JACKSON, Wyo. — The Town Council approved a new special event permit for the summer season, “Mondays in May.”
“Mondays in May” is a new food truck series, created by Matt Donavan. With his special event permit, Donovan is permitted to have up to two food trucks in May Park between 4:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m from Monday, June 13 through Monday, Sept. 5.
Last year Donovan held a similar ongoing event in Cottonwood Park on private property. According to the staff report, the event was well received and well attended.
Donovan said that the event aims to provide residents in east Jackson a space to gather, access food in their neighborhood without having to drive downtown and will “alleviate some of the stresses on local restaurants who seem to be at capacity during the summer months.”
The Town of Jackson has strict rules pertaining to food trucks operating. Food trucks can operate on private property but also need to receive an exposition license from the Town of Jackson, costing $1,599. A food truck can operate on public property if granted a special event permit and an exposition license.
In the past, food trucks have been an additional aspect of special events, serving food to spectators. The food truck hasn’t typically been the center of the event.
According to the staff report, one of the concerns the town staff has is that granting the event permit would set a precedence for other food trucks.
The Town Council has discussed allowing food trucks to operate in town in the past. During the summer of 2020, the topic was discussed by the council in response to COVID-19.
Former Mayor Pete Muldoon brought the topic forward. During a July 2020 council meeting he said, “My concern, primarily, is local residents who are probably doing a lot of cooking at home, but a lot of the members of the working class are finding it difficult to find quick, affordable options,” Muldoon said. “The goal for me is provide local working-class folks other options, especially takeout. People are struggling. We want our restaurants to make it out of this intact. We also want to be conscious of people who are struggling on a limited budget. There’s no perfect answer here. We can do our best to be fair.”
Other members of the council at that time expressed that it would be unfair to brick and mortar businesses. A number of businesses commented against allowing food trucks including the owners of Pizzeria Caldera, which has since been sold to a new owner, and E.levean, which closed its doors in the fall of 2020 after the building was sold.
In the spring of 2021, the issue was again discussed by the council during a conversation about parklets. Councilmember Jessica Sell Chambers asked for another motion to be moved to consider food trucks but found little support from her fellow councilmembers. She called it an “equity issue” and pointed out the high cost of food at restaurants.
During Monday’s regular meeting, the council voted unanimously to issue the special event permit. Vice Mayor Arne Jorgensen said, “I am excited about this opportunity, it is in my neighborhood, I am looking forward to it.”
Jorgensen, who previously did not support food trucks during 2020 and 2021 discussions said he attended on of the Cottonwood events last fall, and “liked the idea and the focus on providing for locals to get access to different food venues.”
