MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—Marion County Commissioner Kevin Davidson provided an update on several key community initiatives, including a major monument restoration and the annual Drug Take Back Day.

The National DEA Drug Take Back Day and a concurrent recycling drive will be held Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Ohio Health Center—the former Smith Clinic—with services provided at no cost.

Residents can drop off all expired or unwanted prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications, with no questions asked. MARMET will be on site to securely destroy the bottles and pills. Marion Public Health will also be offering on-site Narcan training.

In conjunction with the drug take back, Goodwill will be accepting electronics (excluding old tube-style monitors), clothing, household items, tools and books. Electronics will be securely wiped of all data.

Commissioner Davidson also announced the start of a major refurbishment project for the Soldiers and Sailors Monument and Memorial Chapel at the Marion Cemetery. The monument, dedicated in 1888 and featuring the names of over 2,800 Civil War-era veterans, is undergoing a full restoration. The project, funded by a state grant secured by former Commissioner Kerr Murray, will include a new roof, windows, and doors, with work planned to continue indoors during the winter months. A dedication ceremony is tentatively scheduled for the summer of 2026, coinciding with the United States semi-sesquicentennial.

Davidson also noted that the year-long renovation of the Marion County Courthouse’s fourth floor, which includes adding a larger courtroom and restoring original architectural features like skylights, is expected to be complete around Thanksgiving.