On Monday, the Porterdale City Council accepted the donation of a wheelchair ramp-equipped bus. The bus was donated by the Newton County School System (NCSS).

At the meeting, council members and Mayor Arline Chapman discussed ways that the bus could be used to promote the city and benefit its citizens. One of the suggested uses was using the bus to transport disabled kayakers and canoers to the handicapped accessible kayak and canoe launch that the city hopes to build using a grant from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Recreational Trails program.

Members also discussed building a combination kayak rack/speaker platform on the top of the bus so that in addition to transporting kayakers, the bus could be utilized as a stage for emcees at city festivals.

There was even discussion of Santa Claus riding on top of the bus during the city’s annual Christmas parade. The suggestion that eventually the bus could be used to transport senior citizens to the grocery store once a week was also made.

City Manager Bob Thomson said Thursday right now, the city has no specific plans for the bus and the council will decide the best uses for the bus at its February retreat.

Thomson also said the city hopes to enlist artists to transform the exterior of the bus in a manner similar to the city’s Art Car. Thomson suggested that some of the graphics might include mill village and river scenes.

It was also suggested at the council meeting that the city logo could be attached to the bus’s exterior.