[HISTORY: Derived from Articles IX and XI of Chapter 11 of the 1975
Compilation, as amended through 1996. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
Any person, who for a fee or compensation which he directly or indirectly
solicits or receives, who holds himself out as a fortune-teller, clairvoyant,
palmist or similar prognosticator, shall be deemed a commercial character
reader for the purposes of this chapter.
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in or carry on the business
of commercial character reading in the city without first having obtained
a license as herein provided.
A.
Filing. Every person desiring to procure a license as
herein provided shall file with the City Clerk a written application upon
a blank form prepared and furnished by the city, together with two pictures
of the applicant taken within 30 days.
B.
Required information. The application shall contain the
following information:
(1)
Name and residence of applicant.
(2)
Age of applicant.
(3)
Education of applicant.
(4)
Qualifications of applicant.
(5)
Premises upon which such character reading will be prosecuted.
(6)
Whether applicant has ever been convicted of a felony
or misdemeanor, and, if so, what offense, when, and in what court.
Such application shall be accompanied by a bond to the city, approved
as to form by the City Attorney, in the penal sum of $5,000, with sufficient
surety or collateral security, conditioned for the due observance of this
chapter and of the laws of the city and state.
Upon filing with the City Clerk the application herein provided and
the bond properly approved as provided for herein, and the two pictures required
and upon the payment of the fee which shall be set from time to time by resolution
by the Common Council of the City of Oneonta with said application, the City
Clerk shall approve or disapprove of the same, and if said application is
approved, the City Clerk shall issue said license.
In addition to any penalty imposed for violation of this chapter, the
license of any person convicted of violating any provisions of this chapter
or any other provision of the Code of the City of Oneonta or the laws of the
State of New York while acting as a commercial character reader may be revoked
and any person, including the City of Oneonta, shall have a cause of action
on the bond for any damages sustained thereby.
Any person violating any provision of this chapter shall be punished as provided in § 1-18 of this Code.
