FRIDAY, July 17, 2026|
Photo – No Soliciting sign – Bigfoot99 file photo
Rawlins officials are concerned about the number of door‑to‑door salespeople operating in the city.
Several internet providers are installing fiber‑optic cable throughout Rawlins. During the July 7th Rawlins City Council meeting, City Attorney Pinita Maberry‑Nave said as that work progresses, the providers want to reach new customers by soliciting directly to residents’ homes.
Attorney Maberry‑Nave said the city has received an increased number of solicitor applications from the fiber‑optic installers, with five filed and two already approved. To prevent harassment and maintain residents’ privacy, she said solicitors must register with the city, pass a background check, and obtain a permit that includes their photograph and the company they represent. She added that the statutes also limit how many solicitors may operate at the same time.
Attorney Maberry‑Nave said city staff can interpret those provisions in different ways. One reading of the ordinance is that it prohibits more than two people from the same organization from entering a resident’s property at the same time. Another interpretation is that it may restrict more than two individuals from the same organization from operating in the same area of the city. She said the regulations may also limit the total number of solicitors who may visit each property to two.
Attorney Maberry‑Nave said her office interprets the ordinance to limit solicitors to specific geographic regions and asked the governing body to give city staff the authority to enforce the regulations in that manner. In doing so, the city can ensure that residents are not approached by multiple solicitors from a single company.
The ordinance already limits solicitors to one visit per household in 24 hours and allows residents to place their addresses on a citywide “do not disturb” list to block all visits. It also requires every solicitor to carry a city‑issued photo ID card at all times. Every violation of the ordinance carries a $750 fine.
Attorney Maberry‑Nave said she isn’t seeking to change the ordinance. Instead, she asked the council for its view on her interpretation of it.
Mayor Jacquelin Wells asked if residents were complaining about the solicitors. Attorney Maberry‑Nave said one resident reported receiving three visits in three days from two different companies. Town Clerk Lynn Shearer said she has not received any complaints, nor have any been submitted through the city’s website. Clerk Shearer added that the fiber installers are requesting year‑long solicitation permits, increasing the likelihood of multiple visits.
Councilwoman Tonya Lewman asked if the ordinance already prohibited multiple solicitors from visiting a home. Attorney Maberry‑Nave said it does, though the ordinance does not clearly specify the extent of that restriction.
The city attorney added that residents may opt out of all solicitation activity but may choose not to because it would limit visits from organizations they support.
Councilwoman Lewman said her view is that residents should only have to deny solicitors once for every company to stop further visits.
However, she acknowledged that there is no way to communicate that information to all the solicitors operating in the city.
Mayor Jacquelin Wells instructed Attorney Maberry‑Nave to continue enforcing the ordinance as written, which restricts two solicitors to each property. If residents begin complaining about the number of visits, the City Council will hold a special meeting to discuss its options, including limiting the number of solicitors in specific areas of the city.
