Council revises business fee structure

At their November 26 meeting city council approved revisions to the city’s business license fees and application process designed to make the process and the cost more straightforward.

“Our goal in redoing the business license ordinance was to develop an ordinance simpler to administer and more understandable,” said city manager Gary Tomsic. “Our goal was not to increase revenue.”

Based on several months of public input and council deliberation, the city opted to take a loss of several thousand dollars and do away with the city’s tiered business license fees.

The top dollar license for adult businesses, $500 a year, will remain the same and the $25 fee for home occupation is also unchanged. However, all the fees in between – from $500 for a tavern, $300 for a grocery store, $50 for a counseling service and $25 for a pawnbroker – will be levelized to $75 each.

Total revenue from business licenses will drop from $57,225 to $55,050 as a result of the new fee structure.

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