By Fallan Patterso
Staff Writer

Bruce Brock’s mobile snow cone truck for three summers has been parked almost daily in the shade of a large tree on St. Cloud’s Lakeshore Drive, directly across from Lakefront Park.

Brock uses his family business – his wife Debbie Brock and daughter Michelle Miller also work there – to supplement his income as an Osceola County school bus driver, a job he’s held for 20 years. He said he hopes to retire soon and focus solely on the snow cone business.

“It doesn’t pay the mortgage but it does pay bills,” Debbie Brock added.

Muddling his plans, however, is the lakefront vending ban approved May 26 by the St. Cloud City Council. Sunday will be the last day vendors can sell at the lakefront without a special event permit.

“It’s not fair to me as a business person because I’ve built my business,” Brock said. “It would be hard to replace this location. People come and look for you.”

Lakefront vending is separate from other mobile vending because vendors sell their wares on city right of way rather than on private property.

Also looming is the council’s concern about children’s safety.

The parked vendors claim children are safe because their trucks are stationary and parked near the playground and splash pad.

Brock questions the safety of mobile ice cream vendors who roam the streets and have children run into the road to buy frozen goodies.

“I’m trying to create a safe environment here,” he said.

Several councilmen at the May 26 meeting said an incident involving the Brocks and another snow cone vendor became police business and confirmed their vote.

According to the St. Cloud Police report, the incident occurred May 24 when Brock called police to check Gary and Ellen Shadle’s vendor credentials. The Shadles were selling snow cones from under a tent.

Brock called police three times that day alleging the Shadles lacked the proper city permits – police confirmed the permits were legitimate, but were in violation of the city code for selling on city property in the grass along Lakeshore Boulevard. Brock also complained to police the Shadles failed to display state-enforced caution placards on their vehicle.

Additionally, the Shadles claimed Brock’s son, Timothy Brock, had yelled profanities at them that day.

“While working weekend patrol at the lakefront in the past, it was common for me to handle several complaints from one vendor calling on other vendors to accuse them of not having their city vendor permit,” Officer Agnel Herrera wrote in his report, adding at least three vendors refused to vend at Lakefront Park because of the calls.

Councilwoman Mickey Hopper called the incident “very territorial” and said the report influenced her vote.

Brock insists he is not territorial, claiming he only introduced himself to the Shadles and inquired about their permits and licenses.

“I called no names, made no derogatory remarks toward him,” Brock said about Gary Shadle.

Brock’s daughter, Michelle Miller, said proper permits ensure public safety.

“It has nothing to do with territory,” she said. “If they were in the lines of the law, there would have been no issue.”

Calls to the Shadles were not returned.

Concession stand solution

City staff is currently researching Councilman Tom Griffin’s suggestion at the May 26 meeting concerning the city building a concession stand at Lakefront Park and lease it to one vendor, resolving the mobile vending issue.

Griffin suggested using contingency funds to build the stand-alone structure, money that would be paid back to the council through rent. Once the contingency was paid back, the rent would become pure profit for the city, Griffin said.

“It would eliminate the concerns of childhood safety,” he said. “It’s a reasonable solution to the problem.”

Other council members appeared excited about the idea.

“Almost like the old lakefront was,” Hopper said.

St. Cloud previously built and leased a concession stand at Lakefront Park, years before the marina building and Crabby Bill’s restaurant were planned.

City records outline a bid awarded to Florida Major Enterprises in September 1988 to build the stand. Eventually, non-alcoholic beverages, snacks and pizza were sold out of the stand and lakefront visitors could rent inner tubes, bicycles and in-line skates, records state.

Brock is not opposed to the city-owned concession stand, which Griffin envisions standing between Ohio and Indiana avenues, but does have some conditions.

“At least give me the opportunity to continue to do business until the concession stand is ready for bidding,” he said. “If we didn’t get the bid, that’s fine. At least it would be fair.”

Because the city allows vending during special events, the Brocks said they hope to secure a special event permit for the season. For three summers, the Brocks have lowered prices on certain items for St. Cloud Civic Center summer camps and day cares on field trips to the lakefront so “any kid can afford a treat,” Brock said.

“The special occasion is, it’s summer,” Miller said. “This place is going to be packed. It’s about the kids, the community.”