Addition of 440 acres to the City of Marion was voted in a special election held in the affected area north of the city Tuesday. Six residents of the area voted for annexation and two voted against it.
The annexed area includes the land north of the city cemeteries to the county road south of Cedar Grove, which is bounded on the west by an extension of North Russell Street and on the east by the C. & E. I. Railroad. It includes the Marion Drive-In Theatre, an auto salvage yard, Tom’s Restaurant and five or six retail businesses in addition to the Central Illinois Public Service Company’s gas storage plant and the county acreage on which the highway garage is located on the east side of Route 37.
The new area also takes in 40 acres north of the county road near Cedar Grove where the city operates a sanitary landfill for Marion, Johnston City and nearby rural areas.
The landfill was one reason for the city’s desiring annexation; Mayor Robert L. Butler explained that inclusion of the landfill within the city will give the city police authority in supervision of the landfill and enforcement of regulations to control the disposal of waste.
The election on annexation Tuesday was held on order of the circuit court in response to a petition by the city.
From the long range view, the mayor said extension of the city boundary to the north would smooth the way for water and sewer main extension in that area as its development results in demand for such services.
Since the city levies no property tax for its own operation, the only additional tax on property which will result from annexation will be the 15 cents levied on each $100 of valuation for retirement of Marion Memorial Hospital bonds. The city will also receive, however, the sales tax on retail sales which would go to the county if the area remained outside the city. Police and fire protection are among the city services which annexation will extend to the added area.
(Marion Daily Republican, October 2, 1974)