By John Raffel
Correspondent
MARION – A draft of Osceola County’s Recreation Plan, inserted into the commissioner’s packet for next week’s meeting, includes a lengthy Osceola County community profile and provides unique aspects about Marion.
“Osceola County has a population of 23,290,” the document states. “Its residents are able to enjoy many outdoor opportunities which include the White Pines and Pere Marquette Rails-to-Trails. The Reed City Depot, which is located at the intersection of the two trails, is the only location in the State of Michigan where two rails-to-trails intersect.”
The document notes the county has two cities, Evart and Reed City, with respective populations of 1,793 and 2,472. It lists the population of the county’s three villages, headed by Marion (896), followed by Hersey (315), LeRoy (305) and Tustin (215).
The document puts local townships populations at 1,678 for Marion Township, 1,161 for Highland and 769 for Middle Branch.
“Osceola County has an excellent east-west and north south road network, as well as both regional and local bus service, an airport, and rail service through the Village of Marion,” the document states.
The document lists the county’s largest employers, as of Sept. 2021, as follows: Ventra Manufacturing (1,070 employees); Spectrum Health (460); General Mills (380); Osceola County (170, 105 full-time); Reed City Public Schools (130); Evart Public Schools (110); Pine River Public Schools (110); Kraftube Manufacturing (105); LeRoy Tool & Die (100); Cargil Mining (90) and Reed City Tool (90).
