City council members are still torn whether stricter guidelines for merchant licensing would protect residents or erode small town wholesomeness.

During Monday’s meeting, council members Pat Cummings and Mike Thompson debated pros and cons of a proposed ordinance change that would require those who sell prepared foods to obtain a $50 license from the city.

Also being proposed is also a penalty of between $25 and $500 to those found to be in violation.
Proposed changes would not apply to farmers selling fruit, vegetables and garden products or non-profit groups selling food.

Thompson took issue with possibly adversely affecting honest residents selling bread, pies and other goods in the community by over regulating them.

"I would like to see if it would be possible to see if using common sense –– what was done in the past that is considered wholesome and part of our community –– and to allow it to still happen," Thompson said. "And if that can’t happen, I’m just one vote in the wilderness."

Cummings argued the licensing was necessary to ensure those making and selling food were held accountable for public safety and that those who are selling food t hat is a health danger can be tracked.

As an example, she said there was once a pizza business operatingw within a trailer  inside the city without a license. She believes those running it weren’t practicing hand washing or other health practices that put consumers at risk.

 "Would you know that you were taking a chance," Cummings asked.

She added that food safety is becoming an increasingly important issue in the United States and cited the recent salmonella scare –– first in tomatoes and then in jalapenos.

However, Thompson said he feared that is an example of how the ordinance wouldn’t fulfill its purpose of protecting consumers –– as the selling of produce is exempt –– while still over regulating honest citizens selling home cooked goods.

So in the end, he asked what would become the purpose of the ordinance?

City Manager Matt LeCerf said the ordinance goes further to other issues addressing peddlers and solicitors who might be trying to scam city residents.

Council members unanimously agreed to form a committee, including Thompson, to tweak the ordinance and again bring it before the council at a later date.

Also added to that is for council members to consider  whether to limit the number of garage sales by residents.

Both Cummings and Thompson agreed there were some who were more or less operating a business under the guise of a garage sale.

However, the question of whether to limit the number of garage sales to two or four a year raises other issues as well.

For instance, currently there’s no way to track the number of garage sales residents hold a year.
The rest of the committee will be formed at a later date and bring a recommendation to the council.

In other business, council members:

• Voted 4-0 to approve a tax levy increase from .8924 last year to .8966 for this year, a .0042 increase.

Cummings was absent for that part of the meeting.

That means a city resident who owns a $100,000 home would pay the city $170.36 in taxes compared to paying $169.56 last year –– an 80 cent increase.

Budget meetings are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 17 and 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18.

• Unanimously approved a $17,126 contract with Nodaway County for Purchase of Aerial Photography of the city. City and county officials would split the cost of the photography with the city’s portion being $8,563.

• Unanimously approved an agreement with Missouri Department of Transportation, to widen shoulders of U.S. Highway136 Eastbound from the 102 River to Liberty Road.