Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Small Business topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Food‑truck owners urge council to rethink proposed midnight limit; ordinance referred back to committee
Summary
Two food‑truck operators told the council that a midnight closing would harm their businesses and employees; council voted to send the mobile‑food hours ordinance back to Public Safety & Licensing to allow more discussion with the police chief and food‑truck owners.
Two Racine food‑truck operators told the Common Council Jan. 21 that a proposed ordinance limiting mobile food establishment hours to midnight would be unfair and harm employees who prefer late‑shift work.
Eric Scarvers, owner of Ed’s Taste the Soul Seafood Chicken and More, told the council he and other operators want parity with restaurants and requested more discussion with the police chief before a final vote: “These food trucks...we pay the same amount of taxes...I would like you guys to reconsider those hours and allow us along with the police, chief to discuss this before you take a vote,” Scarvers said during the public‑comment period.
Kevin Lynch, owner of AK Wings and Things, said a midnight cutoff would reduce income for employees who work third shift and argued trucks are not comparable to bars that serve alcohol late at night: “We’re not selling no alcohol. We're selling food off our food truck,” Lynch said.
The item on the agenda (ordinance 0896‑24) had been considered by the Public Safety & Licensing Committee; council members emphasized the value of additional conversation with the chief and the food‑truck operators. The council voted to refer the ordinance back to Public Safety & Licensing to allow further negotiation with the chief of police and stakeholders.
Action taken: referral to Public Safety & Licensing for further consideration and outreach to affected operators and the police department.
