Mayor Alfred Mentore announced on Friday that the Mayor and City Council are taking a firm stance to prevent vendors from operating around the Georgetown Public Hospital.
During a recent engagement with vendors on Thursday, Mentore emphasized that those selling at the hospital’s entrance will face legal consequences. “Nobody will ever again be selling in that area. That area will remain as clear as possible, and any person who violates that will be prosecuted,” he stated.
Earlier this month, City Clerk Candace Nelson received a lawyer’s letter indicating that vendors operating along New Market Street and near the hospital must relocate or face court action. The legal document, a mandamus, seeks to compel the City Council to perform its duty regarding vendor management.
In response, the City Council has already begun efforts to find suitable relocation for the vendors and has agreed that the nearby parking lot on East Street is an adequate alternative. Furthermore, inactive caravans currently occupying that lot have been ordered to move to facilitate the relocation process.
Mayor Mentore mentioned that the area is undergoing preparations to reduce flooding, stating, “What we have to do now is sanitize the area properly and cap it a little bit to prevent any flooding. There will be resurfacing done there.”
The Mayor confirmed that the vendors are expected to relocate to the designated area by next week.
