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WELLSBURG -- City officials are inviting the young and young at heart to a free Christmas event at the Town Square Sunday afternoon, and two new faces will be joining Wellsburg Council at its next regular meeting.
Mayor Dan Dudley said thanks to an anonymous donor, rides on the miniature train seen during the Wellsburg Applefest will be offered from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. while Santa Claus and the Grinchmobile also will appear during that time.
Dudley said the train will leave the Town Square for periodic trips around the Downtown Business District.
He added milk and cookies will be served to children there.
The event is expected to be held, rain or shine.
Dudley and Wellsburg Council also are preparing for their next regular meeting, which will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, where they will be joined by a new 2nd Ward Council member and a new city clerk.
Geno Capp and Mikeal Maguschak, respectively, were appointed to the two offices at council's Nov. 10 meeting.
Council voted 4-3 for Capp to fill the seat previously held by Mary Margaret Rosso, who recently submitted her resignation, and 4-3 for Maguschak to fill the long-vacant position of city clerk.
In both cases, 1st Ward Councilmen Jack Kins and Jerry Nichols and 3rd Ward Councilmen Randy Fletcher and Tom Gaudio voted for the two appointments.
Second Ward Councilman Scott Caldwell and 4th Ward Councilmen Charlie Harris and Fred Marino had voted for another candidate for the council seat, having received four applications in all.
There also were four applicants for the part-time position of city clerk, which involves taking minutes at council meetings and overseeing the city's elections.
There was a difference of opinion regarding Maguschak's appointment because he is the son of City Manager Steve Maguschak.
Since a majority of voters in the city's last election supported changing the city clerk to an appointed, rather than elected, position, that task normally would fall to the city manager.
Because his son was one of the applicants, the city manager and others suggested he recuse himself and the mayor be named acting city manager specifically for that task.
Harris stated he wasn't satisfied the move was appropriate in filling the position.
Dudley said both men will serve the city well.
He said Capp is a lifelong Wellsburg resident who has walked many areas of the city and knows it well.
In his letter of application, Capp noted he lived in the 1st Ward for 40 years before moving to the 2nd Ward.
"Living in Wellsburg for all of these years, I have seen the highs and the lows of this town. With the construction of the new (Ohio River) bridge, the removal of dilapidated houses and the ongoing repairs to the infrastructure, I feel that Wellsburg is in a high cycle."
"I want Wellsburg to be a leader in the state. I am a team player and can work with anyone to get the job done," he added.
Dudley noted Mikeal Maguschak was hired in 2017 to create a new website for the city and assist with other technological issues, and he believes that experience will be very helpful in his new role.
Mikeal also is employed as a program manager in the City of Weirton's business and rental registration office and has served as clerk of council and director of information technology for the Village of Mingo Junction.