[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Dalton. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
The Tax Collector shall annually furnish to each department, board,
commission or division, hereinafter referred to as the "licensing authority,"
that issues licenses or permits, including renewals and transfers, a list
of any person, corporation or business enterprise, hereinafter referred to
as the "party," that has neglected or refused to pay any local taxes, fees,
assessments, betterments, or other municipal charges for not less than a twelve
month period, and that such party has not filed in good faith a pending application
for an abatement of such tax or a pending petition before the Appellate Tax
Board.
A.
The licensing authority may deny, revoke or suspend any
license or permit, including renewals and transfers, of any party whose name
appears on said list furnished to the licensing authority from the Tax Collector
or with respect to any activity, event or other matter which is the subject
of such license or permit and which activity, event or matter is carried out
or exercised or is to be carried out or exercised on or about real estate
owned by any party whose name appears on said list furnished to the licensing
authority from the Tax Collector; provided, however, that written notice is
given to the party and the Tax Collector, as required by applicable provisions
of law, and the party is given a hearing, to be held not earlier than 14 days
after said notice. Said list shall be prima facie evidence for denial, revocation
or suspension of said license or permit to any party. The Tax Collector shall
have the right to intervene in any hearing conducted with respect to such
license denial, revocation or suspension. Any findings made by the licensing
authority with respect to such license denial, revocation or suspension shall
be made only for the purposes of such proceeding and shall not be relevant
to or introduced in any other proceeding at law, except for any appeal from
such license denial, revocation or suspension. Any license or permit denied,
suspended or revoked under this section shall not be reissued or renewed until
the license authority receives a certificate issued by the Tax Collector that
the party is in good standing with respect to any and all local taxes, fees,
assessments, betterments or other municipal charges, payable to the municipality
as the date of issuance of said certificate.
B.
A local licensing authority may deny, revoke or suspend
any license or permit, including renewals or transfers, with respect to any
activity, event or other matter which is the subject of such license or permit
and which activity, event or other matter is carried out or exercised or is
to be carried out or exercised on or about real estate whose owner has neglected
or refused to pay any local taxes, fees, assessments, betterments or any other
municipal charges.
Any party shall be given an opportunity to enter into a payment agreement,
thereby allowing the licensing authority to issue a certificate indicating
said limitations to the license or permit, and the validity of said license
shall be conditioned upon the satisfactory compliance with said agreement.
Failure to comply with said agreement shall be grounds for the suspension
or revocation of said license or permit; provided, however, that the holder
shall be given notice and a hearing as required by applicable provisions of
law.
The Select Board may waive such denial, suspension or revocation if
it finds there is no direct or indirect business interest by the property
owner, its officers or stockholders, if any, or members of his immediate family,
as defined in MGL c. 268A, § 1, in the business or activity conducted
in or on said property.
This bylaw shall not apply to licenses or permits for open burning (MGL
c. 48, § 13); bicycles (MGL c. 85, § 11A); sales of
articles for charitable purposes (MGL c. 101, § 33); children work
permits (MGL c. 149, § 69); clubs or associations dispensing food
or beverage licenses (MGL c. 140, § 21E); dog licenses (MGL c. 140,
§ 137); fishing, hunting, trapping licenses (MGL c. 131, § 12);
marriage licenses (MGL c. 207, § 28); theatrical events and public
exhibition permits (MGL c. 140, § 181); and any other local license
or permit which the Town chooses to exclude from this bylaw by further amendment
to the bylaw.
