Marion’s new administrator could be chosen soon
Staff writer
Marion City Council members reviewed 14 applications for city administrator Monday behind closed doors and apparently narrowed the field to three or four.
Kansas League of Municipalities consultant John Deardorff helped in the review.
Hired to assist with the city’s search, he said that he thought Marion could overcome bad publicity from a raid Aug. 11, 2023, on the newspaper office and the homes of Marion County Record publisher Eric Meyer and city councilman Ruth Herbel.
Monday night, he told council members fewer people applied than he had anticipated.
“I was kind of disappointed in that,” he said.
Council members spent 75 minutes reviewing applications behind closed doors, saying confidentiality was important to applicants.
During the review, they chose three to four to interview April 22.
The hunt for a city administrator has gone on since the last city administrator, Brogan Jones, resigned in November to take a job in Neodesha. Retired Emporia city manager Mark McAnarney has filled in during the interim.
Council members also heard a presentation Monday about a new private recycling service that would bring dumpsters for residents who want to recycle.
Merrill Yoder of Nisly Brothers Trash Service, based in Hutchinson, said subscribers would pay $14 a month for the service.
Nisly would pick up recyclables every other week and deliver them to Hutchinson. Right now, customers pay $8 a month for city pickups every week, but the city has found this not sustainable.
“This is optional,” mayor Mike Powers said. “We think this is good, but some people may not think so.”
He encouraged city residents to attend the April 21 meeting to voice their opinions.
Council members also discussed upcoming employee raises. Raises are budgeted for up to 6%.
Council member Kevin Burkholder asked whether raises could be merit-based, but was told the city had no system to review employee performance.
Ben Coffey of The Ark Antiques and Flea Market in McPherson talked to council members about a garage sales event April 24 to 27 stretching from Marion to Great Bend.
The Highway 56 Scramble would bring customers from out of town to shop for deals. Local restaurants would be filled, and food stores would run out of sandwiches, he said.
Out of the $10 fee to advertise a sale, Ark will pay $2 to the city.
The city already has paid $500 from warrants to participate in the sale.