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Written by Reporter1
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Friday, 07 August 2009 |
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Page 2 of 2
The two lawmakers who represent Adams County in the state legislature were the latest public officials to be quizzed and badgered by area golf cart owners about a new state law which — at least for the time being — has rendered illegal the operation of those vehicles on rural roadways.
State Rep. Matt Lehman, R-Berne, and State Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle, hosted a town hall-style meeting Thursday evening at the 4-H dining hall in Monroe. And the majority of the 50 area residents in attendance were there to talk about golf carts and their regulation.
The two state lawmakers came fully prepared to talk about the controversial topic, offering explanations and clarifcations of the recently-enacted state law which has left individual towns and cities to adopt their own sets of customized ordinances governing golf cart use within their jurisdictions.
The biggest confusion, and the biggest source of frustration on the part of some golf cart operators, comes from a disputed portion of the state law as it pertains to cart use on rural roadways. According to Lehman, the intent of the state lawmakers was to allow all political subdivisions to individually address the use of golf carts in their communities. Until such ordinances are adopted, the use of golf carts technically remains illegal on public roadways.
The towns of Monroe and Geneva and the city of Decatur recently adopted guidelines governing the use of the motorized vehicles. Similar legislation reportedly has been approved in Portland and Bluffton. The city of Berne has initiated talks that will lead to the adoption of a golf cart ordinance.
But the Adams County Commissions have held off on adopting similar legislation because of disputed language contained in the new state law.
"What became the argument was, did we exclude counties (from the list of governmental bodies which legally can regulate golf cart use)?" said Lehman. "The law says local governments can control golf carts, but it only specifically mentions towns and cities. The General Assembly's intent was never to take away the authority of the counties."
Lehman said he is sympathetic to the plight of rural golf cart owners who currently cannot legally drive their vehicles on public roadways.
"The problem is that, outside of this rural community, you have a lot of people who hate golf carts. And several of them hold seats in the state legislature," said the Berne lawmaker.
Holdman cited one such example, noting that "a committee chairman in my own party" refused to allow debate on the golf cart legislation in its early stages. "Sometimes you've got to work around those kinds of people," Holdman said.
Lehman said conversations are currently under way between various legal experts across the state in an attempt to reach a final interpretation of the new state law "that will allow county commissioners to pass an ordinance" addressing golf cart regulation. "And I think you have that right."
"You're preaching to the choir tonite," said Holdman. "Matt and I feel the same as you do, and we are attempting to get this remedied ... to allow local folks to make these decisions for you."
Asked how long that might take, neither lawmaker had a definitive answer.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 10 August 2009 )
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