POMEROY — Effective immediately, free parking on the Pomeroy parking lot will no longer be available.

That was the decision made on Monday evening by Pomeroy Village Council.

Bags, which had covered the meters, were removed on Tuesday morning. Ten spaces, to be selected at a later date, will be established for free parking.

President of the Pomeroy Merchants Association Dan Short spoke with council concerning the free parking during Monday’s meeting. Free parking had been in place on the parking lot since mid-March.

Members of council, Short and Police Chief Mark Proffitt noted that while the parking has allowed for customers to park, it has been abused by some, as well.

Short and Proffitt mentioned that some of those living above the downtown businesses were using the free spaces on a regular basis, along with a few employees and business owners in the downtown area.

Short suggested to council that — instead the current plan, which made parking on the side away from the river free — 10 spaces throughout the lot be designated as free spaces for customers to park.

Spaces for free parking will be marked by permanent signs to be placed when the free parking is made available.

The village has, in past years, also provided free parking in the downtown area from Thanksgiving to Christmas as part of the holiday shopping season.

It is unclear if the free spaces being designated on the parking lot will affect the traditional free holiday season parking.

Parking spaces along the river side of the parking lot are available as reserved spaces with the purchase of a permit. The permits may be purchased at Pomeroy Village Hall.

Present at the council meeting were council members Jackie Welker, Robert Payne, Dru Reed, Ruth Spaun, Phil Ohlinger and Vic Young, as well as Mayor Mary McAngus and clerk Sonya Wolfe.

More on Monday’s council meeting will appear in an upcoming edition of The Daily Sentinel.