|
Balloon peddlers peddle in Hopkinton, Richmond |
|
|
Thursday, 29 May 2008 |
By ANDREW MARTIN
Charlestown, Hopkinton and Richmond all have similar ordinances outlining the application process for obtaining a peddler's license. But the one key difference is in how the towns approve the licenses.
Peddling became an issue most recently at the May 12 Charlestown council meeting, when Stuart Fishman, of Westerly, wanted to sell balloons and parades at Sunday's Memorial Day Parade.
Before Fishman could speak, council Vice President James M. Mageau said the license would never be approved. "I can tell you right not that it's not going to happen," the councilor said.
And after numerous verbal jabs by councilors and residents alike, Mageau's wish came true. The motion to approve the license failed after Mageau, councilor Bruce Picard, and council President John O. Craig Jr. voted against.
Not that the council's approval would have let Fishman sell balloons and flags anyway, according to Mageau. He explained in an e-mail that the Charlestown Memorial Day Committee, of which he is the president, has the final say on permitting peddlers during the parade.
"The town does not have the authority to interfere with the Memorial Day Committee's rules that prohibit street vendors during the parade," Mageau wrote.
But what about vendors looking to sell balloons and flags in the other towns?
Hopkinton Town Clerk Elizabeth Cook-Martin said her town's process simply follows town law, which is pursuant to state law on obtaining a peddler's license.
First, the applicant must receive a permit to make sales at retail from the state Division of Taxation. The next step is paying a $5 permitting fee. After that, the police chief decides whether or not someone can peddle at a parade or not.
Cook-Martin said the council could vote on the license, but that has not happened yet. "We get very few applications," she added.
In Richmond, however, the Town Council has to approve a peddler's license, according to Assistant Town Clerk Tracy Hay. The vote on the license comes after the applicant provides all the necessary paperwork, like in Hopkinton.
"We have had peddlers at our parades in the past. They have to follow the rules laid out in the ordinance for a license," Hay explained.
State law defines a "peddler" as a person selling or offering for sale any goods, wares, or merchandise, including any food or beverage, from a vehicle, cart, or any other conveyance that is not stationary.
Fishman did not wish to speak on the issue any further when asked for comment on Tuesday, May 27.
|
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 25 June 2008 )
|
