BAUD Program

In short, Marion’s innovative “Project BAUD” will examine this town as it currently exists, determine the best pathway forward to provide clean, safe, sanitary, and inviting opportunities to work, live and play, and the define the steps necessary to achieve our goals.  The Project will incorporate every aspect of life in Marion:  commercial, industrial, residential, recreational, and study “best practices” from other successful communities in relation to the resources and abilities available to this community to provide Marion with the bedrock foundation necessary for sustainability and future growth.

What Is BAUD? 

Project BAUD is designed to address every aspect of public and private properties and lands, residential and commercial, throughout the Town of Marion.  The goal is to first discover, then address, every issue leading to properties not being used to their Best and Highest Use. 

Project BAUD (Blighted, Abandoned, Underutilized, and Derelict) will take a systematic approach to comprehensively address areas in the community where improvements, large or small, can provide huge benefit in terms of livability, stabilization of property values, and overall community health.

This is a large-scale project, more akin to the days of the building of the Interstate system than any other project of note in decades.  Therefore, the progress will be measured in years, not weeks, but the lasting effects should impact generations to come.

Project BAUD is a bold endeavor.  It will require patience, community input and acceptance, citizen leadership, and a little luck.  But the goal is worthwhile; this project can impact every corner of Marion, every citizen, every business, every visitor.  It can truly be transformative, changing the narrative and altering the trajectory of this community far into the future.  Instead of repeating underfunded, undermanned, and haphazard approaches of the past, Project BAUD is taking the time to systematically “define the problems, determine the solutions” as we move forward into Marion’s bright future.