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Franklin County leaves RAGBRAI vendor licensing to state inspectors, no new county ordinance planned
Summary
County officials discussed vendor licensing and public-safety roles for RAGBRAI stops and agreed not to draft a county ordinance, relying instead on the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals for vendor licensing and enforcement ahead of a May 30 licensing deadline.
Franklin County supervisors discussed vendor licensing and public-safety responsibilities for the RAGBRAI bicycle event and decided not to draft a county ordinance, instead relying on the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals to license and inspect vendors.
Andrea, a county staff member, told the supervisors she had reviewed an email from the Department of Inspections and Appeals and spoken to licensing staff. "It is not necessary for you to have an ordinance," Andrea said, adding that the state agency routinely inspects vendors along the route and that towns commonly already have permits in place.
She advised the board that the state requires organizers or a sponsoring entity to be licensed as an event coordinator if more than 10 vendors will operate at a site. "If you do 11-plus people, you have to be licensed as an event coordinator," Andrea said, and noted a May 30 deadline for any county-level action tied to that licensing requirement.
County officials discussed likely vendor concentrations and enforcement roles. Andrea and other supervisors said most vendor enforcement will fall to the Department of Inspections and Appeals for food-service licensing; she described on-the-spot remedies available to state inspectors, including issuing double-price licenses or shutting down unlicensed vendors.
Sheriff's office and county staff said Franklin County's main role for the event will be traffic control and public-safety posture in towns where RAGBRAI stops occur. Supervisors noted that the city of Latimer and other incorporated towns on the route have been preparing for vendor management and traffic plans, and the county intends to concentrate its resources on traffic control at a limited number of points rather than vendor licensing.
The board asked county staff to post guidance for rural residents and small informal vendors to reduce confusion — for example, advising that the state runs a vendor webpage with applications and deadlines — and to coordinate with local radio or community channels to publicize the licensing information.
The supervisors did not take a formal vote to adopt or amend any county ordinance related to RAGBRAI vendor licensing at the meeting.
