A successful, post-Covid reopening of the Wellman skating rink has encouraged city council members to reinvest some of the rink’s proceeds back into the business.

On Monday, Feb. 7, council members approved the purchase of a $2,500 roller skate wheel-washing machine. Council members said that the skates owned by the rink needed cleaning and that an effort by a local group had cleaned less than a quarter of the inventory in a recent work session.

The new machine will clean the wheels within seconds, council people said, and will help preserve the new flooring at the rink. It could also be used to clean private party skates of small rocks and other debris to protect the floor from unknown substances.

Council members also approved a plan to allow the rink to sell skates to patrons. The rink will become a dealer in partnership with the Southeastern Skate Supply Company.

Additionally, attendance at the rink on weekends and for its special adult night skates has been so large that the council is in discussion on improving the parking lot.

In other business, city council members approved the use of the kitchen at the Wellman Recreation Center by Adaptive Sports for a fundraising, 3-on-3 basketball tournament to be conducted in March. Dixie Conrad, whose son plays for the nationally ranked Grizzlies, made the request on behalf of the group.

Council members also:

• Heard a presentation from Mary Audia, Executive Director of the Washington Economic Development Group providing an update on current projects.

• Increased the discretionary spending authority of the mayor and city manager.

• Approved a 28E agreement with Washington County for surveying and preparatory work on bridge replacement within the city.

• Set a February 21 public hearing on the proposed property tax levy for 2022-23.