[HISTORY: Adopted by Common Council of City of North Tonawanda 12-15-1964, effective 1-1-1965.]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 16, Auctions and Auctioneers.
For the purpose of this ordinance, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the meaning given herein. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future, words in the plural number include the singular number and words in the singular number include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory and not merely directory.
CITY
The City of North Tonawanda, New York.
CITY LICENSE OFFICER
The City Clerk of the City of North Tonawanda, New York.
FIRE AND OTHER ALTERED GOODS SALE
A sale held out in such a manner as to reasonably cause the public to believe that the sale will offer goods damaged or altered by fire, smoke, water or other means.
GOING-OUT-OF-BUSINESS SALE
A sale held out in such a manner as to reasonably cause the public to believe that upon the disposal of the stock of goods on hand the business will cease and be discontinued, including but not limited to the following sales: adjuster's, adjustment, alteration, assignee's, bankrupt benefit of administrators, benefit of creditors, benefit of trustees, building coming down, closing, creditor's committee, creditor's and executor's, final days, forced out, forced-out-of-business, insolvents, last days, lease expires, liquidation, loss-of-lease, mortgage sale, receiver's, trustee's, quitting business.
GOODS
Includes any goods, wares, merchandise or other property capable of being the object of a sale regulated hereunder.
PERSON
Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.
REMOVAL OF BUSINESS SALE
A sale held out in such a manner as to reasonably cause the public to believe that the person conducting the sale will cease and discontinue business at the place of sale upon disposal of the stock of goods on hand and will then move to and resume business at a new location in the city or will then discontinue business from other existing locations in the city. Such a person may, however, go out of business in the lieu of removal.
A license issued by the City Clerk shall be obtained by any person before selling or offering to sell any goods at a sale to be advertised or held out by any means to be one of the following kinds:
A. 
Going-out-of-business sale.
B. 
Removal-of-business sale.
C. 
Fire and other altered goods sale.
A. 
Established business requisite. Any person who has not been the owner of a business advertised or described in the application for a license hereunder for a period of at least six months prior to the date of the proposed sale shall not be granted a license. A business formed within a six-month period, however, shall be included, on proving financial difficulty.
B. 
Exception for survivors of businessmen. Upon the death of a person doing business in this city, his or her heirs, devisees or legatees shall have the right to apply at any time for a license hereunder.
Any person who has held a sale as regulated hereunder at the location stated in the application within one-year last past from the date of such application shall not be granted a license, excepting fire and other altered goods sales.
Where a person applying for a license hereunder operates more than one place of business, the license issued shall apply only to the one store or branch specified in the application, and no other store or branch shall advertise or represent that it is cooperating with it or in any way participating in the licensed sale, nor shall the store or branch conducting the licensed sale advertise or represent that any other store or branch is cooperating with it or participating in any way in the licensed sale, unless the conditions of sale exist at the other location and licenses have been obtained thereupon.
The provisions of this ordinance shall not apply to or affect the following persons:
A. 
Persons acting pursuant to an order or process of a court of competent jurisdiction.
B. 
Persons acting in accordance with their powers and duties as public officials.
C. 
Duly licensed auctioneers, selling at auction.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 16, Auctions and Auctioneers.
D. 
Persons conducting a sale of the type regulated herein on the effective date of this ordinance, unless such sale is continued for a period of more than 30 days from and after such effective date, in which event such persons, at the lapse of the said thirty-day period, shall comply with the provisions of this ordinance.
E. 
Any publisher of a newspaper, magazine or other publication who publishes in good faith any advertisement without knowledge of its false, deceptive or misleading character, or without knowledge that the provisions of this ordinance have not been complied with.
A person desiring to conduct a sale regulated by this ordinance shall make a written application to the City Clerk setting forth and containing the following information:
A. 
The true name and address of the owner of the goods to be the object of the sale.
B. 
The true name and address of the person from whom he purchased the goods to be sold and the price therefor, and if not purchased, the manner of such acquisition.
C. 
A description of the place where such sale is to be held.
D. 
The nature of the occupancy, whether by lease or sublease, and the effective date of the termination of such occupancy.
E. 
The dates of the period of time in which the sale is to be conducted.
F. 
A full and complete statement of the facts in regard to the sale, including the reason for the urgent and expeditious disposal of goods thereby and the manner in which the sale will be conducted.
G. 
The proposed means to be employed in advertising such sale, together with the proposed contents of any advertisement.
H. 
A complete and detailed inventory of the goods to be sold at such sale, as disclosed by the applicant's records. Said inventory shall be attached to and become part of the required application.
(1) 
All goods included in such inventory shall have been purchased by the applicant for resale on bona fide orders without cancellation privileges and shall not comprise goods purchased on consignment.
(2) 
Such inventory shall not include goods ordered in contemplation of conducting a sale regulated hereunder. Any unusual purchase or additions to the stock of goods of the business hereby affected, 30 days before the filing of an application hereunder, shall be deemed to be of such character.
Any applicant for a license hereunder shall submit to the City Clerk with his application a license fee of $25. Any applicant for a renewal license hereunder shall submit to the City Clerk with his renewal application a renewal license fee of $10.
A license shall be issued hereunder on the following terms:
A. 
Licensing period. The license shall authorize the sale described in the application for a period of not more than 30 consecutive days, Sundays and holidays excluded, following the issuance thereof.
B. 
Renewal procedure. The City Clerk shall renew a license for one period of time only, such period to be in addition to the 30 days permitted in the original license and not to exceed 30 consecutive days, Sundays and holidays excluded, when he finds:
(1) 
That facts exist justifying the license renewal.
(2) 
That the licensee has filed an application for renewal.
(3) 
That the licensee has submitted with the application for renewal a revised inventory showing the items listed on the original inventory remaining unsold and not listing any goods not included in the original application and inventory.
(a) 
For the purposes of this subsection, any application for a license under the provisions of this ordinance covering any goods previously inventoried as required hereunder shall be deemed to be an application for renewal, whether presented by the original applicant or by any other person.
C. 
Nature of sale. The license shall authorize only the one type of sale described in the application at the location named therein.
D. 
Saleable goods. The license shall authorize only the sale of goods described in the inventory attached in the application.
E. 
Nontransferability. Any license herein provided for shall not be assignable or transferable.
A licensee hereinunder shall:
A. 
Adhere to inventory. Make no additions whatever, during the period of the licensed sale, to the stock of goods set forth in the inventory attached to the application for license.
B. 
Advertise properly. Refrain from employing any untrue, deceptive or misleading advertising.
C. 
Adhere to advertising. Conduct the license sale in strict conformity with any advertising or holding out incident thereto.
D. 
Keep duplicate inventory. Keep available at the place of sale a duplicate copy of the inventory submitted with the application and shall present such duplicate to inspecting officials upon request.
E. 
Segregate noninventoried goods. Keep any other goods separate and apart from the goods listed in the filed inventory as being objects of sale and shall make such distinction clear to the public by placing tags on all inventoried goods in and about the place of sale apprising the public of the status of all such goods.
Any person who shall violate or who shall neglect or refuse to comply with this ordinance or any of the provisions thereof shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $50, or by imprisonment not exceeding 60 days or both such fine and imprisonment; and each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense and be subject to punishment as such.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion of this ordinance is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct and independent provision and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions thereof.
If any section, subdivision, paragraph or provision of this ordinance shall be adjudged to be invalid, such adjudication shall apply to such portion thereof so expressly adjudged invalid, and the remainder of this ordinance shall be deemed to be in all respects valid and effective.
This ordinance shall become effective January 1, 1965.