By Chris Cannon
FRANKLIN, Tenn. - A proposed amendment to an ordinance in Franklin
could have an impact of street sales, including the homeless newspaper The Contributor.
Several salespeople spend hours at Franklin intersections selling the paper
to people as they are stopped at traffic lights.
Dusty sold the paper at the intersection of Cool Spring Blvd. and Frazier Dr.
Thursday evening. It was not his best night of sales.
"I've only sold 36 papers, which is slow selling. But then I've gotten
some good tips, so I think I've pulled in about $100," Dusty said.
He drove to Franklin from Nashville Thursday, as he does two or three times
a week. Dusty lives out of his van.
"You know my van gets seven miles to the gallon, so coming down here
from Nashville and back, there's about $20 worth of gas," Dusty said.
Still, he said it is better to travel to Franklin then to stay in Nashville
and sell The Contributor.
"There's too many people selling up in Nashville. There's 350 vendors
in Nashville. That doesn't leave a whole lot of room and leaves people arguing
and fighting over spaces to sell," Dusty explained.
A proposed amendment to a Franklin ordinance regulating sales in the street
could keep Dusty from selling in that city.
"It's really all about safety," said Franklin City Administrator
Eric Stuckey.
The Board of Mayor and Alderman will vote December 11th on whether or not to
ban anyone from conducting business on Franklin streets.
"No matter how good that purpose is, if it puts that individual or
other citizens at risk, it's not worth it," Stuckey said.
The amendment would apply to charities and The Contributor salespeople.
"For newspapers and magazines there's also the opportunity for folks,
through application, to have a newsstand placed in public areas as well as
being able to sell on the sidewalk," according to Stuckey.
It is a reason Dusty does not buy.
"I think it's more about they don't want to be reminded there's poor
people out there, then it's about safety, or anything," Dusty said.
He said if the rule changes, he will be forced to abandon his corner in
Nashville.
This possible change comes soon after the City of Brentwood won a legal
challenge keeping The Contributor
salespeople from selling on city streets.
The amendment comes up for its first vote on December 11th. If the Board of
Mayor and Alderman pass it, then the amendment would come up for a second and
final vote in January.
email: ccannon@newschannel5.com
