HOWLAND — Trustees revisited an ordinance passed nearly a decade ago regarding salespeople in the township and brought it up to snuff with state laws.

Earlier this month, trustees approved repealing a home rule resolution prohibiting transient vendor solicitation in the township and approved a new policy aimed at regulating them.

Administrator James Pantalone said the Ohio Revised Code has evolved since the home rule resolution, adopted in June 2002, was passed, adding that the new resolution has been a work in progress for approximately a year to 18 months.

The new resolution requires vendors to register with the township using a form provided by Pantalone, and each of the vendor’s representatives will receive a solicitor identification badge and a copy of the form.

The resolution states that the application fee is $150 per vendor for 90 days, with a maximum of three representatives per vendor at a time throughout that period.

Solicitation is approved Mondays through Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 1 to Sept. 30 and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 1 to April 30, with it being barred on Sundays or major holidays.

It is also barred from happening at a residence where a No Soliciting decal or sign is displayed or residence where the owner or tenant has filed a no solicitation registration with the township.

A vendor does not include an entity exempt from tax per the revised code, the resolution states. A later paragraph notes that it does not apply to the solicitation of goods or services by individuals under 18 years old who either reside in the township or an entity bordering it, as well as the goods and services being solicited is under $10,000 a year.

The resolution’s violators will be found guilty of a misdemeanor, and if found guilty by a court, will have their license revoked and will not be permitted to have another permit for a year from the court date.

Pantalone said the resolution was a regular instead of a home rule one, per the recommendation of Jason Toth, the township’s attorney, because they were covered under Title V of the revised code.

Title V acts as the foundational legal framework for townships, covering governance, powers and duties, as well as key areas such as zoning, police/fire services and limited home-rule authority.

“We’re able to just run it under a regular resolution, so it’s a lot smoother, a lot easier to process,” Pantalone said.

Trustee Matthew Vansuch noted the resolution makes it a criminal violation, adding it was one of several instances where the township could create such violations.

Trustee James LaPolla questioned how residents will know if certain individuals are vendors if they elect not to wear the badge.

“There are packets for all of the residents that we’ll be pushing out so that they know the rules, and how, when asking these vendors, what they have to follow,” Pantalone said. “There’s also a packet of rules that will go to the solicitor when they apply for the permit, and it’s processed through.”

Pantalone acknowledged there would be people soliciting appropriately, but with the policy in play, residents will have the right to ask to see the vendor’s permit at any time.

Pantalone said he and police Chief Nick Roberts still had to work through more of the resolution, but an outline gives a bit of “backbone” to residents.

Pantalone said residents will be able to sign up for a “no solicitation” list, which will be given at the time the permit is distributed.

He said the list will be updated weekly, so it will fall upon the vendor to update themselves.