8-12-2023 7:49am

Cloudcroft Street Vendors on Agenda for August 22 Stirs Hostility

Chris Edwards Editor

Agenda item now for August 22, 2023 in Cloudcroft.

In a report we published 7-12-23 we reviewed how the normally reserved meetings of the Cloudcroft Board of Trustees was anything but reserved during last the early July session. The agenda flow was relatively standard and status quo for the village until they got to the agenda item about street vendors on Burro Street.

There were several of the Burro Street business owners at the meeting. During the public comments section specific to the agenda item to discuss street vendors, some business owners commented and raised concerns. Resident Richard Welch gave a compelling statement and then things got heated.

Other business owners also commented about street vendors and food trucks; and suggested the present situation of ordinances was broken and the present situation with one street vendor is broken.

Trustee Maynard made a motion to temporarily suspend the current street vendors contract until they could look into this matter however Maynard could not get a second and the motion died.

After the passioned plea of Mr Welch, Trustee Maynard stated obviously there are a lot of businesses that are upset about this and made the motion again to suspend the contract but couldn't get a second.

Mr Welch pressed the Mayor Denny on the contract being broken specific to the clause that no vending or advertising is allowed on village rights of way. He pointed out they were clearly breaking the contract by blocking parking spaces and their umbrella is an advertisement umbrella.

Mayor Denny said, “I’m not aware of them interfering with parking.”

Mr Welch told the mayor he had pictures and several other business owners stated they had pictures also.

The mayor refused to look at them stating, “drop the pictures off and I will look at them later.”

Mr Welch pressed the mayor and the trustees to enforce the contract he signed to have them take down their umbrella.

The mayor said he didn't recall what was in the contract, Welch pressed and said he had the contract with him and asked the trustees do you want to see it? The mayor said no.

Welch pressed further asking Mayor Denny if was going to enforce any of the contract that he signed?

The mayor reportedly said, “no.”

At this point other business leaders started to get riled up.

The mayor said we wasn't going to discuss this any further and pushed to move the agenda forward.

That really upset some people who thought it was completely wrong to stop discussing something that was on the agenda and unresolved to the satisfaction of established business owners.

UPDATE: Since the testy village meeting, it hosted another meeting with the Trustee's and the Mayor and the established businesses. The workshop was standing room only. Most present were opposed to street vendors and food trucks being allowed to use public space to sale their wares. It had no affect as the current vendors are allowed to still operate. The work shop was on July 18 at 3 pm.

A formal discussion before the village commission was scheduled for August 9th. That meeting was canceled and has been postponed till August 22, 2023 at 4 pm. Check back with AlamogordoTownNews.com and KALHRadio.org for further updates.