By Jerry Morgan, Editor

The DeLeon City Council was swayed by the wishes of the members of the Christian Church and others to vote to move the melon and produce vendors from their longtime selling location on north Houston Street, often referred to as "Market Street", to some other, as yet unspecified, location.

A special called Council meeting was held on Thursday evening, April 6, for the purpose of hearing working proposals from the vendors and the church as to how their conflicting interests on the use of the 100 block of North Houston Street could be resolved.  All Council members were present except for John Holdridge.

Mayor Adams opened the meeting with an invitation for those present to present their thoughts and proposals on the matter.

Larry Don Womack was the first to speak.  Womack explained that he was more of a grower than a vendor, but that he had agreed to work with the vendors to help come up with an acceptable plan for Market Street.

Womack suggested that the vendors would limit their time on the street to the period between July 1 and September 30, from 7:00 a.m. until 8:30 p.m., with no trailers left in place overnight.  He added that the vendors would be responsible for keeping the street clean and would mark locations for vendor parking.  They would also designate two parking spaces on each side of the street for the handicapped and customers, which could also be used by church members.  The vendors would also refrain from allowing any parking in front of the Brown¹s property.

Womack said the vendors had noted some bare spots under the trees in front of the Christian Church and would plant some St. Augustine grass that was more shade tolerant than Bermuda grass.  Womack also offered to donate two bald cypress trees to plant on Houston Street.

Womack reiterated that the vendors would work each night to make sure that the street was cleaned up before going home.  Then vendors would also pull off of the street anytime there were church services being held, whether on Sunday or for funerals.

Larry Nowlin spoke next and asked that the Council rescind their order of no vendor parking on the west side of the N. 100 block of Houston Street, adding that there were areas on the east side back toward the old auto dealership building where vendor parking could be allowed.

Nowlin said, "We're willing to try everything we can, just to keep it (Market Street) there."  He later added, "We're willing to work hard to make it clean, but you all are going to have to do something to allow parking on both sides, at least in a limited way."

Nowlin added that vendors would not move in alongside the Church property on Sundays until after 1:00 p.m., however, they would be located further up the block toward the old Chevrolet dealership and Stephens Feed for weekend produce shoppers.  He noted that the vendors wouldn't be in the way of the Church, even though they would still be visible.

"I think we've addressed as many things as we possibly can," Nowlin stated.  "Show us some good faith and we'll try our best to stay there and keep it clean."

Mayor Adams responded that he had talked with an unnamed vendor who thought that something different needed to be done and that the vendor expressed the opinion that the old dryer area would be alright as a new market street location.

Larry Nowlin spoke and said that he had unloaded and loaded produce down at the location referred to by the Mayor.  "Just because you¹ve got a tin building with a shade, don't mean you¹ve got comfort.  That's a hot hole down there!  And it's always going to be hot down there."

Council member Gayle Stroud asked about using the old Festival Grounds location out on Highway 6 next year after the Festival has relocated to the new park.

Womack replied, "My opinion on Festival Grounds is that is the absolute worst place you could put it."  He cited as an example what Abilene had tried and failed to accomplish in relocating their produce vendors out to a newly constructed farmers market facility by their fair grounds.  "That facility has been closed down.  They no longer use it.  You're isolating them out of town," Womack continued, noting that the effort failed despite radio advertising and other efforts to support it.

Stroud noted that the Festival grounds location would offer restrooms, shade, space and visibility on Highway 6.

Womack commented that the vendors were being asked to move and take a chance with their livelihood for three months on a location that might well not work.  He then asked if the Council members would be willing to gamble with their personal livelihood for one quarter of a year on an unproven prospect.

Mayor Adams commented that everyone involved in business had to take a risk when they started up.

The vendors discussed the varying nature of the market for melons depending upon the nature of the local crop and those in other areas of the state and how it affected the retail vs. wholesale aspects of their business.

Council member Howard Gifford asked, "What makes Houston Street, this one block of Houston Street in the City of DeLeon, so much more special that it's the only place the vendors can sell their produce and make a profit?"

Larry Womack answered that he didn't know, but that he had been involved last time there was an attempt to relocate Market Street and said then that it would work, and that it didn't, so now he is working to help keep it at its present location.

Womack then asked the Council how it could force the vendors selling from a private property location on Market Street to move?

Mayor Adams and Gayle Stroud both answered that the City would have no control over that.

There were questions and discussion regarding whether or how all vendors could be forced to relocate to a newly designated farmers market location.

Peggy Moon spoke on behalf of the First Christian Church and she and others felt it would be better if the vendors were to move, but the Church would be willing for them to use the street on Golden Saturday during the Festival.  She added that the Church would be willing to have a sign erected noting that the market had moved and directing buyers to a new location.

Mayor Adams said that he thought vendors should be located somewhere on Texas Street on Golden Saturday.

Doris Joiner, also a member of the First Christian Church, said, "We really don't want to put anyone out of business, and I don't thing we are going to, but we would like to suggest another location that would be better for them, for us and for the customers."  She noted that Houston Street covers eight blocks and wondered why their church's 155 feet and five inches was the only place the melon vendors wished to operate.  She added, "We can't get to the church when we want to."

Joiner said she had talked with several vendors who said they would be willing to go wherever Market Street was moved to.

Joiner stated that she had been told that the reason the previous Market Street relocation effort had failed was that the City did not make it mandatory and some vendors never moved.

Joiner added that the Church has had to build a fence between it and the lot to the north where trucks and vendors were located, and that it had had to discontinue its weekly women's meeting because of the crowding on the street.

Howard Gifford said he had gotten some phone calls, and that none of the calls had been in support of the vendors.  He said that there were many people who were skilled artisans and prolific gardeners, all of whom would benefit from having a decent location to sell their goods, and that the more types of goods available, the more customers would be attracted.

Peggy Moon agreed with Gifford, commenting that many who come in her store on the weekends ask if there are other places open where they can shop.

Gifford said that a vendors market such as he was describing could be operational much, if not all year, and not just during the melon harvest season.

After approximately 40 minutes of open discussion, Mayor Adams stated his ruling that the period for citizens presentations was over.  He commented, "What it's going to boil down to is, the Council is going to have to make a decision."

Adams then added that he could vote to move the vendors to a farmers market location, before calling on other Council members for their opinions.

Council member Danny Owen spoke, "This is our third meeting on this.  I was sincerely hoping there could be some way, form or fashion that there could be a common resolution to this, but everybody seems to be pretty well set..."  Owen discussed various aspects of the problem and said that he did not have the answer.  He added that there were good points on both sides of the issue, but that the Council needed to take some type of action or the problem never would be solved.  "We've got to get some closure to this," he concluded.

Gayle Stroud said she agreed with Owen and added that the City stood ready to do whatever it could do to help the vendors be successful in a new location.  Regarding the current Market Street location, she said, "It's not a place you can expand, it's not a place that everybody can come to.  It doesn't seem to be in the best interests of the future to stay there."

Howard Gifford reiterated his belief that a broader vendor's market that would include goods other than produce could be successful.  He added, "I would like to see the vendors be willing to help out those citizens (other types of vendors) by joining in, in one location, because that would be a good draw for the people driving the trucks in, and the individuals buying retail would have a better shot at those people, I think it would work both ways."

Gifford added that if the Council was going to stop street vending on Houston Street, that it should ban street vending throughout the city.

In addition to the Birdsong sheds located on West Almante, the Golden Peanut shed on East Almante were discussed as possible locations for a future Market Street operation.  It was noted that visibility from Texas Street and truck access would be better on the east side sheds.  Other possible areas on the east side of town were mentioned.

Mayor Adams suggested the City should talk with Golden Peanut to see if arrangements could be worked out for use of their facilities.

Howard Gifford expressed the hope that arrangements could be made for a new market street vending location without the necessity of passing a city ordinance banning vending from all street locations in the city.

Mayor Adams responded, "Howard, if you don't have an ordinance, then there's nothing for the City to enforce if part of them want to go sit over there in front of the church and part of them want to go somewhere else. Unless you make it where there's none, then some of them can sit there if they so desire, and there's nothing that can be done."

Larry Don Womack mentioned the possibility of trucks pulling onto the football stadium parking lot and loading and offloading watermelons.

Danny Owen responded that it was not city property but rather school property and that there would be little the City could do about it unless requested by the school administration.  He added that he didn't like the idea of an ordinance banning street vending, but that it appeared to be be necessary in this case to clear the street in front of the church.

Owen also mentioned the possibility that vendors could continue selling on private property.  He continued, "We're never going to end this, because there's always a loophole where somebody can sell in a more favorable spot. And that will even hold true with the lot that's right next to the church."

Following vendor comments about the dismal prospects of Market Street working in any other location, Mayor Adams stated, "I think if you go into it with the attitude it's not going to work, then it won¹t work."

Danny Owen stated that he was all in favor of trying to get the facilities on the east side of Almante Street for the vendors' use.  He commented on the apparent success of the plant and gifts business located on that street as an indicator of the visibility and viability of the area.

Howard Gifford again noted that all of the calls he had received on the subject was in favor of relocating the vendors.  Then he added, "And I was elected to represent the people," as he indicated that he favored a vote to ban street vending.

Gayle Stroud added, "That's the calls that I got, too."

After the Mayor asked the Council what they wanted to do on the matter, Stroud said, "I'll just make the motion that we move the vendors and open a spot for them and make a Farmers Market, and I hate to call it that because it may be more."

Mayor Adams suggested that maybe it could be called a vendor complex.

Howard Gifford suggested it could be called the DeLeon Open Air Market.

Larry Nowlin then asked, "Reckon after this you all could get a historical marker put up?  Because, the thing's been for 80, 90, a 100 years a Market Street down there."

Gayle Stroud said the City could look into it.

Nowlin said, "I asked you all the other night what your thoughts was, and you said you hadn't made up your minds, but I think you had at that time. But you certainly have now."

Both Stroud and Gifford objected to Nowlin's assertion.

Mayor Adams cut off the discussion by noting that a motion had been made and asked if there was a second.

Howard Gifford seconded Stroud's motion.

The vote to approve was unanimous.

Adams then immediately adjourned the meeting.

On the following morning, City Secretary Karen Wilkerson said that the City's attorney would be requested to prepare an ordinance reflecting the Council's vote and that it would probably not be ready for its first reading before the second Council meeting in April.