By SUSAN BERG

Managing editor

He calls himself the “Airstream Guy” because he buys old Airstream campers, refurbishes them, and sells them.

Mark and Deni Evans moved to Marion a few years ago, purchasing a historic stone home at 404 E. Santa Fe St. Marion was their city of choice because it is near the center of the lower 48 states, enabling the Evanes to distribute Airstreams throughout the U.S.

Mark Evans came to the U.S. from England when he was 4 years old and continues to have ties to the United Kingdom.

Marion City Council is pleased the entrepreneurs have chosen Marion as their home and agreed to sell them a lot at the city’s business park for less than the asking price.

The asking price of lots in the back row at Marion Business Park is $6,000. Water and sewer tap fees are around $2,000, Economic Development Director Doug Kjellin said. He asked the council to approve a contract that would give the Evanes a lot in the business park and the city would waive tap fees for $4,000.

The council agreed this would be a good investment in the city’s development park and approved it.

A metal building will be erected at the site, purposely isolated from other development to allow ample space for expansion.

A contract will be presented at the next council meeting.

Gunfighters welcome

Marion will be the site for the production of a private film. According to Kjellin, the film company will be in Marion May 31 through June 3. As part of the storyline, a black powder gun needs to be discharged. However, the city has an ordinance that does not allow the discharging of firearms within the city limits.

The council approved a temporary suspension of the discharging of firearms specifically for the film crew. Marion Police Department will have final approval of the location firearms can be discharged with blanks.

City beautification

“I was told by a real estate agent that 60 percent of people who look at houses in Marion are from out-of-town,” Councilman Jerry Kline said.

He said he was concerned that the appearance of some properties may keep some people from wanting to move to Marion. He expressed his concern about the fence around the city-owned tree dump on South Third Street.

Street Superintendent Marty Fredrickson said repairing the fence was on the city’s work order list.

With that in mind, City Administrator David Mayfield asked the council to review a proposal from City Attorney Dan Baldwin regarding the management of poorly kept properties. The proposal is similar to the policy the City of Hillsboro follows.

“We need to make it more enforceable,” Councilman Steve Smith said about the city’s current ordinance regarding dilapidated properties.

Baldwin was not at the meeting but Mayor Mary Olson suggested the council set up a special meeting with Baldwin to discuss the proposal.

Earlier in the meeting, the council held a public hearing regarding the dilapidated property at 415 N. Fourth St. There was no public comment regarding the complaint and the council did not take any further action in the meeting to have the property demolished.