DUNBAR, W.Va. — The City of Dunbar is telling the Kanawha County Commission that it will end its agreement to maintain the front half of Shawnee Park at the end of the year.
This week, Dunbar Mayor Scott Elliott wrote a letter to the Kanawha County Commission informing the body of the decision.
Elliott told 580-WCHS in Charleston that maintaining the property during the pandemic was losing money and the council decided this year was the time to give it up as a whole.
“Trying to get the pool open during COVID-19 was a hard time. We couldn’t get it open. We were renting the front end of the complex. The mowing and manpower and everything were costing more money during COVID than anything was bringing in,” Elliott said.
The letter, dated Nov. 14, 2022, in part stated:
“I would like to take the time to thank every Commissioner for giving the City of Dunbar the opportunity to run the front half of Shawnee Sports Complex over the last few years, It has been a great opportunity for our small City to be involved with the Shawnee Sports Complex. Of course, as the Public Works director in 2017, I had to pleasure of figuring out how to get rid of the water from the ponds.
After covid hit in 2020, people could not use the complex; however we kept the lawn mowed and the area clean. In 2021, we had problems with the pool as the filtration system was down for a month and the pool was not used. However, we filled the pool by the time season was almost over. The expenses that the city incurred was astronomical and we were unable to recoup any funds to help cover those costs…”
Elliott went on to say that there haven’t been as many issues this year but the revenue from shelter rentals was not enough to pay the worker salaries. He told 580-WCHS that renting shelters equaled about $300 on the weekends
“Whenever you take $300 a week and try to put all the fuel, all the manpower in everything into keeping the place mowed and cleaned and the pool chemicals, water uptake, the city council felt it was best to walk away,” Elliott said.
The letter ended, ” Due to the aforementioned incurred expenses, the Dunbar City Council has requested that I end the City of Dunbar agreement of oversight of the front half of Shawnee Park. We will continue to uphold the agreement until December 31, 2022.”
Thank you again for the opportunity and please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.
Mayor Scott E. Elliott ”
Elliott said the city’s agreement taking care of the front half the park dates back more than five years.