Dunbar City Council cleared the way to sell a small parcel of land to grocery store Aldi for expansion during Monday's city council meeting.
"With the expansion Aldi can get more product on its shelves and serve its customers better with the extra 5,000 square feet," Dunbar Building Inspector Director Hugh Leishman.
The proposed expansion would extend the store about 15 feet toward 10th Street. Plans also call for a new store entrance.
Council approved the first reading of a plan to sell the land to the store. Councilwoman Connie Thompson abstained from the vote expressing a potential conflict of interest as an Aldi employee.
The current store is about 13,000 square feet and is located a short distance from Interstate 64. The company is pleased with the Dunbar store's numbers, Leishman said.
"It never would have dawned on me that someone would drive from Elkview, which is a 25-minute drive, to come to Aldi in Dunbar," Leishman said. "You would think they would just hit Kroger or Foodland in their area but Aldi has a pretty good following apparently."
There is no definitive timetable for construction.
"We are just happy they are expanding," said Gail Harper, council president. Harper led Monday's council meeting in Mayor Terry Greenlee's absence.
The expansion is great for Dunbar citizens and others, Harper added. He believes the project should bring some additional jobs to the store.
A public hearing regarding plan to sell the land will be held before the April 4 city council meeting at 7 p.m.
Council also approved a resolution to submit an application for the upcoming COPS Office Grant Program, which police Chief Jesse Bailes said helps fund the city's school resource officer.
"[Having a resource officer] is indispensable," Bailes said. "The program puts an officer in the schools to work everyday with the kids to form a rapport with the kids, faculty and school to provide some additional security at the schools. It is just a great program."
Dunbar has participated in the program for several years. An officer spends time at Dunbar Middle School and three other schools.
In other business, council:
n Approved a first reading on measure to update the city's codified ordinances to reflect new and amended laws from 2014 - 2015.
n Approved the 2016 - 2017 budget of nearly $6 million.
n Appointed Brian Lanham as municipal court judge effective Tuesday.
n Approved March 7 meeting minutes.