For the Good of the Order

Be Weather Aware
City crews have pretreated Marion's primary and secondary routes ahead of some forecasted freezing rain and ice. An Ice Storm Warning is in place from midnight tonight until 3 p.m. tomorrow. Follow your local news sources or the National Weather Service for the latest information. Most importantly, if you don’t have to go out, please stay home.

Weather-Related Schedule Changes
Please be aware of the following weather-related schedule changes for Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. Marion Public Library plans to open at 1 p.m. on Saturday. City Council Office Hours will be cancelled this week. The Recycling and Yard Waste Drop-off Facilities, located at 195 35th Street, will be closed on Saturday morning. They will be open from 1-4:15 p.m. on Dec. 14. Marion Parks and Recreation programs, including Youth Basketball with the YMCA and the Candy Cane Hunt, both scheduled for Saturday morning are cancelled. Program participants will be contacted directly. Santa’s Workshop at 1 p.m. will continue to be held. All essential services will continue to be provided. Future updates will be communicated via the City’s normal channels including press releases, the City website and social media pages.  

Snow and Ice Removal Reminders
While the rain and warming temperatures should help melt the ice tomorrow, a reminder about snow and ice removal seems timely. Property owners are required to keep their sidewalks clear of snow and ice. Per city ordinance, snow and ice shall be cleared within 36 hours after the snow or ice has been deposited on the sidewalk. The entire sidewalk along the property must be cleared, including any corners leading into the street. If the snow/ice is not removed in a timely manner, the City will clear the sidewalk. The resulting charges will be 85 cents per square foot, plus a $35 administrative fee. Questions or concerns about snow removal on sidewalks can be directed to the Parks and Recreation Department at (319) 447-3580. 

Marion Hosts Large Investor Council
Earlier this week, we were proud to host the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance's Large Investor Council at the Marion Public Library. As Mayor AbouAssaly said in his welcome, "Marion is giving its best to make the region better." It was wonderful to welcome so many business leaders to Marion and shine a light on some of our recent investments.

It’s Budget Season
It is budget season for the City of Marion. While the budget calendar spans the entire year, this is the time of year when the Finance Department and City Manager’s Office are meeting with every department to review requests for the 2026 fiscal year budget. These meetings are time-consuming for staff, but are extremely valuable to ensure we are being fiscally responsible in prioritizing competing priorities. From here, the draft budget will be prepared and presented to City Council at the end of January.

Kitchen Safety Tips from Marion Fire
The Marion Fire Department has recently extinguished several kitchen fires caused by unattended cooking. To help you and those around you stay safe in the kitchen, the department offers the following cooking safety tips:

• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Keep flammable items a safe distance away from the stovetop and other heat sources.
• Set a timer as a reminder for cooking, especially when baking or frying.
• Use caution when cooking with hot oil.
• If a fire ignites, use a fire extinguisher or cover it with a metal lid or baking sheet.
• Never throw water on a grease fire!

Make safety a priority this holiday season and enjoy the festivities without the fear of fire hazards.

Indian Creek Trunk Sewer Segment 11 Project Continues
On Monday, crews from Boomerang Corp will close the Boyson Trail, from the Boyson Trailhead to just north of the Indian Creek Trail connection, in association with the Indian Creek Trunk Sewer Segment 11 Project. The closure will be in place for rock blasting work and the installation of a new trunk sewer across the Boyson Trail. This closure is expected to last 6 weeks, weather dependent. The Indian Creek Trail will not be impacted at this time. Trail users are reminded to obey the posted signage and stay out of the work zone. Future notices will be sent as this project progresses.

Water Main Road Closure Happening Next Week
Starting next week, Concise Earth Construction will begin a water main project which will close the gravel portion of 35th Avenue just west of Highway 13. They anticipate the road being closed on from Dec. 18-20, pending weather conditions. They will continue laying new water main on the north side of 35th Avenue towards 44th Street for the next month. Questions can be directed to (319) 743-6311.

Last Call: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Survey
The City of Marion is seeking input from residents to help identify community strengths and challenges related to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. The deadline to participate is Dec. 15, 2024. The Community Equity and Inclusion Survey, available at polco.us/MarionIA, is designed to help community leaders understand the experiences of all residents. A similar survey was last conducted in 2020, and City leaders are interested in understanding any changes over time and differences in experience. Answers are completely confidential and survey results will be reported in group form only.

Marion Holiday Lights Tour
Fourteen Marion households have put on a festive light display and submitted their addresses so that others can also enjoy the twinkling beauty. The map is now available! A People’s Choice award winner will be selected by the community through online voting. Find the map and link to vote at www.cityofmarion.org/holidaylights. In addition, Marion Parks and Recreation is also hosting Holiday Lights BINGO and The Great Candy Cane Hunt. Details are available at the same link.

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 openings include deputy public works director, permit clerk or technician, police officer, 911 communications operator, Marion Public Library patron services and bookmobile positions and Marion Public Library volunteer. Learn more about the opportunities at www.cityofmarion.org/employment.

New Faces in New Places
Rebecca Vorobtsov is joining the Marion Police Department as a part-time data entry clerk. Melissa comes to us from Marion Independent School District and previously worked with the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Welcome, Rebecca.

Please help welcome Marios Liolios to Team Marion. He will be joining the team as a part-time shelving clerk for the Marion Public Library. He currently works for Tree of Liminality. Welcome to the team, Marios!  

Upcoming Events

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

• Friday, Dec. 13 – Bingo Night – 6-8:30 p.m.- Lowe Park Arts & Environment Center

Future Council Items

Here’s an overview 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:

• Internal meetings
• Meeting with Mary Beth O’Neill
• Meeting with Phil High
• Meeting with Tom Barton
• MEDCO Board meeting
• Meeting with representatives from Sports Facilities
• Meeting with Carter Shockey
• City Council Work Session
• Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance appreciation reception
• Meeting with Dennis Marks
• Encore Café holiday meal volunteering
• City Council Meeting
• Meeting with Ellie Evans

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