Park bathrooms to close earlier
Staff writer
Vandalism at Central Park led Marion City Council members to vote Monday to change the hours the park will be open.
Up until now, park bathrooms were open until midnight.
“The only reason we left them open until midnight is the park is open until midnight,” interim police chief Zach Hudlin told council members.
He suggested the bathrooms be closed at dark.
An onlooker asked who used the park after midnight. Mayor Mike Powers said teens hung around there after dark.
Hudlin said he was called to the park at 9 p.m. Sunday for an unrelated matter, and a family with two children was there.
Council members voted unanimously in favor of council member Zach Collett’s recommendation to close the bathrooms at 10 p.m.
Council members voted 4-1, with Kevin Burkholder dissenting, to direct interim city administrator Mark McAnarney to meet with county administrator Tina Spencer and draw up an agreement to sell to the county land behind county offices at 1240 Commercial Dr. where planning and zoning, emergency management, and road and bridges are housed.
Spencer said the county wanted the property for equipment storage.
“The Marion County appraiser lists the market value of the lot at $1,000,” Spencer told council members.
“I will tell you that we have businesses dying to get that spot, but I think our best bet is on Main St.,” Powers said.