Hoffman Estates may allow soliciting on Sundays

Not-for-profit organizations may soon be able to solicit on Sundays in Hoffman Estates.

The General Administration & Personnel Committee discussed the possible amendment to the village’s solicitation ordinance Monday.

Mayor William McLeod said a local Girl Scout troop expressed concerns to the village about the limited daytime hours available to solicit, as nonprofit youth members are in school on weekdays.

Currently, soliciting is allowed in the village between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. on the weekdays. Village staff looked at the solicitation ordinances in neighboring communities and found that several have a Sunday solicitation exemption for charities.

The proposed amendment to the Hoffman Estates ordinance would create a 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. window on Saturdays — which currently are not addressed in the ordinance — and Sundays for not-for-profit organizations to solicit.

Trustee Gary Stanton suggested making the Sunday hours 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., noting that people have religious obligations that day and by 4 p.m. in the winter it is already getting dark outside.

McLeod said because residents practice many different religions he didn’t want the village to seem like it was favoring one over another by making the hours shorter on Sunday.

“I don’t see the problem with 10 to 6,” he said, adding he was receptive to the committee’s suggestions.

Trustee Karen Mills said she understood where Stanton was coming from, but she had no problem leaving the time from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., as staff recommended. Trustee Jackie Green also said she was ok with the original proposal.

The village board will vote on the amendment at an upcoming meeting.