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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 11_Solicitors License Fees_2015.06.16CITY OF OWASSO, OKLAHOMA RESOLUTION 2015 -11 A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING NEW FEES TO BE ASSESSED BY THE CITY CLERK FOR A SOLICITOR LICENSE. WHEREAS, the City of Owasso requires all persons, other than those soliciting for non - profit youth organizations, to obtain a license from the City Clerk before engaging in door -to -door solicitation; WHEREAS, it is necessary for the City of Owasso to obtain background checks on all individuals making application for a Solicitor's license and incur other administrative costs; WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Owasso, Oklahoma wishes to establish a fee schedule for Solicitor's licenses; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OWASSO, OKLAHOMA, that the following fee schedule shall become effective on August 1, 2015: Weekly Solicitor License Fifty Dollars ($50.00) plus Ten Dollars ($10.00) per person licensed Monthly Solicitor License One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) plus Ten Dollars ($10.00) per person licensed Duplicate License Five Dollars ($5.00) per license APPROVED AND ADOPTED this I&H day of June, 2015 by the City Council of the City of Owasso, Oklahoma. Jeri n erly, Mayor i APPROVED AS TO FORM: �o, d' !OQ�G/ Ju Trout Lombardi, City Attorney The Cit Wit out Limifs. APpRC r VEp By C®UNC /L TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council 'UN 16 2015 City of Owasso FROM: Julie Trout Lombardi City Attorney and General Counsel SUBJECT: Amendment to Ordinances Governing Door -to -Door Solicitors and Resolution Establishing Fee Schedule DATE: June 12, 2015 BACKGROUND: The chapter within the Owasso Code of Ordinances governing door -to -door solicitors was previously amended in June, 2011 at which time additional requirements to obtain a solicitor's license were imposed. Despite the enhanced requirements, commercial door -to -door solicitors in Owasso continue to present numerous challenges and concerns for citizens and law enforcement. Staff has proposed supplemental amendments to the ordinances governing solicitor licenses in an effort to address these issues. The primary amendment to this section creates a "No Knock" list containing residential addresses whose occupants do not wish to receive commercial solicitations of any kind. Citizens will be able to place their addresses on the list through a variety of methods. The list would be provided to solicitors when they receive their license, and they would be prohibited from soliciting at all addresses on the "No Knock" list. Failure to comply could result in revocation of the solicitor license. It is important to recognize that a "No Knock" list provision would not be applicable to non - profit vendors (such as school groups, Girls Scouts, etc...) or to persons seeking to disseminate political or religious information. Only commercial door -to -door vendors would be affected by this amendment. In addition to the "No Knock" list, the proposed amendments would additionally exempt non- profit youth organizations from the requirement to obtain a solicitor license. Instead, notice shall be given to the City Clerk's office that a non - profit youth group is engaging in door -to -door solicitation. This will facilitate awareness by law enforcement of what groups are engaged in door -to -door sales and allow City staff to answer inquiries from citizens. A proposed resolution establishing a fee schedule for solicitor licenses has also been attached for Council review and consideration. Previously, fees for daily, weekly and six -month solicitor licenses were listed in the ordinance. Staff recommends removing the fee schedule from the ordinance and establishing fees by resolution instead. This allows greater flexibility for changes within the fee schedule, if necessitated, given that resolutions are not subject to the costly publication requirements statutorily mandated by amendment of an ordinance. The proposed fee categories in the resolution have been changed to weekly and monthly solicitor licenses along with a nominal fee for duplicate licenses. The proposed weekly and monthly fees are inclusive of all administrative and background check costs. PROPOSED ACTION: Approval of Ordinance 1054 amending the ordinances governing solicitor licenses and additional approval of Resolution 2015 -11 establishing a fee schedule for weekly, monthly and duplicate licenses. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of Ordinance 1054 and Resolution 2015 -11. ATTACHMENTS: Ordinance 1054 Resolution 2015 -11