CITY CRACKS DOWN ON OVERDUE BUSINES LICENSES

Business owners who don't pay their annual city license fees could face up to a $500 fine per day under a crack down started by the city's prosecutor.

The prosecutor, Assistant City Attorney John Treu, said the crack down, which began last week, is targeting between 20 and 25 businesses.

"We're going down and finding out what businesses have their license fees paid," he said, "and if they have not had their license fees paid, then they're operating without a license. It was my assumption that this has always gone on and just maybe people just never noticed it before."

Treu said Cape Girardeau Municipal Court has issued summonses for each of the businesses, but they are being sent out a little at a time. Since Tuesday, Cape Girardeau Police have reported that four of the summonses have been delivered.

Business owners that have been charged include: William C. Kunz, 34, of Jackson, Tenn., operator of Names & Things in West Park Mall; Chris A. Eggiman, 23, of Route 1 Advance, operator of Stereo Salon, 1424 N. Kingshighway; Mary L. Kennedy, 59, of 1600 block of N. Main, operator of the Diet Center, 1301 N. Kingshighway; and Elise K. Domnick, 33, of 1000 block of Harmony, operator of Artistic Inspirations beauty shop, 1017 Harmony.

The fine for the offense is $500 per day, said Treu. Offenders can also be sentenced to jail time.

"In a way, it's being used to try and get them (the business owners) to come in and get their licenses paid off," he said. "Whether the actual criminal sanctions will be pursued, I don't know. I haven't made up my mind yet exactly what I'm going to do."

Businesses pay the fees every year, he said, with the amounts varying depending on the business. Businesses may pay the fees at the Finance Department at Cape Girardeau City Hall between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.