By Julie Bulau, Staff writer
Transient merchants would need to get a license if they want to do business in Eden Valley based on an ordinance currently under consideration by the city council.
The ordinance is aimed at transient merchants, peddlers and solicitors who come into the city and go door-to-door selling goods or services. The measure is expected to be approved at the next council meeting.
Police Chief Ernie Junker suggested the ordinance after hearing of problems in the Freeport area regarding disreputable, out of the area merchants preying on residents after a May 1 storm caused severe hail damage in the area. Freeport officials decided to adopt an ordinance to prevent similar problems in the future and modeled their ordinance after one already in place in nearby Albany.
“He (Junker) suggested we (Eden Valley) should have an ordinance in place before something happens here,” city clerk Mona Haag said.
Eden Valley’s proposed ordinance is also modeled after Albany’s ordinance which defines a transient merchant as a: person selling, or attempting to sell or dispense any goods, products or merchandise, either as principal or agent from a building or lot which he or she occupies as a tenant or under a lease for a shorter term than six (6) months, or from trailer, tent, portable trailer, empty store front or railroad car who do not remain or intend to remain in any one location for more than fourteen (14) consecutive days.
Similar definitions are in place for peddlers and solicitors.
Exemptions under the ordinances include: Sales under Court order; Any bona fide auction sale; A sale at wholesale to a retailer dealer; Sale of farm or garden products by the person producing them; Any person selling or attempting to sell any goods, products or merchandise or personal property at wholesale to a retailer of the items being sold; Any person who makes initial contacts with others to establish a regular customer delivery route for perishable goods and dairy products or anyone delivering the same; Garage, rummage or estate sales; multi-person bazaars and flea markets. Any person exercising their State and related Constitutional rights, unless it is incidental to a criminal activity; A non-profit organization under federal tax law; or A school or school-sponsored organization.
License fee is $50 for a 10-day license, $100 for a 30-day license and $150 for a 90-day license.
Transient ordinance in Eden Valley
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