Marion City Council approves additional $50,000 for Senior Center repairs

Marion City Council voted to approve an additional appropriation of $50,000 to pay for repairs needed at the Marion Senior Center.

The Senior Center sustained extensive damage during a heavy winter storm that swept through the region over Christmas weekend in 2022. In January, city council initially approved $100,000 to pay for repairs at the center, located at 2375 Harding Highway East.

The center reopened to the public on March 22 after the fire suppression system was repaired and passed its final inspection on March 20, Director Steve Badertscher said. The additional $50,000 in funding approved during this week's city council meeting will pay for "repairs needed to return the fire suppression system to operational function."

Badertscher told the finance committee during its meeting on March 20 that he hopes the city's insurance company will reimburse the city for the cost of repairs to the Marion Senior Center. He said claims are being submitted to the company.

In early January, Public Service Director Cathy Chaffin informed city council's finance committee that the Marion Senior Center had sustained damage after the building lost power during the severe winter storm.

"With no power, the heat was not operational and caused the pipes to freeze and burst. This also caused the fire suppression system to freeze and split, crack and burst," Chaffin wrote in the letter to city council. "The electric outage was reported to Ohio Edison and power was restored late (on Dec. 26, 2022). It is unknown how long the power was out.

"Emergency crews for repairs were called to the center for evaluation and hopes of reheating the building. The center was closed due to no heat, water, and fire suppression. Initially it appeared to only affect a small portion of the water system and repairs were quickly underway. This turned out to not be the case."

Chaffin said once power was restored and the pipes were thawed, repairs to and testing of the fire suppression system was conducted on Dec. 30, with the hope that the Senior Center would reopen to the public on Jan. 2. However, more extensive damage was discovered, she said.

It was determined that a new fire suppression system would have to be installed in the part of the building where the most damage had occurred, Chaffin said.

Easter dinner set for April 6

The Marion Senior Center will host its annual Easter dinner at noon Thursday, April 6. The dinner is catered by Eats & Events by Emily and will feature a traditional menu of ham, cheesy potatoes, glazed carrots, Easter Jell-O salad, strawberry cupcakes, and a beverage.

Entertainment will be provided by the Marion Senior Center's choir Seniors in Song, which is directed by Ednita Vaflor and accompanied by Terri Malone.

Tickets cost $15 for members and $18 for non-members and can be purchased at the Marion Senior Center through Wednesday, April 5, while they last.

All other regularly scheduled activities will be canceled on April 6.

For information about the Marion Senior Center, go to its website marionseniorcenter.com or its Facebook page.

Email: ecarter@gannett.com | Twitter: @AndrewACCarter

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Marion Council approves additional $50,000 for Senior Center repairs