First Baptist Church, Union Enter Into Parking Lot Agreement

City leaders agreed to enter into a contract Monday night with the First Baptist Church of Union for the use of a parking lot in exchange for maintaining the lot.

Portions of the church lot are used for commuter parking, but under the new agreement, the lot also will be used for the city’s farmers market on Saturday mornings.

Aldermen approved the ordinance during a special meeting Monday night.

Under the agreement, the city will continue the use of the lot for commuter parking lot in exchange for a “slurry seal” of the entire lot. That is estimated to cost the city about $34,000.

The parking lot is west of the Union Baptist Church located at Highways 50 and 47.

In exchange for allowing the lot to be a commuter parking lot, the city would resurface that portion of the lot and the lot used for church parking, as well as remove snow, patch holes, clean litter and insure the property.

That agreement expired in 2004, but the city has continued to remove snow, and conduct other duties included in the agreement. The lot also has been used for commuter parking.

The agreement also includes “driveways and entrances” including those from Highway 50 to the lot, and from Main Street to the lot. The Main Street entrance also is used by Walgreens.

Farmers Market

In June, the city will begin using the lot for its Saturday morning farmers market.

The farmers market is now located on the city-owned parking lot across Locust Street from city hall.

Officials have said they were looking for a new location for the farmers market, preferably a space that is visible from Highway 50.

Space is allocated for a farmers market at the parking lot north of Union City Hall each Saturday from April through October from 6-11 a.m.

There also is space available for the market Wednesdays from 3:30-5:30 at the same location across from city hall.

The Wednesday farmers market would remain downtown if the Saturday morning market is moved.