Amended ordinance sets stricter rules for Lawton’s door-to-door vendors

City of Lawton departments already were collecting complaints about aggressive vendors without identification or city permits going door-to-door in residential neighborhoods when Mother Nature dropped damaging hail on the city June 15.

Community Services Director Charlotte Brown said city staff expects the vendor problem to worsen in coming weeks as out-of-town and newly-created businesses descend on the city to talk to residents about roofs and other repair work stemming from the damage caused by the storm’s hail and wind. So, while city staff already had plans to strengthen an existing ordinance pertaining to door-to-door vendors, storm repairs in the aftermath of the June 15 storm made the changes even more important.

So important that at least one council member wanted to put the new provisions into effective immediately, rather than wait the 30-day standard timeframe. Ward 2 Councilman Kelly Harris said residents already are anxious about door-to-door vendors coming into their neighborhoods, and he wants the new protections included in the amended ordinance to go into effect as quickly as possible to protect those who might succumb to pressure from aggressive people knocking on doors.

“I’d like to put an emergency on it,” he said.

Brown said the changes proposed by city staff are intended to do just that: protect vulnerable residents while making it clear there are rules such vendors must follow, or they will be banned from the city.

“We’ve had issues over the last few weeks,” Brown said, pointing to vendors selling solar panels and asking about roof repairs, vendors who may not be permitted or wearing identification.

While the city already has an ordinance, it needs clarity, she said, citing provisions that plainly state you must have a city-issued vendors license to sell door-to-door, that those who don’t have local storefronts (meaning offices in Lawton) fall under different regulations, and that the cutoff time for such door-to-door activity will depend on the time of year. There’s also a new provision that drew council discussion: a background check.

Brown said the provision isn’t unusual: the City of Norman requires its vendors to provide a background check conducted by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, meaning they also pay the cost of that check. Interim City Manager John Ratliff said the provision is an important addition to city code.

“It’s critical for the public safety aspect,” he said.

Mayor Stan Booker agreed, saying he and others know first-hand the importance of public safety, citing an incident in the 1980s when a door-to-door vendor was involved in a murder.

“That’s why I support background checks,” he said.

Human Resources Director Craig Akard said the OSBI background check isn’t unreasonable and won’t add much time to the process. He said the city’s Human Resources Department asks for an OSBI background check on every new employee, and the process takes two days or less.

Council members also were concerned about the ordinance’s potential effects on churches and religious organizations who might go door-to-door, as well as youths who do the same thing to support youth-related entities and activities.

New provisions exempt minors from the background check provision, but council wanted that refined to define minors as those under age 18 or still enrolled in public school. In addition, exceptions already in city code specify persons going door-to-door on behalf of local religious, political or charitable organizations and informing the public about their organizations or distributing handbills or leaflets do not need a vendors license, as long as they are not selling or promoting goods or services or seeking donations.

But Ward 6 Councilman Bob Weger, a local pastor, said references to religious organizations should be removed from ordinance, and the council accepted that request.

Ratliff said he didn’t recommend an emergency clause on the ordinance, meaning those who would fall under the ordinance have 30 days to meet new provisions. After the meeting, Ratliff said vendors who already have city permits must meet the new provisions, including the background check. Booker said that delay might be beneficial.

“How do we make people here now aware?” he asked.