12-23-88 Finance Comm Minutes8:45 AM
The meeting was attended by Mayor Kennedy, Council Members Nystul (Chairman),
Saverud and Hopkins, Chamber of Cocmerce representatives Nick Haren, Rick Warneke
and Gordon: Pirrie and City Attorney Neier, Assistant Fire Chief Main and
Clerk/Treasurer Halver.
The meeting was held to discuss the first draft of a proposed Business License
Ordinance prepared by the Local Government Center of Montana State University.
Gordon Pirrie didn't want a going out of business license. Problems can be
handled through enforcement of State Laws. If an ordinance is passed it should be
county -wide for effective control.
The committee wasn't enthused about the going out of business regulation.
Mayor Kennedy said he wanted a process of business registration.
Councilman Nystul pointed out the fee has to be reasonable and cannot exceed
the cost of service provided.
City Attorney Neier suggested the Council consider what to do about occupations
licensed by the state.
The group agreed the purpose should be for registration of facilities and not the
licensing professions or businesses.
• Halver said he did not want to sign and issue licenses with connotations he has
investigated or endorsed the business.
Clerk/Treasurer Halver asked that Transient Peddlers and Temporary Locations be
addressed in the ordinance.
It was concluded the City shouldn't be trying to license to protect the public
from the Traveling Peddlers.
Councilman Hopkins suggested the language from the 1983 Ordinance (Temporarily
Passed) regarding Itinerant Vendors be borrowed.
Hopkins also asked if the council needs to approve each license as required in
Section 1-9. Halver didn't think the application needed to be approved by the
council or the 4 departments listed.
The committee agree to consider including non profit organizations in the
ordinance coverage.
Councilman Hopkins was concerned about the time that the review required in
Section 1-10 would take. Halver suggested the permit be issued upon application
with the appropriate department following up if they need to.
No clear conclusion was reached.
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FINANCE/PERSONNEL & POLICY/INSURANCE
8:45 AM DECEMBER 23, 1988
Gordon Pirrie objected to having to pay another fee on top of all the taxes the
businessman pays.
Halver suggested the purpose of the fee was to cover the cost of maintaining the
information data base from the information requested and the fee is justified
because the city is using the information and providing services the homeowner
doesn't get.
Councilman Nystul suggested a lower fee for renewals.
The group agreed the fee would have to be billed annually to be collected
effectively.
Pirrie suggested the bill explain the purpose of the fee and do a little
selling. Warneke agreed and said his initial concern was why we needed this.
Halver explained the fee structure was an attempt to keep the fee detenT nation very
simple.
Assistant Fire Chief Main said their records indicated 1248 businesses in
Kalispell.
Rick Warneke further discussed the Going out of Business Regulation. He was
• opposed to the $35.00 fee and asked how the sale could be limited to stock on
band; how do you determine what goods have been ordered but not yet received?
Gordon Pirrie didn't think we have a problem. Neier said an ordinance would be
very hard to enforce.
Everyone agreed parades shouldn't be in the regulations.
Halver requested the Banding Requirement for Itinerant Vendors be removed. Nystul
suggested the property owner be held responsible.
Warneke asked if we would really be doing background investigations (Section
1-46). He suggested the whole ordinance could be reduced to one page.
Mayor Kennedy suggested we keep the background investigation in case we have a
future need. The rest disagreed.
Councilman Nystul thanked the Chamber for their input and said we would keep then
posted and involved.
Gordon Pirrie asked if anything was going to be done of a sign ordinance. No one
was sure.
The meeting adjourned at 10:10.
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