The city of Dunbar finished its financial year better than it anticipated.
Dunbar City Council passed a resolution to revise the city's 2016-2017 budget to account for the savings.
"We were just frugal in our spending," Dunbar Mayor Terry Greenlee said. "We cut a lot of the unnecessary things out and we're making people pay their bills, and by doing that we saved an extra half million this year."
Greenlee said by allowing attrition to take care of overstaffing, realigning city resources for more efficient trash services and just buying what the city needs, the city could achieve the savings without raising taxes.
Dunbar City Clerk Connie Fulknier was pleased with the city's financial performance.
"We had a surplus of over $500,000, we came out very good this year," Fulknier said.
Some of the savings will go toward road paving and other infrastructure needs, the city's new fund to help tear down debilitated structures and city employee pay raises, the remaining will go back into the city's general fund.
"In the economy it's nice to survive this year with some left over," Councilman Greg Hudson added.
Council passed the first reading of several ordinances that would increase city employee and department head pay. The building inspector, public works director, parks and recreation director and fire chief will receive an increase of $1,000 annually. The police chief's pay will rise $1,500 annually and other elected officials pay will increase 28 cents per hour if the measure is adopted. Council will revisit the ordinance at its next meeting.
Also on Monday, council approved a measure to allow the city to purchase a new vehicle for the building inspector's use. The vehicle purchase isn't to exceed $6,000.
In other business, council:
n Discussed the upcoming luau and pig roast at Shawnee Park beginning at 6 p.m. July 23.
n Honored 17-year-old South Charleston High School student Madison Robinson as citizen of the month for her outstanding academic and volunteer achievements.
n Approved July 5 meeting minutes.