Council OKs General Code recodification contract; members flag shed-builder business-license ambiguity

The Carl Junction Board of Aldermen voted Aug. 5 to approve a contract with General Code LLC to recodify the city code, accepting an estimated cost of $12,950 and authorizing the mayor to execute the proposal. City staff told the council that recodification will align city ordinances with current state statutes, resolve internal contradictions in the code and produce new printed and online code books. Staff said the city has not done a full recodification in many years and that recodification is recommended roughly every decade. During discussion on the item, council members raised a separate but related issue: whether companies that manufacture and deliver prefabricated accessory buildings into the city must obtain local business licenses. One council member described an ongoing dispute with an out‑of‑town seller of prefabricated sheds and said the existing code language is ambiguous about whether those sellers must obtain a business license when they deliver and set structures here. Council members said the recodification effort should address that ambiguity. Carol Wolford, chair of the Code & Nuisance Committee, advised the council the committee will meet before the next council meeting to consider shed licenses and related code language. The council directed staff to provide any relevant correspondence and legal history to the committee so members can draft clear code language for council consideration. The ordinance to contract with General Code passed on final reading by a vote of 7-0 with one absence. City staff said the recodification project will also review conflicts between existing codes, update references to state law and publish the city code online. The council noted a recent exchange with an attorney for the out‑of‑town builder and asked staff to bring recommended code language back to the Code & Nuisance Committee and then to full council if changes are needed.