Council discusses vendor fee after busy Miners Jubilee; staff to review sliding-scale options

Baker City Councilors on July 22 discussed concerns raised by vendors and the chamber after the city implemented a booth fee for events, including Miners Jubilee.

Staff said the fee (implemented from the city’s fee schedule) is intended to help the city recoup costs associated with events — public-safety, insurance, cleanup and park repairs. The city had coordinated with the chamber on rollout but acknowledged communication broke down and some vendors reported unexpected charges.

Council members and staff debated fee levels and fairness. Staff said the council reduced the practical charge to $200 for the whole event (rather than per day) in recognition of vendor concerns. Councilors suggested a sliding scale based on vendor type and discussed vendor retention and the economic benefit of attracting vendors to increase local spending.

Why it matters: vendor fees affect vendor participation and the economic dynamism of community events. Councilors said they want to avoid pricing out small vendors while ensuring the city can recover costs for damage or extra services.

Details: Staff said the fee targets out-of-county vendors in some cases and noted the city had accepted extra costs protecting parks during the event. The chamber reported some vendor churn but also maintained it regained vendors overall. Council asked staff to place a fuller review of the vendor-fee policy on a future agenda so council can consider a sliding scale tied to vendor type, insurance and local benefit.

What’s next: staff will return with a more detailed proposal and comparative practices from peer cities for council consideration at an upcoming meeting.