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Ennis commission adopts temporary vendor fees after Main Street group declines to run Autumn Days
Summary
The Ennis City Commission on Sept. 27 approved a temporary amendment to the city fee schedule allowing vendor charges for city-run events after Ennis Main Street (a 501(c)(3) doing business as Destination Ennis) declined to sponsor this year's Autumn Days; the event-related fees will expire Dec. 31, 2024.
Ennis City Commission on Sept. 27 approved a temporary change to the city's fee schedule to allow the city to charge vendors at city-run events this fall, Mayor Cameron Rayburn said at a specially called meeting.
"I would ask that that motion be a motion to approve with an amendment to allow for these fees to go ahead and to expire December 31st of this year," Rayburn said, introducing the amendment that the commission adopted. The motion was moved by Commissioner Haney and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Isbell; the mayor announced the motion was approved.
The action follows notification that Ennis Main Street, a 501(c)(3) long associated with downtown events and identified in the meeting as doing business as Destination Ennis, would not sponsor this year's Autumn Days Festival. Rayburn said the city stepped in so local festivals and downtown businesses would not lose the economic benefit of the events. He told the commission that fees would help the city recoup costs such as police overtime and sanitation during events.
Andrew, a member of the city's tourism staff who presented the proposal, described three vendor categories'food vendors, arts-and-crafts vendors and a utility fee for electricity/water'and tiered space pricing. Andrew listed arts-and-crafts prices beginning at $150 for a 10-by-10 space and said a 10-by-10 food-vendor space was listed at $200 in the proposed schedule. He described a 50-amp (220-volt) electrical hookup as carrying a $100 fee and said the city would provide a nonpotable water spot if a vendor supplied a 50-foot hose.
Commissioners and staff discussed the ordinance's effective date. One commissioner proposed making the ordinance effective upon approval and to terminate subsection K (the event-fees subsection) on Dec. 31, 2024; staff was asked to return in January 2025 with guidance on whether and how to set event fees beyond that date.
The meeting record in the transcript shows the mayor announced the motion as approved; no roll-call vote tally or individual roll-call votes appear in the transcript.
The commission adjourned at 6:16 p.m. with no further business on the agenda.
