Commissioners hashed out the details on an ordinance relating to garage sales at Monday night’s monthly commission meeting. Nailing down the details was not an easy task as questions were raised as to how to define what constitutes a sale as opposed to just having items for sale. After much discussion, not only between commissioners but also members of the audience, the following “rules” were agreed and voted upon – albeit not unanimously. The rules are:
1. Citizens are allowed a maximum of 6 sales per year including the two city-wide garage sales – one held in the spring and the other in the fall.
2. A sale may last three days in a row between the hours of 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.
3. Permits must be picked up at City Hall and displayed during the sale. The permit is at NO CHARGE.
4. Citizens are allowed two signs in the yard no larger than 2 feet x 2 feet, or 4 square feet.
5 More than five items for sale in your yard at any given time constitutes a sale of some sort – either a home business or a garage sale
6. Sale items must be put away at the end of the sale
7. Those holding a sale are welcome and encouraged to advertise via the access channel, Ch. 17, the bulletin board located downtown as well as ads in the local newspaper, shopper and radio station.
8. The following are exempt from permits: court sales, sales officiated by a public official(s), churches and those participating in the city-wide garage sales.
9. Rules apply immediately and will become effective July 1
10. Fines range from $50 – $200 for those not in compliance – although commissioners assured fines would be at the descretion of the judge and reserved for repeat offenders.
Another portion of the ordinance that took up much of the commission’s time was regarding individual items for sale at a residence – even inciting comments from the audience. Initially, it was determined that individuals could display up to five items at a time in front of their property and still meet the standard.
Commissioner Evert Rossiter immediately expressed a concern for the wording of the ordinance, “I don’t want to discourage folks from making a little extra cash but what prevents someone from say, putting 5 lawn mowers on their yard and then when they sell one, pulling another one out of their garage? If they are working on lawn mowers on the side, then really that is a business.”
“This is a very liberal loophole,” commissioner Joe Manning said, citing that if it was the desire of the resident to do so, one could have a constant display of five items on the lawn by replacing any items sold with another one. “It is our job to protect the neighbors of the ones who might do this.”
After much deliberation – including more comments from the audience – commissioners changed the wording to indicate items must be “out of public view” unless they are too large, such as cars, boats, etc. In their stead, a sign could be place in the yard stating items were for sale. Such signs would have to comply with the 2 ft. x 2 ft. or 4 square feet standard. Once the word changes were made, commissioners voted 4 – 1 to approve the ordinance, with Jim Hogrefe casting the single nay vote.
Other items on the agenda included the discussion and approval of resolution No. 16-2009 authorizing and directing the interim city manager to issue a purchase order to Central Heat & Air in the sum or $18,360. for the purchase and installation of two (2) 5-ton commercial gas package units and one (1) 7.5-ton commercial gas package unit for the Cushing Youth and Community Center. “We appreciate the three local bids we received,” said Mayor John Henckel.
Resolutions 17-2009 and 18-2009 were also approved authorizing the commission to execute a grant application for federal assistance for the apron expansion and runway repair at the Cushing Regional Airport and to execute a contract with JLT Corporation in the sum of $236,669.20 for the base bid for the expansion and runway repair project, subject to receipt of a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration. The grant, if received, will cover approximately 95 percent of the expense. A total of seven (7) bids were submitted for the expansion. It went to JLT with the second lowest bid after the lowest bid was dismissed after being reviewed by an independent party. The expansion is part of a 5-year proposed capital improvement package.
Another resolution passed by the board of commissioners was the authorization and directing of the city manager to execute a merchant application and agreement with ETS Corporation and Merrick Bank Corporation to provide Visa and Mastercard financing and processing for City of Cushing customers. This will allow the City to accept payments by credit card. “We are catching up to the 21st century,” said Mayor Henckel.
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