert and avoid distracted driving. Obey school zone speeds and follow your school’s drop-off procedure. Make eye contact with children who are crossing the street. Never pass a bus loading or unloading children. The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children, so stop far enough back to allow them to safely enter and exit the bus. Let’s all do our part to make it a great school year!
Marion Launches Online Survey to Gather Input on Central Plaza Amenities
The Central Plaza project is focused on enhancing the year-round curb appeal and functionality of a portion of City Square Park in Uptown Marion. The City of Marion and the Central Plaza Steering Committee are seeking input from residents on various aspects of the project, which was recently awarded $3 million in funding through the state’s Destination Iowa program. An online survey is now available at https://polco.us/sc9trc and will be open through Wednesday, Aug. 31. The feedback will be considered by the Plaza Steering Committee and Marion City Council before design documents are finalized and construction documents are prepared.
7th Avenue Streetscape Project Transitions to Final Phase
Earlier this week the 7th Avenue Reconstruction and Streetscape Project transitioned to its final phase. Some of the recent and anticipated progress includes the reopening of 10th Street, trees and plantings will start to go in and light poles and pavers will be installed in front of Broad & Main. Learn more in the latest project update at www.cityofmarion.org/7thAveStreetscape. Associated pavement and sidewalk repairs are scheduled for Monday along 7th Avenue just east of 12th Street. There will be daytime closures of eastbound 7th Avenue and northbound 12th Street as a result. This work is expected to take 5-7 days, weather permitting.
Roundabout Construction at Echo Hill Road and Alburnett Road Now in Phase 2
On Thursday, Aug. 18, Rathje Construction began Phase 2 of the Alburnett Road and Echo Hill Road Intersection Improvements Project. Phase 2 completely closes the north leg of the intersection to traffic. Access to Echo Hill Road, east of Alburnett Road, will be limited to Alburnett Road from the south, or Echo Hill Road from the west. This intersection will function as a three-way stop during Phase 2. This work is expected to last 6-8 weeks, weather-dependent.
Pavement Patching Projects to Begin Next Week
On Monday, Aug. 22, Eastern Iowa Excavating and Concrete will begin working on 31st Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues. This will be stage 1 of the project and the roadway will be closed to traffic for about 5-7 days, weather-dependent. On Tuesday, Aug. 23, work will begin on 35st Street, between Willowood Avenue and Crown Avenue. Two-way traffic will be shifted to the east half of the roadway. Patching is to be setup to allow cross street intersections to remain open. This is stage 1 of the patching work on 35th Street, and the work is expected to last 7 days, weather-dependent.
Street Crossing Visibility and Traffic to be Monitored on 6th Avenue
With increased traffic on 6th Avenue, the Engineering Department is taking a close look at some of the cross-street intersections along this roadway. This week, staff blocked off one parking stall on 6th Avenue at the 12th Street and 13th Street intersections to see if this helps improve visibility for crossing traffic. Next week, they will block off an additional stall at each location to see if crossing improves.
We’re Hiring!
The City of Marion is a great place to work! If you’re looking for a highly-collaborative team where you can learn and grow while making a positive impact in the community – look no further. We offer competitive pay and a benefits package that includes health and dental insurance, a retirement plan, tuition reimbursement, vacation, sick and holiday pay, and more. Current full-time openings include entry-level police officer, accounting associate, library patron services manager and library marketing & special events manager. Find a full listing of both full and part-time opportunities at www.cityofmarion.org/employment.
New Faces in New Places
Please help welcome Zach Cooper and Kean McBurney to Team Marion. Zach will be joining us on Saturday, Aug. 27, and Kean will be joining on Sunday, Aug. 28. Both are starting as firefighters with the Marion Fire Department. Congrats, Zach and Kean - we’re excited for you to join the team!
Upcoming Events
Here’s a quick look at the free community events that are scheduled in City spaces this weekend. As always, keep an eye on the weather and follow the City’s social media channels or visit www.cityofmarion.org for any weather-related updates.
Friday, Aug. 19
Pop-Up Acts in the Artway featuring Billy Heller – 6-8 p.m. – moving inside Uptown Snug due to the weather.
Moonlit Movie featuring Cruella at Lowe Park has been cancelled due to inclement weather.
Saturday, Aug. 20
Sunrise Yoga – 7:30 a.m. – Klopfenstein Amphitheater at Lowe Park
Marion Farmers Market & City Council Office Hours – 8-11 a.m. – Taube Park
Picnic on the Prairie featuring The Janeys – 7-8:30 p.m. – Klopfenstein Amphitheater at Lowe Park
Future Project Updates
Here’s a look at the tentative agenda containing a list of several items that will be coming before the City Council in the weeks ahead.
On the Docket
The following are a few of the major activities on my calendar for the coming week:
- Meeting with Monarch Research Project
- Discussion regarding project ideas for Venture Academics students
- Main Street Iowa partnership visit
- Internal meetings
- Meeting with Emily Upah
- Meeting with Aaron-Marie Thoms
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