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Port Richey council waives fire-inspection fees for Centennial vendors
Summary
Council approved a temporary waiver of $150 fire-inspection fees for food and vendor participants at city-run Centennial events, maintaining inspections but removing the charge to encourage vendor participation.
The Port Richey City Council on May 13 approved a temporary waiver of the city’s $150 fire-inspection fee for vendors participating in Centennial Celebration events organized by the city’s Centennial Committee.
Staff and committee members explained the waiver applies only to events scheduled, organized and approved by the Centennial Committee and is intended to encourage vendor participation in the city’s centennial festival and fireworks events. Council and staff confirmed the waiver does not remove the requirement that the fire department still conduct safety inspections; it only waives the inspection fee. The city manager and committee reported that the Centennial Committee had already voted to waive participation fees for canopy vendors and later recommended waiving the fire-inspection fee for food trucks and other vendors.
Council members discussed budget implications. Staff noted the fees had not been budgeted and the estimated fiscal impact to the city for the inspections would likely be a few hundred dollars in staff time. The committee reported fundraising had covered core event costs; staff said the waiver would be an unbudgeted but modest expense.
Council approved the resolution authorizing the temporary fee waiver. Staff said they would continue to require inspections to protect public safety but would not collect the inspection fee for the specified Centennial events.
