KINGWOOD — Mark your calendar for Oct. 5 — the 45th anniversary of the dedication of the Craig Civic Center. Plans are being made for an open house celebration.
The event was discussed during Tuesday evening’s council meeting. Plans are not written in stone, but discussion centered around having the civic center open to the public from noon-4 p.m. to show off the changes that have been made. Also discussed was the sale of tickets for events that would take place after 4 p.m., including dinner and dancing. Although the cost of the tickets has not been decided, a fee of $25 each was discussed.
There could be auctions and possibly silent auctions held during the evening. There will be more talk during future meetings. Money raised will go to Kingwood Parks and Recreation.
According to the Kingwood Parks & Recreation website, the civic center was dedicated in 1979. It was created through contributions from the estate of Charles and Edith Craig, the Preston County Commission, the Preston County Economic Development and the Kingwood Volunteer Fire Department. It is available for event rental. Contact Kingwood Parks & Recreation at 304-329-0856 for pricing and reservations.
Council members decided to turn down a request to rent the lot the city owns on Price Street. The request was made by a vendor wanting to rent the space during the Buckwheat Festival.
Mayor Jean Guillot said he talked with local businessman Tom Westbrook who said rent for the lot during the festival could run between $500 and $1,000.
Instead, council decided to go with a suggestion made by councilman Michael Lipscomb, who suggested putting seats on the lot so the public would have a place to sit and rest.
In other business, council members also:
- Voted to appoint Jim Lobb and Craig Jenkins to three-year terms on the Planning Committee.
- Voted to begin holding monthly meetings with Kingwood Parks & Recreation.
- Voted to establish an annual budget for Parks & Recreation.
- Held two executive sessions to discuss legal matters and personnel.
The next meeting of the Kingwood City Council will be 6:30 p.m. Aug. 13.
