Mount Pulaski Police Chief West encourages residents to see city permit before talking to solicitors

 

[February 28, 2020] 

Mount Pulaski has recently had a variety of solicitors wandering  town without the necessary permits to do so. I am advising residents within our city limits to request to see a permit from anyone soliciting the sale of anything. If they are unable to provide an assigned permit, please contact the Mount Pulaski Police Department. I would also like to bring attention to our Mount Pulaski City Ordinances with reference to this matter. If a resident chooses to not be disturbed by a solicitor, you can follow the guidelines laid out in the ordinance listed below reference signage. Should a solicitor choose to ignore appropriately displayed signage, I have listed below the consequences for this action. The same consequences will apply to any violation of these sections.

3-5-7 : HOURS SOLICITING PERMITTED:  Soliciting is allowed Mondays through Saturdays, from nine o'clock (9:00) A.M. to seven o'clock (7:00) P.M. (Ord., 2-10-1987; amd. 2010 Code)

3-5-8 : UNINVITED SOLICITING PROHIBITED:   No person shall engage in solicitation upon any premises or in any dwelling house, apartment or other residence located thereon within the city after having been asked by the owner or occupant thereof to leave such premises or residence, nor shall any person engage in solicitation upon any premises or in any dwelling house, apartment or other residence located thereon if such premises or dwelling building is posted against solicitation by means of a notice prominently displayed, upon which is printed the legend:

NO SOLICITORS, NO SOLICITORS INVITED or NO TRESPASSING

which notice is posted or exhibited at or near the main entrance to the premises or on or near the main door to any dwelling or residence thereon or at any point of approach or any entry thereto. (Ord., 1-22-1980)

3-5-9 : DUTY OF SOLICITORS:

It shall be the duty of every solicitor, that after applying for and receiving a certificate of registration, upon going onto any premises located within the city, upon which a "residence", as defined in section 3-5-2 of this chapter, is located, to first examine the premises to determine if a prohibition sign as described in section 3-5-8 of this chapter is present. If such a prohibition sign is resent and visible, the solicitor is prohibited from entering the property for the purpose of solicitation. If such a prohibition sign is not present, the solicitor may then proceed onto the property for purposes of solicitation.

Any solicitor who has gained entrance to any residence, whether invited or not, shall immediately and peacefully depart from the premises when requested to do so by the owner or occupant. (Ord., 1-22-1980)

3-5-10 : UNINVITED TRESPASS PROHIBITED: It is hereby declared to be unlawful and shall constitute a trespass for any person to go upon any premises and ring the doorbell upon or near any door, or create any sound in any manner calculated to attract the attention of the occupant of such residence, for the purpose of securing an audience with the occupant thereof, and engage in "soliciting", as defined in section 3-5-2 of this chapter, in defiance of the notice exhibited at the residence in accordance with the provisions of section 3-5-9 of this chapter. (Ord., 1-22-1980)

3-5-11 : PENALTY: Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined in an amount not exceeding that set out in section 1-4-1 of this code. (Ord., 1-22-1980; amd. 2010 Code).

[Chief West, Mount Pulaski Police Department]