Marion Town Council Hears Tourism, Chamber Funding Requests; Budget Presentation Delivered
The Marion Town Council met on Monday evening with all members present. Mayor Avery Cornett opened the meeting by welcoming Councilwoman Debra Hayes, who participated electronically for the first time. Minutes from the previous meeting were approved without changes, and all votes throughout the night were unanimous by voice and raised hand.
The agenda was adopted as written, and no public hearings were scheduled.
During public presentations, Chamber of Commerce representatives Sarah Gillespie and Bailey King requested an $8,000 increase in town funding, citing the chamber’s expanding role in economic development, tourism, workforce initiatives, and regional partnerships. Gillespie said the chamber now operates at a higher level than many similar organizations and recently added a staff member to meet growing demands. Bailey highlighted social media and newsletter metrics, noting that outreach typically goes out three times a week. Council members Tricia Spencer and Susie Jennings praised the chamber’s work and its support of local businesses and events.
Tourism Director Amanda Livingston presented updates on the “Five Over 5000” initiative and proposed creating a dedicated landing page for Marion on the Smyth County website. Livingston said the town’s current website is not visitor‑friendly and that a new municipal site could cost tens of thousands of dollars. A county‑hosted landing page, she said, would allow for a consolidated calendar, improved advertising, and stronger search‑engine performance without altering the town’s existing site. She also pointed to sports marketing opportunities as the Callan Drive project progresses and emphasized the importance of Marion’s arts scene in attracting visitors. In response to questions from Jennings, Livingston clarified that her proposal supplements rather than replaces the town’s website. Mayor Cornett asked whether QR codes could be used to direct visitors to the new page, and Livingston said they could.
Shannon Naff of PBS Appalachia presented a funding request for an upcoming documentary featuring Marion and the history of the Snurfer, an early predecessor to the snowboard. Naff said the project will highlight why Marion is “America’s coolest hometown” and noted that the Snurfer’s story is often overlooked locally. She described PBS’s regional and national reach, including social media programming, and said the documentary is expected to be high‑profile, with a premiere planned at the Lincoln Theatre. Two sponsorship options were offered—$14,000 or $7,500—with greater benefits tied to the higher amount. Jennings asked about a premiere date, but none has been set. Councilman Jim Gates referred the request to the finance committee, and the motion passed unanimously.
Council then approved a resolution recognizing EMS Week. Marion Fire–EMS Chief Richard Keesling thanked council members for their continued support of emergency medical personnel.
During public comment, The American Legion thanked the town for its support of veterans and announced that a group of riders from northern Virginia will visit soon. Upcoming events include a June 6 community breakfast fundraiser, and spoke about the importance of honoring active‑duty service members, many of whom receive little recognition while deployed. The Legion continues to send care packages to local men and women serving overseas.
David Fulton thanked the town manager and public works employees for their efforts on the town’s flag display and expressed appreciation to the trash crew for replacing the lid on his can during recent heavy rain.
Business owner Luci Wolf, who plans to open a business at 212 East Main Street, addressed the council about delays in her project. Wolf said she has decades of business experience and intends to create jobs through regional and DARS programs but has faced shifting requirements and unreturned calls after revising her business plan at the request of a county representative. She said her applications were denied despite strong revenue projections and that she hopes to resolve the issues so her business can open. Mayor Cornett encouraged her to connect with the Office of Economic Development and the town’s small business boot camp, but Wolf said those programs do not offer immediate assistance pointing out that they begin in October. Councilman Hunter Atwell asked her to clarify whether the communication issues involved town or county officials and suggested she may be confused. She clarified that she was not confusing the two and had attempted to work with both as well as the Chamber of Commerce and Marion’s Department of Economic Development.
In council reports, members welcomed Hayes back and noted recent community events. In his mayor’s report, Cornett said crosses and flags are being placed downtown in advance of upcoming observance of Memorial Day, and that “Caring for Our Community” volunteers will soon post signs directing residents to service opportunities they can sign up for in the future.
Council approved payment of accounts unanimously.
Town Manager Andrew Keen presented the proposed FY27 budget, noting that major revenue streams include water service and radio‑read meters. Keen said a rate adjustment will be discussed during budget deliberations and that an increase in meals tax revenue will help generate new funds. The proposal includes equipment and technology requests from several departments, continued aggressive pursuit of grants, and plans to pay off four loans to free future revenue. Keen emphasized that the budget does not rely on one‑time money. The document is available on the town’s website and through the agenda email group, and paper copies may be obtained at Town Hall. Cornett and Jennings thanked Keen and staff for their work.
Council appointed Richard Keesling as the new Fire–EMS Chief before adjourning.
In other news, Marion residents who would like to utilize Eye On Water to monitor and see their water usage may contact eyeonwater@marionva.org to get your full account number and you will need to download the EyeOnWater app on your device to get started.
