Market committee formed

The Chico City Council moved to create a subcommittee to try to deal with the current impasse over the future of the Saturday farmers’ market during a closed-session meeting April 15.

The market’s contract to stay at the city-owned parking lot at Second and Wall streets is set to expire at the end of the year. Market supporters are collecting signatures to put the matter before the voters in the November election. But recently retired City Attorney Lori Barker said such an ordinance does not mesh with the state Constitution.

The committee is made up of Councilman Randall Stone, Vice Mayor Mark Sorensen and Mark Wolfe, director of the city’s Planning Services Department. City Manager Brian Nakamura confirmed the news that for some reason was not made public at the council meeting following the closed session. Nakmura said the idea is to get some dialogue flowing between the opposing sides and come to an agreement regarding the future of the market.