Aggressive merchants along Main Street, be forewarned. Highlands commissioners are updating the town’s ordinance on solicitation and a vote at their next meeting will likely take aim at you.
On Thursday, Sept.18, during its hour-long workshop ahead of the regular meeting, commissioners and town attorney Nick Tosco discussed how the town’s ordinance is and can be retooled to address a problem other merchants have shared. Apparently, some merchants have taken to loudly hawking their wares on public sidewalks, sometimes in an aggressive and loud manner.
Several merchants told commissioners that patrons and visitors are going out of their way to avoid Main Street for shopping as a result, which has had a negative impact on their sales. While no merchant was directly identified, retailers shared with commissioners that one in particular offers free samples, gets loud and puts hands on potential customers even after those who are approached make it clear they are not interested in the products or service offered.
Johanna Fein, executive director of the Highlands Chamber of Commerce, was direct with commissioners as she thanked them for trying to make improvement over what is happening.
“We get at least a phone call or an email every week from visitors and residents that are accosted by these people,” Fein said. She said she has received comments from residents who say “these places reflect badly on our wonderful town” and that they would like to see local government initiate a city ordinance that stops the solicitation and enforce it with fines. “This salon is bad for Main Street,” one resident said. “I have visitors that were married here and visit year after year … who have said they are embarrassed to bring people with them because they are accosted on Main Street by these people.”
Leah McCall with Highlands Police Department also addressed commissioners, noting that her office does get calls about the situation, after the fact, from people who say they have been grabbed by the shopkeeper.
While no immediate action was taken by the commissioners Thursday night, they voted to approve new ordinance language that updates what solicitation consists of and when it becomes a violation, such as when people are continually approached or grabbed while on the public sidewalk. The ordinance does establish fines of up to $500 per incident. Commissioners also discussed the possibility of adding cameras along Main Street, which could then serve as evidence of violations.
Following the workshop, commissioners entered into their regular meeting to cover a number of topics, including honoring one of its former members, Brian Stiehler, who had to step down because he had moved and was no longer able to serve.
The mayor presented Stiehler a plaque for his 14 years of service as a commissioner, after which Stiehler gave an update on the status of the town’s new playground, a project he spearheaded and intends to see through to fruition. The playground will be an inclusive one for the town, a point the mayor lauded earlier in the meeting. More than $1.2 million has been raised for the playground so far and a grant from the hospital foundation is expected as well, Stiehler said.
Commissioners voted to begin bidding out the project, with hopes of the playground opening in summer 2026.
Choking back tears, Stiehler also gave an emotional message as he thanked each commissioner and the mayor for their dedication and their working with him.
“Serving on this board the last 14 years is one of the greatest honors of my life,” he said. Noting that “we live in a time when public service isn’t appreciated as it once was,” he said the commissioners he has worked with have always worked for the community.
Playhouse demolition
The town’s playhouse, built in 1931, remains set for demolition. However, Mayor Pat Taylor shared that bricks and possibly the Highlands Playhouse sign can and will be salvaged and displayed at the Highlands Performing Arts Center.
Some residents, including Bob Salerno, had hoped to save the building. However, Salerno said Thursday the money necessary to save the building could not be raised. He did advocate for preserving playhouse bricks and the sign.
Church versus autos
Kelley Connelly, associate pastor of First Presbyterian Church, asked commissioners for their support to place curb stops and bollards adjacent to the church to protect the building as it has been damaged, both inside and out, because automobiles struck the older portion of the church.
The church shares Church Street with the Old Edwards Inn, she said, noting there have been two incidents in which the church was struck because there was only space between parking spots and the church and no stop measures in place.
She asked that the town not use yellow resin curb stops as they might not be adequate to stop a vehicle from continuing its forward motion yet putting the building at risk of being damaged.
Public Works Director Lamar Nix, who is retiring the end of the year, said he had surveyed the damage and recommended that in addition to the low-level curb stops 22 bollards, made of concrete and steel, be installed. Total cost is about $16,000, which commissioners approved.
The bollards will be placed close to the sidewalk and the curb stops will be placed about 4 feet back from those.
- Richard Whiting
rwhiting@cninewspapers.com