By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Historic buildings will no longer be exempt from inspection and permit modifications after city council members voted Monday to amend city building codes.

“This takes away the exemption for historic buildings, which we feel is the safe thing for everyone,” city administrator Roger Holter told council members as they considered the ordinance change.

Piles of compost larger than five cubic yards, or used to further a commercial enterprise, now violate city codes.

Lincolnville feedlot owner Mike Beneke and city officials waged a battle from July through October over a large pile of silage on property Beneke owns on the west edge of Marion after neighbors complained.

Beneke was told to remove the silage or the city would remove it for him. Beneke took his fight to the streets when he parked his six-door limousine on 3rd St. across from Central National Bank with an angry message to mayor Todd Heitschmidt written in the dust on the car and parked farm trucks across downtown parking stalls. He got several tickets for parking violations.