MARSHALL — The Marshall City Council took action Tuesday to help finance planned construction on South Fifth Street and North High Street, as well as for updates to city parks and athletic fields. The council held two different public hearings, one for a five-year street reconstruction plan and reconstruction bonds, and the other for property tax abatements to finance the parks projects.

The first of the two public hearings focused on the city’s street reconstruction plan for 2026 through 2030, and the issuance of up to $2.5 million in bonding for street reconstruction bonds.

Marshall city staff said one of the street projects that would be part of the reconstruction plan and financed by the bonds was reconstructing South Fifth Street between Main and Saratoga Streets.

“This street is one that’s been kind of kicked down the road a little bit, and is in pretty serious need of having this done,” said council member Craig Schafer. The project would also replace the utility lines running underneath Fifth Street.

Bonding for the South Fifth Street and North High Street reconstruction projects would be not to exceed $2.5 million, said Marshall director of administrative services E.J. Moberg.

“That includes not just the tax levy portion, but also shares that are paid by wastewater, surface water and special assessments on both projects,” Moberg said.

Mikaela Hewitt, municipal advisor with Baker Tilly, said if the bonds were approved by the council, the final steps related to issuing the bonds would come at a future hearing.

Council members voted to pass a resolution approving the city’s five-year street reconstruction plan, and issuance of street reconstruction bonds.

The second hearing held Tuesday focused on property tax abatements to finance improvements to Marshall parks and athletic fields. Moberg said one of the abatement-related projects planned for this year was updates to Legion Field facilities like the restrooms, concessions and viewing area. Another project that would be financed through abatements would be adding an irrigation system and new playground equipment at the athletic fields near Channel Parkway,

“One thing to note is the maximum tax abatement amount is $840,000, that is the estimated total cost of the project. However, the bonded amount is anticipated to be less,” Hewitt said. Earlier at Tuesday’s meeting, council members recognized a $75,000 donation from the Marshall Baseball Association, which will go toward the updates at Legion Field.

Contributions from the Marshall Baseball Association would make a substantial reduction in the amount of tax abatements, said Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes. “This is basically a not to exceed amount,” he said of the $840,000 abatement amount.

The council passed a resolution approving the property tax abatement.

Byrnes said the items brought before the council Tuesday “represent a significant amount of prior work that has gone into bringing these projects to this level of development.”