The Culver Town Council has approved updated rules to regulate the use of golf carts within the community.
Last night’s meeting was the first for new board members Tammy Shaffer and Joel Samuelson. The two were faced with an immediate decision to raise fees to register the vehicles for use within the town.
Town Council President Ginny Bess Munroe says they’ve never increased the fee before.
“For me, the biggest issue is I don’t think the people are taking the rules of golf carts seriously enough,” says Munroe.
Golf carts are commonly used as a way to navigate the lake community during the warmer months by seasonal residents.
The amended ordinance outlines new regulations such as disallowing infants under the age of 1 on the golf carts and disallowing more people than can be seated from traveling at one time.
What caused a stir among many attending the Culver Town Council meetings in the last few weeks, however, was the fees applied to their registration. Under the proposal, fees would jump from $25 to $40. A small dollar amount, but the percentage increase brought with it negative reactions.
Responding to suggestions that the Town should simply increase traffic fines for violations, Munroe says it hasn’t necessarily worked in the past.
“We’re having to stop people who are irresponsible with these,” says Munroe. “Granted 95-percent of the people who own them are very responsible with them, but there’s part of me that thinks you’ll take it a little more seriously if you’ve invested in it the way you do your car.”
Culver sees about 300 golf carts registered each year. That figure has grown by nearly 100-percent over the last eight years.
The Culver Town Council approved the measure on third reading.
