The meeting did not come without conflict as one business owner, Steve Allgood, protested the part of the new ordinance which still prohibits upholstered furniture, mattresses, electronics, animals or livestock and appliances to be displayed.

Allgood, who owns Allgood General Store, tried to speak after council already voted on the matter and Mayor Emery Doughtie called for order.

He was escorted from the conference room of city hall by Deputy Chief Adam Bondarek and taken to an interview room.

Chief Jeff Hinton said Allgood was arrested for communicating threats, trespassing and resist, delay and obstruct.

Allgood spoke earlier during a public hearing on the matter.

Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce President Allen Purser spoke first. “You’ve got a real issue in front of you. I don’t envy your position.”

Purser told council, “Being in business takes courage and tenacity. They don’t make a lot of money. Should we make their job harder? If you keep in mind what people do for a living and the jobs they create, I’m sure you’ll reach the right decision.”

Emily Luter told council she wouldn’t sell as many outdoor flags as she does if they weren’t visible. “A lot of my business is generated by window displays, just enough to get them to look.”

Main Street Director Charles Williams speaks.

Main Street Director Charles Williams said he had an issue with limiting the days of the week. “The big issue is aesthetics. Limiting the days of the week does not impact that. Go ahead and allow merchants to put (goods) on the sidewalk seven days a week.”

Allgood was bothered by part of the proposal that said goods could only be displayed within a third of the length of a business’s frontage. Under the proposal approved by council tonight, that was changed to half.

Joseph Elequan said the three days originally being proposed — Friday, Saturday and Sunday — were not enough. “Can you change it to give us seven days. I don’t want you to see me on the street asking for a dollar.”

Dorothy O. Edmonds told council she would also like to see the ordinance changed to seven days a week. The furniture store next to her has helped her screen printing business. “It helps bring in business to my store that has helped us a great deal. They’re nice people. They keep it clean.”

Councilman Greg Lawson said if the city limits the displays to a third of the frontage, that’s not big enough for people like Elequan.

Mayor Emery Doughtie said, “Hearing from the merchants who have spoken, it seems like the days are more of an issue than the space. We haven’t heard a lot of argument on the space.”

Doughtie said, “Being self employed, you still have to get up and go to work every day and feel like you’re doing as much as you can to make yourself profitable. Seven days seems like the biggest issue to resolve.”

Lawson then made the motion to allow displays seven days a week and increase the display frontage to half.

Councilman Ed Liverman cast the second.

Williams said following the vote he was pleased. “It’s a big win for the Roanoke Avenue Business Alliance and for the merchants and the city as a whole.”

Williams said while the business owners don’t own the sidewalks, “It was very kind of the taxpayers to share space with the merchants.”

Williams said the Main Street program will offer educational opportunities on how businesses can best display their goods.