Signs of spring bring plenty of work for city

The signs of spring are beginning to appear. I noticed some tulips peeking through the ground with some noticeable freeze damage to the tips. We have recently experienced a lightning storm which hit our city power grid. It wasn’t a major strike and our equipment worked properly to reduce the potential damage to major portions of the system.

This happened before our planned power outage for system repairs.

This week’s forecasted storms may prove to be more extreme but we are ready as we can be with the installation of the new equipment.

Another sign of spring is multiple potholes appearing across the city. We have had an unusually wet fall and winter coupled with extreme temperature variations.

The moisture and the freezing and thawing have created more potholes and larger and deeper potholes than we experience in dryer winter months.

There is no good fix or repair for these annoying things during these wet and extreme temperature conditions.

City crews have filled the same holes several times throughout the winter as a temporary solution until more favorable weather conditions allow for a more permanent resolution.

We appreciate your patience with the repair process.

City crews are developing a priority list of street and pothole repairs.

In order to identify our problem areas in your neighborhood please contact the city either by phone, website or a note with your city bill payment.

Contact information for the city office and specific departments can be found in our monthly utility bill insert.

As a city, we are looking to use the technology for positive uses.

We want to communicate with you in a timely manner concerning timely issues of the hour, day, or week.

This is important to the water, sewer, and electric utilities we provide you 24-7 and the laws, codes and policies that govern our city.

We look forward to further implementing more of these new technologies in the near future to better serve you and our community.

So what’s next? We plan to be breaking ground on the housing development on north Coble Street in the next 90 days to begin the installation of the utilities and land leveling.

We are excited about the opportunity to have an additional nine lots for new homes in the city.

More importantly, is a grant the city received to assist moderate-income families in acquiring one of five new homes to be built in this development. More information will become available as we near the construction phase of the project.

I have the pleasure of serving on the board of directors of the Marion Advancement Campaign, Inc. (MAC).

This organization has been instrumental in supporting projects like the Marion County Food Bank and Service Center, Central Park stage and restroom facility, renovations and upgrades to the Marion Community Center, scholarships, youth activities and many more.

As announced at our annual dinner and fundraiser on March 2, MAC has agreed to spearhead the preservation and rehabilitation of the Bowron building located at Main and 3rd Street.

This building was constructed at approximately the same time as The Historic Elgin Hotel and has been an anchor for Marion’s historic Main Street district.

We look forward to the redevelopment of this 100 year plus limestone structure.

With the exceptional number of limestone buildings in downtown, the city, with the Marion County Courthouse as its centerpiece, is exploring the possibility of creating a historical district.

We have applied for a grant to help determine the plausibility of such a district.

As we work on building our future it is important to retain, restore, and repurpose these treasurers of the past.

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