T-L Photo/SHELLEY HANSON ERIC RUBEL, owner of Cross Roads Farms of Belmont, talks about the Ohio Valley Farmers’ Market and its concerns during Thursday’s Bellaire Village Council meeting.

BELLAIRE — Eric Rubel had a variety of reasons why the Ohio Valley Farmers’ Market should stay in the village’s parking lot this coming season.

And Village Council listened.

During a regular meeting held Thursday, Rubel, one of the market’s vendors, said market members learned recently that council was considering moving the market site from the parking lot to the village park. But the vendors disagree with that idea, he said.

Rubel gave many reasons why the vendors would prefer to use the parking lot instead of the park, including the need for extra parking for customers and the ease of use and access to reliable electricity. He also said the parking lot site is easy to see from Ohio 7.

“We had been involved in St. Clairsville for a few years in front of the courthouse, and we were seeing there was a quite a problem with our customers where they had to park on on-street parking and at a long distance. I think that hurt our attendance and our sales,” he said.

“There are quite a few elderly people who attend our market, and it’s pretty difficult if you have to walk a long distance.”

Rubel said the market already has a storage shed on site at the lot, and it contains tables and other items needed for the market. The lot also provides access to a telephone line that allows vendors to take Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, payments.

Rubel noted that while the park may provide some shade, unloading and loading items would be more difficult for vendors. Also, during inclement weather the park likely would get muddy due to wear and tear from the vendors and visitors.

Councilman Donny Maupin and Councilwoman Elizabeth Dugmore assured Rubel that council would work out a way for the market to continue using the parking lot.

“We don’t want the farmers’ market to leave Bellaire,” Maupin said.

Bellaire Police Chief Dick Flanagan suggested the village rearrange the rented parking spaces to make sure there would be no conflicts with the market vendors using spaces.

Bellaire Volunteer Fire Department firefighter Ray Penyak suggested Maupin and Rubel work on choosing a new designated market site in the lot by marking off an area with tape and cones.

The market is held on Saturdays during warmer weather months of the year.