[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6512325,"mediaKeyId","5114200-4086bd3c4bf125b3270c63da6de44a12","parentId",5114200,"title","Council approves consent agenda and adopts two ordinances at July 1 meeting","audioSeconds",28,"startMs",2947000,"endMs",2975000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5114200-4086bd3c4bf125b3270c63da6de44a12&start=2947&end=2975","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5114200-4086bd3c4bf125b3270c63da6de44a12/thumbnail_2947000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6512325/Marion-City/Linn-County/Iowa/Council-approves-consent-agenda-and-adopts-two-ordinances-at-July-1-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6512325-4eb4fe3608723fce6286d1f44a4e9c34/orig.mp4?Expires=1771072364&Signature=Bejqt0SrLwGFPRAIcc-TKeF~yluhjt4lH3tlRZlD48S88hhGchNF7vLmUyCf7yzPAoeWSDPP-VlEH~N8MCFdInP4xiFEMl7W77-J~g16fJCWlPfvvZhRhgaO1p~h-AfAH~cpcMZhcTqFh3StSkNIP5KtTtUNvkHkHtjPDVtkv33lf8uOw7hFixycEFGE9JHQWRhlszknOm8lybvgey4lRJrJFyLUUP9JAHFPZ8Ez0tvVRL-HnKnhd4P-PveA8dl7JZuGsTeczthQquCTIAiAYZp-zBTAxkMfB001AXXrSBn1bYdMNClroWVPzyv-XLWG8kZh4Nkt5-OUnlsa3W5RFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Marion","date","2025-07-02T01:18:10Z","article","The Marion City Council approved its consent agenda on July 1 and adopted two ordinances after discussion.

Consent agenda: The council moved, seconded and approved the consent agenda (items A1 through E4), which included resolutions numbered 32440 through 32457. A voice vote approved the motion; no roll-call tally for each member was stated on the record.

Mayor abstention: The council subsequently approved a consent-agenda related motion with the mayor's abstention recorded for item D1 (resolution 32458). The motion carried by voice vote with the mayor abstaining on that line item.

Ordinances adopted: The council approved final consideration of Ordinance No. 25-20, which amends various sections of the Marion Code of Ordinances including rules on sound amplifiers in parks, operation of golf carts, snowplows for hire, and private hauler licenses. The council also approved Ordinance No. 25-21, repealing specified sections of the Marion Code of Ordinances, including language relating to the Public Works Board and certain appointment authorities. Both ordinances were adopted by voice vote on the record.

No roll-call vote tallies were read into the record during the meeting; the council used voice votes for the motions recorded above. Where the transcript omitted a formal tally or named vote, the meeting record indicates approval by voice as stated at the dais.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council - Audio/Presentation - 7.1.25","oneSentenceSummary","At its July 1 meeting, the Marion City Council approved the consent agenda, recorded a mayoral abstention on one consent item, and adopted ordinances 25-20 and 25-21 on final or second consideration.","taxTitle","Marion City, Linn County, Iowa","taxId",55360,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6512330,"Planning and Zoning chair briefs council on commissions’ workload, vacancy and comprehensive plan progress",797,1636000,2433000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5114200-4086bd3c4bf125b3270c63da6de44a12&start=1636&end=2433","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5114200-4086bd3c4bf125b3270c63da6de44a12/thumbnail_1636000.jpg","/articles/6512330/Marion-City/Linn-County/Iowa/Planning-and-Zoning-chair-briefs-council-on-commissions-workload-vacancy-and-comprehensive-plan-progress","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6512330-f3042ffb1dbcaec42406f03a0f2a6e13/orig.mp4?Expires=1771072364&Signature=DwWO1YrjSZj~mMjMlCH7XAattHHL8KhgQpNM9Knvcb7HlY1I9UDwZGg25QY~oMBSI-IGBf2y2NFJMxAJpttZknMhOzsoT3eETs1lBJpqNXBkk-o6AsoXUASZQutQn7qsl1t2TdNSiZtCl-1TmhrmxNJwxC6PDWSN5FQ1DFTjAIUKbv50qQODE0CdpvY9yzghUE5vZMLyGzqYGYdtIOXwX9kNdwk6Q1Oiq4E61gtGG6RWoGLv8NaNo70RarftH2SBPHbJpoFULVEleRmYdq8eaEtb70GaFWtjmzy1QQk6w6wkdfXVLy7TAq0y40dvBauLtyE-zzkFK7IjW3Hjft3iAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Nikki Wilcox, chair of the Marion Planning & Zoning Commission, briefed the City Council on July 1 about the commission’s membership, recent work and priorities, and the commission’s role in implementing the city’s comprehensive plan.

Wilcox said the commission currently has nine members but will have a vacancy after one member leaves July 5. She described frequent public engagement and noted the commission meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. “We are very passionate about making sure that that area is done right,” Wilcox said, referring to entry corridors such as Tower Terrace and Uptown Plaza.

Wilcox highlighted the commission’s focus on conditional use permits, site design and the comprehensive plan. She described a nearly hour-long discussion at the commission’s recent meeting about gas station zoning and said commissioners ask detailed questions and do not take decisions lightly.

City planning staff also summarized the Zoning Board of Adjustment’s role. The five-member board, chaired by Chuck Kent, is quasi‑judicial; appeals of the board’s decisions go to Linn County District Court. Staff reported that most cases heard by the board are variances—commonly setback issues—and conditional-use requests often concern detached accessory structures over 900 square feet. Staff said the zoning board sometimes grants parking waivers for low- and moderate-income housing projects when applicants provide supporting data.

No council action was requested Tuesday; members thanked the commissioners for volunteer service and said the new regular commission-to-council touchpoints are improving intergovernmental coordination.","Nikki Wilcox, chair of Marion’s Planning & Zoning Commission, and staff updated the council on commission activity, a vacancy, and recent topics including the comprehensive plan and a lengthy discussion about gas station zoning; the Zoning Board of Adjustment described its quasi-judicial role and common variance requests.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6512335,"Marion council backs staff to pursue regional talent-attraction pilot, requests programming of $47,000",1490,127000,1617000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5114200-4086bd3c4bf125b3270c63da6de44a12&start=127&end=1617","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5114200-4086bd3c4bf125b3270c63da6de44a12/thumbnail_127000.jpg","/articles/6512335/Marion-City/Linn-County/Iowa/Marion-council-backs-staff-to-pursue-regional-talent-attraction-pilot-requests-programming-of-47000","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6512335-de48795a362aab85c464c757cf72a2cd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771072364&Signature=jAB7SdVx~sS7B3GWuUEGRineYT6hZf67fdwekXu9DAhGXb9vsxURxlefYwd1BQ8ZCAjpjMwb27JPuRAFbZ58gkP-dLdatlKKK99SF6wdAUkpj81ytmByk9OlxK2dvmCoKpSBUArM8VCMR7TTMJO5JPMd8UdCg2tOx4G2LyuHH06PIenLcvbCqHKRr2B-DtlAz2jvs2YQYQ6kvFUcapeEY~EtJptYnW9i9SxwXqj3oagAUtg4On~JSgr4S2g8vo-2746EnVsXajkIGS-Z30BLFYKEV4U3rYCs8gEuUCan9aLGc95Nq6kTyWETzAdovs-dIlJEWe8HT156e7XYQ69Plg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Marion City Council on Tuesday heard an update on the Collaborative Growth Initiative from Jody Schafer of the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance and gave staff direction to bring back a formal proposal and program an additional $47,000 in city funds for the initiative.

The presentation described a two-pronged, three-year talent-attraction strategy that includes launching a regional talent website and piloting MakeMyMove, an online program that markets communities to remote workers and tracks moves. “My name is Jody Schafer, and I'm the director of talent attraction, which is managing the collaborative growth initiative,” Schafer told the council.

The initiative grew from a regional review that found population decline and out‑migration of college‑educated young professionals; Schafer cited a regional loss of roughly 8,200 residents since 2021 and said employers are already reporting workforce gaps. The Alliance has hired a marketing firm and recommends both a talent-website build and a MakeMyMove pilot as “quick win” strategies that can produce measurable relocations.

Schafer told the council that first‑year city contributions were laid out earlier in regional discussions: Cedar Rapids $327,500, Marion $87,000 and Hiawatha $21,600. For Marion specifically, the packet for the fiscal year beginning July 1 already includes $40,000; Schafer and city staff said the initiative team is requesting an additional $47,000 to be programmed now and returned to council as a formal agenda item for approval. “In the first year, Cedar Rapids will contribute $327,500, Marion $87,000, and Hiawatha $21,600,” Schafer said. She also described MakeMyMove’s ability to verify moves and reported a roughly 90% retention rate in the first year among participating movers.

Council members asked technical and policy questions about MakeMyMove, including how the program works, what incentives might be offered to recruits, and whether the state has adopted a similar approach. Schafer said the State of Iowa had been approached about MakeMyMove and was “intrigued” but had not committed funding, in part because of concerns about showing favoritism toward specific communities. Councilmembers also asked about target occupations; Schafer said advanced manufacturing engineers and health care roles were consistently identified as high‑demand occupations in regional forecasting.

City staff asked the council for a consensus to proceed with staff work on the proposal. No final appropriation vote was taken Tuesday; the council chair summarized that staff had direction to draft a formal proposal and return it for a future vote. “I think you have your direction,” the chair said after discussion.

If the council approves the programmed funds at a future meeting, the Alliance plans a soft launch of the talent website in December and ongoing marketing and recruitment activities across years two and three, with private fundraising expected to cover larger shares in later years.","The Marion City Council on July 1 heard a presentation on a regional talent-attraction effort led by the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance and gave staff direction to return with a formal proposal and programming for an additional $47,000 of city funding this fiscal year.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves consent agenda and adopts two ordinances at July 1 meeting

Planning and Zoning chair briefs council on commissions’ workload, vacancy and comprehensive plan progress

Marion council backs staff to pursue regional talent-attraction pilot, requests programming of $47,000