City continues food truck discussion

TIFFIN — Local food truck vendors attended Tiffin city council's latest meeting to share their thoughts on the city's food truck laws. The conversation began at council's first June meeting. At that meeting, local business and food truck owner Jami Fadley expressed her concerns about the city's law which requires food truck vendors to pay $25 a week to operate on public property. At the meeting this Monday, William Alford, owner and operator of BNE BBQ, was the first to speak. He asked for clarification on some of the ordinance's wording and expressed concern that the law doesn't require food truck vendors to have Safeserv certifications. Safeserv is a food safety program that trains employees in restaurants and food businesses. "Everyone should, operating a trailer or food truck, have some type of certification," Alford said. Law Director Zach Fowler said that he will look more into whether or not council can make a requirement in city laws about food safety, adding that the state mandates food safety. Tina Schank, owner and operator of The Bagel Buggy, also attended to voice her concerns about the city's current laws. "This is nine seasons that my truck has been in business and I operate all over Ohio," Schank said. "Honestly, Tiffin's policy is the most vague of any other policy." She shared that she has licenses in other local communities, which have annual fees to operate on public property, expressing concern that paying the weekly $25 fee is not enforced in Tiffin. Schank also said she felt it would be easier for all involved if the fee was not weekly. Further, she expressed concerns that designated food truck spots in the city parking lots were not created with real food trucks in mind and that the spaces are not used often enough to warrant their location. "Shouldn't the brick-and-mortar businesses around there be able to use those spots if a food truck isn't coming?" Later in the meeting, Councilmember Scott Hoernemann made a motion to amend the proposed food truck ordinance to remove the $25 weekly fee to operate on public property while still requiring food trucks to get a permit to do so. The motion passed and the amendment will be presented at the next council meeting. Councilmember Cheyane Thacker also proposed amendments to the proposed ordinance, focusing on language changes and operating changes. Council will have its final reading of the proposed ordinance at its next meeting. In other news Council passed resolution 25-30, which renamed Fort Ball Rotary Park to Rotary Club of Tiffin Centennial Park. It also passed the following ordinances: • 25-49: authorizing the city administrator to sell a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 to Tiffin City Schools and declaring an emergency • 25-50: amending the 2025 Budget Ordinance 24-94 to appropriate funds into the city administrator's budget, the WPCC Budget and the general administration budget • 25-55: amending the 2025 budget ordinance 24-94 to appropriate funds into the finance department budget • 25-56: amending Section 2 of Ordinance No. 2025-4, the amended City pay ordinance, to create and fund the Community Service/Diversion Officer position with the Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Court and declaring an emergency The next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, July 7, at City Hall, 51 E. Market St., in council chambers.