Loveland Magazine was the only media outlet to attend and report from this council meeting
Loveland, Ohio – Peggy Goodwin spoke at the Loveland City council meeting on March 28, explaining how provisions in a proposed “Transient Business and Vendors” ordinance can have a negative impact on the Loveland Farmers’ Market and other public events in the City. She told Loveland Magazine yesterday via an Email, “We are moving ahead with plans to open the market on May 2, but I’d like to withhold comment on the proposed changes until this ordinance comes back to Council next week. We want to be sure those changes negotiated by Kathy Bailey and Pam Gross are actually adopted by the full Council as our successful operation depends on the provisions outlined in that draft document.”
At the meeting, the ordinance that had been previously introduced was voted down, and replace with that draft document. The revision, a red and blue lined document, that can be read below, was not passed out to those in attendance until after the open forum. The ordinance that will be in front of Council for a vote this Tuesday can also be read below. Goodwin is one of eight volunteers that manage the market. At the open forum, she said they have serious concerns about the ordinance. She said, “This places an undue burden on the market and our vendors.” She told the council that the fees and process make the Loveland market uncompetitive with markets in areas surrounding Loveland.
Goodwin said many of the farmers who sell at the market will have to make a 2-hour round-trip to come to Loveland to fill out paperwork and pay the fees. She detailed other concerns, and you can learn about them in the video below. Included are requirements for insurance, fingerprinting, and background checks. She said that many vendors will find the entire cost too much and they might soon realize that Loveland is no longer an “Attractive entity.”
Clerk of Council Misty Cheshire said on Friday that the ordinance has been amended further, but did not disclose if there are further changes.
Joe Wahler, a nearby resident and vendor at the market who sells jams and jellies also urged council to reconsider what they were doing. He started what he felt was an amusing presentation by saying, “Howdy. How y’all doing? I’m back again.” He continued, “Um, I feel really, really ignorant – because, I cannot for the life of me begin to comprehend or understand what it is about the Farmers’ Market that makes you think that putting us out of business is going to bring more money into the City of Loveland.” He asked council if they were serious about wanting to fingerprint him and make him undergo a background check just to sell jams and jellies.
Mayor Mark Fitzgerald told Wahler that the open forum was Wahler’s chance to speak, but would not enter into a dialogue. The question Wahler asked went unanswered. Fitzgerald said, “You’re our guest and we welcome you, but we are not here for your question and answer – so if you’d just please conclude your comments.”
Wahler responded, “I’m tickled no end to be here.”
“I will be paying much attention to how the voters react when they find out that their daughters in the Girl Scouts selling cookies need to be fingerprinted, and that their sons in the Boy Scouts selling popcorn need to be fingerprinted.”
Waller concluded his presentation by barking.
Read: Transient Business and Vendors Ordinance that will be at Council Table Tuesday, April 11, 2014
The overreach of government is so extensive that if this were 1776, there would have been a push back by the people. Big government is the problem and has been the problem forever… I can’t help but wonder if all those taxes being collected are there just to pay for somebody’s Lexus or swimming pool. The world needs less politicians. Politicians don’t produce anything but problems. We don’t need any of these people, they only need us to be stupid and submissive..