Managing editor
Residential trash service will follow the trend of other cities in the county and go to one day a week pickup beginning next week.
Marion City Council approved the ordinance Monday to change the service from Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, to Tuesdays and Thursdays. Originally, the council was considering Mondays and Tuesdays as pick up days but Marion resident Gene Winkler suggested the days be Tuesdays and Thursdays to avoid Monday holidays. The council agreed and approved the recommendation.
Residential customers will continue to receive services on the same day of the week they currently have the service, minus the second pickup each week.
In other business
- The city’s property, vehicle, liability, and worker’s compensation insurances will increase $2,413 for a total of $104,015 for 2011. The council decided to increase the deductible from $500 to $1,000 per incident. If the deductible had not been increased, the city would have paid $7,239 more. The city also will pay $1,398 for liability insurance for Chingawassa Days.
- The council gave support to Central Park being used as a Farmers and Artist Market on Wednesdays this summer and early fall.
- City Administrator Doug Kjellin reported that when the city tests tornado sirens on Mondays, the electric sirens are tested one time and the battery-powered sirens are tested another time. There will be times when the entire system is tested as well.
- Winkler reported that the community center has been rented numerous times with three events in the ballroom.
- There were 30 permit applications in 2010 for a total of $5.773 million with $5.1 being the hospital project. In 2009, there were 22 applications, 21 in 2008, 39 2007, 31 in 2006, and 29 in 2005.
- A resolution was adopted to allow commercial burning within the city limits with the fire chief’s approval.
- The council entered a 10-minute executive session for attorney-client privilege with Kjellin. The meeting reconvened with no action.
- The council then entered another 10-minute closed session for trade secrets to discuss personnel contracts with Kjellin. There was no action.
The next city council meeting will be 4:30 p.m. April 18 in the city building.