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MINUTES <br />CITY COUNCIL <br />DECEMBER 18~ 1996 <br />PUBLIC Fahey opened the public hearing to consider the renewal <br />HEARING - of pawn brokers license and second hand goods dealers <br />PAWN license for Lincoln Pawn and Jewelry located at 2750 <br />BROKERS Rice Street. Fahey noted that the Council will also be <br />LICENSE considering whether or not to increase the pawn brokers <br />RENEWAL license fee. That fee is currently at $6,500 per year. <br />City staff is recommending the fee be increased to <br />$8,500 to reflect increased costs on the part of the <br />Sheriff's Department in monitoring pawn shop <br />activities. <br />Mr. Chuck Wedemeyer, owner of Lincoln Pawn and Jewelry, <br />appeared before the Council and informed them that his <br />business has declined by 29% over the past year. <br />Wedemeyer questioned the need for an increase in the <br />license fee and suggested that the fee be decreased to <br />reflect the decrease in the level of his business. <br />Scalze reported that City Staff did a comparative study <br />of pawn broker license fees being charged by other <br />cities as well as looked at the cost associated with <br />the Sheriff's Department monitoring the pawn shop. <br />Fahey reported that the Sheriff's Department has <br />indicated that it costs approximately $7,74o annually <br />for them to monitor Lincoln Pawn. <br />Wedemeyer reported that in addition to his business <br />being down by 29%, he recently purchased a computer and <br />provided the Sheriff's Department with the software. <br />Now information on transactions is transferred by disk <br />from Lincoln Pawn to the Sheriff's Department. The <br />Sheriff's Department no longer has to enter transaction <br />information by hand. <br />Scalze pointed out that license fees are not based on <br />how successful a business is, but are set to cover City <br />costs associated with the business. <br />Wedemeyer questioned how City costs for monitoring the <br />pawn shop can increase when business is going down. <br />Wedemeyer again pointed out the time savings to the <br />Sheriff's Department now that transactions are <br />computerized. Wedemeyer pointed out the costs he <br />absorbed in converting to this computerized system and <br />providing the Sheriff's Department with the software, <br />all of which makes it easier for the Sheriff's <br />Department to monitor his business. wedemeyer also <br />pointed out that he pays property taxes in addition to <br />the license fee. <br />4 <br />