Council members reviewed implementation plans for a vendor/solicitor licensing program and a resident “no-solicitation” sticker. Staff said vendors will apply online, undergo background checks, and display identification while soliciting in the village.
Staff explained the village must purchase background-check software (staff cited a LexisNexis-type service) costing about $23,000 per year to run criminal-history checks for vendor licenses. To offset part of that recurring cost, the program will charge vendors and a $10 sticker fee for residents who want to opt out of solicitors; staff described the sticker price as a cost-recovery measure.
Operational details: licensed solicitors will be required to display photo identification and a current license; they will receive a list of off-limit addresses (houses displaying the no-solicitation sticker) and must sign an acknowledgment that they will not contact those homes. The clerk or designated staff member will process applications and payments through the village website once the online form is posted.
Council action: staff said the solicitation forms and implementation steps will be published online; the ordinance implementing vendor licensing was in the adoption process as part of the codified code, with application forms to be routed to the clerk for processing. No emergency adoption occurred at the meeting.
Discussion vs. decision: council discussed fee levels, enforcement logistics, and privacy concerns; staff said fines and penalties for violations are codified in the village code and will be enforced through normal ordinance processes.
Next steps: staff to publish online application forms, finalize the vendor-license fee schedule in the ordinance, and begin processing applications and stickers once the online system is active.