Farmers market director calls Uhrichsville's new events fees unreasonable; mayor disagrees

UHRICHSVILLE ‒ The director of the Uhrichsville Farmers Market said she believes Uhrichsville's new fee structure for special events is unreasonable, but the mayor defends the fees, saying they are necessary to help cover the city's costs associated with such events.

The fee structure, enacted this year by Uhrichsville City Council , charges a $150 application fee for every special event. Because the farmers market is held twice a month, the organization running the market has to pay $300 a month to the city. It is planning 10 markets this season through the end of October. In addition, organizers are required to apply for an event 30 days in advance and provide an insurance form and a map of the event.

Food truck operators are charged $20 per day, $50 for the weekend, $150 for 90 days and $200 a year.

Previously, Uhrichsville did not charge these fees.

Promoting the community

"In a community of this size, we should be promoting people coming out and having events for their community," said Whitney Manson, the market's director. "We should be promoting that wholesome environment of community gathering."

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She added, "The community had something to be proud of and look forward to. Why choose to fight something positive for the community?"

The number of food trucks coming to the market has dropped off since the fees went into place, she said.

The market is held on West Third Street from Main Street to Water Street. Third Street is blocked off during the event. Manson said city workers drop off cones and barrels, and farmers market volunteers put out the barrels to close the road. Once the event is over and cleanup is complete, volunteers reopen the street.

Defending the fees

Mayor Jim Zucal defends the new application system, saying it prevents Uhrichsville from being involved in unnecessary lawsuits and protects citizens in case of an accident or catastrophic event. It also reimburses the city for any expenses.

"We provide the barricades. We provide the traffic cones, the traffic barrels," he said. "So, those are loaded in our pickup trucks by hourly employees. We have trucks that need fuel and insurance like everybody else. They have to pay their time. They deliver them to Third and Water. They deliver them to Third and Main."

He noted there are also administrative expenses for his time, for the time of his administrative assistant, Joanna Bowyer, to process the permit and the time spent by Law Director Jeff Merklin to draft the requirements.

"We have time, equipment, fuel, all that in it," Zucal said. "Plus, I'm a firm believer that government is not to prohibit, but we are to regulate."

The Uhrichsville Farmers Market began in 2023. It has a variety of vendors, selling everything from pork and beef, vegetables, jams and jellies, baked goods, pottery and coffee.

Manson said the market charges vendors $10 per event. The money goes toward marketing, advertising, bringing in musical groups, insurance and operating its website.

What other communities do

Dover holds a farmers market every Thursday during the summer months and also has a Food Truck Thursday event. It does not charge for participation in these events. Gnadenhutten holds a Food Truck Friday event, but only charges truck owners for electricity and for musical groups performing.

Market organizers acknowledge that an application for special events is a good idea, but they would like to see a reasonable fee, Manson said. City officials should take into account that Tuscarawas County is in Appalachia, the local poverty rate and household income levels, she added.

She wants Uhrichsville to reconsider the fees.

Zucal said they aren't going to change.

"I'm going to hold to it. This went through (a council) committee. The committee did fine work. It went to the full body of council, and it was a seven to nothing vote. We've enacted it. The law director supports it, and we move on."

The market is held from 5 to 8 p.m. on the second and fourth Friday of the month. Future markets are scheduled for Aug. 9 and 23, Sept. 13 and 27, and Oct. 11 and 25.

Reach Jon at 330-364-8415 or at jon.baker@timesreporter.com.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Farmers market director calls Uhrichsville's new events fees unreasonable; mayor disagrees