By NANCY WILSTACH / Special to the Reporter

Montevallo has adopted a set of food truck regulations.

The City Council voted 5-0-1 (Matt Walker was absent) Monday evening, Sept. 24, to approve a proposed ordinance with only one change.  The self-contained food vending trucks will be allowed to remain in a single location for four consecutive days, rather than three as in the initial version of the ordinance.

When the ordinance first was considered, it met with concern from patrons of the taco truck that parks near Lucky’s Foodland on Alabama 25. The popularity of the corn tortillas stuffed with beef or chicken, shredded lettuce, onions and cheese makes the truck a part of many Montevallo families’ meal planning.

“Don’t make the taco truck go away, or my grandchildren are going to have a fit,” one woman told the council.

City Clerk Herman Lehman said that he has observed the truck and has noted that it leaves periodically to dump its waste tanks and take care of other maintenance issues. “The ordinance does not say how long it has to be gone,” he pointed out.  “It just says a food truck cannot become a permanent fixture.”

“We want to be inviting to food trucks, but we also must be sensitive and respectful to our brick and mortar businesses,” Council Member Tiffany Bunt said.

Lehman said the ordinance takes effect Oct. 1.

In other business, the council:

-Heard from Council Member Jason Peterson that free Wi-Fi on Main Street is a reality.  Peterson has been the driving force behind the project.

“I used it today,” Peterson said, “on Main Street from City Hall to Jack’s” restaurant.

Mayor Hollie Cost said the opportunity arose to install the equipment when Main Street was dug up during Streetscape construction.

-Discussed a system of making quarterly awards for outstanding accomplishments, especially those of young people.

-Cost said that she planned to put Leah Waites first on the list for being named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist.  Waites is a student at Montevallo High School and is to be recognized at the Oct. 1 City Council meeting. Cost said she has set swearing in Junior City Council members for the Oct. 15 meeting.

-Council Member Rusty Nix wants “to find a way to honor Korey Cunningham. As far as I know, he is the only former Montevallo High School football player to make it in the NFL.”  Cunningham is on the roster of the Arizona Cardinals.

-Approved Chi Omega sorority’s using Orr Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 27 to raise funds to support Make-A-Wish.  The event is open to the public and includes food trucks, games and a “color run.” Cost said that vendors would be required to collect sales tax, but the council voted unanimously to exempt the sorority from rental and vendor fees.