A traveling petting zoo based out of Florida is coming to the Lake Village Shopping Center, but first the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety Friday had to decide whether or not to reduce or waive an itinerant merchant fee.
The dates for Engesser’s Exotics LLC’s visit at the shopping center, 3300 Lake City Highway, are to be determined.
The traveling zoo’s fee would have cost $3,000 for a five-day exhibit at the shopping center, but after discussion, the Board reduced it to $300.
Assistant City Planner Justin Taylor brought the petition for a waiver or reduction before the Board on behalf of Engesser’s.
“They are a petting zoo out of Florida that travels around the country displaying exotic animals. Because they are not located locally, they would have to pay an itinerant merchant fee, which would total about $3,000. They said that’s not economically viable for them to pay that,” Taylor said.
The purpose of the fee is to protect local businesses from being undercut by traveling merchants, he said. Since Warsaw doesn’t have a petting zoo, that competition is not as relevant, Taylor said.
Mayor Joe Thallemer inquired about the zoo not charging an admission fee. Taylor said they were not, but charge for animal feed and photos.
Thallemer then asked if the visiting zoo was set up by the merchants in the Lake Village Shopping Center.
“They’ve been in communication with the plaza, but I’m not sure exactly what all they’ve discussed with them so far but I believe that’s the location they got approved from them to set up. It’s out by like Kmart. They said they draw about 4,000 to 6,000 visitors in with their exhibit,” Taylor responded.
Thallemer asked if the visiting zoo had permission to set up in that shopping center and Taylor said they did.
If Engesser’s was a local business, they would pay between $100 and $300 whether they were in the city or county.
“Were they asking to waive the out-of-state fee, or any fee at all, because they’re not charging anything?” Thallemer asked.
Taylor left that up to the Board of Works, but said the zoo was asking the board to waive or reduce the fee.
“I would agree that there’s not really competition here of goods, and actually this could be benefitting merchants up at the shopping center by creating an event that actually would help our local merchants,” Thallemer said.
Board member George Clemens said it could be good for the economy and the shopping center. He said the zoo was pretty unique. Member Jeff Grose said he’d like to at least charge the $100 resident fee.
Engesser’s will have six employees working over a five-day period, Taylor said. The city’s fee per day per person for a “resident outside Indiana” is $100, and a one-year fee is $3,000.
City Planner Jeremy Skinner said, “I would say the one thing we want to clarify here is, we don’t know anything about this company. We’re not saying that they are great animal handlers, or not great animal handlers. They come to you, they’ve asked for a reduction of a permit. And based on whether it benefits the community, you can reduce it or not. We’re not trying to say ... anything to do with animal handling. It’s not the city that’s permitting them. We’re just giving them a permit to locate there. It’s not a city event by any means.”
Thallemer said that disclaimer is important.
“Because keep in mind, local vendors here do pay the fee, so those local vendors who are from our community are paying the fee. I think it’s at least a justification for them to pay the fee as well,” Skinner said.
Skinner assumed there are state and federal requirements that the zoo has to meet, and all the city is doing is issuing the permit. It’s not endorsing the company.
“Having seen what’s happened in the county and other counties around us, I think it’s important for us to make (the public) aware we are not hiring a vendor, we did not go and ferret the vendor to see whether or not it met these requirements. That’s up to them to do, not us,” Skinner said.
Thallemer said like a food vendor, the zoo would have to comply with health department requirements.
Clemens mentioned the protesters up at North Webster’s Mermaid Fest in June over an elephant exhibit.
“I think you’ll have protesters whatever they bring because they’re exotic animals,” Clerk-Treasurer Lynne Christiansen stated.
Clemens made a motion to charge the $300 fee, and his motion was unanimously approved.
