Marion borrows $1 million

By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Marion City Council voted Monday to borrow $1 million to repave Coble St. from Denver to Kellison Sts. and Roosevelt St. from Sherman to Kellison Sts. for $650,000 and install new water meters for $350,000.

Interim city administrator Mark McAnarney told council members he thought issuing bonds through a borrowing pool would be the most efficient way for the city to borrow.

“You do it now because the costs are going to go up,” Mayor Mike Powers said.

Two weeks ago, after listening to Andres Kovar with the Wichita law firm Triplett, Woolf, Garretson, council members designated the streets as main trafficways.

A resolution and an ordinance authorizing sale of bonds and other actions connected to the bonds were approved Monday.

The public will not vote on the borrowing. Loopholes in state laws called The Main Trafficway Act and the Water Act allowed council members to approve the bonds without an election.

Council members were told the city was on a list seeking the money through a borrowing pool and issuing the bonds had to be approved by June 10 to remain in the pool.

In other action, McAnarney told council members two people would be in Marion next week to go door-to-door to survey people about household income. The city is hoping to find data to support listing Marion as having 51% low or moderate income households. Census data put the number closer to 45%. The city hopes to qualify for community development block grants.

Council members also approved a temporary cereal malt beverage license for a beer garden at Chingawassa Days and a regular license for the Historic Elgin Hotel.

Council members also discussed behind closed doors a possible need to find a new code inspector.

James Masters, hired in 2022, will begin new duties Monday as city inspector for Council Grove. He was hired by Council Grove for $35 an hour.

In Marion, he was paid $37.80 an hour as code inspector.

Powers said that to his knowledge, Masters has not submitted a resignation.