BENTON — With construction scheduled to begin later this year on the new Franklin County Courthouse on the Benton Square, several merchants located on and just off the square spoke with the Benton City Council about parking on the square at Monday night’s meeting.

According to Benton City Clerk Brook Craig, the merchants do not believe the parking in front of their businesses should be for employees of any of the square businesses or the county. They would like the city to deem these parking spots for customers only.

Franklin County Circuit Clerk Jim Muir attended Monday’s meeting. Muir said that with the County Clerk’s office and the Treasurer’s office moving in the next week, this should open up about 12 parking spots.

A discussion with Muir was then held regarding parking of construction vehicles during demolition and construction of the new courthouse along with where the county employees will be parking once the move is made to the Campbell Building.

Muir said that there would be people parked on both sides of Church Street, in the parking lots, and that the First Baptist Church had offered their parking lot to county employees as well.

Since this was merely discussion, no action was taken by the city council on this issue.