49°
HARRISON, N.Y. The Harrison Town Board passed legislation establishing a Do Not Knock registry at its meeting Thursday night, which would prevent solicitors and peddlers from knocking on the door of residents homes at all.
Solicitors will not be able to knock on registered residents doors. They can still go to home of people not on the registry between the hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. or sunset; whichever comes first. Solicitors will be charged a fee of $150 to apply for a permit to go door-to-door if they want to sell certain items to residents at their homes. Every permit issued costs an additional $150 and would be good for one month. Town Attorney Jonathan Kraut said that charitable and religious organizations as well as politicians would be exempt from the new law.
One of the key aspects of this law is to allow folks to be on a similar list like one where people cant call them at home, Kraut said. The solicitors have an obligation to be aware of the residents who dont want to be disturbed.
Town Board Trustee Marlane Amelio originally wanted the law to be limited even further adding that people shouldnt have their doors knocked on when they sit down to eat dinner. Amelio said that legal concerns left the town with no other choice but to go with longer hours.
We had no other choice unfortunately, Amelio said.
Police Chief Anthony Marraccini said that the law is long overdue. Marraccini said that one of the conflicts he sees is the section of the law which prohibits soliciting from 250 feet from businesses may not be able to be enforced during Its Great to Live in Harrison Day in October where a lot of members of the community are out on Halstead Avenue as well as many vendors and solicitors.
We have had problems with solicitors in town that have engaged in problematic tactics, Marraccini said.
Town Clerk, Jackie Greer said that residents will be able to sign their names on the Do Not Knock registry online on the towns website. Residents can also register for the list at the Town Clerks office at the Municipal Building.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Harrison and receive free news updates.
