OBSERVER File Photo Gus Potkovick on Monday criticized Fredonia officials for a proposed rule about vendors in downtown Fredonia.

Gus Potkovick smeared some mustard on Fredonia’s government this week.

The village’s most vocal hot dog seller on Monday criticized officials for a proposed rule about vendors in downtown Fredonia.

“The park (Barker Common) has a charter, it was donated with stipulations for public use … never to be leased out, currently like it is for the Farmers Market from 8 to 1 (Saturdays) for the whole summer,” he said.

Potkovick had more to say.

“Why doesn’t the board spend the money, time and effort to resolve the failing infrastructure in this town, instead of wasting it on a cart?” he said. “This cart serves a purpose. It is to get my grandkids involved, showing how to do productive work instead of playing XBox all day.”

He continued, “What has it showed them? That people are harassed, bullied and discriminated against. You can’t just keep tweaking the laws to your satisfaction. What’s the next resolution? Village residents can only visit the park every second Saturday of the month? No kids in the park?”

Potkovick has set up near the Fredonia Farmers Market since 2011, but the organization does not want him there. He is not a member of the market.

Back in February, the Board of Trustees passed, by a 3-2 vote, a resolution giving the Farmers Market “exclusive use” of Barker Common while it’s running.

Potkovick said at the time: “The park was donated with the stipulation that the village would maintain it and village taxpayers would use it as well. … It’s written in the resolution, ‘with market approval.’ What gives the market the right to dictate who and when uses the park, which is everybody’s park? You know, it’s really a fine line for a discrimination suit, actually.”

Potkovick has suggested that he is being persecuted for his political beliefs. He is well-known in the community for placing signs bashing President Joe Biden and his supporters on Porter Road property he owns.

He asked Fredonia officials on Monday, “You guys have been on me for years, and what’s the reason why, anyway? What is the true reason for the harassment?… I’m within the law between the curb and the sidewalk and now you want to go do another revision.”

The latest proposal did not come up for a vote Monday. Proposal sponsor Dave Bird said the village Planning Board, along with Code Enforcement Officer Charles LaBarbera, wanted to look it over and suggest revisions.