Farmington Hills

Street solicitation will likely continue in Hills

By David Wallace
C & G Staff Writer

FARMINGTON HILLS — The City Council voted 5-2 to introduce a change to how the city’s solicitation ordinance governs people who solicit funds at intersections, and council discussed whether the city should allow such solicitations at all.

In 2010, the City Council made changes to the ordinance that required each person — and/or its parent organization — engaged in street solicitation to sign an indemnification agreement. The changes also restricted solicitors to one person per leg of an intersection and mandated that they wear reflective safety vests.

Last spring, the Knights of Columbus asked for and received waivers allowing them to add the city to the Knights of Columbus’ insurance policy, to allow two solicitors per intersection leg and to allow placing reflective tape on existing vests to meet the vest requirement.

After the waivers were granted, the police chief, city attorney and clerk have met and come up with proposed changes allowing for the insurance or the indemnification agreement, as well as two solicitors per intersection leg, with a third spotter off the roadway to alert the solicitors to changing traffic signals; however, the spotter requirement was later removed. The changes also require that safety vests meet Federal Highway Administration regulations and National Fire Protection Association standards.

Council members Randy Bruce and Michael Bridges voted against the change, saying they felt that the city should ban all solicitation in intersections. Farmington, Livonia, West Bloomfield and Southfield have already done so.

In memos to the city’s leadership, the police chief, the fire chief and the city’s traffic engineer all stated they prefer to eliminate in-street solicitations for safety.

“For that very reason, I’m going to oppose the introduction,” said Bridges.

Bruce and Bridges said drivers have more distractions than ever, especially due to cellphones, and they believe the solicitations should end.

“A vest isn’t going to stop a moving car if the driver is distracted,” said Bruce.

He also said street solicitation impacts traffic patterns.

“Moving traffic is not, for me, where you do some sort of monetary transaction, because these intersections sometimes now are very busy and crowded, and we can’t move traffic through there as it is, let alone with people stopping traffic and doing some sort of monetary transaction,” said Bruce.

Representatives from two Knights of Columbus councils and American Legion Post 346 defended soliciting in the street. They also opposed the “spotter” requirement, feeling it was unnecessary, would require manpower they don’t have and would cause the spotter to go hoarse after a short period of yelling out signal changes.

“We work on a strict buddy system that has been very, very effective with two people close together on each leg of the intersection,” said Al Zander of Knights of Columbus Council 13362.

“There’s a lot of things in this ordinance we love. Our vests are going to be compliant,” said Zander, who said they also agree with age restrictions prohibiting juveniles from such fundraising.

However, Bridges and Bruce suggested finding other ways to raise money.

“Last year, we managed to collect about $11,000,” said Dave Thoreson of the Knights of Columbus Council 13362. He said that for the past eight years, the council has raised more than $90,000 combined through in-street solicitations. He said soliciting funds in front of a grocery store, for example, generates nowhere near the same totals.

“If we lose the money that we would receive by offering poppies in the street, it would be devastating. We wouldn’t be able to do the work we do,” said Cliff Lauzon, senior vice commander of American Legion Post 346.

“We have never had an instance of a problem,” said George Curran of Knights of Columbus Council 4401.

That ultimately seemed to sway the majority of council members.

“I feel like if they do a good job, they do good things and they have a 100 percent safety record, I guess I’d just hate to be the one to stop this kind of good work in our community. If we have a violation or an injury, I guess we’d have to look at it again. But on the concern that we might have, but never have had, I would support their continuing,” said Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Bates.

“I don’t think any kind of street solicitation is a safe activity. I think that’s borne out and it’s supported by our chiefs and their traffic engineer. People have concerns. However, these gentlemen are adults, and they know what they’re doing and they know what they’re asking,” said Councilman Kenneth Massey.

“As long as the city doesn’t have any apparent liability, that makes me more comfortable with just saying, ‘OK, we’re there,’” said Massey.

The changes passed, but the council removed the requirement for a spotter and raised the age limit from 17 to 18. The City Council is scheduled to vote on enacting the changes March 5.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer David Wallace at dwallace@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1053.