Thanks to Jim Lawes for standing up for the little guy

Here's a hand for Jim Lawes, the owner of Miramichi Electronics, for standing up to the powers-that-be who are trying to stick it to the roadside vendors around town trying to make a penny.
Recently, at a general committee meeting, city council discussed the construction of unlicensed structures by city thoroughfares. The following day, the Miramichi Planning District Commission sent out a letter advising vendors violating a bylaw requiring permit for new structures to remove their shelters.
Jim Lawes has one of the structures on his business property on Pleasant Street in Newcastle. It's on his property, with his permission, but it's run was run by someone else.
In a recent interview with this newspaper, Lawes said he received a letter asking the structure be removed until the proper permits are sought.
"As I understood it, the city wanted to charge them a fee for every location in the city, which made it unreasonable that they could operate," he said. "The city would spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to set up for some big outside company to come in, but some little fellow trying to make a living here ..."
Never were truer words spoken on this river, friends and neighbours.
Lawes said he doesn't know why those structures are being targeted.
"It's just all of a sudden someone got their nose out of joint and decided they needed to show their power, or something," he said. "It's ridiculous what's going on."
Right on, Jim.
People selling produce on the side of the road are a tradition in this part of the world and something I for one look forward to seeing. It's a way to tell the passing of the seasons: strawberries and blueberries in the spring and summer, corn and potatoes in the fall and smelts in the winter. It's good, local merchandise. It helps to generate income in an economically depressed area and the money stays in the community. And what, may I ask, is wrong with any of that?
In the same article, Mayor John McKay said the city has no problem with vendors selling their wares on the sides of Miramichi streets, as long as the rules are followed.
"I have no problem with anything — as long as it meets the laws set forth," McKay said.
To obtain a permit for a structure, the property owner must first submit a site plan showing the proposed location of said structure. The plan must also include the dimensions of the structure and how it will be built and if it meets the zoning standards, all things which are regulated by the commission.
But Lawes isn't going to take it laying down.
"I had a talk to the mayor and expressed my displeasure about the whole thing," Lawes said. "And if worst comes to worst, I'll set up a vegetable stand out here."
Way to fight city hall, Jim. And one important thing to remember about the powers-that-be.
Time and votes will always make them the powers-that were.