Before a considerable part of the Pacific Northwest makes a collective groan, the "Oregon" here is a small city in central Illinois, about 25 miles southwest of Rockford, sitting on the banks of the Rock River. News of the new permit and fee for roofing contractors working in Oregon, population 3,592 according to 2021 U.S. Census records, was first reported by a local radio station, WRCV FM, in nearby Dixon.

The station reported that a motion was approved at the city’s most recent city council meeting, adding a $75 permitting fee for a roofing contractor before that work may commence. The report included a comment by City Manager Darin DeHaan that said, in part, “[City Hall] gets calls weekly asking about fees and permits, so this should not come as a surprise to anyone.”

Mayor Ken Williams said, the station reported, that the intent of the permit and fee is about adding protection for citizens, and the new roofing contractor fee was not excessive or burdensome. The city already charges a $75 fee for pulling electric and plumbing permits.

DeHann said they decided an ordinance was unnecessary, simply an administrative change. With the addition of roofing now required to adhere to the city’s permitting requirements, contractors will now be required to provide proof of general liability insurance, worker’s compensation insurance, and proof of licensure by the state.