Ozark city leaders want to make changes to how yard sales are held. City resident may have to pay money to have a yard sale.

Mayor Bob Bunting said he's tired of his employees picking up signs that litter city property for days or even weeks after a yard sale. He says workers could use that time for other city business.

Yard sales can be hard to find or advertise. That makes putting signs out necessary but not all signs come down after the sale.

That's what's pushing Ozark city leaders to make changes to yard sale regulations.

The city wants to limit the number of yard sales to two a year. However, non profit organizations would be exempt.

“People need money because there's not a lot of jobs around here anymore. This is where they are coming from. They need yard sales, and they need stuff to sale,” said Ruby Howell, resident of Ozark.

City leaders say there are people who make a business out of yard sales without having to pay for things like a business license and that's not fair to other businesses that have to pay taxes.

Therefore soon, they have to pay five dollars to have a yard sale. City leaders say that's to help pay for cleaning up the old yard sale signs.

One lady told News 4 that she doesn't have a problem with the ordinance being passed. She just thinks that other signs, like political signs, should also fall under the same rule

The city does have regulations in place regarding prompt removal of political signs. Right now, political signs must be gone seven days after the election.

In Ozark, there are no such regulations concerning removing yard sale signs.

“It's costing us a lot of money, a lot of time. Our workers could be doing other things: patching pot holes, doing other things,” said Mayor Bunting

The Ozark city council is expected to vote on it, in July.

Mayor Bunting told News 4, he's looking into possibly reimbursing people who take down their signs but that are not a part of the ordinance.

The fine for not obeying the ordinance would be $25 plus possible court costs.