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Council asks staff to pull vendor-fee schedule after concerns mobile-permit costs deter small entrepreneurs
Summary
Council members discussed mobile vendor and mobile car-wash permit fees, with some saying $350 monthly rates are excessive for small operators; staff will extract relevant master-fee items and return with comparative data and recommendations.
Pecos City Council members on Aug. 28 debated fees charged to mobile vendors, including mobile car washes and food vendors, and directed staff to return with a focused summary of the master-fee schedule and comparative rates from other cities.
Councilman Grant raised a petition from a local mobile car-wash operator who said a $350 monthly permit fee was excessive for small, part-time vendors. Staff explained the master-fee schedule contains a range of charges and noted administrative processing costs and regulatory requirements (for example, TCEQ rules for car-wash wastewater capture).
Council members were divided. Some argued that the city must maintain consistent fees to cover administrative costs and to avoid opening the door to frequent amendments; others said targeted relief for small vendors could spur local entrepreneurship. One council member urged staff to convene a review session before placing a fee-change ordinance on a public agenda.
City staff agreed to pull the vendor-fee items from the master schedule, provide comparisons to other jurisdictions, and present a targeted proposal for council consideration at a future meeting so the council can decide whether to adjust rates for specific vendor types.
