Sheboygan City’s licensing and public safety committee approved a set of license renewals Dec. 8 after brief questions from alder members about renewal timing and exemptions for secondhand-dealer licenses.

Unidentified chair opened the meeting and introduced agenda item 6, the city clerk’s report of license applications (report 35-25-26). Alder Bourse asked whether the list of secondhand-dealer renewals was exhaustive and whether all such licenses renew on the same date. “It is the same renewal date,” the City Clerk said, adding that “there are still some that are trickling in.”

Bourse also asked whether every retailer that resells goods must hold a secondhand-dealer license. The City Clerk said the ordinance includes several exemptions — noting garage sales, charitable organizations and returned new items among the exemptions — and counted six exemptions in the ordinance. When Bourse queried why Walmart appeared on the renewal list, the City Clerk said staff had spoken with Walmart corporate and learned the company had historically renewed the license. “They’ve always had one,” the City Clerk said, and “it’s a $25 license and they would rather be more cautious than less.” The clerk added that Walmart’s returns practice could qualify for an exemption and said the issue “might be fixed next year.”

After procedural approval of minutes from the Nov. 24 meeting (Alder Bourse moved; Alder Perella seconded), the committee returned to the licensing item. Alder Bourse moved to grant the licenses recommended in report 35-25-26 “subject to approvals, inspections, insurance, payment of license fees, and meeting state statute requirements and Sheboygan municipal code.” Alder Perella seconded; the committee approved the motion by voice vote.

The committee set its next meeting for Dec. 22, 2025, then moved and voted to adjourn. The chair declared the meeting adjourned at 04:34.