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Commission reviews vendor rules, mobile‑selling ban and vendor fees ahead of fair
Summary
The Fair Commission discussed permit changes, background‑check fees, mobile‑selling prohibitions, home‑baker exemptions and rising sanitation costs; staff was directed to clarify wording and fee handling for 2025 operations.
Franklin City’s Fair Commission reviewed vendor rules and permit details for the upcoming Saint Martin's Labor Day Fair, emphasizing clearer enforcement language for mobile selling, the handling of a $10 background‑check charge and state exemptions for home‑baked goods.
Why it matters: vendor rules and fees govern who may sell at the fair, how the city enforces safety and health standards, and how costs are allocated between vendors, landowners and the city.
Key points discussed included: the commission will make the prohibition on “mobile selling, traveling or advertising” more prominent in the rules so enforcement is clearer; the $10 background check fee will be charged separately rather than absorbed by the general permit fee going forward; a $100 late registration fee was reaffirmed; and the previously adopted 7 a.m. start time for the fair will be used this year.
On home‑prepared foods, staff said the commission added the phrase “except those exempted by the State of Wisconsin” after a court ruling that allows sale of shelf‑stable home‑baked goods at events. Staff clarified that potentially hazardous items such as cheesecakes and cream‑filled items remain prohibited without appropriate licensing.
Sanitation and contractor availability were also part of the rules discussion. Commissioners said the long‑time porta‑potty vendor is winding down and that the city faced higher sanitation costs this year because the new provider must empty more units and charge higher rates. Staff said they exhausted outreach to multiple providers and found a limited pool willing to serve the fair footprint daily.
Enforcement and venue complexity: commissioners noted the fair’s dispersed footprint—vendor lots are on private property across downtown—makes enforcement harder than at an enclosed fairground. Vendors must obtain both a city permit and permission from the landowner for a specific spot; commissioners said rents charged by private landowners for prime central locations remain a major cost for vendors.
Actions and next steps: staff will emphasize the mobile‑selling prohibition in the rules text, make the $10 vendor background check charge explicit on permit materials and confirm whether restaurants that serve food outside must also keep interiors open. No new fees beyond the late fee were adopted at the meeting; staff said they will publish the clarified rules and make background checks available online for future permit cycles.
Quotes from the meeting: a commissioner noted, “Rule 12 has the sale or offering of dogs is prohibited,” citing the rule governing pet sales at the fair; staff confirmed the rule and discussed enforcement as a police matter when violations occur.
The commission scheduled a follow‑up meeting and volunteers to assist with permit checks before the fair; specific enforcement protocols will be finalized once staff confirms legal and building‑code interpretations.
