Local vendors and business owners are considering the possibility of creating a new Butler community Italian themed event to replace the regional festival that will no longer be held downtown.
At their meeting Thursday night, Butler City Council heard from a vendor who expressed disappointment as well as two local business owners who shared problems they experienced with the festival in recent years.
“The organizer put a sausage truck exactly across the street and they were mad that our sandwiches were $7 and their sandwiches were $12,” Deb Matonak, owner of Millers Meats said. “We were told he had to be concerned because they came from Alabama.”
Although Mayor Dandoy said comments like that were not the reason why he stressed the original 2 p.m. Friday set up time to Italian Festival organizers, it did give him a lot to think about.
“When I heard the desire to do a more localized authentic Italian Festival, I think that’s a great idea. We’ll do every thing we can,” Dandoy said.
Dandoy went on to say that he hasn’t heard back from festival organizers after the email canceling the event. The contract for this year’s event was never signed.
