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Council clarifies solicitor permit rules after resident inquiry
Summary
Councilors and staff explained how solicitor permits work — background checks, ID badges and permit periods — and urged residents to document violations; attorney and police staff said permits can be revoked for misconduct and liability coverage is managed case-by-case by the municipal insurance pool.
Wolverine Lake — Councilors fielded detailed questions July 8 about solicitor permits after a resident emailed asking how long permits last and what protections exist if a solicitor later is charged with crimes.
A council member summarized the resident’s questions and staff explained practice: applicants indicate specific solicitation dates on an application, the police department reviews the application and conducts a background check, and an identification badge and copy of the permit are issued if approved. Staff said the permit period is typically about a month and that a full background investigation is repeated if a solicitor returns in the same season.
A resident asked what the village can do if a solicitor who had a permit is later arrested for serious crimes; staff and the village attorney said there is no real-time notification system that would report every later arrest to every municipality. “There’s no guarantee that we’re going to know about it,” a staff member said, and the attorney added that if new information comes to light the village can investigate and revoke a permit.
On insurance, staff said the village participates in the Michigan Municipal League liability pool and has substantial liability coverage, but the insurance company would make case-by-case determinations about applicability.
Officials urged residents to document violations (for example, by recording the solicitor’s ID badge number or filing a police report) and noted that the peddler/peddling ordinance prohibits soliciting at premises that display no-solicitation or no-trespassing signs; the village can revoke permits for violations.
No ordinance changes were proposed at the meeting; staff said they will continue to communicate permit procedures and encourage residents to use the village’s reporting channels.
