GRAFTON – Members of the Grafton Food Truck Committee heard overwhelming opposition to food trucks and support for brick-and-mortar businesses at two recent public hearings on possible food truck regulations.
The hearings were held on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026 and Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026 at Grafton City Hall. The Grafton Food Truck Committee includes City Council members Richard Mosby, Mary Jo Cote and Rus Roy, as well as former alderman David Hand, Police Chief Dave Womack and Brad Hagen.
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At the first hearing on Sept. 29, Keith Luther said he would only support food trucks operating during special events when existing businesses “can’t keep up” with demand from visitors. He said any future ordinance should clearly define the term “food truck” and impose registration fees high enough to offset any lost tax revenue from “cash only” mobile food vendor transactions.
Tom Lenkman and others raised concerns of food trucks steering customers away from local businesses during the summer months, which are critical for Grafton businesses that make less revenue during the winter season.
“These businesses that are here, they have to make their money in the summers while they can, and then they barely make it in the winters,” Lenkman said. “If you allow these trucks in here in the summer without restrictions – without them having to deal with garbage collection or bathrooms or anything else – I think that really detracts from the businesses that have worked hard to stay established here.”
Larry Hellrung added: “You’re not going to find a food truck in here in the middle of January, but you will find these restaurants open and these bars open.”
J.D. Lorton of Aerie’s Resort said the business contributes heavily to the city’s tax revenues and employs over 100 residents of surrounding communities. Between sales tax, Hotel/Motel tax, amusement tax and property tax payments, Lorton said Aerie’s paid $428,714.67 in taxes in Fiscal Year 2024-25.
Lorton estimated Grafton’s existing brick-and-mortar businesses employ hundreds more local residents than food trucks and would be negatively impacted by their presence in the city.
“If you start letting any Tom, Dick and Harry come in here and set up on an empty lot selling tacos, cheeseburgers [and] fish, all that does is hurt the local businesses,” Lorton said. “Also, who are they employing? Two or three people? I bet you the Loading Dock, the [Grafton] Pub, the [Grafton Harbor] Marina, Southern Coastal [Cuisine], I bet if you add them all up, we’re employing way over 500-600 people between all the businesses.”
Mayor Mike Morrow read a few written comments expressing many similar concerns, noting their overall sentiment was “99% negative.” The mayor said he and committee members have been reviewing food truck regulations from other nearby communities and will prepare an ordinance that addresses the public’s concerns.
“We’ve looked at all of the ordinances within the region that deal with food trucks – good, bad and indifferent. We’ve talked with the state and we’ve also looked at the county,” Morrow said. “We’ll come up with something that basically adheres to what everybody is saying. So for right now, the comments are pretty much 99% negative.”
With no food truck regulations currently in place, Morrow said the future ordinance would give the Grafton Police Department the authority to issue fines and/or possibly prohibit food trucks from operating in the city. He said the Grafton Food Truck Committee plans to meet at the end of this month, with an estimated meeting date of Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026.
A draft of the ordinance will be available for public review at the next committee meeting, Morrow said. The committee will then forward their recommendation to the Grafton City Council for a future final vote.
