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Corinth adopts new solicitation ordinance, raises permit fee and extends permit term
Summary
The council adopted an ordinance replacing the city's itinerant-merchant rules with a solicitation chapter that raises the permit fee to $100 (to cover $75 background checks and $25 badge costs), extends permits to one year, sets solicitation hours, and creates signage-based notice and enforcement provisions; exemptions include utilities, charities and political groups.
The Corinth City Council voted unanimously to repeal the city’s itinerant merchants ordinance and adopt a new solicitation chapter in Title 11 of the city code, updating definitions, permit requirements, fees and enforcement procedures.
Police Chief Wendell Mitchell presented the ordinance and its rationale. He told the council that the last revision to the ordinance was on 04/04/2005 and that recent changes were driven in part by higher costs for background checks. "Initially the fees were $50 for the initial permit and it was $25 for any permits falling that are under that initial permit," the chief said. "We've had to raise that fee up to a $100. Currently, right now, what we're paying for just background checks, is $75 per permit ... An additional $25 to help cover the cost of the badge that we supply them as well as the lanyard."
Key provisions described in the meeting record include:
- Background checks and badges: All solicitors must obtain a permit approved before solicitation and submit to a background check; the fee was raised to $100 to cover background checks and badge costs.
- Permit duration and staff education: Permits will be valid for one year rather than the previous six-month cycle, reducing repeat background-check costs and allowing staff to provide required rule-and-regulation education up front.
- Hours and days: Solicitation is limited to 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. or sunset as reported by the National Weather Service on that day; no solicitation on Sundays or holidays.
- Signage and enforcement: No-solicitation signage will serve as legal notice; continuing to solicit after a homeowner posts a sign is a violation that can result in citation and permit revocation. Permits may be denied or revoked for cause with appeal available to the city manager.
- Exemptions: Utility companies, religious organizations, charitable advocacy groups, political organizations and city-event vendors are exempted from background checks and badge issuance though they must comply with no-soliciting signage.
- Lemonade/child sales: The ordinance preserves a "lemonade law" exception for children's informal sales; the transcript notes that violations generally can result in fines up to $500.
After the chief's presentation the council moved and seconded approval of ordinance number 26-02-19-07; the mayor called a unanimous vote to adopt it.
The ordinance text, effective date and enforcement procedures were discussed in general terms during the presentation; the meeting record does not include the ordinance's effective-on date, the precise enforcement schedule, or any fiscal analysis of projected fee revenue vs. administrative costs.
The council directed no additional action on the record at the close of the item.
