The Glendale Star
Glendale Communications Director Julie Watters sent a written response to this newspaper’s account of the events that transpired between City Manager Brenda Fischer and Glendale Chamber of Commerce President Robert Heidt regarding White Eyes Fry Bread Co. owners John and Alice Roach, and the Roach’s complaint about being turned down numerous times for a permit to offer their products at downtown Glendale special events.
According to Tax & License, this company has been a Glendale business since 2012. According to the Office of Special Events, since 2010, this company has applied for 15 festivals. It has been accepted into 5 — which is one festival per season. (Our records retention policy only goes back to 2010-11.)
The ratio of out-of-state versus in state vendors is usually a minimum of 5 to 1 ——– 5 in state and 1 out-of-state. The majority of all vendors are from Arizona. Glendale businesses are a minimum of 15% to 20% of all vendors at our festivals and Glendale businesses are given a preference. For example, for the 2015 Chocolate Affaire, out of the 138 applications we received, 17 of them had a Glendale address. Out of those 17, a total of 14 were accepted into the festival.
What’s bothersome here is “what businesses” are being referred to? Did the reporter talk to any other businesses to give this more validity?
There are many reasons why and how vendors are chosen including: the number of applicants in each category, diversity of vendors to ensure a wide selection yet limited in their respective category to ensure each vendor’s success, overall product (such as fresh versus frozen for food), booth set-up, paperwork filled out properly with photos included, revenue generation, ability to handle a large crowd, past issues/infractions, etc…
With that said………… this vendor had an infraction from the Office of Special Events in 2013 for violating a policy agreement which they signed as a condition to participate in the festival. Furthermore, there was a late payment issue in 2012. In addition, our records indicate this vendor’s revenue generation has been lower than similar vendors.
