The 11 mobile food vendors that operate within Fort Stockton city limits currently and the customers who enjoy them had much reason to rejoice following the Fort Stockton City Council meeting on Aug. 24.

The city council voted against – via a 3-2 vote – an ordinance amendment that would have raised their cost to operate within city limits from $1,400 a year to $3,600 a year.

Councilwoman Pam Palileo, and councilmen Paul Casias and James Warnock voted against the amendment while councilmen Ruben Falcon and Darren Hodges were in favor of the price increase.

Fort Stockton City Manager Frank Rodriguez presented information at the meeting for what nearby cities charge for their mobile food vendors annually.

“When you look at other cities, Pecos, their mobile food vendors are $300 per month or $3,000 per year on leased land. $200 per month on owned land or $2,000 per year on own land. Monahans there is no charge, just a background check. Midland charges $100 per year plus a fire permit of $125 plus a health permit of $175, totaling $400 year. Odessa is $150 a year plus fire permit, health permit, totaling $475 a year. So, you can see there is no consistency from other cities,” Rodriguez said.

Falcon and Hodges both explained that the ordinance would level the playing field between restaurants and mobile food vendors because food trucks do not pay property taxes or utilities for their business.

“The restaurant owners have been asking me for equal treatment. For example, our average restaurants pay about $800 per month (for utilities, trash, etc.). The mobile food vendors are taking advantage of the city lights and they’re paying $3 a day. So, when you’re talking your local restaurant owners, they’re paying (property taxes and utilities,” Falcon said.

Hodges thought the increase from $3 a day to $9 a day was reasonable.

“I think we do need to level the playing field and I don’t think that’s an outrageous fee. They’re making good money and 9$ a day isn’t a lot.”

Palileo responded by explaining that mobile food vendors use generators or power from a business, who pays the city for their utilities. Thus, vendors have to pay for their power when they purchase a generator or via an agreement they have in place with the land owners that they have their food truck on.

“Don’t they usually have generators that operate their truck and they pay for that right? That’s how it works unless they have a deal with the owner of the property they’re on,” Palileo said. “Last year when we cut utilities in half, they didn’t see any kind of return because they don’t use utilities (for their business). Personally, I don’t think it’s fair. I just think with them running off a generator and them having a deal with the landowner, that’s their deal. That landowner pays the dumpster fee. That’s their deal not ours.”

Casias asked for clarification on the purpose of raising the ordinance fee before the conversation concluded and a motion was made.

“I want to make sure I know what it is I’m going to have to decide here. Our issue, or someone’s issue is that the city is not making money off these vendors? They’re not paying water, electricity. So, they are setting up on someone’s established business.”

Fort Stockton Mayor Chris Alexander responded by stating the city does not profit from electricity.

Rodriguez added that out of the 11 food trucks that operate in Fort Stockton city limits, 10 of the people who own and run them are from Fort Stockton.