Sedalia Residents Have Strong Opinions on Food Truck Flap

Sedalia residents have strong opinions on whether the City of Sedalia should grant a Transient Merchant and Peddlers License to Tacos El Arca, which is a food truck that parks on Thompson Street.

It's the parking on Thompson street, as Randy Kirby reports, that seems to be giving some on the City Council pause to renewing the food truck's license. I posed the following question on our Facebook page: Sedalia residents do you care if this food truck parks on the street while doing business?

It turns out Sedalia residents have some strong feelings on the matter:

This particular food truck does park on the street, but the customer service window is not on the street side; it is on the grass side. As a customer, I am not standing in the street when I place/receive my order and therefore there is no risk to my safety. -Robin Balke

I believe the food trucks are a good thing for any city. They are serving great food you might not get in a restaurant. As long as they are not blocking traffic and causing safety issues, let them set up there. -Sherry Gritz Smith

I see no problem with it. Maybe the city could establish a designated area for all the food trucks. Maybe the park or a parking lot. -Anna Tabor

Good for Mayor Kehde. If he's been doing this, let him carry on. -Terri Ballard

"Mayor John Kehde expressed his thoughts that some Council members were trying to put him out of business, adding that Linares has been operating his food truck in Sedalia for about three years." EXACTLY -Amanda Herrick

The council is thinking waaaaayyy too hard on this one. He isn’t on Broadway or other busy street, his customers come from private parking lot side of Thompson st. This is a nonissue. Give him his license and let him work. -Ryan Reed

A couple of people brought up what I think the council may be concerned about:

But is the city setting a presidence? Got to be careful and think long term and what it could be like 5 years from now. -Kenda Don Maples

I’m thinking it’s fine . It’s not on a busy street and trying to make a living, we need more food trucks in town and that’s a great place for them to be . As long they let other trucks park there and they know it not theres only... -John Benton

It generally doesn't seem like anyone has a problem with the food truck parking on Thompson Street. And it seems like the business is operating safely.

The real question facing the City Council is: What are the longer term consequences of licensing the food truck and allowing the business to park on a City street? Unfortunately I don't think we're going to like the answer the City comes up with.

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Filed Under: City of Sedalia, Tacos El Arca

Categories: Food, Opinion, Sedalia News

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