By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Marion City Council meetings will change from 4:30 p.m. every other Monday to 5 p.m. the first and third Mondays of each month after council members approved an ordinance Tuesday making that change.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Mike Powers told council members he had received an email from a private attorney in McPherson looking to obtain a grant to develop a hiking and biking trail in Marion.

“What they want is to be able to get support,” Powers said. “All we would do is give them permission to do a concept study.”

The group that contacted him, Sunflower Santa Fe Trail Committee, wants to develop a trail over a portion of abandoned railroad track.

Council member Kevin Burkholder said he would support the plan as long as the city was not under any obligation to pay for the trail.

In other business, the council decided that Loyd Group certified public accountants would develop Marion’s 2025 budget.

Powers told council members it wasn’t fair to expect interim City Administrator Mark McAnarney to develop the budget so soon after taking responsibilities in Marion.

Electric department director Steven Hart told council members that a bucket truck, ordered several months ago but not expected to arrive until November came in Tuesday.

Powers asked whether Hart would give the company that produced the truck a personal check.

“No, they want yours,” he said.

Council members also decided to add a second public comment session to meeting agendas, but limit the first session to items already on the agenda.