CHESTER — After the recent death of the city’s park caretaker, the council decided it was time to hire a part-time gardener for city-owned green spaces.

Chester City Park commissioners Don Murray and Sue Hineman attended the council’s regular meeting Monday to discuss the creation of the position.

Mayor Ed Wedgewood, after paying tribute to Don Hyatt’s commitment to the park, suggested hiring a groundskeeper for 30 hours a week, six months a year with a starting salary of $15 an hour.

Murray said he potentially has leads on some qualified candidates who would report to him.

Council members Nathan Wright and John Woodruff, who also serve on the park board, and Mike Dotson agreed to seek candidates for the position with a maximum annual budget of $15,000 for lawn care at city parks and Giant Teapot.

Jason Thorn and Steve Shuman were absent from the meeting along with City Clerk Tara Ayers, who was replaced for the meeting by Assistant City Clerk Ashton McKendrick.

During the meeting, which lasted 55 minutes, receipts worth $244,113.48 were accepted in the general fund and $12,285 in the construction fund, as well as paid invoices worth $142,980.49 from the general fund and $1,206.81 from the construction fund.

Mayor Wedgewood updated during his report that the paving was done as well as could be expected with few disruptions, and the city will open bids for the demolition project at a special meeting on Friday, Nov. 15 at noon at the Municipal Building.

The city will install fire hydrants within its system on Tuesday, November 12 in Lawrenceville and Wednesday, November 13 in Chester.

Due to today’s elections, city offices will be closed, he added.

In other actions, the advice:

— Paid Trillium’s remaining $22,458 bill after the company refused the city’s return of the Model C torque flow package for the water department’s sand machine or offered the city a payment plan .

— Approved vacation pay adjustments for city employees: $500 after taxes for full-time employees and $250 after taxes for part-time employees. (Elected officials excluded).

— Agreed to have Dotson, who oversees the city’s construction operations, look at bids for construction of a new handicapped ramp in the municipal building’s multipurpose room.

— Approved the purchase of up to 110 tons of road salt at $85.87 a ton, or $9,445.70, after consulting with Shuman, who was absent and is highway superintendent.

— Scheduled the 15 holidays observed in 2015 on which city offices will be closed, mirroring the accepted list for the state of West Virginia.

— Renewed his annual maintenance contract for the photocopier in the patrol officer’s office for $370.

Due to the special bid opening meeting on Friday, Nov. 15, and the lack of year-end business, Wedgewood announced there would be no December town meeting before the council adjourned its November session.

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