HAYDEN - Businesses here will have until December to secure a city business license under a new ordinance that was passed by the city council last fall.

"Folks should start receiving notices in late June," said Connie Krueger, community and economic development director. "Businesses will have until December 1st to come into compliance."

Krueger said the new license is part of the city's new economic development program the city developed in September 2011.

"The city has many businesses that we don't have any knowledge of," she said. "We have grown a lot since the mid-2000s."

With a licensing program in place, Krueger said the city will be able to compile information of all the businesses that operate within the city and use that information as a tool for economic development.

"For instance, we will be able to market the business resources we have in the city if we are recruiting new business to the community," she said. "It's kind of a tool to help us facilitate connections between businesses."

Krueger said the license program will not only collect information on the types of businesses that reside in the city limits, but also what the businesses do, as well as contact information.

"The idea is to gather information that could be useful for public safety reasons, environmental purposes and business development," she said, adding most of the local cities have some form of businesses licensing program for similar reasons. "The city of Post Falls has a similar licensing program to this one."

Krueger announced the program in the city's recently released newsletter with a list of frequently asked questions detailing the program.

There are 11 types of businesses that are exempt from the licensing requirements for a variety of reasons, but for the most part Krueger said anyone doing business in the city of Hayden will be required to secure a license.

The license fee is $25. The money collected from the fee will be used to directly fund the processing of the licenses.

So far, Krueger said she has kept business groups, such as the Hayden Chamber of Commerce, aware of the program, and she hasn't heard of any complaints about the program.

"We haven't had any push back - yet," she said, adding that once the notices go out she expects to hear from a few businesses.

While the city has no intention of being heavy handed with the program, Krueger did say the ordinance grants the city some enforcement authority over the program.

"The ordinance does include failure-to-comply language," she said. "It gives us the authority to deny, suspend or revoke a license."

If someone decides not to comply with the new program, she said the city will likely contact them and make an effort to get them into compliance.

Krueger said the city is working to get the licensing information online first, and then they will create marketing materials to mail out to businesses.

"For now, you can access the newsletter on the city's web page," she said.

For more info

For more information on the Hayden business license requirements read the city of Hayden newsletter under "Featured Stories and Announcements" on the city's website at: www.cityofhaydenid.us