LINDEN — The city council officially addressed the Linden Athletic Field situation for the first time Tuesday.

During its regular meeting, the council voted to purchase the field from the Linden Athletic Association contingent upon its receipt of signed commitments from the Linden City Schools Board of Education and Marengo Academy’s governing body by noon Friday.

The commitments in question are identical documents specific to each school that were drafted by the city council. Under those agreements, both Marengo Academy and Linden High School would play their varsity and non-varsity football dates at Linden Athletic Field for the next five years.

After that time, all entities would have the opportunity to extend the arrangement.

The move would return the Linden Patriots to the field they long played on prior to the 2011 season when the team played the majority of its home dates at Marengo High School in Dixon’s Mills and one such game at Central High School in Tuscaloosa.

Under the agreements, each school would pay $400 for every varsity game it plays at the field and $100 per non-varsity event.

The schools would bear the responsibility of cleaning up after each game and storing its own materials and signage in areas provided by the city. The city would take care of the general maintenance of the facility.

Should both schools meet the appointed deadline, the city council would then forego a special called meeting that is tentatively set for Friday at 4 p.m.