At the Marshall Town Hall meeting held at the Martin Community Center on Thursday, January 18, Ward 3 Councilman Dan Brandt updated residents on the progress of the city’s attempt to take over ownership of the property formerly known as the Marshall Habilitation Center from the state.
Brandt said it basically boils down to getting a signature on the document to deed over the property to the city.

Brandt explained the city’s desire to take ownership of the property is to control what happens on grounds.

The Marshall Public School District currently is utilizing three of the buildings and/or houses on the 287-acre campus.
Brandt was asked “what happens if the governor doesn’t sign the agreement?” Brandt said the city will be back to square one at that point. Brandt said it must be signed by the governor– nobody else can sign it. City Administrator David Haugland explained the amended agreement has been signed by the city of Marshall and on his desk for at least a couple of months.
Other items discussed during the hour-and-45-minute event included: the city’s continued attempt to get a new grocery store; the process of cleaning up the town, including tearing down dilapidated and dangerous buildings and rundown houses; the possibility of a hotel and restaurant being built at the junction of U.S. Highway 65 and Route YY; the city’s budget; as well as the city’s interest in money it will receive from a proposed half-cent sales tax for the county for economic development, provided it passes during the Municipal Election on April 3.