Speaker asks county staff to address building-department requirement keeping Amish produce stand closed

A speaker at the meeting reported that an Amish-built seasonal produce stand cannot open because the local building department has required electricity in the structure, which the speaker said conflicts with the growers’ religious practice of not using electricity.

The speaker said the stand operates from Memorial Day through Labor Day and that crops are already in; the requirement is preventing the growers from selling their produce during that key season. The speaker said they contacted the state and were told the matter was a local interpretation of building code, and asked county staff to "see what you can do" to correct the situation.

No formal motion or vote was recorded on the floor to change code or issue a waiver. The meeting transcript records the item as an administrative appeal or request for staff follow-up rather than a board decision. The speaker described the problem to the board and requested staff assistance; county staff were not recorded as offering an immediate ruling in the transcript.