Some vendors fined during Tardy Gras issued refunds by city

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    MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) — Some vendors fined by the City of Mobile for selling goods during the Tardy Gras celebrations were refunded on Monday.

City revenue workers were at booths on Friday night issuing fines to booths that did not have the “special events” license to do business. Downtown business owner John Serda said the vendors who set up on his property were not aware they needed the license.

During the events on Friday, city workers told vendors they needed to pay the fine or pack up and leave.

Serda said the vendors who were fined were refunded on Monday.

Mayor Stimpson’s Chief of Staff James Barber said, “Friday’s parade was a celebratory and unique event, and all participating departments were instructed to take a soft approach to enforcement unless necessary for public safety. This includes the City of Mobile’s Revenue Department, which was supposed to supply one officer that would only respond as needed to complaints. However, these instructions did not get carried out. Because vendors were never notified that they needed a special event permit, all fines issued by Revenue for not having a special event license this past Friday will be refunded.”

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