GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Green Bay’s city council passed an ordinance Tuesday night requiring licenses for massage establishments.
Supporters say the ordinance will help in the fight against human trafficking, but some massage therapists say it discriminates against legitimate businesses.
Business owners and leaders along Military Avenue say they’ve long suspected illegal activity at some massage businesses on the road. Green Bay city attorneys and an outside firm spent the past two years crafting a massage establishment ordinance to weed out the illegitimate operators.
“The purpose of this legislation is to ensure the establishments are operating in a safe manner, are safe for patrons, safe for surrounding neighborhoods,” said Joanne Bungert, Green Bay’s city attorney.
All businesses offering massage services would be required to get an annual license, approved by the city council.
“I think what the city is trying to do is really commendable in all honesty,” said Jaime Ehmer, a massage therapist. “The problem is they’re lumping us with sex workers and we are legitimate businesses.”
Ehmer says licensed therapists should be exempt from the city’s proposed ordinance. The licenses she is talking about come from the state and require at least 600 education hours, CPR certification, malpractice insurance, and passing state and national exams.
“People who are claiming they’re massage therapists, are they really going to go and get an establishment license from the city? I highly doubt it,” said Ehmer.
“It doesn’t impose any additional restrictions or duplicative regulations on the therapists themselves,” said Bungert of the city ordinance. “It is imposing certain boundaries and regulations on the business that employs them.”
Massage therapists at the council meeting say the ordinance creates more fees and hoops to jump through like having a waiting room, requiring patients under 18 to come with a parent, and operating in spaces with certain square footage.
“If I’m aware, there are no licensed massage therapists that have been penalized or arrested for prostitution in the Green Bay area,” said Stephanie Ksionda, a massage therapist. “As an OT, we do risk assessment. From a risk assessment standpoint, we’re zero risk, our profession. So why do we have to arbitrarily face these fines, face this scrutiny?”
“The ordinance is focused on the business,” said Commander Kevin Warych of the Green Bay Police Department. “From the law enforcement perspective, this brings it together because then if we get multiple complaints, if we get complaints regarding the appearance, whether it’s whatever complaints, we have an avenue to investigate it.”
The council voted 8 to 3 to approve the ordinance. It must be read and passed at one more meeting before it can take effect starting February 1st of next year.
Alders Bill Galvin, Jim Hutchison, and Mark Steuer voted against the ordinance.
The license fee is $75, according to city officials.
