Local businesses complain about home mechanic
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Owners of two business firms appeared before the Grand Coulee council last Tuesday to complain about a person doing mechanical work at his residence without a business license.
Mike Horne, of MPH, and Jack Madsen of Jack’s Service, both in the vehicle repair business, stated that Donovan Picard, who lives at 431 Grand Coulee Avenue, is doing mechanical work at his home garage without a business license and in a residential zone that doesn’t allow businesses.
Horne and Madsen explained to the council that the city isn’t getting tax revenues from Picard’s operation.
They said it was unfair for them to comply with all the city and state regulations when others are doing business without compliance.
Madsen told the council that he had been through Picard’s operation and that his garage is equipped with everything needed for a mechanic business,
“I even offered to help him set up a mechanic business at one of my locations,” Madsen stated to the council.
The two stated that the city should look into the matter, and Madsen asked to be informed of any action taken by the city.
The two said that Picard charges less in repair fees than they do, while they pay all the taxes and fees, plus overhead to be in business.
Horne said he had researched state law in regard to what he called an “illegal” operation and if anyone wanted the material he developed he would be happy to give it to them.
Councilman Erin Neilson stated that he would like to have it and Horne provided the material to him.
An official stated that a letter asking for compliance was being prepared by the city’s attorney and would be sent to Picard.
Picard, by phone, acknowledged that he did mechanic work out of his home garage, but stated it was mainly for friends and relatives, and he didn’t see anything wrong with that.
Reader Comments(1)
Mark Graves writes:
RE: Local Businesses Complain About Home Mechanic Now let me get this straight. A couple of people are complaining to the city to stop a resident from helping out his friends and neighbors because it may be costing their business clientele? And in order to sweeten the complaint, they tell the city council, ‘Look, you’re losing money too.” This is so ridiculous. And a waste of my tax dollars while the city wastes their time ‘looking into it.’ So basically, if I wanted to help my friends and neighbors with their yards by going around and mowing the lawns, and they paid me for my gas, and maybe fed me lunch, a landscaping company can complain because they and the city will lose money? And to prove their point, they use my owning a lawnmower as proof of having enough equipment to run a landscaping business? Again, this is so ridiculous. I live next door to the Picards and never has this so called ‘business’ bothered us.There are no advertising signs out in the front yard trying to bring in customers. People aren’t lining up outside blocking the road or causing disturbances. A lot of people do request his help, and I do recommend him to folks who are having mechanical issues. Why, because he is exceptional at what he does. And may be, just may be, that is what the real problem is. Mark Graves Grand Coulee, WA
09/30/2013, 4:59 pm