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From left: Cumby police chief Paul Robertson and mayor Doug Simmerman/ screen shot
Some citizens wanted to allow side-by-sides, mayor says
The city of Cumby remains unresolved as to whether or not they will allow golf carts on city streets, according to the May city council meeting.
The agenda item for Tuesday’s meeting, “discuss and consider possible ordinance authorizing golf carts on city streets,” stemmed from citizen calls for side-by-sides to be allowed on city streets, according to mayor Doug Simmerman.
“I didn’t put it on there, but it was requested,” Simmerman stated.
On May 4, Cumby police released a statement on Facebook which said: "So long as the City has adopted an ordinance authorizing it, a golf cart may be operated in any public highway in the city that has a posted speed limit of not more than 35 miles per hour. But... the City of Cumby has never adopted an Ordinance allowing golf carts to be driven on city streets, therefore golf carts are not allowed."
Exemptions to this include if the driver is a farmer or rancher traveling no more than 25 miles, the driver is a public utility worker, or the driver is a law enforcement officer, Cumby PD said in their Facebook post.
Citizen Susan McCollum said she welcomed the discussion from officials, as there were "people racing around... running stop signs and making all kinds of noise" on side-by-sides at Mill, Second and Green Streets on or before May 4.
“I can’t see any reason why we can’t allow our seniors, me being one of them… I don’t think there’s any harm to be done traveling the streets of Cumby in a golf cart,” said citizen Audri Mayo during public comments. “It’s less impact on the environment than a big old vehicle, plus a senior citizen is better off being in a golf cart.”
“The golf carts are not legal on the streets, as the side-by-sides are not legal on the streets,” stated citizen Johnny Nabers during public comments. “The golf carts do not come with lights, they have no brake lights or safety features and they’re hard to see… They are not street legal… The golf carts to me are not as safe as a side-by-side.”
Simmerman stated that golf carts, if allowed by a city ordinance, would not be allowed to cross State Highways 499 and 275 under state law, which bisect the town.
“I’d really like to think about the liability side of this thing, if there was an accident,” Simmerman stated. “Even if no one got hurt… if you got in an accident and didn’t have insurance, somebody would have to pay for that.”
“I am all for riding the golf carts in the city,” said council member Julie Isham Morris. “It’s a fun thing to do and it’s good to get out and talk to people.”
However, said Isham Morris, she had a “really issue with this ordinance, the way it’s typed up,” because “it makes it to where… most people can’t afford what the ordinance requires.”
City attorney Jay Garrett stated that the proposed ordinance was written to be in compliance with state law, which Isham Morris stated she understood.
“Brake lights, headlights, tail lights, all that costs money,” Isham Morris stated. “They [golf carts] do not come equipped with that stuff.” Isham Morris instead suggested golf carts could require a slow-moving sign instead.
The city resolved that they would continue to discuss the issue at another time, and no motions were made to move forward with the proposed ordinance.