Marion Council OKs Annexation Step
The Marion City Council Monday authorized abstractor John K. Miller to begin preliminary work towards annexation of a northeast section of the city.
Miller said there are 279 parcels of property involved in the area east of Fair Street and North of the Missouri Pacific Railroad.
He will receive two dollars for each parcel, a total of $558, for making a detailed description of each property, plants and a list of names.
Mayor Robert Cooksey said the city will get “value received if we get the area into the city because we will get $5.35 a head from motor fuel taxes.”
Council members cited benefits to residents in the area, including police and fire protection, street improvements, street lights and lower insurance rates.
Commissioner Bob Yearack said a realtor told him value of property in the area would increase at least one third and Federal Housing Administration financing would be available on property transfers if it were in the city limits.
Cooksey said the city should “also make a move to take in the northwest section,” north of Main Street and west of Carbon Street.
The Council authorized Commissioner a period A.R. Douglas, a contractor, to work with the Chamber of Commerce committee to determine if construction of a public restroom facility in a city, hall Annex is feasible.
C.M. Logan, Chamber of Commerce committee chairman, said the only public restrooms on the square are in the courthouse and it is closed on Saturday.
Cooksey said estimated cost to build a concrete block annexed to the north side of the City Hall and connect plumbing present jail facilities is $1000.
He said merchants and civic organizations would probably donate funds for the work. The Jaycees once collected $1100 from merchants for such a project but it was not completed.
The Council approved extension for one year at $5 of a lease of the Illinois Central Railroad. It is for an un-named street extending from Court to Walker Street on the south side of the railroad tracks.
Street lights at Russell and White streets and Carter and Otis streets were approved.
The Council approved designation of four streets as arterial and eligible for motor fuel taxes subject to approval of the State Division of Highways.
They are Bentley, from Boulevard to DeYoung; Holland, from Boyton and to College; Monroe, from Boyton to College, and West Boulevard, from Vicksburg to Bentley.
The Council authorized a letter asking for state assistance and repairs to Russell and North Fair Streets.
Commissioners said both streets are being used as bypasses to new Route13 by through traffic and are getting in bad shape. Only parts of both streets are in city limits.
(Southern Illinoisan, February 9, 1960)