A local vendor raised his concerns to City Council last night about a proposed increase in vending fees.
Paul Wildeck, owner of Burrito Buggy, said street vendors should not have to pay for garbage pickup - as other Uptown merchants are required to do - because street vendors have their own waste disposal method.
I am not aware of other rates in the city that raise this geometrically
he said.
I have my own garbage receptacle and pay a fee of $80 a month for use of the Dumpster.
Council is considering modifying a proposed ordinance that will raise fees to $1,000 for vendors on the Baker Center side of East Union Street and $75 for vendors on the College Green side of the street. The fees have been $750 and $50 respectively since 1987.
Council also discussed modifying the ordinance as it relates to buggy specifications to persuade more vendors on the College Green side of East Union Street to vend year-round, not just on Halloween weekend.
Currently, the ordinance for vending states that buggies must be made specially to vend on East Union Street. Council is discussing changing these requirements to allow factory standard buggies to vend.
Another idea is to stipulate a minimum number of days that vendors on the Baker Center side of East Union Street are required to vend. At this point, the proposed ordinance will only require the vendors on the College Green to vend 20 days.
Council also discussed improvements of the water line and pump station on Columbus Road. The area was damaged as a result of the flooding last spring.
Various repairs to the line will cost the city a total of $225,000. City officials said they will try to cover the cost with $75,000 of budget money, $75,000 of loaned money and $75,000 in Federal Emergency Management Agency grant money, but council members were still unsure if they would be able to get the grant money. 17
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Meghan Nicholson
