As past Marshall Independent newspaper editor Jim Tate once wrote about Marshall weather, “It takes tough people to live in Southwest Minnesota.”.

This past month resulted in the snowiest snowfall on record. Marshall’s seasonal snowfall is at just over 70 inches and currently ranking as the 8th snowiest winter on record. The snow depth at the end of February 2019 ranks 4th all-time in Marshall. 

We must be “tough”, as the public has remained resolute and largely positive to get through this.

As we look towards celebrating the city’s sesquicentennial in 2022, events that have happened in the past prove the strength of the city’s positive resolve to look long term for the betterment of the community. Looking historically at the city’s major investment in the community, the city and its residents supported infrastructure improvements in water, wastewater, electrical and flood control in every decade since the city was established in 1872. In the upcoming year the city is looking ahead to several challenges and opportunities.

The City of Marshall owns and operates a mechanical wastewater treatment facility serving the residents of Marshall as well as several significant commercial and industrial users. The facility’s critical equipment is approaching, or have exceeded, their useful life. The city is currently out for bids to replace the aged equipment while also helping the city reliably meet current pollution regulatory limits. To recover the cost, the monthly wastewater (sewer) rate funds will be utilized.

Marshall Municipal Utilities has designed a drinking water softening enhancement that will reduce the hardness of the city’s treated drinking water using enhanced softening processes at the water treatment plant. The project is estimated to cost $10.6 million and when finished, the amount of salt entering the river will be dramatically reduced allowing the city to meet regulatory requirements for chlorides to be met. Seventy-percent of the project is planned to be funded through a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency grant.

The planning and design for renovating the existing City Hall has begun. The current City Hall has heating, ventilation and accessibility deficiencies. In addition, structural issues with the main level mean a large part of the building is unusable. City Hall renovation will incorporate architectural features from the 1914 and 1964 City Hall buildings to enhance the commitment to a historic and vibrant downtown. Funding for City Hall is proposed to be from existing revenue sources to avoid an additional increase to the levy.

While much planning and community involvement needs to be completed before determining a timeline, the city’s Community Services Division has developed a workgroup to consider options with our community pool which currently loses over 10,000 gallons of water a day due to infiltration throughout the structure of the pool.

The MERIT Center will begin work on a public safety and industrial use driving track extension and additional training enhancements as a result of the City receiving 3.1 million dollars in bonding from the 2018 MN Legislature.

Economic incentives through both the home and business tax abatement programs will be promoted along with a Small Cities Development grant in the amount of $603,750 that was received to rehabilitate both owner-occupied homes and commercial properties. The economic development focus will be refined when the City Council and staff conduct strategic planning this year to determine what we intend to be in the future and how we will get there.

To further economic development, the city with the help of the community, will undertake concentrated efforts in promoting the city with the development of a brand which will help instill a sense of pride for the City of Marshall as well as assisting with future marketing and communication for residential, business, and visitor recruitment.

The City Council and staff are on a path of continuous improvement, benefitting from continued resolve and positivity from the public as evidenced in our history and most recent past.

— Sharon Hanson is the city administrator for the city of Marshall