Spring brings out a lot of things. Robins, daffodils, crooks. Every year what used to be known as "peddlers" come out in flocks. They try to sell you everything from perfume to windows. The perfume salesmen carry around these black ditty bags and sort of remind you of the guy in the trench coat saying "hey buddy, have I got a deal for you." If it sounds too good to be true, it is.

The City of Alliance has ordinances that ban door to door sales in most instances. Most businesses have "No Soliciting" signs on their doors. But does this stop the trench-coated salesmen? No sirree. They must not think the sign applies to them. They even have the nerve to come to the mayor's office and try to sell us their wares. Some people are just a special kind of stupid.

Ordinance number 765.03 states: "For Profit Solicitation Prohibited in Residential Zones." That means no one is allowed to go door to door selling anything in residential neighborhoods. Previously, in some special circumstances, the city had issued a permit for door to door sales. That is not happening anymore. No permits are being issued now for door to door sales. If you have a salesperson come to your door, they are breaking the law. Throw them out. Chase them off your property. But before they get completely away, get the make, model and license plate number of their car. Then call the police department at 330-821-9140 and give the dispatcher a description of the car, the salesperson, and what street they were on.

If the salesperson is a real pest, quote Ordinance number 765.05 to them. It reads: "Sales on Private Property." "The practice of going in or upon private property in the City by solicitors, peddlers, hawkers, itinerant merchants or transient vendors of merchandise, goods, wares, foods, books, periodicals or other articles of value, not having been invited to do so by the owner or occupant of such private property or residence, for the purpose of soliciting orders for the sale of or repair of goods, wares, merchandise or other chattels of value for present or future delivery and/or disposing of and/or peddling or hawking of the same, is declared to be a nuisance, and any such person shall be subject to the penalty provided in Section 765.99."

No, Section 765.99 doesn't say they shall be drawn and quartered. It says they shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than six months. And get this. Each time they violate the ordinance is a separate offense. That could get them some serious jail time. And Ordinance 765.04 prohibits them from soliciting on public property also, with the same penalty. However, people still might come to your door who are not selling something for profit. Examples might be petition passers, candidates, non-profits seeking donations, etc. This activity is not prohibited by the City of Alliance and we probably can’t legally prohibit it.

In this day and age, it's bad enough to be subjected to telemarketers on our phones day and night. At least the City of Alliance has Ordinances in place to keep our residents somewhat protected from the door to door types. But you have to do your part so we can keep them out of town. If you see a salesperson of any kind in your neighborhood, call the Police Department at 330-821-9140. If an unwanted salesperson comes to your place of business, call the Police. We want to get these people out of town and keep them out.