The Oakdale City Council voted 7-0 to restrict any amplified and non-amplified musical performances in public spaces after 11pm, effective March 1. The measure came after a string of complaints about Gerald Mullins, 63, who played his accordion every weekday at the 4th Street bus stop from roughly 11:40pm until 1am, depending on bus delays.
Mullins performed primarily polkas. He collected around $12 in a jar. Residents on Maple Lane, which runs parallel to the bus stop, submitted 14 noise complaints between September and November. "It wasn't the polka," said Councilwoman Rita Vasquez, who drafted the provision. "It was the same song. 'Blue Skirt Waltz,' four nights a week. Residents reported knowing all the words by October."
Mullins attended the public hearing in December but declined to speak. He sat in the third row and left at 7:45 PM, five minutes before the vote was taken. His accordion case, which he propped against his chair, had a bumper sticker reading "THIS MACHINE KILLS LOUD NEIGHBORS."
The ordinance requires a $25 permit for performances in designated zones, none of which include bus stops. Violators face a $300 fine. The city already issues 19 permits annually, mostly for church festivals. Another council member, Tom Barry noted the rule "codifies common sense." Mullins did not return calls. His jar had gathered $4.70 by 8:15 AM that morning.
