An anonymous donation will help the City of Marion Parks Department finish up the skate park area at Lincoln Park. The skate part was moved to Lincoln Park last year, but several improvements had yet to be completed.
Parks Superintendent Mike Cheney told members of the City Council Finance Committee Tuesday evening that the donation, of over $1,600 has been donated to help the Parks Department to finish the ground work around the skate park. He said the donation will help pay for the installation of drainage to help prevent flooding, a stone walkway, and the planting of some trees.
The Finance Committee also approved changes to the rules surrounding the amount police and fire department employees pay towards their state pension programs. The changes are required by Senate Bill 340 which was approved by the State Legislature last year. Mayor Scott Schertzer said the changes do not change the City of Marion’s contributions, just the employees.
Similar changes could be coming for the OPERS pension fund, but are not at this point.
The Finance Committee also approved the Police Department’s request to eliminate a lieutenant’s position. Police Chief Tom Bell said that this is not a reduction in force, but that there would simply be one less employee at the lieutenant position.
Bell said a current lieutenant has, for personal reasons, decided to give up his rank and go back to being a patrol officer. Bell said the administration have held several discussions about changing the amount of supervisors because the department is smaller. He said the current lieutenant’s decision simply allows them to make the change earlier than they thought.
Bell said he has an official meeting upcoming with the Fraternal Order of Police to discuss the plan, but in conversations there has been no opposition to the plan.
All of the measures approved by the Finance Committee will now come before the full City Council for their consideration.
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