DIXON, CA (MPG) - Nearly 40 businesses operate here without a license.

As of Aug. 13, the amount owed by 38 businesses is $3,129. The annual report for past due city business licenses raised some issues at the last regularly scheduled City Council meeting.

On Aug. 20, City of Dixon Finance Director Kate Zawadzki gave the annual report of unpaid licenses. According to the finance director, past due notices and telephone calls to the business are to no avail.

"They do receive a form with all of these notices that they can fill out and return to us if they are no longer in business," Zawadzki explained of the 38 unlicensed outstanding businesses in town. "We come to you each year with direction on how you would like us to proceed."

There are a few remedial measures based on the municipal code. The first is an official violation letter, which Zawadzki said officials have hand delivered.

"There are some operational challenges for that," Zawadzki said. "Usually, when they enter these locations, the actual business owner isn't the one there that is receiving that."

One option is collections.

"That is the option we have used in the last few years," Zawadzki said, adding the last measure, which included a $500 penalty.

The finance director said suspending the license is mute, with many businesses still continuing to operate as they are, which prompted Police Chief Robert Thompson to the podium, reminding council code enforcement falls under his department, leaving them the job to deliver the $500 penalty.

"I have come to you in the past and asked you not to ask us to do that, but we certainly will if that is your direction since there are several challenges with it," Thompson said.

Un-sworn in code enforcement officers are often unprepared for the "very heated and dramatic" process of serving, according to the police chief, who said he would prefer not to put code enforcement staff in "negative" public situations when they can.

"In lieu of sending a code enforcement officer, we are sending a police officer to do that," Thompson said, adding from his perspective, it is a "borderline and questionable use of police power."

The intimidation factor of "sending cops to my business to shake me down for the money I may or may not owe the city" causes challenges, according to the police chief. While the options remain at the council's pleasure, Thompson said he would do "as instructed," but advises officials to send the unmet fines to collections to "play itself out in a more passive way."

Councilman Thom Bogue called the fee for doing business "minuscule."

"Give me a break; if you can't afford to pay the 78 bucks, then get out of business because you are not actually in business," Bogue said, adding that Dixon is one of the fairer cities statewide regarding business license fees.

No public comment was provided before officials approved collection efforts rather than police enforcement.