St. Martinville – The City Council Monday took another step toward regulating its frequent “can-shakes” or red-light fund drives while unofficially exploring a better way for youths to raise money.

At his suggestion, the council appointed Councilman Ronald Charles to work with city attorney Allan Durand in crafting a litmus test to ensure that organizations asking for the privilege of soliciting pocket change from motorists stopped in downtown traffic are bona fide non-profit organizations.

Councilman Craig Prosper suggested that the city create a spot where groups could wash cars or sell poboys or provide some other goods or services to raise money.

“In Lafayette you don’t see can-shakes but you see a lot of kids washing cars,” Prosper said. “We could put in a water line and kids could wash cars all day. They’d make a killing and have fun doing it.”

“It would teach them structure,” said Councilman Dennis Paul Williams.

The question arose over the request by Roderick Wiltz for a can-shake to send a group of local youths to a sports event in Orlando, Fla.

The council OKed the request but asked in the future that groups be more forthcoming about their organization.

“We just need a little more detail,” Williams said.

In previous moves, the council has restricted can-shakes to adults wearing high-visibility vests and limited can-shakes to one a month for the city, one per year for each organization.

The council will have two more meetings in June, one on June 26 to adopt a new budget and amend the existing one, and another at a date to be announced to hire a new financial officer to replace the retiring Penny Granger.

There will only be one meeting in July, on Monday, July 16.

The St. Martinville City Council normally meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of the month.