Jubilee vendor disputes continues

Published 9:58 pm Thursday, March 23, 2017

A dispute over vendor license fees at this year’s Bridge Crossing Jubilee continued Thursday.

Jubilee organizers Faya Rose Toure and Abina Billups spoke about vendor fees during this week’s city council work session.

Billups said she believes believes the city shouldn’t charge the Jubilee vendor fees since the city’s ordinance says nonprofit organizations are exempt from the fees.

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“You have that nonprofit organizations will be exempt from any license or fee,” Billups said.

The council discussed whether or not for-profit  vendors selling items at events like the Bridge Crossing Jubilee would be covered. Billups said she believed all vendors should fall under the Jubilee’s nonprofit “umbrella” since the event is a fundraiser for the 501c3.

City attorney Jimmy Nunn said the ordinance requires that any vendor exempt from a license must be for the benefit of a nonprofit.

“If you are a vendor and you have a booth and you take that money and put it back in the community — that was the intent of the city council when we passed the ordinance,” Nunn said.

Billups said even if the council did charge vendors that they shouldn’t been required to pay the full $50 fee since the festival moved out of the city limits and into the police jurisdiction. She said state law requires that the cost of any license in the police jurisdiction to not be more than one half the amount charged within the city limits.

“You can only charge half. You are in violation of the state law,” Billups said.

The Bridge Crossing Jubilee moved their Saturday street festival to private property in Selmont after a dispute with the city over police, fire and garbage fees.