Council committees to discuss zoning, licenses, contract negotiations
Council committees to discuss zoning, licenses, contract negotiations
Zach White
Two of Havre City Council’s committees are meeting Tuesday: the Ordinance Committee at 5:45 p. m. and the Labor Relations Committee at 7 p. m.
The Ordinance Committee is looking at the changes to zoning laws and the business license that the Planning and Development Committee have been working on for the past few months.
The zoning changes would apply the same zoning limitations that already exist for bars and lounges to casinos.
The business license ordinance would create, as it is currently written, a license that local businesses would be required to possess.
Before getting a license, businesses would have to pass inspections and pay a licensing fee. The question of who would administer the fee is one of the issues to be discussed. It is currently written to have the City Clerks’ office collect fees, though the Fire Department has expressed interest in the role.
Ordinance Committee chair, Councilman Andrew Brekke, has said he likes the license but has a question or two about the current proposed ordinance.
“I have always been in favor of a business license as it is vital to orderly growth and planning for the City, ” Brekke said in an e-mail. “Without one we are in the dark in our ability to measure economic activity and to properly zone areas of town to meet the needs of our business community and citizenry. The only area in which I have waivered is on the issue of a fee and its necessity. ”
A one-page question and answer sheet about the business license was written by Planning and Development Committee chair, Councilwoman Janet Trethewey. Pending changes to the “white sheet” recommended by Mayor Tim Solomon, the document will be available to the public at several locations around town, including City Hall and the library, before the ordinance goes to City Council next month.
The Labor Relations Committee will presumably continue their discussion of contract negotiations with the Fire Department.
Two of Havre City Council’s committees are meeting Tuesday: the Ordinance Committee at 5:45 p. m. and the Labor Relations Committee at 7 p. m.
The Ordinance Committee is looking at the changes to zoning laws and the business license that the Planning and Development Committee have been working on for the past few months.
The zoning changes would apply the same zoning limitations that already exist for bars and lounges to casinos.
The business license ordinance would create, as it is currently written, a license that local businesses would be required to possess.
Before getting a license, businesses would have to pass inspections and pay a licensing fee. The question of who would administer the fee is one of the issues to be discussed. It is currently written to have the City Clerks’ office collect fees, though the Fire Department has expressed interest in the role.
Ordinance Committee chair, Councilman Andrew Brekke, has said he likes the license but has a question or two about the current proposed ordinance.
“I have always been in favor of a business license as it is vital to orderly growth and planning for the City, ” Brekke said in an e-mail. “Without one we are in the dark in our ability to measure economic activity and to properly zone areas of town to meet the needs of our business community and citizenry. The only area in which I have waivered is on the issue of a fee and its necessity. ”
A one-page question and answer sheet about the business license was written by Planning and Development Committee chair, Councilwoman Janet Trethewey. Pending changes to the “white sheet” recommended by Mayor Tim Solomon, the document will be available to the public at several locations around town, including City Hall and the library, before the ordinance goes to City Council next month.
The Labor Relations Committee will presumably continue their discussion of contract negotiations with the Fire Department.
