Swap meet vendors plan to boycott city hall

Calexico Santo Tomas vendorsare planning to boycott the city forum planned for them next week. They said the city is all talk and no action, breaking promise after promise.

Vendor Alberto Alvizu said, “They told us that assoon as the area affected by the fire was blocked off, they would open the restof the place for us, but they keep coming up with excuse after excuse.”

After a fire shut down the swapmeet, the city has allowed vendors to do business in the south parking lot, requiringthem to set up daily. They said it’s breaking their backs.

Vendor Gerardo Rosales showedus a set of papers describing an injury to his shoulder and back.

“This is a doctor’s appointmentto check my back because i hurt it here loading and unloading every day,” Rosalessaid.

Vendors have pleaded with cityofficials to open the Santo Tomas as soon as possible – it hasn’t happened.

Council Member Bill Hodge said,”I understand their frustration. They want quick results or relatively shortresults. I think it’s counterproductive to boycott it.”
He said the forum is key to explore options.

“To address their questions andconcerns and to lead them through avenues to help them. There’s stillinspection going on. Some of that is out of the city’s hands,” Hodge said.

Vendors said what more mustthey say or do to get some action.

“That forum the way see itthey’re not giving us a solution to what we want. What we want is to work andfor them to open the place we work, which is Santo Tomas,” Alvizu said.

The forum is scheduled for Monday, February 4 th ,at 6 p.m. in City Hall.