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During a two-hour meeting on Tuesday, the Bloomfield Town Council voted 2-1 to suspendthe town's no golf cart ordinance with several requirements for the 48 hour period--which includes the annual town-wide yard sale event Saturday.
Board President Jo Ann Carmichael along with Board member Aaron Hamm voted to suspend the ordinance while Council Member Roger Doane cast the dissenting vote.
Requirements on the ordinance suspension in part include: the operators must hold a valid driver's license and proof of insurance, along with vehicle requirements that include head and tail lights and a slow moving vehicle emblem. The carts must also be registered at town hall prior to Saturday. The suspension will only include the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on both Saturday amd Sunday.
Town attorney John Rowe was requested by the council to explain the weekend suspension.
"It doesn't mean the operation (of a golf cart) would be authorized," he explained, noting that the council is only suspending the ordinance.
"The town doesn't sanction it. It's just not a town ordinance during that time," he added.
But, that doesn't affect state laws, he advised. State statutes pertaining to golf carts are interpreted differently.
"The town police also enforce state and federal laws," Rowe said.
During discussion on the matter, Carmichael explained, "If something goes wrong and somebody does something stupid it will probably never get suspended again."
Doane warned that the state police could still ticket drivers of golf carts.
Bloomfield Police Department Chief Deputy Shane Smith added that the police would not be looking to ticket golf carts during the yard sale event, but that lifting the ordinance could cause other problems.
"It will be our (BPD) biggest problems that day trying to keep the peace between golf carts and four-wheelers," he said."I'm not saying don't do it. I'm just saying it will cause a problem."
One resident spoke up by asking, "This is such a controversy why do it?"
"It's like opening up a can of worms with four-wheeler owners, she added.
Carmichael then said, "Aaron (Hamm) and I talked about golf carts before the (fall 2007) election and we were definitely for golf carts on the streets of Bloomfield...it's definitely to test the waters."
Hamm agreed that the suspension would be a trial period only.
Carmichael also encouraged the BPD to write tickets if the rules of the road are not obeyed.
"If a golf cart runs a atop sign I would encourage them (BPD) to give a ticket...," she said.
Residents can register golf carts at town hall from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. After hours residents can call Hamm at 381-5270 or Carmichael at (812) 381-3585.
After the meeting, Doane explained his 'no' vote by simply pointing to a list of golf cart state statutes and saying, "I think it's a tragedy waiting to happen. The State Police have blatantly said they will issue tickets."
During the meeting, it was noted by Carmichael that Town Marshal Kenny Tharp -- who was not in attendance-- was out of town at training.
To learn more about other matters such as the downtown revitalization project and the lengthy discussion about a Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce request be sure to check out the Thursday edition of the Greene County Daily World.
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In other words just forget about enforcing the current city ordinance and the exisiting state statue.
This is what make it difficult for locations that are trying to abide by the law. What good are these ordinances and laws if we going to bend or break them when ever it suits us?
Look out Jasonville the ATV / Golf cart issues there may not be resolved as you think!!!!
We are not saying to not enforce state law but only that the golf cart part of the ordinance is suspended for the weekend as a trial period. State law does not specify as of "Motorized Carts" can or can not be on public streets. That I can find anyway. There is rules on ATV's but not Motorized Carts.
BLOOMFIELD, Look for the State Police to be out in force during the week-end. They are going to have a field day at your citizens expense.
The law is the law, you can't just cast it aside at your pleasure.
Then they also need to be in force in Linton, Worthington and other communities in the state that allow them. In Portland, Indiana and Vincennes the ordinances allowing golf carts on the streets was drafted by the "Chief of Police". No Chief of Police is going to support something they don't think would be law abiding.
Here are a couple links you can read.
http://indianalawblog.com/archives/2008/...
http://www.thecr.com/main.asp?Search=1&A...
The fact that a town councilman rode into the meeting on a motorized beer cooler is hilarious... very classy.
I think the majority of the people would think that an elected official riding to a public meeting on a "beer cart" would be something other than "classy". Unprofessional might better describe it!
You can drive a full size 8 cylinder vehicle just as slow as a golf cart legally and many do. Lets hope that "common sense" prevails in any future decisions made by all local communities.
as the owner of a golf cart.i feel if they are driven with some brains and not used in a stupid manner on the streets they should be allowed to be used on side streets but obey the law
Nobody ever mentioned how economical they are and they give peple a chance to get out and about more often since gas prices have gone insane. Not to mention how there easier on the enviroment and pollution.
The whole thing with the beer cooler was to simply show the public that things like this are completely leagal under state law. You could get on one of them and drive it right up highway 37 all the way to Indy if you wanted to. All the state law says is stay off of interstates and sidewalks. So I also make the arguement as Eric Harrah had done. Why penalize people on golf carts when a 15 yr old can ride a scooter, miniture motorcycle or a beer cooler for that matter.
Aaron, do you have a schematic on how to build the beer-cooler-mobile? What's under the hood... er... the lid?
Please, stop all this silliness about golf carts. They should be allowed as long as the driver is licensed and obeying traffic laws. How did this become such a big deal?!?!
The Dairyman is right on top of this issue.
I defy any member of the Bloomfield Town Council to outlaw motorized wheelchairs, mobility scooters or any similar mode of transportation. Golf carts are no different. Nor, are ATV's that different from motorcyles, scooters, etc. Use some common sense and do the right thing. Concentrate on important issues and put the trivia in Aaron's cool motorized beer cooler.
The cooler is called a "Cruzin Cooler". No it is not mine, it belongs to a friend here in town. I know several people that are driving atv's and utv's and golf carts around just because of the gas mileage. I have a motorcycle to drive to work for the same reason. A gas golf cart will get around 40 mpg and a electric (Counting price of electricty) would get a whole lot more.