BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

CANTON — The village is considering developing a parking permit system for farmer’s market vendors once market season begins on the village green park.

At the village board meeting March 17, Village Police Chief Jim Santimaw said he had conversations with the previous market director last year about some frustrations vendors were having regarding parking violations they were drawing on market days.

“Most of the vendors are fine, but occasionally someone will unload and leave their vehicle there for an extended period of time, there’s not money in the meter because they chose to park their,” Santimaw said. The chief said a permit system would allow officers and the new market director, Sonja Jensen, to more readily identify who is a vendor and who is not.

“This is not us trying to be in any way negative towards the vendors in the park,” Santimaw said. “We support those folks, we want them there. It’s a very important part of our summer. We recognize that and we want to be supportive.”

Jensen, who attended the March 17 meeting, said that in the past some vendors have been ticketed in the past for parking in metered spots on the green while loading or unloading. A permit would give vendors a pass to get their products and table set up and then move their car without a violation and without having to drop coins in the meter.

“It can be hectic on market days, you are trying to get everything out as quick as you can and you’re not trying to focus on if you put enough dimes in the meter,” Jensen said. She said the permits would also give vendors and official notice that they would be allowed to park in the spots surrounding the park only while they were unloading and packing up.

Village Mayor Michael Dalton said he and Village Clerk Sally Noble had discussed about setting up a permit process for market days along the same lines as the village’s winter parking permits. Those lots allow street parking at certain times without fear of citation during plowing season.

During the discussion, Village Trustee Carol Pynchon suggested the permits be issued for free to help out the farmers who are selling products at the market.

The village and Jensen plan to work on developing a permit process for the market vendors and have a plan in place before market season begins.