Marietta church’s food pantry receives regulations

The Marietta First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will need to make some adjustments for its food pantry due to code enforcement complaints.

The Marietta City Council voted 7-0 Wednesday to implement regulations so that the neighbors do not have to hear the outside freezer or see the pallets while sitting on their back porch. A seven-foot wooden privacy fence will be established by the church between the properties at 553 and 559 Frasier St. Hours for food pantry distribution will remain the same from 9 a.m. to noon on Mondays and Saturdays.

The food pantry has been in operation since 1990, serving 500 to 750 families each month, according to Sherwood Smith, the pantry’s executive director, on the church’s website. Pamela Commerato, the pantry’s director, told the council the pantry has limited funds and would not be able to afford $1500 for the fence, $1200 to move the compressor and fix the awning all at one time. Council members did agree for the church to repair the awning and move the compressor later.