MARSHALL — This week, Marshall City Council members held off on bonding for a few planned city projects, including updates to Legion Field and the Liberty Park band shell.

It was a move that Director of Administrative Services E.J. Moberg said could mean a smaller increase in Marshall’s levy next year.

Moberg said city staff recommended waiting to bond for four projects out of a list of seven that were originally planned for 2025. At Tuesday’s council meeting, council members went with the recommendation, and approved issuing bonds for street reconstructions on South Hill Street, South Minnesota Street and Charles Avenue.

Marshall city staff have been working with consultants Baker Tilly to finalize a plan for bonding, Moberg said. Based off that planning process, Moberg suggested changes to the projects the city would bond for. One would be to wait on bonding for construction on the apron area at a hangar at the Marshall airport.

“Our airport reconstruction project for the hangar area is something we do not believe would be a 2025 project, so we would suggest taking it off the bonding list for this year,” he said.

Moberg also recommended waiting to bond for three abatement projects at Legion Field, one of the restrooms at Independence Park, and the Liberty Park band shell.

The city is currently asking the Minnesota Legislature for funding to help update or replace the band shell. Until Marshall hears more from the state, it “didn’t make sense” to bond for the band shell project, Moberg said.

It also wasn’t known yet how much money would be needed for the Legion Field project, so the city could delay bonding for it, Moberg said. Finally, city staff also recommended delaying bonding to update the restroom in the back area of Independence Park.

Some of the projects, like the Legion Field project, had other sources of funding like donations, and could still move forward, he said.

Moberg said city staff only recommended going ahead with bonding on two planned projects: the equipment certification for a new aerial truck for the Marshall Fire Department, and the Hill/Minnesota/Charles street reconstruction.

By only moving forward with bonding for those projects, the city could reduce the impact on its future levy by about 1.1%, Moberg said.

“I think this is a good time to delay this, and make sure it’s cost effective for our taxpayers as we go forward,” said council member James Lozinski.

Council members voted to approve a five-year street reconstruction plan for Marshall, and the issuance of general obligation bonds for the Hill/Minnesota/Charles street reconstruction project.

Later at Tuesday’s council meeting, council members voted to awarded a bid of about $995,000 from D&G Excavating for the reconstruction project on South Hill Street, South Minnesota Street and Charles Avenue.