Marion City Council agreed Monday night to construct a new fire station in the 200 block on North Court. Construction of the building is expected to begin in the spring of 1968. The 80 by 100 feet tract was purchased for $21,000 from W. E. Kimmel. The land lies between the Farm Fresh Dairy Store and the Kimmel Auto Supply. The Council who deliberated for months on the site of the building said Monday the selected location was the second lowest priced site studied by the members. Rex Presson, public safety commissioner, said the present fire station located in the downtown area of Marion was too small to adequately serve the citizens of Marion. Although a definite floor plan for the construction has not been selected, Presson said the new fire station would be about three times the size of the present fire station. At present, Marion has two fire engines and a ladder truck but due to the size of the present station the vehicles must be parked in single file. Plans for the new station call for three separate exits. All of the present vehicles will have access to a separate exit and will be able to leave the station in shorter time. Presson said at present new equipment was not needed for the new station. The present “equipment is adequate” explained Presson, “but we must have more available space.” The larger roads leading into the new station will allow the fire department to more readily serve the citizens of Marion. “We must build the station large enough to serve Marion until we add another station,” explained Presson. According to Presson, the present fire station will probably be given to the Marion Parking Commission and additional parking space will be provided. At present two foundations are located on the lots and work will begin this summer on clearing the location for the construction. At present no available prices have secured on the construction of the building. Presson said the council had laid plans to purchase the land this year and to complete construction in 1968.

(Extracted from local newspapers and compiled by Harry Boyd, posted at http://www.marionfire.us )