Brock township to look at possible changes to food truck rules

DAN CEARNS, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, for The Standard

BROCK: The Township of Brock is considering changes to their food and refreshment truck permit process and related rule enforcement. At a meeting on Monday, June 22nd, council members discussed a food truck permit application from Laura Croft. Township Clerk Becky Jamieson provided councillors with some background on the situation. “We received a complaint mid-June with respect to the operation of this chip truck, at which time we sent out bylaw [officers] to investigate, as it was determined that this chip truck did not have a license to be operating. We visited them on June 12th, and advised them that they had to go through the process. We said ‘you can finish up your operation for the day, however after today you need to close until you get all the proper approvals in place.’ We received another complaint mid-last week that they were still operating. We sent staff back out, and again advised them they were not permitted to be operating until they received a permit. This is for the health and safety of not only them, but the health and safety of everybody who is ordering and getting food from the chip truck to make sure the proper protocols are in place,” Ms. Jamieson explained. But Ms. Jamieson added there was another issue a little while later. “Again, when our officers visited on June 19th, they closed the chip truck right down. Then again we were notified on June 21st that they had reopened yet again, and we once again sent staff back out to have them shut down,” she said. Mayor Debbie Bath-Hadden explained the situation escalated on social media from there. “We as a council are somewhat being tarnished on social media for not supporting our small businesses. I also believe that some of us have fueled that discussion. I’m not saying that it has been fueled by council intentionally, or in a negative way, but councillors have gone on social media this weekend indicating to the public that they will get to the bottom of this. I found that very offensive, when you already know what the bottom of this is.” – Full story on web