The Independence City Council voted to enact stricter penalties against non-compliant door-to-door salespeople Monday night.
The vote was unanimous among the council members present; Council Member Matt Fehler did not attend the meeting.
Specifically, non-compliant solicitors who violate city ordinance more than once now risk arrest, a misdemeanor charge, fines of up to $500 and up to 90 days in jail.
“We had an incident with the police department a couple of months ago, where a solicitor was told he needed a license, didn’t care, and didn’t care to stop doing what he was doing, despite what the police said,” said Mayor Chris Reinersman.
Previous statements from other council members and the police chief corroborate the general phenomenon, even if they couldn’t speak to the specific case the mayor mentioned.
Door-to-door salespeople in Independence must get a license from both the county and the city to conduct business. They can only operate at certain times of the day, and if they violate the city’s regulations, they’re subject to a $50 fine for their first offense. There’s also a no-knock list, which is usually distributed to salespeople upon getting a license. The city increased its licensing fees for solicitors earlier this year.
If you’re a resident of Independence and would like to sign up for the zero-knock list, fill out the city’s online contact form. Read the full ordinance passed Monday night below.