Council moves to strike $25 city fee for massage-therapy permits from ordinance draft

Council members reviewed a previously tabled ordinance and focused substantial discussion on section 327-3, which proposed a $25 city license fee for massage therapists who already pay a state licensing fee. Multiple councilors said they opposed charging an additional fee on top of the state requirement and questioned whether the city should treat this professional license differently from other businesses such as barbers or cosmetologists.

The city attorney noted that some businesses (for example, liquor license holders) pay state and local fees and that removing a fee for one business type may prompt comparable requests from other businesses; staff warned of potential future equity issues. Council members described the expected number of massage therapists in town as roughly six to 12 and said the $25 would not be a major revenue source, but it could be an unnecessary burden on professionals.

After discussion, councilors agreed to strike the $25 fee from the draft ordinance and to bring the amended ordinance forward for a vote at the next meeting. The draft was reduced substantially from its original length over multiple revisions; further edits were discussed, including making the ordinance shorter and adding revocation language in a separate related item.