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Board adopts annual business license ordinance; trustees ask for church exemption clarification
Summary
The Village Board adopted an ordinance to create an annual business license program starting July 1, 2026, intended to improve records and emergency contact info; trustees asked staff to clarify whether churches and home‑based businesses are exempt and discussed software costs ($5,500 initial, $5,000/year).
The Village of Greendale board voted to repeal and recreate section 12.08 of the Village Code to establish an annual business license program effective July 1, 2026. Staff said the program’s goals are to confirm active business locations, collect emergency contact information to support public safety responses and assist economic development.
Staff (speaker 10) told trustees the program would be administered by the clerk’s office, would exclude home‑based businesses as drafted, and that the village budgeted $6,300 in business license revenue. He said the licensing package budgeted for administration would cost about $5,500 initially (setup) and $5,000 annually thereafter. “We’re not looking at doing this for… being a profit generator,” he said, describing the fee as intended to cover administration costs.
Trustees raised several implementation questions. One trustee (speaker 5) asked how mall tenants would be informed; staff said mall managers would be asked to help and that the licensing step could be coordinated with occupancy permit processes. Another trustee (speaker 6) asked whether churches are included because the ordinance’s definition covers services “whether or not conducted for profit.” Staff said that was likely not the intent and recommended clarifying language to explicitly exempt churches if the board agrees.
The motion to adopt the ordinance was made, seconded and passed by roll call. Trustees also flagged a typographical error in the renewal‑notice language that staff agreed to correct before final publication.
Next steps: staff will clarify language regarding churches and home‑based exemptions in the ordinance text and finalize the licensing application materials and resident/business notifications ahead of the July 1, 2026 start date.
