This is why gov entities suck!

[visual800]

A neighboring local town to our city decided to invest in a high end shopping development. This was right about the beginning of this dreaded economy. Well to short it up the development is done and empty and was auctioned off for a few million less than what was owed.

That town is now broke and in dire straits. The mayor is gone to bigger and better things and a couple of higher ends in the planning and development have also packed up and left.

I get my license renewal for this year from them and on was the following, please check under vehicle signage.

It amazes me how they can all sit down and come up with this off the wall BS charges to help and revive their dying mistakes. So i belive in order to compensate for me not having alot of business in this town I may just forego buying a license this year to help myself.

Start making those who make bad decisions pay for those decisions themselves and you will see a steep decline in bad decisions being made. As long as they are wasting money and making others pay for it they will never learn

 

[Farmboy]

Find out when this was passed and request the minutes from that meeting. It'll tell you who's idea this was and how many voted to pass it. Curious though, if you're in Prattville, why do you have Montgomery listed as your address on your logo? To play devils advocate, even though it's the council's job to find ways to increase revenue...this seems like a bad idea.

 

[James Burke]

Please attach the photo to this post. Flickr is giving me a bunch of crap...saying I have to sign up for something just to see the enlarged photo. I believe 2nd party hosting of photos doesn't jive with forum rules.

Here's my take of the vehicle signage issue:

1) Vehicle signage pertains to the vehicle owned and operated by the business, and I can understand the part about sub contractors requiring vehicle ID. But what I don't understand is the part about employees. It almost sounds as if the people who show up at a job site in their own vehicle need some sort of ID.

2) I can't see why anybody who is in business would not want to market themselves with vehicle signage...especially if they have to pay for a business license in the first place.

3) The ones who don't (want to letter the vehicle) are usually operating without a license, DOT certs., or a commercial insurance policy on the vehicle.

4) With the economy in the crapper, just about anybody with a truck can go into business, and most do...without the aforementioned #3. Those are the people the city really needs to crack down on.

5) Instead of complaining about it, use this thing to your advantage. Put an ad in the paper about this issue and the fines for non-compliance, and then build a marketing campaign around it. Milk it for all it's worth...they're actually helping you out here.


JB

 

[skyhigh]

Perhaps I don't understand what your complaint is....

Dosen't this mean you will be lettering a lot more vehicles?
And how about magnetics for the employees that drive their personal car to the job sites?

 

[John L]

If I were a vehicle lettering providor in or near Prattville, AL I would research and request a listing of all new business license issuances and market my wares to them and remind them of Section 38-325(c) and how to economically avoid an unnecessary $500 donation to the city.

Another view... You could creatively market a pair of truck doors, lettered, FREE! (just as creatively stating that your $450 charge is rebated each time they will not have to pay the city $500 as the ordinance Section is now being enforced).

Thats really good news for some, not bad. The "and their employees" verbage is just awesome. I'd really wrap my mind around that a little deeper before I picketed town hall just yet.

 

[James Burke]

And how about magnetics for the employees that drive their personal car to the job sites?

I see this a lot...especially with those who sell Herbalife, Avon and all that other stuff.

I've been advised by more than one insurance agent that slapping any sort of signage on a "personal" vehicle can render a non-commercial policy null and void, since the vehicle is being used for commerce. Just sayin'.

BTW...my commercial policy on the truck is cheaper than a non-comm.



JB

 

[WildWestDesigns]

2) I can't see why anybody who is in business would not want to market themselves with vehicle signage...especially if they have to pay for a business license in the first place.

3) The ones who don't (want to letter the vehicle) are usually operating without a license, DOT certs., or a commercial insurance policy on the vehicle.

The embroidery business is prone to a lot of people running their business out of their home. I know I've digitized for a lot of them and actually have helped them with their single head machines as I know who they bought theirs from and I've owned a version of theirs in my years of doing this. In this county, even if they did everything up and up, 2 bus. license(city and county) and home occupation permit, in order to get that home occupation permit "you" are prevented from having vehicle signage. Usually that's addressed in the CC&R of sub-division as well.

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

Visual.. good news for you agrees with James Burke.

But bad news for employees if they show up in there car without lettering.. thinks bad policy maybe illegal.

Insurance co. will profit since to have lettering means business use and business insurance.

Yes find out how this law was created and intent ..thinks some changes needs to happen.

Also wonder who lobbied this .. the law, insurance, or sign co.

Most likely to reduce the scam artist that knock on doors sell a job and do nothing or bad work or illegal like no permit and someone can get hurt.

 

[bob]

...

Here's my take of the vehicle signage issue:

1) Vehicle signage pertains to the vehicle owned and operated by the business, and I can understand the part about sub contractors requiring vehicle ID. But what I don't understand is the part about employees. It almost sounds as if the people who show up at a job site in their own vehicle need some sort of ID.

Minor village officials, virtually all of whom gained their position by winning a popularity contest, shouldn't be expected to possess any understanding whatsoever of the various laws and principles under which we all labor. For the most part they possess absolutely no qualifications for the offices they hold.

They always seem to think that they can enact any damnfool thing they want. It's unclear whether these local panjandrum's are incapable of actually expressing what they mean or are just plain stupid.

Either way the inane mischief of local officials is seldom upheld when actually tested. Just as this bit of nonsense would be thrown out of tested. While the local apparatus' frenzy of rationalizations about 'protecting the citizenry' would be endlessly entertaining to hear, this too would end up on the burn pile of really silly things. For a number of reasons.

2) I can't see why anybody who is in business would not want to market themselves with vehicle signage...especially if they have to pay for a business license in the first place

Not the point

3) The ones who don't (want to letter the vehicle) are usually operating without a license, DOT certs., or a commercial insurance policy on the vehicle.

Not the point

4) With the economy in the crapper, just about anybody with a truck can go into business, and most do...without the aforementioned #3. Those are the people the city really needs to crack down on.

Not the point

5) Instead of complaining about it, use this thing to your advantage. Put an ad in the paper about this issue and the fines for non-compliance, and then build a marketing campaign around it. Milk it for all it's worth...they're actually helping you out here.

Not the point

 

[James Burke]

Minor village officials, virtually all of whom gained their position by winning a popularity contest, shouldn't be expected to possess any understanding whatsoever of the various laws and principles under which we all labor. For the most part they possess absolutely no qualifications for the offices they hold.

They always seem to think that they can enact any damnfool thing they want. It's unclear whether these local panjandrum's are incapable of actually expressing what they mean or are just plain stupid.

Either way the inane mischief of local officials is seldom upheld when actually tested. Just as this bit of nonsense would be thrown out of tested. While the local apparatus' frenzy of rationalizations about 'protecting the citizenry' would be endlessly entertaining to hear, this too would end up on the burn pile of really silly things. For a number of reasons.

Not the point

Not the point

Not the point

Not the point

Yes, but in the end, it what it is. Fighting city hall only goes so far. They surely won't reimburse you for your time during the fight, so you'd might as well make it work to your own advantage.

 

[Pat Whatley]

Here's my take of the vehicle signage issue:

1) Vehicle signage pertains to the vehicle owned and operated by the business, and I can understand the part about sub contractors requiring vehicle ID. But what I don't understand is the part about employees. It almost sounds as if the people who show up at a job site in their own vehicle need some sort of ID.
Yes, it applies to everybody on a job site. If I throw the drill in the truck to screw a tab onto a real estate as I drive past a sign on the way home (two minute job) I am subject to the fine. Construction foreman stops by a job site to drop off a box of nails...better have his car labeled. I don't know how strict they'll be about it but they've been fining people. This is the same town that requires permits for yard sales and lemonade stands.

2) I can't see why anybody who is in business would not want to market themselves with vehicle signage...especially if they have to pay for a business license in the first place. See above....I'm not always at work in my business vehicle.

3) The ones who don't (want to letter the vehicle) are usually operating without a license, DOT certs., or a commercial insurance policy on the vehicle. I've got a license, I've got a DOT number, I've got commercial insurance and I've NEVER had my vehicle lettered. I don't even have a set of magnetics. If I don't want to letter my truck that should be my business, not a bunch of grandstanding fools..

4) With the economy in the crapper, just about anybody with a truck can go into business, and most do...without the aforementioned #3. Those are the people the city really needs to crack down on.

5) Instead of complaining about it, use this thing to your advantage. Put an ad in the paper about this issue and the fines for non-compliance, and then build a marketing campaign around it. Milk it for all it's worth...they're actually helping you out here. That might work if either of us had shops in Prattville but we don't. We just both have clients that need work done there every now and then (I put up real estate signs there every couple of weeks, Bruce does bigger projects)


JB

Prattville is a commuter community five miles north of Montgomery.

 

[visual800]

It is my right if I wanna run arorund without lettering on my vehicle. What if I drive my personal car to a quote? What if I have to rent something should I go thru the extra expense of having to make lettering for this vehicle?

This is not about something good for the people or the local businesses this is just a money generator. The GOVT will NEVER do anything that does not benefit them. If they cared so much then why hasnt this always been in effect.

As far as running a "Get you city approved signage NOW" campaign, I want no part of that, no one will pay my prices for a set of mags anyway when others are selling them for $30 a pair

No I do live and operate in montgomery BUT we have to have licenses in all cities we do work in, which I think sucks!

 

[Pat Whatley]

I still say you should get your business license under the name "SCREW THE PRATTVILLE CITY COUNCIL SIGN COMPANY, INC."

 

[James Burke]

As far as running a "Get you city approved signage NOW" campaign, I want no part of that...

No offense, just offering suggestions.

At this point, it might be better to garner the collective support of other business owners and show up at the next council meeting.


JB

 

[visual800]

pat i rally should but them I would get fined for operating under a diff compnay than visual images lol

 

[HulkSmash]

Oh no! More business for sign makers!

 

[David Wright]

So some of you wouldn't mind if everyone was required to have their homes identified with a requisite license number and sign. usdot and other numbers on your personal vehicles and tattooed information on your bodies.
Hey, more money for sign people and tattoo parlors right?

 

[James Burke]

Not to beat a dead horse, but:

So some of you wouldn't mind if everyone was required to have their homes identified with a requisite license number

Property / deed registration (essentially a tax id number)

and other numbers on your personal vehicles

Lookeee there...on the bumper...

 

[shakey0818]

I def think every commercial vehicle should have the company info on a door.Many of these vehicles are used for breaking or entering or abducting people,or just doing wrong things.It would be nice to give the cops a head start identifying a vehicle.

 

[Locals Find!]

Thanks for posting this. I am suggest this to my city & county councils to see if we can get this enacted. Way too many scam artists in Florida. This would seriously cut that down and make me some really nice money from all the Real Estate Agents that would be force to comply.