Martinsville council schedules second reading to repeal peddler/solicitor rules; approves minutes, claims and issues YMCA proclamation

The Martinsville City Common Council on May 11 placed an ordinance that would repeal the municipal chapter regulating peddlers, solicitors and transient merchants on the agenda for a second reading and consideration on May 26.

Mr. Coffee presented the measure as a repeal of Chapter 18, Article 5, Sections 18-191 through 18-29 addressing peddlers, solicitors and transient merchants. The transcript of the meeting contains inconsistent ordinance numbers: the item is referred to as "ordinance number 20261914" at one point and as "2026-194" when staff scheduled the second reading. The council did not vote on the ordinance at the May 11 meeting; the item was scheduled for a subsequent meeting for further consideration.

Also during the May 11 session the council approved the minutes from its April 27 meeting after a brief exchange in which a councilmember asked the assistant police chief (not present) about a line item and an unclear training charge recorded in the draft minutes. A motion to approve the minutes was made, seconded and carried.

Council members reviewed and approved the claims for payment presented in their packets. A councilmember asked about a $3,000 payment to Helman Studios; staff said the charge was for a city promotional video and related raw footage used for the State of the City presentation and that similar materials are available on the city website.

Mayor Kenneth W. Cost read a proclamation recognizing the YMCA's national 175th anniversary and the YMCA of Morgan County's 65 years of local service, and announced that the city contributed a $1,500 check from a recent event. The mayor also reminded members that non-emergency city offices are closed Monday, May 25 for Memorial Day (trash pickup will occur Tuesday, May 26) and that the council's next meeting will be Tuesday, May 26 at 7:00 p.m. in council chambers.