(A) An applicant for a license must pay to the city the investigation fee. This fee will be for the purpose of conducting a preliminary background and financial investigation of the applicant. If the city believes that the public interest so warrants, it may require a similar investigation at the time of renewal of a license. If an investigation is ordered at the time of license renewal, the applicant must pay the fee specified above, except that the fee will be the smaller of the stated dollar amount or the actual cost of the investigation. There will be no refund of the investigation fee after the investigation has begun.
(B) Each license expires on December 31 of the year in which it is issued. Fees for licenses issued during the license year will be prorated according to the number of months remaining in the year. For this purpose an unexpired fraction of a month will be counted as a whole month having elapsed.
(C) No refund of a fee will be made except as authorized by ordinance.