Sara Mentzer was elected to represent Ward 4 on the Marion City Council in November 2021. No stranger to the community, Mentzer is currently the director of development and marketing for the Cedar Rapids Metro YMCA network which includes the Marion YMCA & Community Rec Center and Camp Wapsie. She also serves as coordinator for well-being initiatives in Marion, formerly under the Blue Zones Project scope of work.

Mentzer has been involved in economic development, community development, strategic planning and public policy throughout her career. Recent work has included the Safe Routes to School initiative for the Marion Independent School District, community planning efforts for the Uptown Artway, developing the urban agriculture ordinance for Marion and overseeing the development and ongoing care of the Uptown Community Garden.

She has been involved with a number of community initiatives including the Outdoor Aquatics Feasibility Study, Marion's Tourism and Brand Leadership Committees, Linn-Mar Foundation Board and Marion Independent School District Well-Being Committee. Regional involvement has included the Linn County 5210 Committee and Linn County Public Health Obesity Task Force.

Mentzer holds bachelor's degrees in communications and sociology from Luther College. She has been proud to call Marion home for the last 27 years. She and her husband Mark are the parents of Josh, Nate and Isabelle who are all graduates of Linn-Mar High School. 

Sara appreciates Marion's small-town charm while offering the amenities and activities of a larger community. She understands the importance of inclusion in a growing community like Marion and recognizes that we must address workforce challenges to grow our economic base. She wants to ensure that residents are proud to live in Marion, find it easy to engage in numerous initiatives and have a feeling of belonging.

Sara Mentzer
1225 6th Avenue
Marion, IA 52302
Ph. 319-200-1280
Email