NORTH LEWISBURG – Village council passed an ordinance aimed at regulating salespeople in the village during Tuesday’s regular meeting.
Mayor Cheryl Hollingsworth said the ordinance’s goal is to regulate hawkers, peddlers and itinerant vendors.
“This ordinance is talking about making certain that individuals who are coming door-to-door, selling items or offering services in the village have received a permit and have been checked out by our local police department to make certain that they are valid vendors,” Hollingsworth said. “You’ll find that this doesn’t really apply to the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts. They can still sell popcorn and cookies. Triad High School could still sell mulch and cookies or candles.”
The ordinance was passed as an emergency measure with the ordinance stating this was necessary for the immediate preservation of public health, safety and welfare. The ordinance also states the reason for such necessity arises from recent criminal activities occurring the village.
As part of the lengthy ordinance, before making any sale in the village every hawker, peddler and itinerant vendor must apply to Village Administrator Andy Yoder for a permit 15 days prior to the event.
Permit applications are to be made to the village administrator. Applicants must submit a copy of their hawkers and peddlers license, an application fee of $50, unless exempt, and copies of criminal records from the state they reside in, among other required information.
The ordinance states permit and fee provisions do not apply to nonprofit corporations, churches, charitable organizations or village-approved events provided that an officer of the group supplies the village administrator with official proof of the organization.
The permit and fee provisions also do not apply to youth groups officially sanctioned by the village, nor to lemonade stands or similar enterprises operated solely by children 16-years-old or younger for a period of two consecutive days a week.
Every person who is permitted a permit shall display the permit on themselves in full public view.
In a separate action, council approved a resolution authorizing Hollingsworth to prepare and submit an application to participate in the Ohio Public Works Commission state capital improvements or local transportation improvement program.
The resolution states the village is planning to make capital improvements to street paving. It also authorized Hollingsworth to enter into any agreements for obtaining this financial assistance.
Developmental assets
Council listened to a presentation on Triad’s developmental assets in the community from Superintendent Chris Piper and Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Services Board of Logan and Champaign County Director of Community Development Stacey Logwood.
Logwood explained the MHDAS board has collected data in Champaign County for the last 12 years and Triad has been one of the school districts where data is collected for students in grades six, eight and 10.
Within this data, Logwood said the board has learned about what is going well for students in the community and what they are struggling with.
Logwood said there are 40 developmental assets that build a healthy child. These assets include 20 internal assets and 20 external assets.
“We know from research that young people who show higher levels of assets have fewer risk taking behaviors so of the 40 (assets) we want kids across our county – specifically in North Lewisburg – to have more than 30 (assets),” Logwood said. “If they have 31 or more, we are feeling like they would be very well protected against premature sexual experiences, illicit drug use, underage drinking, other risk taking behaviors such as distracted driving.”
During the presentation, Logwood and Piper discussed multiple ways the MHDAS board and Triad have worked together to increase the number of development assets children have through different meetings and information added to the school curriculum.
In other action:
•Mechanicsburg Police Capt. Scott Bodey said since the last council meeting, traffic stop warnings, 11 citations and 14 incident reports were filed.
•Hollingsworth thanked everyone who participated in the Memorial Day remembrance.
•Yoder said the village removed 6,460 pounds of scrap metal during the spring cleanup week.
•Council approved a $1,000 donation to the North Lewisburg Fireman’s Association for a fireworks festival with Triad Junior Baseball on July 8. Council also approved using the ballpark on that date.
•Yoder said the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure will pass through the village on June 22. He noted several hundred bicycle participants are expected to pass through and asked for drivers to drive cautiously.
•Council did not vote on a request from Rissa Collier, general manager of Cardinal’s Pizza, seeking to close a certain street during the annual Celebrate Life Festival on Oct. 14.
