Fulton Business Owners Express Concern During Common Council Public Hearings

by Kassadee Bradshaw | March 3, 2021 12:51 pm

FULTON – Members of the public voiced their thoughts and concerns on proposed changes to the Fulton city code at last night’s Common Council meeting, Tuesday, March 2.

Among the three public hearings last night, topics included amending Chapter 510[1] “Secondhand Dealers,” Chapter 223[2] “Auctions and Auctioneers,” and Chapter 560 “Taxicabs.”

The proposed changes include:

Secondhand Dealers:

• Add a few items to the definition of a secondhand dealer and what they sell; add cell phones, fax machines, printers, any other related secondhand items similar in nature to those listed.
• License fees: Increase from $75 to $150. Limited duration license fee: Increase from $10/day to $20/day. Yearly renewal fee: Increase from $25 to $150.
• Every secondhand dealer shall make out every weekday before 10:00 a.m., on forms provided by the City, a legible and correct copy of the records required to be kept by Subsection A[3] above, containing particulars of all purchases of such articles made the preceding business day, and shall, upon request, deliver a copy of such record to any member of the Police Department [proposed change: add “and/or Clerk Chamberlain.]
• Penalties for offenses – Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than $100 [increase to $250] nor exceeding $500 [increase to $750] or by imprisonment not exceeding 150 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Auctions and Auctioneers:

•  Change all mention of the Mayor to Clerk/Chamberlain and license fee increases from $100 to $200.
• Add under Prohibited Acts: Whenever the Police or Code Enforcement Departments have been made aware of any violation to this section of the code they shall have the authority to suspend the auction until the Clerk/Chamberlain has reviewed the violation and made a determination. 
• Penalties for offenses: Increase fine from not more than $250 to not more than $500.

Taxicabs: 

Original fees in the city code – 

1. For each vehicle, except motor vehicles, to carry persons or personal property for hire: $10.
2. For each motor vehicle to carry persons for hire: $25.
3. For each motor vehicle to carry personal property for hire: $10.

Proposed change – The fee for the license hereby required shall be as follows:

1. Business license fee: $100 annually. Due with application. 
2. For each vehicle, except motor vehicles, to call persons or personal property for hire: $20.
3. For each motor vehicle to carry persons and personal property for hire: $50.
4. For each motor vehicle to carry only personal property for hire: $20.

The council held a public hearing for each of the three proposed changes.

Two businesses, Andy’s Antiques and Flippin’ Unique Antiques, spoke in regards to the Secondhand Dealers changes. 

Owner of Andy’s Antiques, Ryan (no last name said), expressed he was uncomfortable with police having the ability to come in to his store with customers there to look at his log book, because it could make it look like he buys stolen items.

“It [would] just make us look like a bunch of hoodlums and criminals… I’m not a pawn shop,” he said. “I don’t see why we need this permit. We don’t buy from the street… We should see some exemptions to this rule.”

Mayor Deana Michaels clarified that the “books and records; examination of premises” section of the Secondhand Dealers chapter was already an existing law in the city code.

The two owners of Flippin’ Unique Antiques, Jayme and Mathew Whitman, also expressed concern because they host multiple vendor booths in their business. 

“Do just we need a permit? Does each one of my vendors need a permit? What it sounds like is they’re going to need to go to a yard sale and ask for somebody’s social security number? Their drivers license? They’re not going to do that,” Jayme Whitman said. “I’m going to be out of business. We need details on how this is going to work.”

According to the existing “books and records; examination of premises,” section (510-6), “Every secondhand dealer shall keep a book in which shall be written, at the time of purchase by him of any article, a description thereof and the name, address, age, social security number and personal description of the person from whom, and the day and hour when such purchase was made…”

She also said nobody had mentioned this part of the law to her within the year they have had the business open. Mayor Michaels said she would be in contact with them.

No one spoke during the public hearing for Auctions and Auctioneers.

During the Taxicabs public hearing, two local taxi cab business owners spoke. 

Sparky November from Nu-Cab recommended the council to set a uniform cost for carrying grocery bags in for passengers, and to not allow taxi drivers to go inside passengers’ homes for their own safety. He said he tells his drivers to leave the bags on the step and to not go in. He also said it is difficult to find drivers now.

Another business owner, Dennis Miller of Fulton Taxi, agreed that it is tougher now to get drivers than when he started 30 years ago, and said out of the applications, 75 to 80% get turned down by the insurance company, and now they also need to get a different license.

“I’ve had people working for almost 30 years,” he said. “There’s no way they’re going to be able to do all this and pay the extra money to do so. They’ll quit. And I’m going to have to limit my hours and probably start closing at night because I don’t have the people to do the job now… You can’t make it tougher for me to hire. Eventually I’ll have to shut down or just do medical.”

Mayor Michaels made note that she did speak with Triumph Taxi that day and got their feedback.

The council will vote on the three proposed changes to the city code at the next regularly scheduled meeting, Tuesday, April 6 at 7 p.m. in the Community Room of the Municipal Building. 

Also in the meeting, members of the public addressed concerns with Northbay Campgrounds and the length of time they are allowed during public comment, County Legislators Jim Karasek (District 22) and Marc Greco (District 24) spoke on some updates with the county, the council read a resolution of respect for the late Mayor Ronald Woodward, the council passed and extension of receiving 2019 property tax payments and tax installment payments to May 3, and the council recognized Council President Audrey Avery as the council’s first woman president in Fulton history in honor of Women’s History Month.

The full meeting agenda and documents can be found here.[4]

[5]

The Common Council stands with the family of the late Mayor Ronald Woodward. Photo by Kassadee Paulo.

[6]

Frank Castiglia Jr. voices his concern on the time allowed for residents to speak during public comment. Photo by Kassadee Paulo.

[7]

Amy speaks on Northbay Campgrounds concerns. Photo by Kassadee Paulo.

[8]

Stacey R. speaks about concerns regarding Northbay Campgrounds. Photo by Kassadee Paulo.

[9]

Legislator Jim Karasek gives an update. Photo by Kassadee Paulo.

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Legislator Marc Greco gives an update. Photo by Kassadee Paulo.

[11]

File photo March 2021: City Clerk/Chamberlain Dan O’Brien reads a resolution of respect for the late Mayor Ronald Woodward. Photo by Kassadee Bradshaw.

[12]

Mayor Deana Michaels listens to residents’ concerns during public hearings. Photo by Kassadee Paulo.

[13]

A slideshow set up at the March 2, 2021 Fulton Common Council meeting showing the life of the late Mayor Ronald Woodward. Photo by Kassadee Paulo.

[14]

Residents in attendance of the March 2, 2021 Fulton Common Council meeting. Photo by Kassadee Paulo.

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