North Jefferson News, Gardendale, AL

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December 20, 2007

City strengthens panhandling bill

Panhandlers, solicitors may now face $100 fine if cited.

By Adam Smith

The North Jefferson News



The City of Gardendale passed an ordinance Monday night designed to crack down on panhandling and soliciting in the city.

Mayor Kenny Clemons on Tuesday said the city previously had a loitering ordinance in place that did not cover panhandling. He said he hoped the new bill will deter the practice.

He said there’s been a pattern of panhandlers coming into the city by way of the interstate who stop at area gas stations and panhandle from residents.

“They’re coming in and staying a few minutes, hitting the people who are going in the stores and they’re gone again,” Clemons said.

He said panhandlers and solicitors in Gardendale’s neighborhoods are also a problem. However, under the new law, soliciting in neighborhoods is now limited to after 9 a.m. and before sunset.

“It’s just not fair for people to go home in the afternoon and sit down and have people knocking on the door trying to sell them stuff,” he said.

Clemons said the increased panhandling and soliciting is due to the increased numbers of people coming into the city and the proximity to the interstate.

“Sometimes vanloads will come into one neighborhood,” he said of solicitors. “We normally just run them off, but now we’ll be giving them tickets. The old ordinance didn’t allow us to do that.”

That non-traffic citation will cost panhandlers and solicitors $100 in fines, plus court costs.

“I think it was something that was needed,” said Gardendale Police chief Mike Walker. “We reviewed the old city ordinance and it appeared to be deficient in this area.”

Walker said his officers are now receiving training on how to enforce the ordinance.

Clemons said the ordinance also applies to solicitors entering a Gardendale business. The ordinance advises homeowners and business owners to place a “No Soliciting” sign on the property.

In other business, the council:

• hired Mikell V. Mann as a part-time housekeeper at the public library

• hired Brian Hill, Shendarrius Perdue and Robert Price as full-time firefighters. All three of the firefighters also have paramedic training.

• appointed David J. Ricker to the hospital and medical clinic board to fill the vacancy left by the death of Roy Bragg

• authorized the purchase of a rubber tire backhoe loader to be used by the public works department. The cost of Caterpillar 430E IT is $135,817 and will be purchased from Thompson Tractor Company.

• agreed to advertise bids for new computer-assisted dispatch software for the police department. Those bids will be due by the Jan. 7 council meeting.

• appointed Carrie Cotney to the planning and zoning board

City Clerk Keith Mosley also reminded business owners about the new state business license law, requiring business license fees to be paid by the end of January.

“This wasn’t just something the legislators came up with on their own,” Mosley said Tuesday. “The state retailers association was involved and had a place at the table. ... This legislation was what all the parties could agree to.”

Business owners who do not pay by Jan. 31 will face a 15 percent fine in February and an additional 15 percent fine in March. The fine will be capped at 30 percent, but business owners will also have to pay 1 percent interest for every month past the deadline.

The city council will meet again on Jan. 7 at 6 p.m.

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