A farmers market will no longer be held in Warrenton after organizers couldn't come to terms on an agreement with the city pertaining to rules and regulations. City officials, however, said they have taken numerous steps to make sure the weekly event continues and said the disagreement on collecting sales tax is an issue with the Missouri Department of Revenue. The farmers market was held every Tuesday afternoon at the Warren County Fairgrounds. Its last date in Warrenton was July 14. Vendors plan to continue holding the market at Diekroeger Park in Wright City every Thursday from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Warrenton city officials agreed to draft a special farmers market license ordinance, somewhat similar to an occupational permit required for all businesses in the city. The annual fee to be paid by the farmers market organization was $200, which would have been paid out of the city's tourism budget. Irv Husar, market master, said he had presented the ordinance a final time to the vendors last week and they agreed the terms were unacceptable. Husar said the city wanted the vendors to report their sales tax collections and submit a list of vendors in attendance each week to the city. In addition, organizers were supposed to meet with the board of aldermen annually. "It's the constant of coming up with different things," Husar said. "I guess if they got complaints, they have to do something. I don't know what the right answer is, but I won't put up with it. I don't have to do this in Warrenton." Most of the disagreement rests with the collecting of sales tax, which city attorney Chris Graville stated is a requirement set by the state and not the city. According to a state statute that went into effect Jan. 1, before a merchants license is issued, the city is required to confirm if the business is responsible for paying sales tax or if they are exempted, according to Graville. He noted that some of the farmers market vendors may be exempted, but that it's the vendor's responsibility to check with the Department of Revenue to find out. "I have done everything I can to accommodate the farmers market," Graville said. "I custom wrote an ordinance . . . Unfortunately, government has to treat everybody the same." Husar acknowledged that several vendors do have businesses and have a sales tax number in order for the state to be paid on merchandise the sell. But he said many other vendors, such as an elementary student selling soap or others who grow and sell items in a garden as a hobby, should be exempted from dealing with sales tax. Husar said it costs $25 to get a sales tax number from the state and that additional documentation must be completed, unnecessary requirements for the little amount sold each week by vendors. Husar said in Wright City the vendors are not required to pay any extra fees to the city and that the city acts as a cosponsor for the event. He also said the city lets the farmers market hang a banner at Diekroeger Park for free. "People should pay sales tax, but the point is, you have to draw the line on what is reasonable," Husar said. Graville said the city can't let the farmers market continue to operate as it has and noted it would be unfair to other businesses in town who pay the annual business fee to the city. "They are putting us in a position where we ignore them and let them operate under their own set of rules or they just leave," Graville said. "The reality of it is the permits are for safety and state requirements." Graville said the city has been more than willing to discuss ordinance revisions with Husar and hatch a plan for the event to continue. He said numerous changes had been made to the first ordinance drafted and he is surprised they aren't willing to finalize an acceptable agreement. "To make this a city issue, it's just unfortunate," Graville said. "We have wanted to work with them on a solution. The farmers market has chosen to not cooperate." The farmers market has operated in Warrenton for 10 years, according to Husar. He said there had been minimal problems dealing with city regulations until about two years ago when an issue popped up with the location of a banner at the intersection of Highway 47 and Fairgrounds Road. The sign was hanging on two telephone poles illegally, according to Husar. The organization now pays a $10 annual permit fee to the city to put up a banner at the intersection on private property, according to Husar. The farmers market is a hit with area residents. Husar said he had 250 visitors at the Warrenton location July 14 and around 300 at Wright City July 16 when a Community Appreciation Day was held at both. Husar plans on finding a new location and has initiated talks with Truesdale city officials. Property owners outside of the city limits of Warrenton have also shown interest in hosting a farmers market, Husar added.