CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Salary increases for Dunbar city department heads were approved at the regular council meeting Monday night. The raise will be effective retroactively to Jan. 1.

Councilwoman Connie Boardman said, "The raises are already in the budget as a line item, so they will balance out at the end of the [fiscal] year." She said the raises had been in limbo for the past two years while council members were in litigation against former Mayor Roger Wolfe.

Wolfe, who attended the meeting and is seeking election in the June 2009 primary, said he believed the raises were necessary and had tried to implement them for two years. Council members removed Wolfe as mayor late last year after court action was filed against him.

Mayor Jack Yeager administered the oath of office to new Public Works Director Howard Reynolds, who replaced David Nelson. The move comes on the heels of personnel changes in the police department, in which Yeager appointed a new police chief and made other moves to restructure the department.

The mayor said extensive interviews with city employees led him to make the changes.

Yeager also recognized recreation department head Connie Fulknier for her efforts to obtain a $50,000 state grant to restore the trails at Wine Cellar Park.

In other business, new residents of Dunbar will receive a welcome packet of information to be distributed at City Hall. The packet contains letters from city officials and information about schools, restaurants and activities in Dunbar.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Salary increases for Dunbar city department heads were approved at the regular council meeting Monday night. The raise will be effective retroactively to Jan. 1.

Councilwoman Connie Boardman said, "The raises are already in the budget as a line item, so they will balance out at the end of the [fiscal] year." She said the raises had been in limbo for the past two years while council members were in litigation against former Mayor Roger Wolfe.

Wolfe, who attended the meeting and is seeking election in the June 2009 primary, said he believed the raises were necessary and had tried to implement them for two years. Council members removed Wolfe as mayor late last year after court action was filed against him.

Mayor Jack Yeager administered the oath of office to new Public Works Director Howard Reynolds, who replaced David Nelson. The move comes on the heels of personnel changes in the police department, in which Yeager appointed a new police chief and made other moves to restructure the department.

The mayor said extensive interviews with city employees led him to make the changes.

Yeager also recognized recreation department head Connie Fulknier for her efforts to obtain a $50,000 state grant to restore the trails at Wine Cellar Park.

In other business, new residents of Dunbar will receive a welcome packet of information to be distributed at City Hall. The packet contains letters from city officials and information about schools, restaurants and activities in Dunbar.