The City of Hartselle is eyeing raising its business license issuance fees from $10 to $12.

Mayor Don Hall said the change is to help pay for the increased costs of sending licenses out to new businesses.

“The cost for postage and other things have gone up over the last few years,” Hall said. “This is just to keep up with those increasing costs.”

Hall said the Alabama Department of Revenue has increased its issuance fee from $10 to $12. Hall said the city usually follows suit whenever the Department of Revenue approves a fee increase.

The city council, which met on Tuesday night, was considering two options.

Option 1 was to increase this amount for one time while the other was to automatically increase the fees once the Department of Revenue increases its fees.

“My recommendation is to approve Option 2,” Hall said.

The council unanimously approved Hall’s recommendation to allow for automatic increases when the Department of Revenue increases its fees.

The council also approved a parade permit for the annual Christmas parade for Dec. 13.

However, Hall said he was concerned that the Hartselle High School Chorus concert will be held on the same day.

Capt. Tom Sparks of the Hartselle Police Department, who is also a member of the Kiwanis Club that sponsors the annual event, said the parade was moved to the second Thursday in the past due to possible conflicts with football state championship games.

Sparks said the club would work with the schools in future years to avoid date conflicts for the annual parade.

Parade entrants are required to pre-register and pay an entry fee, $15 for non-profit organizations and $30 for businesses.

Application forms are available at the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce office.