The Clearwater City Council last week agreed to send a letter of support to the Minnesota Dept. of Health (MDH) to help Jimmy’s Pizza potentially place a mobile food truck in Clearwater.

 

Last Month, Jimmy Gordon of Jimmy’s Pizza requested permission to locate and keep a food truck in the Clearwater Hardware & Bait parking lot, where it would sell food and also make deliveries.

 

At the time, the council wasn’t completely against the idea, but rules by MDH would prevent the unit from staying at one location for more than 21 days. And since the city’s ordinance doesn’t specifically allow mobile food units, there were questions whether it would require an ordinance change to allow it.

 

Since that time, Gordon said he spoke with people at MDH and was told   catering is not allowed from mobile food trucks and  pizza delivery is considered catering.

 

Gordon said he eventually spoke with the south region supervisor at MDH and was told he could apply for an exemption from both the 21-day rule and the catering rule. But the decision would be made by a board of supervisors.

 

Last week, Gordon asked the council for a letter of support stating the city was in favor of MDH granting the exemptions.

 

Members of the council were at first hesitant to commit to the idea, with a few not sure if they were in favor of a permanent mobile unit in the city.

 

“I’m favorable on the catering side. My hesitation is how much time is fair time,” said Councilman Richard Petty. “I want to help businesses in town, but I also believe there’s the property tax side.”

 

Petty said brick and mortar businesses pay property taxes and utility fees, and Jimmy’s would be competing for their business without the same expenses.

 

“I wouldn’t want to give the impression that I’m definitely in favor,” he said.

 

Councilman Rollie Lange said he was in favor of having Jimmy’s in town.

 

He said pizza delivery is not a service currently provided by any other business in town. 

 

“We do allow other vendors to come into town. We do allow produce people to come into town,” he said. “I would like to explore it further and try to get an approval.”

 

“I’m a definite maybe,” said Councilman Kris Crandall. “If there was pizza here, I’d eat it. But I also look at he impact on the businesses that are here.”

 

Council Member Andrea Lawrence said she had only positive comments from neighbors, and she was neutral on the issue herself.

 

Mayor Pete Edmonson said there wasn’t any reason to keep Jimmy’s out of the city, especially if the city did its due diligence.

 

“If it’s regulated properly, if it’s permitted properly, if fees are collected, then why would we want to say no as a city,” he said. “We should never turn down competition as long as it’s regulated properly.”

 

Petty said the council would have to talk about permit fees.

 

“Who knows what the fees should be. It may be quite expensive to get to the point of being fair,” he said.

 

Administrator Kevin Kress said the city would still have to make an amendment the ordinance to allow mobile units. And typically, the applicant for the amendment is responsible for any costs involved. That includes staff time and legal fees.

 

In this case, the language would cover all mobile units.

 

“I wouldn’t base it specifically for Jimmy’s,” he said. “It would have to be broadened so if anybody comes in and they want to deliver and go past the 21-day rule, it would have to be written like that and accepted by the city council.”

 

Gordon said rather than go through the process and costs of an ordinance change now, he would first like to get MDH approval on the exemptions.

 

 The council directed Kress to work with Gordon to draft and send a letter of support to MDH officials.