Will there be a bottling company in Marlin soon?

City Manager Cedric Davis announced that A&A International Group Inc., the investment company who previously visited Marlin with Chinese delegates, has expressed an intense interest in Marlin’s mineral rich water to the Marlin City Council at a meeting on Dec. 17.

“The company is very interested in the water and in the rights to the water,” said Davis. 

The company has tested Marlin’s water at their labs back in Beijing and have discovered the healing minerals that Marlin’s water is known for. 

“It does not give the output it did at one time because it has been broken down inside the well somewhere,” said Mayor Carolyn Lofton. “We cannot make use of it because it would take $1 million to fix the amount of damage that is down that far.” 

A&A International would like to purchase the entire block on which the well rests - where the old Marlin Inn and Chamber of Commerce buildings are - before repairing the damage done underground and eventually turning the block into a massive bottling plant. The bottling plant could potentially create 300 jobs, with projected production ranging from an output of 12,000 to 15,000 bottles per day.

This information gained both positive and negative responses from the council and audience alike. 

“What about the three churches and nursing home there on that block?” asked council member Terrence McDavid. 

Lofton and Davis did their best to curb fears. 

“It’s not going to a big industrial building with a ton of pipes like you’re imagining,” Lofton said. “When you look at Chuck Norris’ bottling plant down in Navasota, its just a big metal building from the outside.” 

An audience member expressed concerns on whether the public would still have access to a free fountain, to which they were told that it could be worked into the agreement, if one was made.

After addressing all qualms, the question was then raised that if the council were to go ahead with an offer, whether to approach A&A to sell water rights completely or to engage in a long term lease of rights. 

Councilwoman Rhonda Milton suggested a joint-venture, which can include profit-sharing depending on how the agreement is set. After an intense discussion of the pros and cons of each option, council members motioned to positively consider the business opportunity with A&A group, pending agreements of the stipulations set by the council, including the City of Marlin maintaining the water rights, the well being available for citizens’ use, and any other not yet mentioned necessary elements. The motion was seconded and immediately carried. No other information concerning the possible business opportunity has been released at this time. 

The idea of a municipal charter school was also brought before the council after Davis and Lofton spoke to TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, a Deputy Commissioner, Senator Brian Birdwell, and State Rep. Kyle Kacal the week prior.

“My concern was the fact that the citizens and teachers are not feeling comfortable in their current setting,” said Lofton before going on to explain that when prompted about a plan for 2021, Morath did not have one. 

According to the TEA commissioner, Marlin ISD should have been closed a number of years ago due to the amount of times in a row the district has failed their ratings. When approached for other options, the commissioner suggested creation of a charter school system. Area educators came out to express their curiosities for the direction the district is heading. 

“There have been rumors of the schools closing; we are kind of concerned on that part,” a concerned teacher insisted. “Do we need to start looking or go back through the process? We teach not only to teach, but to support our families as well.” 

There are multiple options available for the council to consider in the event that the district does close, but Lofton explicitly reminded those in the courtroom that teachers will always be needed where there is a school. No action has been taken concerning the future of Marlin ISD at this time. The mayor and city manager explained their want to be proactive with the situation. 

“We can’t just let it close and have no backup plan,” Lofton said. “Hopefully y’all are with us so we can start moving forward together.” 

The TEA commissioner will be making his decision concerning the future of Marlin ISD in March.

Previously tabled agenda item concerning an agreement proposed for hunting on the old city lake was brought before the council again this month with a more formal proposal. 

As spoken about on Nov. 12, citizens of Falls County would like access to the Old City Lake in order to hunt on the premises. The area was previously closed off to vehicles due to TCEQ prompting after ATV users caused minor damage to the dam on the lake. With this agreement, the citizens involved will volunteer their services to help with the ongoing concerns of the property, including but not limited to gutting excessive trash, helping to put out buoy markers on the lake, helping to create a liability waiver system that would in turn fund maintenance to the grounds (and possibly eventually trash cans on premises,) and helping to move the gate that currently blocks access to a position that leaves the hunting grounds are accessible, but ATVs cannot access the dam. After a discussion with citizen representative, Kenneth Davis, concerning possible additional work to be done, the council approved the agreement as submitted.