City officials said due to the problems authorities have encountered, people will not be allowed to sell water bottles next year on city property around Saratoga Race Course.
During Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, Commissioner of Public Safety Chris Mathiesen explained the history behind water bottles being sold on city property around the outside of the track.
But over the past several years, the code enforcement and police departments have seen the selling of water bottles turn into a problem.
“This past season I feel was the straw that broke the camel’s back for code enforcement,” wrote Jack Donnelly, code enforcer, in a letter Mathiesen read Tuesday night.
“Over the past several years an increasing number of individuals have been selling bottled water on city streets and sidewalks in the area of the race track during the thoroughbred racing meet,” the statement read.
“Police and code enforcement have attempted to negotiate with people involved in this activity in a reasonable manner, however the situation has been a drain on the resources of both police and code enforcement who spend a considerable amount of time this past racing season moderating people involved and mediating their disputes over what amounts to an activity that is in violation of the city’s ordinances already,” the letter read.
“If there’s a way to legally do it and could be enforced, I would say that the next council should probably take a look at that,” said Madigan.