NY-New Castle councilman calls cops on boys' cupcake sale

Tuffy · Nov 15, 2010

http://www.lohud.com/article/201011150328

NEW CASTLE When Andrew DeMarchis and Kevin Graff, two 13-year-olds from Chappaqua's Seven Bridges Middle School, set up shop at Gedney Park on a fall weekend last month, they were expecting a tidy profit.

Instead, the two wannabe entrepreneurs selling cupcakes, cookies, brownies and Rice Krispie treats baked by them for $1 apiece got a taste of cold, hard bureaucracy .

New Castle Councilman Michael Wolfensohn came upon the sale and called the cops on the kids for operating without a license.

I just had to post this because I think the councilman deserves to be embarrassed by this. He says he called the cops instead of just telling the boys they needed a license to sell the cupcakes in the park, because he wasn't sure how to handle it.

I call bs on that. Having the police handle a cupcake stand is completely ridiculous.

Elphaba · Nov 15, 2010

This could have been a good learning experience, but no, by engaging LE, it turned into a traumatic experience:

"Kevin was so upset, he was crying all the whole way home. He was worried if he was going to get arrested or have a criminal record."

Poor kid...

Velouria · Nov 17, 2010

Looks like Mr. Wolfensohn is on the hot seat!

http://www.lohud.com/article/201011160230/NEWS02/11160337
Chappaqua boys' bake sale shutdown by Town Board member goes viral

From the article:

Wolfensohn, a Democrat first elected to the Town Board in 2007, said Monday afternoon, "Thanks to you, I am the most hated person."

He was in no mood to talk about what he described as a "non-event" that turned him into an Internet pariah around the world. But on Monday night, he called to comment further.

"I'm overwhelmed by the amount of negative e-mail and threats that myself and my family have received over what was basically a lack of communication. In hindsight, I should have spoken to the boys," Wolfensohn, 46, said. "But by the same token, the parents should have spoken to me or the town if they felt I acted in an unreasonable fashion, instead of going to the press."

I find it amusing that he's now blaming the parents for blowing things out of proportion...well, almost amusing.

As a Town Board member, he should have spoken to the boys and their parents and informed them that they were non-compliant. Perhaps he could even have helped them obtain a permit for their business. Instead, he seems to have forgotten that he is a public servant, and these boys are citizens of the town he was elected to serve.

While there are legitimate reasons why vendors are required to meet certain standards of health, etc., Mr. Wolfensohn not only overreacted, he was downright sneaky about it.

NY-New Castle councilman calls cops on boys' cupcake sale

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