Charleroi discusses policy for food trucks
By TAYLOR BROWN
tbrown@yourmvi.com
Food trucks have become a controversial topic in Charleroi as some worry the traveling food vendors may take away business from hometown restaurants.
The issue arose in December when the fire department was approached by a food truck vendor who wanted to help them recoup funding lost during the pandemic.
The food truck owner from South Park offered to hold a fundraiser, with a portion of the sales being donated to the fire department.
Department President Glenn Shipley approached the Authority of the Borough of Charleroi for permission to use space on its property to park the food truck, and the fundraiser was successful.
When the food truck started selling more than once a week, local businesses became frustrated and approached borough council to claim it was taking away their customers.
According to an ordinance passed in 2016, nonprofit organizations are exempt from paying registration or permit fees for food trucks or similar businesses.
Shipley said he and fire Chief Robert Whiten Jr. tried to address the issue with Councilwoman Nancy Ellis and business owners directly, but things started to become twisted and rumors began to spread.
For the last several weeks, the food truck has continued to operate about once a month in the parking lot of the water authority to help raise money for the fire department.
Councilwoman Jody Cheplic said support for food trucks should not be based on where they choose to park.
“It makes no difference where they are set up,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if they are parked at the water building or across the bridge in Speers. If you think the ones parked at the water building are taking money away from our businesses, there is no way in hell the ones across the bridge aren’t. There’s no difference.”
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