Dorchester continues work on golf cart ordinance
Dorchester residents as young as 12 years old would be able to ride golf carts down village roads as long as they passed a safety course and abided by certain rules, under a proposed ordinance being developed by village board members.
The proposal was discussed at the board’s latest monthly meeting on Jan. 8, and tabled until the Feb. 5 meeting.
Trustee Eric Klemetson presented fellow board members with a ordinance from Spencer, which allows golf cart operation on public roads, and a sample registration form Oconomowoc Lake, which also allows them on roadways.
Klemetson said his own son has been driving a golf cart since he was 12 in order to haul a lawn mower around, so he would like to set that as the minimum age for operation.
Trustee Justin Duranceau, who has also been researching other golf cart ordinances, said he would like to see some type of safety course required for those under 16 to operate golf carts.
Board members also discussed other requirements they’d like to see, such as requiring golf cart owners to provide proof of insurance and register their vehicles with the local police if they want to operate on public roads.
Duranceau said he’d also like to see front and rear lights required, along with reflectors.
There was some debate about whether to allow golf carts to be operated after dark. Klemetson suggested limiting operation to a half-hour before sunset and sunrise.
Duranceau, however, said he’d like to be able to take his cart to work at 4 a.m. in the morning, which is why he would like to require headlights.
The board also tossed around the idea of allowing campers at the village park to temporarily register their golf carts for operation on public roads.
Village president Kurt Schwoch said this may present some logistical problems, as local police would not always be available to issue temporary registrations. He said they’d have to trust campers to register on their own with accurate information.
Other issues that came up included a possible helmet requirement, a limit on the number of passengers and a ban on operation during the winter months.
Schwoch urged board members to review the sample ordinance and come back to the next meeting in February with more feedback.
Other business
_ Police chief Gary Leichtman told the board that he has sent a warning letter to Terry Recore, the former owner of a lot on South Front Street that was recently purchased by the village. He said Recore was seen going through a shed on the property, which would be trespassing.
“If he comes back again, we’ll look at charging him,” he said.
_ The board accepted a price quote of $37,000 from Meyer Buildings to replace the roof on the village hall/public works shop building. Schwoch said the new hipped roof will help avoid contact with a nearby powerline and also reduce snow build-up on top of the building. Clerk Brooke Bruesewitz said the village has $42,000 saved in its future expenditure account to cover the cost.
_ The board tabled a motion to purchase an enclosure for the new wheelchair ramp at Memorial Hall.
_ The board passed a motion authorizing DPW supervisor Clint Penney to advertise for summer help whenever he needs it later this year.
_ The board adopted a resolution officially establishing the new clerk’s office at 250 Parkside Dr. as the polling place for all village residents, starting with the primary elections in February.
_ The board appointed Matt Derrico to be president pro tempe and authorized him to make emergency decisions when Schwoch is unavailable. This appointment will expire in April.
_ The board voted to send a thank-you to the Liberty 4-H Club for decorating the park at the corner of South Front Street and CTH A, and for helping put up Christmas decorations at Dorchester Park.