WILLIAMSTOWN -The city of Williamstown plans to finish two major projects in the coming year with the completion of Fenton Park and upgrades to the city water treatment plant.

Upgrades to the sewage treatment plant will begin in 2010 with the more than 20-year-old plant getting an over-haul, said Mayor Jean Ford.

The project is expected to cost more than $1.7 millon, which caused the city to raise sewer rates by 15 percent in July to help cover the costs. To pay for a little less than half of the project, in August, the city was awarded $600,000 in government stimulus funds.

"If we hadn't gotten the stimulus grant, we would have had to raise the water rates by 37 percent to cover the cost of the project," Ford said.

The sewage system will receive a new strainer for incoming waste as well as a rebuilt aerator and replacing the drying beds with a belt press to allow the city to better dispose of the end product.

The belt press is needed because the current drying beds are not allowing the waste to dry enough for the city to sell it as fertilizer, which means the city must pay to have it hauled to a landfill.

"With the waste water treatment plant project approved and the stimulus money graciously received, Williamstown will better be able to take care of its people," said Councilwoman Barbara Lewis said.

The city finished the walking trail at Fenton Park, which runs along West Virginia 14, this year and plans to put the final touches on the space in 2010.

"We got the blacktop on the walking trail and we hope to work on signage, lighting and a drinking fountain this year," Lewis said. "We also hope to get restrooms in."

The park was expected to be finished in 2006, but hit snags after two major floods and other issues.

The idea for the park began in June 2002 when Frank Fenton, chairman of Fenton Art Glass Co., donated the land to the city for a park to be constructed.

Because the park will be for adults, there are no plans to install playground equipment or toys.

"We also hope to put a walking map in the park to link it to the wetlands and across the bridge to Marietta," Lewis said. "Those are some of the dreams we have and plans we've made."

In June, the city opened the Williamstown Healthy Lifestyle Swimming Pool to the public.

The cost of the pool project was $1.736 million with $1.436 million from donations or grants. The other $300,000 was in volunteer labor from individuals and contractors, Ford said.

Before it opened, the city entered an agreement with the Marietta Family YMCA for management of the pool facility and the pool, baby pool and concession stand will be part of a healthy lifestyle initiative for the community.

The city closed the old pool, which was more than 50 years old and in dire need of expensive repairs, in 2004 after the Wood County Schools Board of Education announced it would need the land the pool was on to expand the Williamstown High School grounds.

The new pool is located across the street from Williamstown High School on land donated by the Wood County school district and the Fenton Foundation.

The city also plans to complete the Safe Routes to Schools program in the coming year with grants funded through states to cities.

Williamstown received a $99,000 grant to build a sidewalk along Dodge Avenue for this grant and has applied for a second grant in hopes of continuing the sidewalk on Fifth Street away from the high school, Ford said.

"Keeping our community healthy and strong while maintaining Williamstown as a bright spot for West Virginia are my commitments for 2010," Ford said.