By By MIKE VOSS
Contributing Editor
During its meeting Monday, Washington’s City Council is expected to consider a request for an “alley market” to be held on Ayers Lane every Friday from September through December.
The request is being made by Gary A. Ceres, one of the owners of I Can’t Believe It’s a Book Store, which abuts Ayers Lane, an alley between the bookstore and the former McLellan’s building in downtown Washington. Vendors for the alley market would be selected by the bookstore owners.
In his written request to the city, Ceres noted the market would be open Friday mornings and afternoons. A hand-written note on the request indicates the market — a general craft/farmers market activity — would be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays. A document accompanying the request included in the City Council’s agenda packet for Monday’s meeting refers to the market as Ayers Alley Exchange.
“I Can’t Believe It’s a Book Store will assume responsibility for ensuring that vendors set-up and clean-up their spaces properly, maintain the alley, etc.,” Ceres wrote in his request.
The accompanying document indicates that those vendors required to have licenses, permits and/or insurance to operate will be required to prove they meet those requirements before being allowed to be a part of the market.
Under the market proposal, the sale of weapons and ammunition would be prohibited, as would the sale of dogs and cats, counterfeit merchandise and tobacco products, among other items.
The council’s agenda packet includes a memorandum from Allen Lewis, the city’s public-works director, informing the council and mayor of the Public Works Department’s intent to buy 4,000 roll-out carts (95-gallon capacity) to be used for recycling. The carts would replace the bins now being used in the city’s recycling program.
The carts would cost $191,920, according to the memorandum.
Funding for the carts was approved as part of the last fiscal year’s budget. That funding included $100,000 in city money and a $100,000 grant from the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
The council will hear a report on its application for grant funding to help pay for installing restrooms on the east and west ends of Stewart Parkway.
The council is expected to accept a $295,125 Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant to help with development of the area known as Festival Park between the N.C. Estuarium and the former Maola plant on Water Street. The grant agreement requires the city to provide $295,125 for the project. The two funding sources together provide $590,250 for the project.
The council meets at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 102. E. Second St. The council’s entire tentative agenda may be viewed by visiting the city’s website at www.ci.washington.nc.us. Click on the “website map” item under the menu on the left, then click on the “meeting agendas” section under the “city government” heading. The agenda will be under the listing for the City Council.