City Attorney Dan Baldwin about guaranteed the to the Marion City Commission Monday that the ordinance would be that long by the time he "comes up with the final game plan" that will replace a variety of city ordinances that now deal with alcoholic beverages.

The city can't do anything that would refute the county's drink vote, but it can collect licensing fees, classify violations, and regulate locations through zoning laws, Baldwin said.

He noted he already is putting together liquor-by-the-drink zoning in Hillsboro that may define minimum distances establishments must be from institutions such as churches and schools.

He suggested Marion's commissioners may want to consider this, plus adding distances from other entities such as libraries.

Baldwin said what the city requires for governing liquor-by-the-drink "is not terribly complicated," but simply needs to be put together in one workable ordinance.

The resulting ordinance may also include current rules for licensing cereal malt beverages-that's 3.2 percent alcohol beer-in retail establishments.

Baldwin said the state allows cities to collect $100 to $250 annually for a cereal malt beverage, and Marion collects $100. The state collects its own fees from the same retailers, he said.

The actual rules of operation of a liquor-by-the-drink food establishment are set by state law.

"We need to be on the same page with the state," he said.

Street Superintendent Marty Fredrickson said the city has new equipment and chemicals coming in for ammonia feed to eliminate chlorine byproducts at the water plant that should make it compliant with Environmental Protection Agency standards by the first of the year.

City Manager David Mayfield noted this will eliminate the requirement that the city send water customers letters of notification that city water doesn't meet EPA standards.

Fredrickson said he wished customers would understand that even with the letters, there is nothing wrong with Marion's water.

"It's the same water we've drunk forever," he said.

To that, Commissioner Larry McLain added, "Oh yeah? We've been drinking it, and looked what happened to us. We ran for office."

Mayfield said all the state and federal governing agencies have been pleased with the effort directed by Fredrickson to clean up Marion's water plant.

He has been notified by Dale Yager, grant administrator for Rural Development, that the agency may be giving an answer to the city's loan application for water plant upgrade in 30 days.

Fredrickson said tree dump hours for December will be from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

City Clerk Linda Holub said 30 people have signed up for discounts on electric bills for putting up Christmas lights compared to 270 a year ago.

Police Chief Michel Soyez showed new water-buoyant rescue bags with buoyant rope for water rescue to be stocked in each police car.

He said they are especially important for cold-weather water rescue when officers might otherwise jump to put their own lives at risk to save the lives of others.

The commissioners approved 2-0 in the absence of Commissioner Jim Crofoot to rotate a city checking account to Marion National Bank for 2005. It has been with Tampa State Bank for three years, Mayfield said.