AbouAssaly wins three-way race for Marion mayor

MARION - By a narrow margin Tuesday, Marion voters promoted Nick AbouAssaly to mayor, giving voice to the city's ambitious goals and development wishes.

AbouAssaly narrowly defeated one of his opponents, former Mayor John Nieland, receiving 46 percent of the vote to Nieland's 38 percent. Current Ward 3 council member and mayoral candidate Joe Spinks trailed both, receiving 16 percent.

Current Mayor Snooks Bouska did not seek re-election.

AbouAssaly, a Cedar Rapids lawyer and Ward 4 Marion City Council member, often supported projects that would further develop and grow the city - including the idea of a mixed-used library, expanding infrastructure and offering financial incentives to businesses.

Voter Tim Arnold, said Tuesday afternoon he supported AbouAssaly.

'This one specifically, I just want to make sure that with the uptown redevelopment plan for Marion, that we have a mayor in place that will make sure that we see that through.” he said. 'I think it's good for Marion. I think Marion has been kind of a bedroom community for a long time for Cedar Rapids, and we've grown large enough, and we're growing quickly enough that I think we need to make sure we have a good community in place and not rely on Cedar Rapids.”

Voter turnout in Marion was about 17 percent.

AbouAssaly will be joined by two other candidates who have, in their campaigns, supported Marion's growth initiatives.

Incumbent Ward 1 council member Kim Etzel received 56 percent of the vote against opponent Dwight Hogan. In Ward 3, newcomer and local real estate agent Will Brandt beat his opponent, former City Council member Kay Lammers, by just 35 votes. Brant received 50 percent of the vote while Lammers received 49 percent.

The city's plans include growing Marion's uptown into one that resembles urban cities; building a multimillion dollar library mixed with retail and residential components; and continuing the Central Corridor Project, which would balance the city's traffic between Sixth and Seventh avenues.

While Marion has a new mayor and a new City Council member come January, it's City Administrator Lon Pluckhahn who handles the day-to-day administrative duties of the city, proposing new projects and spending initiatives to the council. And the election of three candidates who often agree with him will make it easier for him to get those projects approved.

AbouAssaly has said his priorities as mayor would include managing Marion's growth in a way that ensures a diversity of options for housing and commercial services while preserving the city's small-town charm. He has also said the city can and should support more commercial and industrial development to provide more jobs in the community.

'Our city has great potential to become a key component and contributor to the quality of life in our region, and if we don't fully develop that potential, we would do a disservice to future generations of Maronites,” he told The Gazette's previously.

While other candidates in the election have criticized the city's growing debt, which is currently at $56,000, AbouAssaly said Marion's debt is fine when compared with other similar cities, and is necessary to continue growth.

AbouAssaly's victory comes after campaign finance reports showed he outdistanced his opponents in campaign contributions, raising $18,000 while Nieland raised $7,530 and Spinks raised $245.

The winners take office Jan. 2, except for the Ward 3 winner who will be sworn in Nov. 19 at the council's next meeting due to a vacancy left when Cody Crawford resigned.

The Marion City Council is made up of seven members, including the mayor, who serve staggered four-year terms. Councilmembers receive $4,800 a year and the mayor receives $9,600.