Frank Fogleman seeks another term as Marion Mayor

Frank Fogleman seeks another term as Marion Mayor

‘ I’ve proven that I am a steady hand that this city needs and I think I am the right one for the job.’

Twenty-four years in politics might seem like a long time. But to Marion Mayor Frank Fogleman, the passion for the job is still there and there is always more on his bucket list to be done.

Fogleman, who is seeking a seventh fouryear term, said his steady leadership and fiscally conservative management of the city’s finances has helped Marion grow and prosper, and that he still has several more projects that he wants to complete before calling it a career.

“There are two or three major projects I want to see completed before I leave office,” Fogleman said. “I’ve proven that I am a steady hand that this city needs and I think I am the right one for the job.”

Fogleman has presided over the city during a time that has seen the population more than double, as well as extensive growth in the industrial and commercial sectors.

Under his leadership the city has developed a recreation center, seen the recruitment of Hino Motor Corporation, improvements to the wastewater system by building a pipeline to the Mississippi River which solved a longterm problem, expansion of the water system with two new wells and a new water tank and water treatment facility, construction of new police and fire stations, construction of an animal shelter, development of the Union Pacific Intermodal Rail Port, and reduced insurance premiums to homeowners because of improvements to the fire department ISO rating. Fogleman credits the city’s progress to a combination of good political leadership by its elected officials and strong community involvement.

“I’ve been the point man as mayor,” Fogleman said. “But it has been a team effort to get the city to where we are. It’s been the elected officials. It’s been the department heads. It’s been the volunteers in the community. And I think I can continue to lead

Marion Mayor Frank Fogleman the team into the future.”

Fogleman said it’s hard to point to one thing that he is proudest of, but touts the Sports Complex and the city’s ability to keep up with its infrastructure needs as his biggest accomplishments.

“Nobody shows off a water tower or a sewer system,” Fogleman said. “But I’m happy with the infrastructure that we’ve been able to do.

Drilling wells and installing new water and sewer lines is not something that people see but are important to our quality of life and planning four growth. The infrastructure has been expanded – water, sewer, city buildings, improvements to city parks. And we’ve been able to do it in a fiscally responsible manner. “

Fogleman said there are many more big projects on the horizon in the next two to three years.

The state will be expanding Military Road from two lanes to three lanes in 2019. Fogleman worked with the state highway department to include a landscaped median, turn lane, and lighting to the plan to make the entrance to the city more attractive, and to try and save as many trees and buildings as possible.

“It’s been a work in progress,” Fogleman said. “But they have agreed to work with us. I just wish they had not chosen to delay the project to 2019.”

Another major project is the railroad overpass. Fogleman said the project now has funding in place and is deep into the design process and will get built within the next two years.

“This is the most heavily desired project,” Fogleman said.

“We are going through the process and are closer than we have ever been. It just takes time.”

Fogleman is also working on building a larger permanent museum to commemorate the Sultana steamboat disaster.

The paddle wheel steamboat exploded just upriver from Marion in April 1865 resulting in the deaths of over 1,200 people, mostly Union soldiers returning home from the Civil War. The tragedy is America’s greatest maritime disaster in US history. The city’s residents helped rescue many of the survivors.

Fogleman said the museum will be a nice tourist draw for Marion.

“We’re making significant progress toward that,” Fogleman said. “The Museum will not only bring recognition and remembrance to the tragedy, but it also has the potential to attract visitors to town. Every aspect of it is being funded with money that is not city dollars. It doesn’t take away anything from the budget.”

Fogleman said he is looking forward to continuing to move the city forward over the next four years and hopes residents will reward his efforts with their vote.

“I think Marion is a great community and I want to see the city thrive,” Fogleman said. “I want it to be a community that people want to move to and raise their family, join a church, invest in the community, have access to jobs, some places to shop, have a good place to get an education, a variety of housing to pick from that fits their budget, and to participate in community activities. And I think I am the right person.

“When I can drive across that overpass, see the improvements to Military Road become a reality, and walk into that new museum, I can say my public service bucket list is just about complete.”