Mary Alice Reporting –
Following confusion over what ordinance they were passing, the original draft or a revision, council ultimately voted unanimously on legislation related to mobile food and special events.
The first drafts were presented to the Safety, Health, and Services Committee on April 18th, and without much discussion, approved it for council. Community members have been showing up to the past several regular council meetings to voice concerns about the rush of the legislation and how the draft was modeled after ordinances in cities not equal to Uhrichsville’s size.
At the May 23rd meeting, President Robert Cottrell read a statement asking for council to send the special event and food vendor ordinances back to committee for further review. Mayor Jim Zucal said it was council’s meeting, the committee did its work, and preferred it move forward for a vote.
The agenda read legislation before visitor comments and with the third reading of Ordinances 07-24 and 08-24, a motion was made to adopt but confusion followed, with over six minutes in discussion, as to which version they were voting on and if the no alcohol sale on city property was listed.
Law Director Jeff Merklin asked, “I mean there’s two options, I don’t know which one [you’re voting on].”
“The original one was unanimously voted upon in committee and then it came here, so that’s the one we’re on the third reading for”, said Councilwoman Leigh Ann McCray
Zucal then said, “For clarity, it’s allowed on private property. We’re addressing the original language to public property.”
“So, it does not say anything in 7-24 here as far as sale of alcohol but that’s what where discussing”, asked Councilman Matt Fox.
Merklin added, “I think we’re talking about the first ordinance that says no alcohol on city property.” With McCray saying, “yes, with the rest of the language that goes with it.”
A community member then said the original had a school provision, which would limit PTO events. Merklin agreed that he had taken that out in a second draft, but McCray said, “if the parties are taking place on their property, it’s not dealing with the city.”
The mobile food vending ordinance also passed unanimously, but with more discussion. It was noted that sections of passed legislation could be amended.
Farmer’s Market Co-Founder Whitney Manson pointed out concerns over providing social security numbers had been taken out but that provision was still in the original version, and she had discussed with the law director of allowing the alcohol permit process to be decided at the state level.
“He made an updated draft for the mobile food vendors, for the second reading, and tonight it appears they didn’t even look at the second draft and that any suggestions given, any changes that were made on the law director’s side based off feedback he got from the community were not taken into consideration.”
Market Co-Founder Laura Grey voiced frustration over council passing something that they agreed could be modified in the future, instead of perfecting it to where each member understood the language.
Mayor Zucal explained that the ordinances would take effect in 30 days and the next step is to create an application and permit fee scale.
“Comparison of other events of the same size, same standards. So, I’ve told them it would be consistent with other communities that are comparable, St. Clairsville, Cambridge, Dover, we’re going to do basically a cut and paste.”
Zucal and Manson confirmed that, at minimum, the first Uhrichsville Farmer’s Market, on June 14th, would not be impacted by the legislation, and they would have to submit the application for the remaining markets and any food vendors once city administration makes it available.
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