Does Farmville have designated places where people who purchase merchandise on the Internet can meet up?

Farmville residents will soon see an Internet commodity exchange location behind the Farmville Police Department on Main Street that will have 24-hour surveillance.

“We’ve had a lot of requests from people about providing a safe place for people that either sell items on the Internet and/or sell items on Facebook,” said Town Manager Gerald Spates during the town council’s March 9 meeting.

A letter to the Town of Farmville from resident Bryan Roethel said that during the last two years, business on Farmville’s yard

sale page on Facebook has picked up significantly.

“On this page, people can post and ask for items,” Roethel said. “I think this is a great thing for the community, but it does have a drawback. Many people are either meeting at other’s homes or in random locations around town.”

He said there was a possibility of buyers or sellers being attacked due to a transaction that occurred as a result of an Internet sale, highlighting the fact that it was unsafe for people to meet in unsecured locations.

Roethel said there are other local towns that have implemented exchange locations, and he believed the Farmville could greatly benefit from the addition.

“I think we should follow their example and provide someplace that is safe for our residents to make online exchanges,” Roethel said.

Spates said the new Internet exchange would be located in the metered spaces directly behind the Farmville Police Department and town offices. “We would like to designate two parking spaces in the back, behind the police station. …,” he said.

According to Spates, the exchange location would be available from 5 p.m.-8 a.m. Monday through Friday and on the weekends.

The exchange zone could be utilized during the day before 5 p.m. if metered parking is paid. He said cameras would be used to monitor the location.