City pursuing COVID relief for residents

City of Marlin residents got a welcome surprise this week when water and sewer bills for the month began to trickle in. 

Each and every billable address within city limits received a $50 credit to their account, labeled as COVID relief.

“It was completely funded by the CARES Act,” City Manager Cedric Davis confided in the Marlin Democrat. “We have to use the money and we wanted it to be a benefit to our citizens.”

Marlin is notorious for its mineral-rich water, though many residents know of it as undrinkable and quite pricey. 

According to Davis, the idea for the water bill credit was inspired by other rural towns around the state that have worked to provide relief for their constituents.

A vote in November of 2020 reduced the water rate within the City of Marlin, taking a profit cut, but in turn aiding a small reprieve centered around citizen’s needs. They want to show Marlin residents that they are thinking about what’s best for them as taxpayers, community members, and Marlinites. Sadly, it wasn’t seen as a significant difference in the eyes of residents, money-wise.

“I’m working on grants right now too, trying to figure out how to get some help on rent payments and mortgage payment and such like that,” Davis said. “There’s money out there; we just have to find it and go out and get it.”

Citizens took to the internet to show their appreciation for the discount, where the responding community agreed that having that bit of extra cash would be a huge burden taken off their shoulders in this pandemic.

“I know Marlin gets a lot of complaints about everything,” commented one resident on a community Facebook page. “I would like to say a gracious ‘Thank You’ for the COVID Relief on our water bill.”

 “It was a nice surprise.”