Appleton Allows Kids' Lemonade Stands

Appleton's Police Chief David Walsh admitted on Monday that this was "not our finest hour."

Sound familiar?

Walsh's comments remind me of Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn's response to the Riverwest mob rampage earlier this month. He said the department's handling of the looting and beatings "may not have been our finest hour."

Walsh, however, wasn't apologizing for the disgrace of Milwaukee police officers failing to take statements from victims of violent crimes.

He was accepting responsibility for the Appleton police department shutting down a child's lemonade stand and the ensuing uproar.

From the Appleton Post-Cresent:

Despite the Sunday snafu during the old car show, lemonade stands are not under attack in Appleton. The next big summer crowd pleaser is Art in the Park on July 31. There will be thirsty masses to serve. So, dust off the cash box and prepare for some squeezing if you live around City Park.

"Get out there. Stock up some lemonade because it's supposed to be pretty nice out. And good luck," Mayor Tim Hanna said Tuesday.

City and police officials have had a lot of explaining and backtracking to do since an officer shut down a lemonade stand set up by sisters Lydia Coenen, 10, and Vivian Coenen, 9.

The girls were near their home about 7:30 a.m. Sunday, getting ready to sell their lemonade to car enthusiasts heading to Pierce Park for the Appleton Old Car Show & Swap Meet when the officer told them the sales were prohibited by city ordinance.

The law, which went into effect last month, bars licensed vendors from selling food and drinks within a two-block radius of any special events. The key word is "licensed."

Lemonade stands are not regulated in the state, and there are no plans to do so in the city. As a public health issue, they are low-risk for food-borne illnesses, health officials say. Additionally, the city doesn't want to get in the business of issuing permits to minors.

Police Chief David Walsh, in a letter sent Monday to members of the Common Council, said his department takes responsibility for the uproar.

"Not our finest hour, but I believe the officer was acting in the spirit of inter-departmental cooperation rather than malice toward childhood lemonade stands. We often have to tell good people that their actions violate an ordinance," he wrote. "In this instance, it appears we went a step too far. I'll make sure it does not repeat itself."

Sgt. Pat DeWall said officers will be trained on how to regulate who can and cannot sell food and drinks around special-permit events.

Common sense prevails in Appleton.