Here’s where Marion City Council candidates stand on proposed aquatics center

MARION — Earlier this year, Marion city officials decided to press pause on a nearly $40 million aquatics center proposal that, if constructed, would be among the largest publicly funded project in city history.

Plans called for construction of a new center south of Munier Road to replace the aging city pool currently found at Willowood Park. The $37.5 million project included a recreational pool for younger children, lazy river, dive pool, lap pool and related parking and street infrastructure.

To move forward, Marion voters would need to approve a referendum in support of the project. However, a July survey sent to every Marion household found 54 percent of respondents approved of the project — less than the 60 percent needed to pass a ballot referendum under Iowa code.

Citing those results and lingering community questions, Marion City Council members last month voted against putting the matter on the upcoming Nov. 4 ballot so staff could gather more information and look for additional cost savings.

But while the referendum won’t appear on this year’s ballot, the issue remains on the minds of candidates who will. Here’s what City Council candidates said about the issue in response to a questionnaire from The Gazette:

At-large

Both candidates for the open at-large City Council seat agreed that pausing plans for the aquatics center was the right choice.

Candidate Destiny Hastings, account manager for Naylor Associate Solutions, noted in her questionnaire that the 54 percent approval rating from the July survey failed to present a “confident yes” from the broader community.

She emphasized the need for the city to gather more information on the project before moving forward and encouraged further research into how to maximize the utility of any pool replacement project.

“The aquatic center will be busy, but for only a few months out of the year,” Hastings wrote. “What can be done to create a facility that can be used year-round? Are there partnerships that would allow for a lower cost to taxpayers? What else can be done on that land to create a destination space? With a project of this size, every avenue should be explored, and I don’t think it’s quite there yet.”

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Challenger and municipal procurement coordinator Kelvin Unemin echoed the need for more information on the topic, calling the current aquatics center proposal "unacceptable” given its projected property tax impacts.

In his questionnaire, he encouraged a more gradual approach to replacing the existing Willowood pool through the construction of several smaller aquatics facilities across the city rather than one large center.

“Marion should focus on safe, modest pools and splash pads before committing to slides, lazy rivers or water park-style amenities,” Unemin wrote. “My position is simple: We need practical, cost-responsible pools that meet residents' needs, not an oversized project that could become a drain on Marion's budget for decades.”

At-large seats represent the entire city, rather than a specific ward or district. The seat is currently held by Randy Strnad, who is not running for re-election.

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Ward 2

In his questionnaire, Ward 2 incumbent Grant Harper doubled down on his support for an aquatics center project while also acknowledging the need for more information before moving forward to referendum.

Harper, a retired educator and program quality manager, said the aquatics center presents an opportunity to help establish Marion as “the best place to raise a family.” He stressed the project should be community-driven, however, to best meet the needs of Marion residents.

“Based on (resident) feedback, we should transform this into a modular project, building the facility in phases over 5 to 10 years,” Harper wrote. “This approach will allow us to manage costs and operational demands incrementally, with ongoing adjustments to meet the community’s evolving needs.”

Ward 2 covers much of north central Marion. Harper is the sole candidate running to represent the area on the Nov. 4 ballot.

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Ward 4

Following the September vote to pause the project, Ward 4 incumbent Sara Mentzer said Marion officials and city staff need to “regroup” and hold further discussions on the future of the city’s aquatic facilities.

Since January, Mentzer has sat on the Marion Aquatic Center Steering Committee — a group of community members and city leaders tasked with taking a deeper look at the proposal and making recommendations to the broader City Council.

She was also one of the first City Council members to raise concerns about putting the matter on this year’s ballot. While recognizing the need to do something about the city’s aging pool facility, she said more time is needed to determine the best course of action.

“Right now we are regrouping with community members and community leaders to discuss what folks would realistically like to see. Is it smaller neighborhood pools throughout the community or is it a destination level attraction?” she wrote. “Then of course, we need to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars for the project to determine what our residents are willing to financially support.”

Outside of her time on council, Mentzer works as director of development and marketing at the YMCA of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Area. She is uncontested in the race to represent Ward 4, which covers northwest Marion.

Mentzer originally faced challenger Charles Kelsey, although he later backed out of the campaign for personal reasons. Due to the timing of his decision, however, his name will still appear on the ballot.

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