With the holidays approaching, Chester City Council announced this year’s Christmas parade is “Hometown Christmas”. The parade will start at 1st St. and wooden gingerbread houses are a new feature of the community celebration. The wood has been donated by Builder’s Wholesale.
Chestnut Hill has asked that the alley be closed for vendors during Hometown Christmas due to concerns of being blocked off by the 5-K Race.
At time of year when activities are made possible through the efforts of volunteers, Councilmen Steve Shuman and John Woodruff conveyed special thanks to Matt and Cindy Cashdollars for all they do as volunteers for Chester.
Cara McMahon and Meg Eckelberry are working together to get a mural painted at the underpass across from Wendy’s. The two are working with Montani Outreach, a 501-C3 and they requested Council support the grant application. Council voted to provisionally support their efforts.
In other business, Council:
**Accepted receipts of $268,109.66 and placed the funds in the General account;
**Paid bills of $91,077.83 from the General account;
**Accepted receipts of $4,800 and placed the funds into the Building Fund;
**Paid bills of $24,205 out of the Building fund;
**Learned from Mayor Ed Wedgqood that the Welcome to Chester are up;
**There has still been no reply from the company contracted to paint the curbs;
**Aunica Biela wrote to Council to protest her being charged with the Municipal Fee for a house owns, but doesn’t live in. She inherited the house, but lives in Florida. Council voted for her to pay the full amount.
**Council voted to finance $240,000 for new light poles through a share loan from Hancock County Savings Bank;
**The first reading of Ordinance 2025-11 was passed. The ordinance will move City elections to correlate with County, State and National elections;
**A one-time salary adjustment was approved for City employees;
**Patrolman Tyler Davis completed training in North Carolina to become certified to determine what impairment a driver may have DUI or drugs.
