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Times are tough.
But Merced's entrepreneurial spirit seems to be shining through despite the rotten economy.
It's just a spirit being channelled in the wrong direction.
Times are tough.
But Merced's entrepreneurial spirit seems to be shining through despite the rotten economy.
It's just a spirit being channelled in the wrong direction.
Merced Sun-Star - Submitted photo by Florence Lambert
Not everyone is following municipal codes when it comes to garage sales, like this one in the 200 block of West 18th Street.
When it comes to the garage sale economy Merced is expanding. There's practically one on every corner. Clothes and knickknacks spreading across the city's lawns like unwanted weeds.
Many of these garage sales are coming to resemble permanent sidewalk bazaars instead of the temporary yard sales they are meant to be. Just drive down the city streets on any given day and multi-colored fabric and appliances and bikes and anything else that can be sold are spread out for sale on front lawns across town.
Tipster Florence Lambert wrote the Sun-Star with her concerns about this plague of garage sales.
She even wrote Mayor Ellie Wooten about the problem. "Many of these aren't garage sales any more," she wrote. "They're front yard flea markets that go on every day, in some cases, and every weekend in others!" When Lambert spoke to some of the people running these garage sales, they told her they held garage sales so as not to pay for booths at the flea market.
Lambert also pointed out that city codes only allow each home one garage sale every three months.
It appears Lambert was right about the municipal code, which says exactly what she thought it said, noted Mike Conway the city of Merced's spokesman. In fact, having more than four garage sales a year in Merced is a misdemeanor that can result in a fine, said Conway.
But Mike Stephenson, an assistant building official with the city, said fines are far and few between. For someone to be fined for this infraction the city attorney has to take them to court. The only time that has happened was last year, he said. Annually the city receives about 30 complaints. The city usually sends out officials to tell the home owner that they can't have more than the allowed garage sales and that seems to have worked, he said. "We haven't had anybody that's pushed the limit," he added.
Apparently these city officials are not going out enough.
What is wrong: Across town people are abusing their rights when it comes to garage sales. Instead of having the four they are allowed each year they are making them permanent.
Who is at fault: garage sale abusers and the city for not enforcing its own codes stringently enough.
Tip off the tip list!
If you see something broken or in need of repair in your neighborhood, call the Sun-Star Tip List reporter, Jonah Owen Lamb, with your tips at (209) 385-2484 or e-mail jlamb@mercedsun-star.com.
