Collett quits in Marion

By JUDD WEIL

Staff writer

Zach Collett resigned Monday from the Marion City Council, saying his family is moving from Marion after his wife, Keri, accepted a job in another small town.

Collett, who has lived in Marion more than six years, called the decision “one of the hardest” his family had made and said serving on the Marion City Council had been “an incredible honor and a truly rewarding experience.”

Mayor Michael Powers praised Collett’s service, describing him as someone who consistently worked in the city’s best interests.

“I have felt like you were a person of integrity and a person that is working for what’s in the best interest of Marion,” Powers said.

Collett left the meeting after council unanimously accepted his resignation.

Collett originally sought office because he wanted to become more involved after moving to Marion.

“When I moved to town, I just knew I wanted to get involved and be a part of the community more,” he said.

He pointed to development of the city’s strategic plan as one of the accomplishments he was most proud of during his tenure. He said the process involved extensive community participation through surveys and focus groups.

“We had a lot of community input on that,” he said. “It wasn’t just a council thing.”

Collett also cited construction of moderate-income housing, street replacement projects, and repainting of the city water tower among accomplishments completed during his time on the council.

One of the biggest challenges of serving in local government, Collett said, was balancing community needs with what residents could realistically afford.

“There’s always things that you want to do, but finding the balance between what’s right for the community and what the community can afford is always tough, especially in a small town,” he said.

Collett said he wished he could have seen several ongoing projects through to completion,. Among them are replacement of city water meters, bonded street improvements, and efforts to establish a downtown historic district.

Before moving to Marion, Collett said he and his wife lived in several places while he served five years in the Navy. The couple came to Marion to be closer to family members while expecting their second child.

Collett pointed to the community atmosphere as something he would miss the most about Marion.

“Driving down the street and knowing everybody that you see, going to the grocery store and running into three different people that you know, that’s going to be tough,” he said.

Powers said the city would immediately begin accepting applications to fill the council seat.

Residents interested in the position are being asked to submit contact information to the city office before June 1. They then will be asked to briefly address the council before an appointment is made.

The appointee will serve until the next city election.