The Village of Marvin modernizes procedures, supports staff through diverse use of ARP funds

The Village of Marvin sits just outside of Charlotte, N.C., and is a haven of sorts for lovers of small-town life and natural landscapes. It has been described as “a bubble of green and nature in the middle of a sea of urbanization.” The Village incorporated in 1994 with a population under 1,000 due to the residents’ desire to chart their own course rather than be subsumed into the larger municipalities it borders. The Village now boasts a population approaching 7,000 and has put a focus on green space, recently changing its slogan to “Village of Marvin – Enriched by nature.”

Village clerk Austin Yow describes Marvin as a special place due to its fierce independence, both in thought and action. When the Village was granted approximately $1 million as a part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP), leaders sought to bolster their Village’s position as a forward-thinking entity through a number of projects that served to support Village staff, modernize practices and procedures, and assist in some of the larger projects already underway in Marvin. Additionally, the influx of ARP funds meant Marvin’s residents would not have to come out of pocket themselves through means such as a tax increase; rather, even with the growth the Village has seen in recent years, Marvin has maintained one of the lowest municipal tax rates in the state.

“Utilizing the ARP grant funds to finish or supplement much needed projects, and to invest in infrastructure and employees, allowed the Village to stretch tax dollars further and delay a tax increase through 2024. This was crucial during the pandemic when many families were impacted economically with schools and businesses closing,” Jill Carilli, Marvin’s finance director, said. “The use of these ARP funds also enabled the Village to divert general fund dollars into capital projects which include roads and another roundabout, which is vital to our Village from a traffic and safety standpoint.”

The Village had already undertaken a project to install a roundabout at Marvin Road and New Town Road in order to make the intersection safer and alleviate traffic congestion. Prior to the completion of the project, the intersection required off-duty police officers to direct traffic in order to ensure the safety of drivers in the area. ARP funds were used not only for a portion of the roundabout project itself, but also to pay for the officers who helped keep that area safe until the project’s completion in fall 2023.

Another previously determined project was the building of a new Village Hall. Marvin had outgrown its former building and had broken ground on the new facility in April 2021, around the same time the ARP funds were announced. The Village took some of those funds and supplemented what it had already set aside for this project to update the water and sewer infrastructure connected to Village Hall. In addition, these funds went towards some of the furnishings for the new Village Hall, as well as needed resources, such as a security system and audio/video equipment for meetings, new financial software, and a platform for agenda and meeting management that have helped the Village operate more efficiently.

“We focused on modernizing practices and procedures,” Yow said. “The software that I use for agenda and meeting management, that saved me hundreds of hours of work.”

Another way the Village increased efficiency was through purchasing an additional vehicle for the public works department. This additional truck will aid the department as it continues to grow and will be used to help maintain streets, respond to weather-related incidents, and haul needed equipment.  

The ARP funds provided Marvin with a way to support Village staff without having to dip into the general fund. In particular, the funds provided premium and hazard pay to employees who were needed to work during the pandemic. The Village credits this decision with retaining a number of their employees during the pandemic and after. 

Furthermore, the Village opted to use ARP funds to supplement a grant project that had been in the works—the installment of two new playgrounds at Marvin Efird Park. These new playgrounds were designed with inclusivity in mind. There is a larger playground with an oversized swing designed for older children with disabilities, as well as a smaller toddler playground for younger children. Both playgrounds include wheelchair accessible entrances for parents, siblings, grandparents, and others who may be in wheelchairs, allowing them to get close to the action and enjoy the facilities. The new playgrounds opened in spring 2024.

The distribution of ARP funds came at a crucial time for Marvin, as the Village was undertaking several important projects that will benefit the community as it continues to grow. The funds were widely distributed in ways that supported multiple on-going projects and allowed Village leaders to make a significant impact on modernizing and increasing efficiency of Marvin’s operations and supporting the staff who keep the Village running, all while not creating additional expenses for the residents.

“The Village is grateful for the ARP funds and the way Council invested the funds into critical projects, infrastructure, efficiency and retaining employees,” Carilli said. “The Village of Marvin continues to operate from a place of financial stability, conservative spending, and fiscal responsibility, and looks forward with excitement for what’s to come for this beautiful Community.”