Specifically, it appears that there have been some folks selling food and beverages at their farmer's market and they haven't been paying the city's 5% tax on prepared food and beverages! That's because nobody knew that they were supposed to, as they aren't restaurants; they just sell stuff at the market from under a canopy, because, you know, folks like to nibble on stuff while they're prowling amongst the stalls.
So, although the market's closed for the season, the city by golly wants those back taxes. Since the market's only open five hours a week, the city has potentially lost out on as much as a hundred dollars! It may seem like a really stupid battle, but it's important to remember that Ashland is infested with self-described "progressives", so it's really only to be expected.