BENTON — The City of Benton will not allow vendors and solicitors on the Benton Square while construction of the new Franklin County Courthouse is going on. That decision was made at Monday night’s Benton City Council meeting.

According to City Clerk Brook Craig, vendors and solicitors can be at the intersections one block off the square to pass out items or collect. Craig says a statement was made that people need to be aware during COVID-19 that they are taking that on themselves to accept items from people through their car windows.

In other business, the council approved and awarded the East Main parking lot bid to Samron Midwest Contracting for just over $44,000. Samron was the only bid. The council also approved and awarded the low bid of almost $228,000 to B.C. Contracting for the sidewalk project. Wiggs Excavating came in at around $256,000 while Samron Midwest Contracting came in at almost $254,000.

The council also learned that the City of Benton is currently at 64.7 percent with the 2020 Census. At the end of the census in 2010, Benton was at 71.3 percent. The city will be at the car show on Sept. 12 to sign citizens up.

Commissioners Lee Messersmith and Cathy Ann Garavalia are also finalizing a COVID-19 Precautions Plan that will be presented to the City Council soon.