Council delays decision on business licenses

The proposal to require business licenses in Fayetteville was held on the second reading at Tuesday night’s meeting.

The program will provide a way to keep tabs on economic and job growth, as well as providing better public safety, said Karen Minkel, the city’s director of strategic planning and internal consulting.

Minkel said the city has tried to compile the information from other sources, but four questions are not addressed in other public records, such as a detailed description of the business, number of employees, whether the business keeps hazardous material and an emergency contact.

Having emergency contact information will help the city’s Central Dispatch Division give information to firefighters and police officers when responding to a call, Minkel said.

When a business is broken into, police officers often have to enter the building the same way as the burglar, which sometimes means going through broken glass, Police Chief Greg Tabor explained.

“The quicker we can identify that representative, the safer it is for the officer on the scene,” Tabor said.

All businesses and non-profit organizations must obtain a permit. The initial fee will be $35 for paper applications or $32 if submitted online. Home-based businesses will pay $22 or $20 for online submittals. The city will encourage business owners to apply electronically for their permits, because it will make the process more efficient, Minkel said. Each year, businesses will have to renew their permit for $15.

If the ordinance is approved, the start date will be January 2, 2011.


Source: AccessFayetteville.org

Mary Robbins is a regular contributor for the Fayetteville Flyer. She declared Fayetteville as her hometown upon moving here for college. She is a Journalism graduate who enjoys live music, the outdoors and attending city council meetings. For more of Mary’s contributions, visit her author page.