Editing Marlin, Texas (section)

===The 2000s===
The loss of major employers in the late 20th and early 21st centuries resulted in a loss of population and a reduction in the city's tax base. While at the census in 2000, Marlin had a population of 6,628 (a modest increase of 242 people from 1990), by 2010, its population had declined to 5,967 residents. According to the US and Texas census, Marlin's largest population peaked at two times in its history, 1950 and 1980, with 7009 being its highest.

First to change hands or close was the Swift turkey-processing plant. Next was Marlin Mills, a carpet-manufacturing company, closed during the 1980s economic decline. A [[styrofoam]] company, open in another building in Marlin's [[industrial park]], caught fire and the remains were demolished. A dress-manufacturing plant, which catered to large businesses, such as the airline industry, closed. Wallace, a business form-printing company5 employing hundreds, closed in the mid-2000s. In the early 2000s, 1100 small to medium-sized VA hospitals closed all over the US, one of which was the Thomas T. Connally [[Veterans Health Administration|Veterans Affairs Hospital]], a five-floor building located at the corner of Ward and Virginia Streets. The hospital closed in 2005, resulting in the loss of more than 100 jobs, as the economy in Marlin continued to wane.

More recent investments include the construction of a three-story, 60-room [[Best Western Hotel]] on [[Texas State Highway 6]], at [[Farm-to-Market Road]] 147. However, plans for the [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]] to open a medical facility for prisoners at the former Veterans' Affairs Hospital, expected to add an additional 100 to 150 jobs to the Marlin economy, did not materialize. Funds were reallocated to renovate the TDJC hospital in [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]], which was badly damaged by [[Hurricane Rita]].

====2011====
The Heart of Texas Council of Governments granted the city of Marlin $35,000 to remove 15 dilapidated buildings and structures in the town, which included 300 tons of debris.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://www.marlindemocrat.com/news/article_d584b7e2-3719-11e1-880c-001871e3ce6c.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905043147/http://www.marlindemocrat.com/news/article_d584b7e2-3719-11e1-880c-001871e3ce6c.html|url-status=dead|title=City manager discusses Marlin's progress in 2011 - The Marlin Democrat: News|access-date=Aug 18, 2019|archive-date=September 5, 2012}}</ref> Over {{convert|6|mi|0}} of water lines were constructed on 20 streets in 2011.<ref name="auto"/> The city also started and completed a 500,000-gallon water tower project.

In 2011, the city brought back its Annual Music and Blues Festival, and raised money to revamp the city baseball fields and revive the City [[Little League]], which attracted 160 children that year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kwtx.com/ourtown/headlines/Marlin_Blues_Festival_Returns_After_Five-Year_Hiatus_121673189.html?storySection=story|title=Marlin Blues Festival Returns After Five-Year Hiatus|access-date=Aug 18, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.marlindemocrat.com/sports/article_a9d39b58-6637-11e0-b931-001cc4c002e0.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130128090231/http://www.marlindemocrat.com/sports/article_a9d39b58-6637-11e0-b931-001cc4c002e0.html?mode=story|url-status=dead|title=Season opens for Marlin Little League - The Marlin Democrat: Sports|access-date=Aug 18, 2019|archive-date=January 28, 2013}}</ref>

The city's [[crime rate]] decreased by 45% in 2011.<ref name="auto"/>

====2015====

On November 10, 2015, Marlin Chief of Police Darrell Allen died while in office. He had suffered a gunshot while at an off-duty security job in [[Temple, Texas|Temple]] on November 1. The suspect was placed into custody at the scene by other officers working security.<ref>"[http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/UPDATE--Police-Chief-Shot-Outside-Local-Bar-Dies-345076452.html Slain Police Chief's Body Returned To Central Texas]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160119152746/http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/UPDATE--Police-Chief-Shot-Outside-Local-Bar-Dies-345076452.html Archive]). ''[[KWTX-TV]]''. November 11, 2015. Retrieved on January 19, 2016.</ref>

In December 2015, a protest occurred after the city water had been turned off for almost a week. Even after the city and the state had extensively renovated the water treatment system, the man who had worked for the city as the water systems manager, instead of calling for repairs, cut wires when alarms sounded instead of fixing the problems. The state found the disengaging of the systems when they removed panels to determine the problems. This led to a city-wide water crisis that caused the water system to repair extensive damage.

====2019====

On May 4, 2019, Marlin native Carolyn Lofton was elected as the first black woman to serve as mayor. She stated that she was motivated to run "on a desire to uplift and improve the community in which I live for all those who are currently here and those who seek to make a home here."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.carolynloftonformayor.com|title=Carolyn Lofton for Mayor}}</ref>