Island Lake boosts fine for soliciting without a permit

If you're selling candy bars, home-repair services or anything else door to door in Island Lake, you better make sure to get a permit first.

The village board on Thursday dramatically increased the fine for soliciting without a permit to $250 from $35.

The move was prompted by complaints from residents about solicitors in their neighborhoods, officials said.

Trustee Sandy Doehler called it a safety issue.

"It's very hard to determine whether a stranger knocking at my door is truly selling something or just scoping out my home for a future opportunity to break in," she said. "We have had several homes in my neighborhood broken into recently, so I suspect there may be a correlation."

Village Clerk Georgine Cooper has been frustrated by encounters at her home, too.

"When a solicitor comes to my door, I always ask for his permit," Cooper said. "I am amused by the ones who tell me they have one, since I am the one who would have issued it to them."

Island Lake's solicitation permits cost $500 for a three-day period, plus $200 for each additional participant if a team is working in town.

That may be too steep for some operations.

"A number of potential solicitors who have called to inquire about our fees have hung up on me when they heard what the fees are," Cooper said.

Because the fine had been only $35, scofflaws likely were willing to risk that penalty rather than buy a permit, Cooper said.

Fines for soliciting without a permit will be waived only for first offenses, according to the updated ordinance.

Governmental agencies and nonprofit groups doing door-to-door work are exempt from the permit fees.

Doehler recommended people post "No Soliciting" signs on their front doors if they don't want to be bothered by salespeople.

Fines for solicitors going door to door without permits vary in other Lake County communities.

In Lincolnshire and Mundelein, fines range from $25 to $500. In Wauconda, the maximum fine is $750.