Our View: Green River Ordinance should spread

Last week, another door-to-door sales permit was revoked by the City of Green River and we couldn’t be more happier with that outcome.

While many had initial fears that reworking the ordinance would lead to waves of salesmen skulking around neighborhoods in the pursuit of a commission, the language within the ordinance has done a great job in serving its purpose. Residents can chose who they can have come to their door but posting either a no soliciting sign or a no commercial soliciting sign while salesmen who don’t follow the rules lose their permits to operate within the city.

We wonder if the ordinance can’t be spread to help other communities or counties deal with issues brought on by door-to-door salesmen. Sure, we acknowledge that some may want to hear about what salesmen are peddling, but the same protections afforded to Green River’s residents if a salesmen is out of line with their pitch or dishonest about the reason they’re visiting a residence.

The Rock Springs City Council should definitely take a look at the language used in the Green River Ordinance. The city’s residents should have the same ability to post signs dictating what, if any, type of solicitation occurs at the residence. Also, once a salesman loses their permit in Green River, there isn’t anything stopping them from driving down Interstate 80 and doing the same thing in Rock Springs.

Sure, complaints would need to be lodged by residents, as they are here, but it would only strengthen the area’s reputation for being tough on door-to-door sales and possibly make Sweetwater County unattractive as a marketing area.

At the county level, adopting a resolution containing the Green River Ordinance’s language would require legislative action before a county could begin the adoption process. Eric Bingham, director of planning and zoning for Sweetwater County said the only type of business the county regulates is the home occupation businesses. Other types of businesses that normally would require a permit within a municipality aren’t regulated by counties. This includes door-to-door sales.

We believe the Wyoming Legislate should allow counties to permit door-to-door sales, in order to allow them the opportunity to adopt the Green River Ordinance.

If more governing bodies adopt it, an area proudly displaying its adoption of the Green River Ordinance would be a place passed up by traveling salesmen.