Marion replacing downtown flags
Staff writer
Sometime in the spring, the Marion will install 24 flags downtown. They have yet to be purchased
Over several years flags have been affected by weather.
A total of $1,000 in replacement flags are being purchased with money from the transient guest tax.
“The Marion Merchants voted to use $1,000 from bed tax funds and transfer it to whatever city account was paying for the flags, Wells said.
“Since the amount was less than the threshold of $1,500 for council approval, the money was moved from bed tax funds to the city to expend for the flags and poles.”
The flags will be installed by electrical department workers, as they use trucks with buckets used their regular work
With high winds, rain, snow, and ice, the flags began to tatter and tear. The strain on them has been happening for years.
“There are quite a few flags that need to be replaced,” Wells said.
Each flag and pole costs about $70, he said.
“We have to get a good and heavy-duty pole due to the wind here,” Wells said. “We can’t go to Wal-Mart to pick these up.”
The decision to replace flags came after members of the public voiced concerns about the flag’s condition and how they detracted from downtown businesses.
“We have always placed them around downtown,” he said. “We are just trying to restore the area to what we had previously.”
Wells said the city asked Marion Merchants and PRIDE whether either wanted to contribute toward the flags. Only one was willing, he said.
“It is just one of those things,” he said. “All we are trying to do is getting contributions for the flags.”
The two dozen flags will be placed on downtown Main St.
Wells doesn’t know exactly when the flags will be installed.