The Perry City Council amended an ordinance this week that pertains to the fees charged to peddlers, solicitors and transient merchants.

City Administrator Butch Niebuhr says this came about when they realized how much higher Perry’s fees were compared to other communities in the area.

“What we’ve found, looking at other cities and what we’ve been charging for transient merchants, it’s been as much for a year as $900, which is pretty restrictive for some of these mom and pop stands that just spur up for the moment or maybe two or three months at a time during the summer months” says Niebuhr.

The new fee structure costs merchants $50 for every 6 months, plus a $25 application fee.  Niebuhr says this also allows them more freedom on public property.

“It does open it up for them to be able to set up on public property, or city owned property.  The only thing is if there’s utilities available there would be a fee, a monthly fee of $75 for those utilities.”

Those wanting to sell merchandise need to apply for a permit at city hall.