Pinedale, Wyoming, is known for its scenic landscapes and a strong sense of community. It is also home to one determined Girl Scout, 13-year-old Emma McCarroll, who has been selling cookies since she was six.
However, Emma and her mother were surprised when they were hit with $400 in fines for selling cookies from a stand in her grandparents’ driveway. The mother-daughter duo were trying to raise money for Emma’s summer camp through the sale of Girl Scout cookies, but they ended up facing unexpected roadblocks.
According to Emma’s mother, Erica Fairbanks McCarroll, they were approached by a code enforcement officer on March 13 while selling cookies after school. The officer, who was driving the town’s animal control vehicle, did not identify herself as code enforcement and simply told them they could not block the sidewalk.
The duo complied and pulled their stand back. Still, they were issued three citations for unlawful obstruction, parking on the sidewalk, and a municipal code that stated there must be at least five feet of unobstructed passage on the sidewalk. Emma’s hopes of selling 1,200 boxes of cookies to receive a $350 credit for summer camp were shattered.
The town of Pinedale released a statement that the officer was acting in an official capacity and had warned the Fairbanks of their violation several times before issuing the citations. The statement also mentioned that the officer had requested them to relocate their stand outside of the right-of-way and closer to their parent’s private property.
However, Fairbanks McCarroll claimed that the officer never identified herself as Code Enforcement and only recommended that they not block the sidewalk. She also pointed out the lack of clear instructions and guidance from the town, as she was told she couldn’t block the sidewalk but was later told she would have been fine if she had been on the sidewalk.
The entire experience left a sour taste in Emma’s mouth, as she had been looking forward to selling cookies and helping her fellow Girl Scouts. Her brother even got the matter put on the agenda for a town council meeting, but they were met with little understanding and empathy from the mayor.
After obtaining a lawyer, Fairbanks McCarroll was able to get two of the fines dismissed but ended up paying one of the $150 fines to avoid the hassle and expense of going to trial. The lack of clear instructions and the treatment they received from the town has left the McCarroll family disappointed and disheartened.
As a mother, Fairbanks McCarroll wanted to teach her daughter the value of hard work and entrepreneurship through selling cookies. Instead, Emma learned a harsh lesson about bureaucracy’s complexities and frustrations.
In a small town like Pinedale, one would hope for some leeway and understanding from the local authorities, especially towards young, aspiring entrepreneurs like Emma. Unfortunately, fines and red tape marred her experience.
