City Of Marion: A Weekly Update From City Manager Ryan Waller For May 6

Marion IA

10 May, 2022

1:03 PM

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Press release from the City of Marion: May 6, 2022 Daubs Honored with 2022 Paul Draper Spirit of Marion Award The City of Marion is pleased to recognize Tom Daubs as the 2022 recipient of the Paul Draper "Spirit of Marion" Award. The award is named for former City Council member and community advocate Paul Draper and recognizes a City of Marion employee who best represents dedication to public service, combined with an exceptional work ethic, humility, a sense of humor and a sincere desire to see the City team and its individual members succeed. The mayor and I presented the award during an employee luncheon on Thursday held in conjunction with Public Service Recognition Week. Tom lives out our Reach Higher! philosophy daily. Congratulations! I'd also like to take a moment to recognize the other members of Team Marion who were nominated this year. They include James Teahen (Library), Nicholas Terbovic (IT), Kesha Billings (Community Development) and Tony Ireland (Parks & Recreation). They have each shown great commitment to our organization, their profession and this community. I'm proud to be on their team! MEDCO Hosts Annual Meeting at Prospect Meadows It was great to soak up some sunshine at the MEDCO Annual Meeting on Wednesday of this week, under the big top at Prospect Meadows. They celebrated many big wins for Marion and highlighted a number of community partnerships. It was an honor for me to share a few remarks with those in attendance and also participate in the Home Run Derby to benefit the Miracle League at Prospect Meadows. Amal Eltahir Hired as City Manager of Oskaloosa Amal Eltahir, assistant to the city manager for the City of Marion, has accepted an opportunity to serve as the city manager in Oskaloosa, IA. While we are sad to see her go, we wish her all the best as she begins this new chapter in her career. Amal joined the City of Marion in April 2016, first as an inspector with the Building Inspection Department. In July 2018, she was promoted to serve as assistant to the city manager. In this role, she was heavily involved in the City's economic development strategy and spearheaded the development of the Capital Improvements Plan. One does not have to look far to find Amal's positive and impactful contributions to our community. 8th Avenue/10th Street Intersection to Close on May 16 Work continues on the 7th Avenue Reconstruction and Streetscape Project. Crews are currently working on 10th Street to install underground infrastructure. They need to close the 8th Avenue/10th Street intersection to safely execute water main work. This intersection will be closed on Monday, May 16, and will remain closed for approximately five days. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time. Sanitary Sewer Utility Rates The City Council held a Special Work Session on April 27, 2022, to discuss the Sanitary Sewer Utility. At the work session, City Council was provided with information regarding utility rates, the long-term strategy and projections for the utility, as well as a proposed rate increase needed to support the fiscal year 2022-2023 budget. A follow-up discussion was held at the May 3 meeting with Council providing direction on May 5 to increase the sanitary sewer variable rate charge from $4.60 to $6. The rate increase is prompted by increased treatment charges being billed to Marion by Cedar Rapids and to meet the City's loan covenant (a 2021 audit finding). The increase would add approximately $15 to the average residential bi-monthly sewer bill. The first of three ordinance hearings on the rate change is expected to take place at the May 19, 2022, City Council meeting. Water Board to hold Public Hearing on Water Rate Increase The Marion Water Department's Board of Trustees will hold a public hearing on a proposed water rate increase to pay down a $1.6 million loan for Well #7 and the installation of a new $2.9 million iron removal plant at Site #5. The increase is planned to go into effect on July 1, 2022. The public hearing will take place on Zoom and in person at 3050 5th Avenue, Marion, at 4 p.m. on May 10, 2022. Go to www.cityofmarion.org for the agenda and Zoom meeting link. Multi-family units served by a single water meter including nursing homes and senior living facilities will have a new monthly flat rate per unit charge of $4 per unit per month plus the normal water rate based on volume and meter size. Written comments may be addressed to the Water Department General Manager, 3050 5th Avenue, Marion, IA 52302, and will be recognized during the hearing. Deputy City Manager and Fire Chief Recruitment Update The City of Marion is partnering with GovHR to recruit candidates for the open deputy city manager and fire chief positions. GovHR specializes in comprehensive executive recruitment for local governments. We have held kickoff meetings for each position with the search firm to ensure alignment of the technical knowledge and cultural fit of the ideal candidates. The timeline is expected to be approximately 14-16 weeks, and we anticipate mid-August start dates for both positions. Human Resources is working closely with GovHR to ensure a successful process and, ultimately, outstanding additions to Team Marion. Statue Restoration Update As you may recall, the Silent Sentinel statue in City Square Park was damaged during the 2020 derecho. The statue has since been shipped to Mississippi to be restored. In the latest status report, we learned that the zinc statue is 90 percent stripped but has not been peened yet. The restoration expert is working on the statue's posture and alignment and then will repair the contours of the top of the base and pour a new side piece and solder it in place. The detailed restoration is expected to take six months. Marion Police Department is Hiring The Police Department is currently accepting applications for both new and lateral transfer police officers. Applications will be accepted until June 3 and testing will take place on June 11. Applicants who pass both the written and physical fitness test on June 11 will be interviewed that day for the open positions with an expected start date of July 30. Physical fitness requirements can be found on the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy website. Find the full listing of all City of Marion job opportunities at www.cityofmarion.org/employment. New Faces in New Places Congratulations to Alicia Abernathey on being promoted to executive administrative assistant! Her new position will start Monday, May 9. She joined the City of Marion as an administrative assistant in September 2020. Congrats Alicia! Weekly Farmers Market Opens Tomorrow The Marion Farmers Market reopens for the season this Saturday, May 7 at Taube Park. The market will be open every Saturday from 8-11 a.m. through Sept. 10, 2022. The first market is expected to host more than 17 vendors, including select vendors enrolled in the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and the Linn County Master Gardeners. Attendees will find fresh produce, baked goods, meats, flowers, honey, jewelry, woodworking, crafts and more at this neighborhood farmers market. In addition, Marion City Council members will resume their weekly office hours at the market. Every Saturday, one or more council members will be available for questions and conversation during market hours. Bike to Work Week Events Return to Marion After a two-year hiatus, the cities of Marion and Cedar Rapids are bringing back Bike to Work Week events. The Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization (CMPO) will begin the activities with a 17-mile ride around Marion on Saturday, May 14, beginning at Lowe Park at 9:30 a.m. (Registration required). Marion will officially kick off Bike to Work Week activities on Tuesday, May 17, with a ride starting at Thomas Park and ending at City Square Park, followed by a mayoral proclamation. On Wednesday at 6 p.m., participate in the national Ride of Silence to remember those lost in cycling accidents across the nation. On Thursday evening, the City will host a Pedal Marion ride. This ride will take a family-friendly pace using the Marion trail system. A Helmets and Hops social gathering will follow at Uptown businesses. On Friday, May 20, the City will recognize National Bike to Work Day with a 7:30 a.m. ride from Butterfield Park to City Square Park. Community Event Listing Mark your calendars for a full spring and summer of Marion events!! From concerts to colorful kites to moonlit movies, there's something for everyone! Bring on the sun!! Here's a look at the tentative agenda containing a list of several items that will be coming before City Council in the weeks ahead. The following are a few major activities on my calendar for the coming week: 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. This press release was produced by the City of Marion. The views expressed here are the author's own.