A new bazaar is one of several new projects aimed at bolstering tourism in Dunbar, a Convention and Visitors Bureau official told City Council Monday.
Jo Ann Cornell with the Dunbar Convention and Visitors Bureau spoke during council's Monday night meeting about Art in the Park Artisan Marketplace, which will take place every Saturday, August through September, except August 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Shawnee Park. There's no fee to set up as a vendor and all artisans from the Kanawha Valley are welcome.
"It is all about community and how we can help others to prosper," Cornell said. "We are trying to recreate our town and this is another way we can, with our parks and so forth."
Cornell believes the city is moving in the right direction with its plans at Wine Cellar Park to build cabins and increase direct access to Anderson Lake.
Council members approved a request by Jim Brown to use the city's name and logo to help raise funds for the paving project at Wine Cellar Park leading to Anderson Lake. Dunbar Mayor Terry Greenlee told council he met with the AFLCIO president about the project.
"They have a fund to help communities with and it's a project they're looking into to see if they can help us," Greenlee said. "We really want to get that paved and make it easier for people to get up there [to Lake Anderson]."
Greenlee said there are future plans to add a "mini-Tamarack" artisan center at Wine Cellar Park.
Another city park is also receiving improvements. Dunbar City Park will have new modern playground equipment added and two new shelters. City workers will start construction on one of the shelters later this month.
Rentals at the park are strong, Greenlee said.
Greenlee also spoke of potential plans for the old train depot that sits along the banks of the Kanawha River behind the Kroger.
"We are working on a hundred-foot boat dock, and I'd like to see a restaurant to cater to the boaters and people who want to come sit along the river," he said.
Also on Monday, council members took the final step to raise pay for various department heads.
The building inspector, public works director and parks and recreation director will receive an increase of $1,000 annually. The police chief will earn $1,500 more annually and some elected officials' pay will increase 28 cents per hour.
Council passed the first reading of an ordinance to raise the fire chief's pay $1,500 annually. There was an error in the amount of the increase the fire chief was to receive in the first reading of this ordinance during the July 28 meeting, forcing council to begin the process again, Greenlee said.
Council members voted to donate an old ambulance to Clendenin.
"We just haven't been using it much and we have other vehicles to use," Greenlee said. "After the flooding in Clendenin, we thought, instead of us selling it we could donate it to Clendenin."
In other business, council:
n Approved July 18 meeting minutes;
n Recognized movie night volunteers;
n Discussed the National Night Out on Crime event. The event takes place Aug. 2 at The Landing from 5 to 8 p.m. and aims to promote community and police relations.