Marion looks to change vendor ordinance

MARION - Members of the Marion City Council took the first step Thursday night to tighten the rules on vendors at City Park.

Each year, the park, in downtown Marion, plays host to events like the Swamp Fox Festival and Marion by Moonlight. Vendors selling food, drinks, and crafts pay fees to event organizers to sell to the crowds inside the park. For example, at the Marion Arts Festival, which draws 13,000 to 15,000 patrons each day, vendors are charged at least $100 to set up in a prime location. Event sponsors also insist that vendors have insurance and pass health inspections if necessary.

Last year, a vendor who had not paid the fee set up shop on a sidewalk outside the park during an event. Although he had a valid peddler's license from the city, he had not paid organizers to set up inside the park.

That struck some vendors as unfair.

“There are rules and regulations that apply to all of these events, so I would say if you want to get involved, you need to go to the organizer,” said Debbie Wright, who operates the Wright Touch catering and baking business with her husband. Wright said she plans to take part in a number of Marion events this year.

Marion City Manager Lon Pluckhahn said the fact that the vendor was able to sell outside City Park “revealed a weakness in a current ordinance that could have turned into something big. So we thought, let's tweak the ordinance and tighten it up a little bit.”

Thursday night, Marion council members voted 7-0 to change the peddler's license ordinance, prohibiting vendors from selling on public sidewalks around City Park during events. The change must pass three readings, so the Council will have to vote on it twice more. The first event that the change would apply to would be the Marion Arts Festival, on May 19.

Marion Chamber of Commerce President Jill Ackerman, whose organization sponsors several large public events, said she thinks the change is a good idea.

“It only applies when the park is rented, so it just seems like good common sense,” Ackerman said.

Ackerman said having a way to better control those who sell food and other items during festivals will allow sponsors to make sure vendors meet minimum standards.