Tuesday, September 26th, 2017
St. Henry councilors approve ordinance governing golf carts
Other slow vehicles also covered by law
By Tom Stankard
ST. HENRY - Residents in 30 days will be allowed to drive under-speed vehicles, including golf carts, on village roadways with a speed limit of 25 mph or slower.
Council on Monday passed the ordinance after its third and final reading. The vehicles must pass a police department inspection before being used, according to the ordinance. The inspection fee for a newly purchased vehicle is $50, and the inspection of a vehicle that has been inspected by another law enforcement agency is $20.
At the time of inspection, the owner/operator must present a valid driver's license and proof of insurance, according to the ordinance. If the vehicle passes inspection, the owner/operator will receive a sticker that must be placed on the lower left side of the windshield. It must remain visible at all times while being operated on village streets. A replacement sticker is $5.
All multi-use vehicles are required to have two brake lights, taillights, headlights and front and rear turn signals, as well as a white rear license plate light. The vehicle also must be equipped with seatbelts, a horn, a rearview mirror and a windshield, according to the ordinance.
Council members previously agreed businesses that have used under-speed vehicles for work-related purposes will be exempt from the new requirements.
All occupants must wear seatbelts, and children under age 4 or under 40 pounds must be in a child-restraint system.
Council members also passed an emergency ordinance permanently prohibiting the sale and production of marijuana within the village.
Members also passed after third reading an ordinance to raise the water rate by 20 cents to $1.40 per month for every 1,000 gallons of water used above the 2,000-gallon minimum. Village administrator Ron Gelhaus has said the increased rate is necessary to help pay for an additional employee at the wastewater treatment plant.
Also on Monday, council members,
• learned construction of the new pool at North Park is progressing.
"The pool is all dug out," Gelhaus said. "Steel buttresses will be set around the perimeter of the pool. So things are moving pretty well."
• approved a $250 donation to the village's volunteer fire department.
• adopted the Mercer County multi-jurisdictional natural hazards mitigation plan.
