A section of land that stretches about 250 feet along Eisenhower Street and about 900 feet deep had been given as an estate gift to the Marion Advancement Campaign.

The 2-0 vote, with Commissioner Larry McLain absent from the meeting, would move the annexation process to the next step.

Charles Heery, chairman of the Marion Housing Authority Board, updated the commission on its work, particularly the status of Hilltop Manor, a subsidized housing complex for low-income and disabled elderly.

Heery said all but one of the Manor's 28 apartments are occupied; 20 have received new carpet in the last year or two and the other eight will follow suit during natural transitions when apartments change residents.

He also said new drapes have been added in almost all of the rooms.

In March, the board expects construction to begin on a new concrete storm shelter that will double as a wood shop for residents.

The above-ground storm shelter, which will comply with accessibility standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act, will be 15 feet by 18 feet and constructed just south of the activity center to blend in with the rest of the facility.

Heery said several families have donated furniture to the Hilltop Manor through estate gifts in recent months, and that residents appreciated the addition.

Heery said the board will be acting soon on new income guidelines to qualify potential residents of Hilltop Manor.

In other business, the commission:

-- agreed to stay with employee health insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield after looking at plans from two other companies.

-- approved a 50-percent-co-pay benefit for employee/dependent health insurance for city employees. The benefit will cost the city about $18,000 next year, an increase of $4,000 from this year. City Administrator David Mayfield said he has budgeted for the increase.

Currently, seven city employees participate in the plan.

-- approved the purchase of a 2001 Chevrolet half-ton four-wheel-drive pickup for $15,875 from the Kansas Highway Patrol fleet in Topeka. An Astro fiberglass tonneau cover will cost an additional $500.

Mayfield said the truck will replace a 1985 half-ton two-wheel-drive truck in the city's shop fleet that has more than 129,000 miles on the odometer.

The purchase is part of the city's plan to rotate out older vehicles as mileage becomes excessive. Mayfield said this purchase will be the last one the city will need to make "for some time."

-- approved Resolution No. 05-02 that relates to the removal of nuisance property at 210 N. Freeborn. City Attorney Dan Baldwin said the city can take action on the property 30 days after the resolution is published for the second time.

-- agreed, at the recommendation of Mayfield and the city's bond counsel, to use general obligations instead of revenue bonds to fund upgrades at the city's water-treatment plant. General obligation bonds have an interest rate of 4.2 percent,compared to 4.5 percent for revenue bonds.

-- heard from Mayfield and Director of Public Utilities Harvey Sanders that they are exploring the purchase of a generator that would provide electricity for city offices and the auditorium in the case of a prolonged outage. Various proposals will be considered.

The cost of purchasing a portable generator with a 3,500-kilowatt, 150-amp capacity could be in the range of $30,000.

-- Sanders said the city is in the final week of tree and branch removal in the wake of last January's ice storm. Anyone wanting the city to remove their branches and limbs needs to get them to the curb by Friday, Feb. 25.