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Residents press Marion council over recycling cutback and abandoned properties
Summary
Public commenters criticized the city’s decision to end curbside recycling, asked for clearer outreach, and raised long‑running concerns over abandoned properties; the administration cited budget constraints and pointed to the Marion County Land Bank and ongoing enforcement efforts.
Multiple residents used the June 8 public‑comment period to press the council on three community issues: the ending of the city’s curbside recycling service, a persistent abandoned property that residents say attracts squatters, and a recently announced DuPont/EPA settlement distribution that a resident urged the city to pursue.
Several commenters said the city’s online recycling survey and publicity did not make clear that the curbside program would end and urged better outreach (one resident asked the city to add QR codes or place the survey on trash bills for broader participation). The administration responded that the recycling program will end June 28, that drop‑off recycling will be available at the city garage, and that the decision reflected city budget constraints.
During public comment a resident described an abandoned house on Decater Street, reported repeated break‑ins and squatters, and said the bank holding the mortgage had not maintained the property. Council and staff described existing nuisance‑abatement enforcement, recent seizures of problem properties for probation‑linked remediation and an ongoing effort with the Marion County Land Bank to pursue an expedited foreclosure process for groups of dilapidated properties.
Separately, a resident who said she specializes in settlement and grant work told the council about a recently released DuPont/EPA settlement that she said might provide funding for water lead mitigation; the administration asked the resident to share details with staff for follow up.
Council members referred the housing and settlement questions to staff for follow up and encouraged residents to provide direct contact information for grant leads and property addresses.
