If you attended this weekend’s a monstrously successful Brasher/Bogue concert at the stone pier in Lake View Iowa, odds are good that you bought a treat from Hott’s Mini-Donuts
Some members of the Lake View city council were initially reluctant to allow Mr. Hott to utilize that spot for selling his food this weekend. On July fourth weekend Ron Hotts, the owner of Hott’s Mini-Donuts purchased a Four day transient permit at a cost of $100 from the City of Lake View. He must have done well enough because he was back again this weekend to buy another transient license, but this time he want to get down closer to the lake and be allowed to hook up to 220 power.
Councilor Tony Foval-North was initially concerned with Mr. Hotts plan to set up near the concert because the burger and soda that the community club sells at that concert are “a big part of the budget”. Councilor Whitey Steinkamp expressed similar concerns and also asked about the vendor possibly causing problems for the band by drawing power away from them during the concert.
Hott who works full time for Tyson Foods in Storm Lake, Iowa, is a retired deputy sheriff who was born and raised in Storm Lake. Six years ago Hotts contacted a Mini-Donuts vendor to come work a community event he was helping to organize. When he called the lady who helped run the Mini-Donuts vending truck he was informed that she and her husband just divorced and that the vending truck was for sale if he want it.
One thing led to another, and three weeks later he owned it.
At the July 5, 2011 Lake View city council meeting Hott seemed particularly interested in getting down to Lake View because of the number of people he anticipated showing up over the weekend. Hotts indicated that he intends to come to town five are six times a year.
Mayor Westergaard initially wondered aloud which permanent businesses Hotts Mini-Donuts would be competing with. The seemingly obvious answer is local restaurants, but Hotts made the argument that in the past restaurants have actually hired him because the bottom line is thehe sells junk food and that’s not what restaurants sell.
Councilor Tim Laney weighed in with the following, “I believe this is the United States of America and that if you have a good idea by god do it and we shouldn’t stand and their way.” Laney indicated that he thought Hotts should pay for electricity because he’s not in favor of giving Hott an extra advantage. City administrator Scott Peterson disagreed saying that the original intent of the stone pier concert series was to be for the benefit of local businesses and that by letting Hott setup near the concert he would be benefiting from all of the promotion for the concert series that the city and community club undertook.
Ultimately, the council did approve Hott’s use of the location near the lake and use of the city’s 220 electricity at a price of $75.00 for the vendor permit and $25.00 for the electricity.
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