Leighton Twp. approves $100 fee for food trucks

Food trucks have become a mainstay in the public festival arenas nationwide, mostly since the Covid-19 pandemic.

They are so new that Leighton Township Thursday evening became one of the very first municipalities in the county to adopt an ordinance insisting on an annual fee for commercial units to do business in the outdoor public.

The Leighton Township Board decided on a $100 annual fee for such businesses, taking a suggestion from Jason Derry of Professional Code Inspections (PCI), the township’s ordinance enforcement arm of the local government.

The fee will not be implemented until Jan. 1, 2026, so the annual Balloon Festival early next month at the Wayland Airport will be free of that regulation.

“It’s not a money making enterprise for us. That’s not why we’re doing this,” said Supervisor Steve Wolbrink.

The Township Board Thursday night dealt with several other proposed ordinances.

It sent information about a short term rental ordinance to PCI, Williams & Works and the Planning Commission. It sent information about an extensive trailer ordinance to Township Attorney Cliff Bloom. And it continues to work on a burn ordinance that spells out penalties for those who violate rules on burning trash and manure in yard barrels.

In other business at their meeting Thursday, the Township Board:

• Was told by Randy Maynard of the fire department that July 2025 was the busiest July ever for calls with 57. The fire department has been summoned to 398 incidents thus far this year, most of them medically related.
• Approved the appointment of Katie VanDuyn to the assessor’s post. She succeeds longtime assessor Laura Stob, who resigned earlier this year.
• Agreed to two amendments to the International Fire Code of July 13, 2023, at the request of Fire Chief Matt Weston.
• Reviewed EMC insurance renewal for township fire department, the township itself and Green Lake sewer assets.
• Learned from Sheriff’s Deputy Adam Earl that vehicle break-ins continue to plague Dorr and Leighton Township residents and he urged them to lock them and not leave anything of value in them.