Council looks into food truck ordinance

     The Monticello City Council introduced and approved the first reading to amend the city’s “Peddlers, Solicitors, and Transient Merchants” ordinance. Council members Dave Goedken and Rob Paulson were opposed.

     During the Nov. 5 council meeting, Holly Trevino of Monticello was present to further discuss the city’s ordinance to allow Trevino and her husband to operate their food truck business in town.

     City Administrator Doug Herman said he consulted other city ordinances in Iowa concerning the operation of food truck vendors, as this is a first for Monticello.

     Goedken said he was hearing a lot of pushback from local restaurants. “They have to pay high property taxes and we can allow food trucks to operate with no overhead?” he asked. “People want to be treated fairly for what they’ve invested in this community through property taxes.”

     Trevino shot back saying if that’s the case, than why doesn’t everyone pay the same amount in residential property taxes? “I want my house taxes to be the same as everyone else’s,” said Trevino. “But it’s not that way; it’s based on value.

     “Why should I be denied my business because it’s not in a building?” she continued.

     Council member Johnny Russ said those property taxes help pay for the street repairs in town, the street Trevino’s food truck is parked on.

     Trevino said the City of Monticello is the only place she’s come up against resistance. “Monticello is the only issue I’ve had with the fee and what’s required,” she said.

     Mayor Brian Wolken commented that food trucks are gaining in popularity in cities throughout Iowa.

     “This ordinance is just a start,” Herman noted. “It could be changed and narrowed some.” (The ordinance does require three readings.)

     Herman said the ordinance does not spell out the food truck fee yet, either. “That could be separate fee or approved by resolution,” he advised.

In other city business:

     • The council approved the seventh pay request from Taylor Construction in the amount of $48,889.94 related to work on the E. First Street Bridge Replacement Project. Council member Paulson was aopposed.

     The total value of work completed is $544.603.40. The city is sitting on a retainage of $16,338.10.

     • The council approved partial payment to Anderson Ladd, Inc. in the amount of $95,770.50 for work related to the Berndes Center floor replacement project. Council member Tom Yeoman was opposed. The city sits on 25 percent retainage, of $31,923.50.

     Yeoman said he was not comfortable with a 75/25 percent split, but would rather see 50/50. “I don’t want to see them walk away from this,” he said of the contractor who has some work remaining to remedy the flooring issues.

     “There’s no reason to think they wouldn’t come back,” said Herman. “They’ve been around for a whole time.”