Cedar Rapids Today

For the Good of the Order

Marion Receives an Award of Excellence from the Iowa Concrete Paving Association

The City of Marion was recognized with an Award of Excellence from the Iowa Concrete Paving Association for outstanding design and construction on the 10th Avenue Sidepaths project. It was named Iowa’s “Best” Recreational Trails Project for 2022. City Engineer Mike Barkalow and Engineering Tech Brian Mensen attended the conference and were able to accept the award on the City’s behalf. Kudos to Kesha Billings, associate planner, and Seth Kjormoe, engineering project manager, for leading the project.

Two Emergency Departments Announced for Marion

Emergency health care for Marion residents took a major step forward with the announcement of two ER facilities planned for Marion. Mercy Cedar Rapids and UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital both announced expansion and the addition of an off-campus Emergency Department for Marion. The Mercy ER is planned for the corner of 10th Avenue/Bus 151 and 35th Street in Marion, next to its MercyCare Marion location. The St. Luke’s Marion ER will be located at 3301 Armar Drive. Both are expected to open in 2024 and will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.

Councilmember Atkins Announces Intent to Resign as Ward 1 Representative

Marion City Council member Colette Atkins has announced her intent to resign as Ward 1 representative effective March 31, 2023. Atkins was appointed to fill a vacancy in Ward 1 in October 2018 and was re-elected during the November 2019 election. Her term expires at the end of 2023. The City Council has the option to hold a special election or fill the vacancy by appointment. A decision is expected during next week’s regularly scheduled meeting. We extend our deepest thanks to Colette for her thoughtful leadership over the last five years and wish her all the best.

Highlights of the Proposed FY 24 City Budget

Last week, City staff and the Marion City Council held a Budget Work Session to discuss the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 (FY 24) budget. During the session, City Council considered strategic priorities and provided direction regarding funding various initiatives. 

The proposed FY 24 budget includes the addition of six firefighters as well as wage increases to support the recruitment and retention of police officers. Enhanced public bus service was considered but was deferred as City Council remains mindful of the overall impact of increases to the property tax bill. Public safety remains the top priority in FY 24 and accounts for nearly $2.2 million of the $3.2 million increase in costs in the General Fund. Given the competitiveness of the labor market and the need to attract and retain a strong team driven to deliver on the City's mission, the City Council provided for a 4% wage increase for non-bargaining staff. The application of the funds is yet to be determined and will be dependent on the results of the Compensation Study which is currently underway. The budget also includes wage increases for bargaining staff as outlined in the respective contracts.

Inflation continues to impact expenses, particularly in the areas of general insurance and health insurance. Despite Marion’s growth, the City is seeing a decrease in revenue sources due to changes at the State level. The phase-out of the previously established commercial rollback, the conversion of the Commercial Property Tax Credit to an automatic exemption, and the elimination of the multi-residential tax classification (once taxed at 100%) are putting incredible strain on municipal budgets. Learn more

Code of Ordinances Update

Since March 2022, the City has been working with General Code, LLC on a project to update its Code of Ordinances. The entire code was analyzed and reviewed for accuracy and to ensure that the content reflects current City practices, needs and priorities and conforms to current state law. City staff worked diligently to complete its analysis and plan to bring forward a draft of the code updates at next week’s Council meeting. Once adopted, residents, business owners, developers and municipal officials will have access to a reformatted and updated City Code – in print and online – which will boost transparency and efficiency for all.

Parks and Recreation eNewsletter

The Parks and Recreation Department published its February eNewsletter earlier this week. You will find information for all the seasons! Do you have or know of a high school or college-age young adult looking for a summer job? Encourage them to explore working for the Parks and Recreation Department this summer. Job postings can be found at www.cityofmarion.org/employment. 

Adopt-A-Flowerbed

Marion Parks and Recreation invites you to Adopt-A-Flowerbed and take pride in making our community a more beautiful place to be! Previously known as Adopt-A-Spot, this revised program allows volunteers of all skill levels, ages and group sizes to adopt a flowerbed. Volunteers will plant annuals or perennials (provided by the City) and help maintain the flowerbed throughout the growing season. Flowerbeds vary in size, so choose one that fits your group size and a time commitment you’re comfortable with. Volunteers will be recognized with a personalized sign in their adopted bed and the option of participating in a friendly end-of-season award contest! Learn more

Linn-Mar Community School District Seeks Input

The Linn-Mar School Board has recently hired Grundmeyer Leader Services to support the search for a new district superintendent. The search will begin immediately and conclude with the hire of a new successful leader. Your feedback regarding what “desired qualifications” are most important for this position will ensure the new hire is a good fit for both the school district and the communities it serves. The survey will remain open until Sunday, Feb. 8.

New Faces in New Places

Please help welcome Riley Gangestad to Team Marion! Riley will be our new 911 Communications Operator with the Marion Police Department. She comes to us from Infinity Contact, Inc. Welcome aboard, Riley!

Upcoming Events

Friday, Feb. 3 – Coffeehouse Night featuring Terry McCauley – 7-8:30 p.m. – Lowe Park Arts & Environment Center

Saturday, Feb. 4 – City Council Office Hours – 9-11 a.m. – Marion Public Library

Saturday, Feb. 11 - Marion Ice - 4-7 p.m. - City Square Park/Uptown Marion

Future Project Updates

Several items will be coming before City Council in the weeks ahead. Here’s a look at the tentative agenda.

On the Docket

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

• Internal meetings
• City Council Work Session
• Airport Committee meeting
• Monthly Coffee Talk with City employees
• Iowa Ideas Advisory Council
• City Council Meeting

Sign up to receive this weekly newsletter and other updates from the City of Marion directly in your inbox by visiting www.cityofmarion.org/enotify.

Original source can be found here.