Street vendors banned in Meriden

[collie]

Although I consider myself as one who keeps up with city council agendas (have them emailed to me), I was surprised to read in today's paper that flower vendors have been banned in Meriden, as well as itinerant Christmas tree sellers, things like that. Representives from local florists were at the city council meeting and lobbying for this change, claiming the vendors "steal" their business.
I, like many others I think, only shop at the local florists for a very special event - funeral, graduation, anniversary... I think they are very expensive.
Thank goodness the florists were only able to ban the Meriden street vendors. There is nothing they can do, luckily, re the much more, in my opinion, affordable and accessible Easter pots that are sold in the grocery and department stores, etc. And there are legal stands (Tracy and Rte. 5 in Wallingford) where one can easily and fairly cheaply purchase grave ornaments, wreaths, etc. at holiday times of the year.
Perhaps if the florists put their holiday wares out on the sidewalk with a big sign indicating prices I would know: 1. they had them and 2. they were affordable.

[BillCarson436]

Hello...

I suppose next year they will ban growing flowers in ones back yard ?

Or cooking hotdogs in the back yard (as it adversly effects the many
Restaurants in the City ) Close down the Clubhouse at the Ballfields...
Just another resaon to move from this town.


This ban makes sense ONLY if it's driven by a Kogut ( Florist ).

[RC12L4]

Or car wash fund raisers at high schools because they cut in to the profits of actual car washes?

[john12774]

Or car wash fund raisers at high schools because they cut in to the profits of actual car washes?

GOOD POINT! I noticed a Kogut complained at the council meeting and a Kogut sits on the COuncil. WOw..that "problem" got took care of rather quickly! Maybe, Mayor Benigni will take carfe of our plights much more swifter too!

[BillCarson436]

Hello...

Yes... I saw Kogut there too on TV ( with Art Petrucelli in the background )
making his case after I posted my comment above.

I have been going to Koguts ( if one counts christmas trees ) for over
30 years now, as recently as 3 weeks ago, and will continue to use them
as professionals. I've also used Rose's as well.

Still though... to single them out ( vendors ) as a threat to their buisness
during Holidays in my opoinion is wrong. Spend some of your MILLIONS Mr.
Kogut on ADVERTISING... lower your RATES - street vendors are WAY too
expensive...and put them out of buisness by offering a BETTER & CHEAPER
product for the customer. A one page ad before holidays... a commercial on
Cox Cable before Easter... Christmas...Mothers Day... THAT would help
bring more business to your store. These last minute buyers are CRAZY to
spend double on flowers...stuffed animals and in some cases surplus food.

No street vendors will only insure that LESS people will be buying flowers
for the holidays. Be agressive in your sales dept and beat these vendors
with BULK ...low prices. Kinda like Wald Mart...lol

[Man in the Middle]

GOOD POINT! I noticed a Kogut complained at the council meeting and a Kogut sits on the COuncil. WOw..that "problem" got took care of rather quickly! Maybe, Mayor Benigni will take carfe of our plights much more swifter too!
I just watched the council session in question, and it was clear to me that Councilor Kogut abstained on the issue, because he has relatives in the florists business. So to imply that his influence on this matter via the mayor helped it past "swifter" is unfair to Brian.

And, I think if local, tax-paying, community-supporting businesses can at least be protected from "fly by nighters" who don't even pay a permit, then why not? Nothing stops people from going to other. less expensive vendors freely, and support the street corner vendors in other towns. Me, I like to support local business when I can.

If Meriden wants businesses to locate here, it should be willing to support those businesses. This was one, small effort. Would that there could be more.

[eds]

I for one do not enjoy street vendors selling flowers mainly due to the traffic issues they create. They do pay sales tax to the state but that's about it. I am glad these vendors will not be in Meriden. I never patronized them in the first place. Running a business on the side of the road amounts to nothing more than panhandling. There is nothing in the City Code that says they can set up just because its a holiday. Why not set up permanently like the rug vendor I see constantly on Berlin Turnpike? I just think they are an eyesore.

I think its funny that Salafia was dinged for apparent benefit of a parking lot next to his business and yet Kogut is not dinged for apparent benefit to the florist shop he owns. Am I looking at this the wrong way? Anyway...

[Man in the Middle]

I think its funny that Salafia was dinged for apparent benefit of a parking lot next to his business and yet Kogut is not dinged for apparent benefit to the florist shop he owns. Am I looking at this the wrong way? Anyway...

Brian Kogut's family owns a nursery. His uncle owns Koguts off of Parker Ave, with a florist. His cousin owns Kogut Florist on East Main. And, he did abstain from discussion and voting. What's to ding?

[eds]

I wasn't aware he abstained. It sounded from the posts here that he did not. Since he did, no foul.

[collie]

I wasn't even aware that our local florists - I can only think of two, actually - even sold the types of Easter flowers the street vendors do. I like to support local businesses too but not at inflated prices and not if I have to go to a lot of extra trouble doing comparison shopping. I've mostly done that type of seasonal shopping at the stand in Tracy anyways. The items are visible from the road with signs indicating prices, as they are when placed on the sidewalk at grocery or department stores.
I will continue to use the florists for special occasion flower arrangements only. Then I don't mind paying throught the teeth for quality. So if the florists truly want the seasonal business, I think they have some promotional work to do.
Also, I wonder if the boys scouts will no longer be able to sell their Christmas trees on East Main Street because of this ordinace. That would truly stink.

[RC12L4]

Aside from my post I made in jest about car washes I doubt this would be applied to local street vendors who are donating their proceeds to a charity/good cause.

[collie]

Are you sure? The only exemption I heard mentioned was parade vendors, although they did throw in the words non-profit in the same sentence. I thought they meant non-profits at parades. If you are correct, wouldn't it be funny to see a non-profit get away with selling flowers at Easter? Gotta love the English language; the games people can play with legalese...

[eds]

Yes non-profits can apply for special treatment, permit, variance, exception or whatever they call it. Not just for parades.

[collie]

As long as they are a non-profit licensed by the State of CT, according to the resolution. Did some research and you can't access a list of state non-profits via the state's website. However, I found a site Nonprofits Organization Lookup and punched in 06450 (178 non-profits) and 06451(67). The Boys Scouts are not on the list. Perhaps they are considered a private organization and are not a non-profit. So no more Christmas tree sales for them, I guess. Maloney High School Band Boosters and Friends of Maloney Wrestling will apparently be the only high school group I could find who will legally be doing a car wash over in Kaye's Pharmacy parking lot.
Can you believe there are non-profits in Meriden with names like, no lie, "Group with no name," "The Great Quinnehtukqut Company of Artificers and Traders," and my personal favorite, "the Q Walter Peabody Foundation, Inc."

[Man in the Middle]

Also, I wonder if the boys scouts will no longer be able to sell their Christmas trees on East Main Street because of this ordinace. That would truly stink.

In watching the 4/7 meeting, I think that issue came up, and it would not be banned. Charitable operations like that, and vendors selling their wares in parades like the St Patrick's and Daffodil would be exempt, because a) it would be charitable, like the Boy Scouts or b) selling in the public walkways.

[collie]

I went on the City's website and found the language under the city council meeting for last Monday. Charitable organizations don't cut the mustard - the ordinance specifically added language that exempted "non-profit organizations as defined and licensed by the state of Connecticut." In doing further research, I don't see that the Boy Scouts are a licensed non-profit in Connecticut. Atleast I could not find them on sites that listed non-profits from Meriden. The high schools are going to have a problem too with their car washes at Kaye's Pharmacy if their particular group is not licensed by the state of CT.

[BillCarson436]

Hello...

That wasn't a Kogut standing there in front of a Mike during Public
Comment ???


Did someone edit him out of that recording ??? Did I imagine that
there was a Kogut speaking out in favor of the ban ???


To say that Kogut has NO influence in this town is mind boggeling.

Don't get me wrong... I've done business with that Florist all my life...
but a Kogut in need of money is like a bird in need of a place to fly.

I never said that Kogut didn't vote on the issue. Just scroll up.

By the way... Kogut Plows out Businesses in the winter ...should we not
BAN the practice of these Yahoos running around with plows that not only
take money from the tax basein Town and risk our safety ???