§ 1-12. General penalty; continuing violations.

(a)

Except as hereinafter provided, whenever in this Code or in any other ordinance of the city or in any rule, regulation or order promulgated pursuant to such Code or other ordinance of the city, any act is prohibited or is made or declared to be unlawful or an offense or a misdemeanor, or whenever in such Code or in such other city ordinance, rule, regulation or order the doing of any act is required or the failure to do any act is declared to be unlawful, where no specific penalty is provided therefor, the violation of any such provision of this Code or of any other ordinance of the city or of any rule, regulation or order promulgated pursuant to such Code or other city ordinance shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500.00), or by imprisonment for a period of not exceeding three (3) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(b)

Whenever any provision of the Revised Statutes of Missouri or other statute of the state limits the authority of the city to punish the violation of any particular provision of this Code or other city ordinance or rule, regulation or order promulgated pursuant thereto to a fine of less amount than that provided in this section or imprisonment for a shorter term than that provided in this section, the violation of such particular provision of this Code or other city ordinance, rule, regulation or order shall be punished by the imposition of not more than the maximum fine or imprisonment so authorized, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(c)

Whenever any provision of the Revised Statutes of Missouri or other statute of the state establishes a penalty differing from that provided by this section, for an offense similar to any offense established by this Code or other ordinance, rule, regulation or order of the city, the violation of such city law, ordinance, rule, regulation or order shall be punishable by the fine or imprisonment established for such similar offense by such state law.

(d)

Each day any violation of this Code, or any other city ordinance or rule, regulation or order promulgated pursuant thereto, shall continue shall constitute a separate offense, unless otherwise provided.

(e)

In addition to issuance of a warrant, pursuit of civil remedies and other penalties as allowed by law, any violation for which a warrant has been issued that has not been cleared for a period of six (6) months may be reported or referred to a collection agency, and the city council may enter into such appropriate agreements with collection agencies for the payment of their services, not to exceed one-fourth of the amount of any fine, costs or recoupment.

(Code 1978, § 100.050; Ord. No. 05-41, § I, 6-14-2005)

State law reference

Penalty for ordinance violations, RSMo 77.590.