Vendors from the currently closed Statesboro Flea Market filled almost half the seats in the Statesboro City Council meeting room Tuesday morning, hoping councilmen would see to reason and rescind a recent order that the market be closed due to lack of compliance with city ordinances.
       To make a long story short, new businesses must pave their parking lots and build retention ponds to handle runoff. Some businesses in the city are "grandfathered" in, meaning they were in existence before the ordinance was passed, and therefore are exempt. The flea market, while housed in a building that has been in place over 30 years on U.S. 301 North, is considered a new business.
       The city gave both Statesboro Flea Market and Club Zone an extension of time to get the parking lots paved. Neither could afford it, and it didn't get done.
       The business owners knew the closure was coming, but the 50 vendors renting space from the flea market were caught blind-sided when city officials came to close the doors. Vendors were given five minutes to leave. They left their inventory behind and walked out in confusion.
       Councilman Tommy Blitch was blunt in his remarks Tuesday to attorney Lorenzo Merritt, who represented Club Zone, located near the intersection of Johnson and West Main streets. His tone and wording equaled to saying "we gave you a deadline, you didn't make it, now suffer the consequences."
       Good point, except that when it comes to the flea market, 50 vendors were put out of business through no fault of their own. All because of an ordinance that makes absolutely no sense.
       The flea market's front is landscaped and paved. A side portion of the property is paved. What is left is not muddy and unsafe - it's "paved" with "crush and run," which Blitch referred to as "trash crush and run." He is wrong - the material used to cover the market's rear lot (where vendors park) is clean, does not include foreign debris, and even in this rainy weather, shows very little puddling.
       How simple it would be to change the ordinance, or grant a variance, that allows both businesses to include a portion of "crush and run" parking. Very simple - an act that would help several citizens and preserve businesses that draw visitors (and money) from other towns.
       There has been no problem with parking at the Statesboro Flea Market. Customers have no issue parking on the paved portion; and vendors do not mind parking on the crush-and-run. To grant a variance would allow 50 citizens to reopen their businesses and operate collectively as a great draw to the city.
       On the other hand, there have been many parking issues with Club Zone. They could pave their parking lot with gold and still have people parking up and down the streets, in private parking lots and yards - wherever they can find - when the club has a large event. Paving their parking lot is not going to solve any problem at all. So, what is the point in forcing the club to pave the whole parking area? Why not have an "overflow" lot with crush and run?
       The vendors who attended Tuesday's meeting sat there, eyes on the councilmen. There were young entrepreneurs and senior citizens, of many races and backgrounds, all with the same hope in their eyes.
       Some depend solely on their income from the flea market while others considered their booths as providing "supplemental income." They sell books, clothing, hand made canes and walking sticks, floral arrangements, antiques, jewelry - all the flea market treasures found across the country in any other flea market.
       What makes this business special is the camaraderie between vendors. One spokesperson for the group said the vendors were all like family, and its true. Another spokesman pointed out the booths are neat, have electricity, are safe and attractive, and more upscale than most flea markets.
       Since the market's forced closure, the incident has been the talk of the town. County commissioners say they have been bombarded by outraged citizens in spite of it not being a county issue. The topic has been discussed at several civic club meetings. Everyone I've spoken with has questioned the city's cutting off its nose to spite its face by closing businesses that are beneficial to the city, all over a portion of unpaved parking area.
       The city can take Blitch's stand: "It's the rule and you were given a chance to comply - too bad," or the councilmen can look at the issue with common sense and see what they can do to help these businesses reopen.
       Councilmen Gary Lewis and John Riggs, as well as Mayor Joe Brannen, seemed to understand the plight of the flea market vendors and the demands of a weak economy. Lewis pointed out that citizens were asking for help. Hopefully, the council will see that granting a variance from the ordinance and allowing these people to resume working will be a boon to the city in more ways than one.