The Marshall County Commissioners will be amending the No Thru Trucks Ordinance after a public hearing Monday morning.
The ordinance restricts heavy, large commercial traffic on local county roads where signs are posted. Operation of the trucks will not be allowed to travel on county roads that display posted signs prohibiting the action. The driver can travel on county roads to specific destinations if that is the itinerary of the transaction. The restriction does not apply to farm trucks, school buses or fire trucks.
The commissioners may consider a waiver if alternate routes are unreasonable and the use of the restricted road is in the public interest.
Commissioner Stan Klotz thought that the $100 fine wouldn’t make much of a difference, but a $300 fine would. He also stated that an intergovernmental agreement could be submitted by all law enforcement agencies in the county to better enforce the ordinance. However, the money would need to be split between the county and the local agency who was involved in the incident.
Sheriff Matt Hassel interjected to request a singular fine for every offense as it’s hard to determine at which level of fine would be imposed for each offense.
The sheriff indicated that the intergovernmental agreement would be helpful so everyone can work together.
When the public hearing was opened, a truck operator asked for clarification of the ordinance. He stated that he works for a business that does deliver product to agricultural places and doesn’t want to get fined every time he operates his truck on county roads. Commission President Kevin Overmyer said in this case the driver wouldn’t be fined as he is headed toward a specific destination and not just cutting through county roads because it’s a shortcut.
County Attorney Jim Clevenger said he will clarify the wording in the ordinance. The commissioners also decided to increase the fine to $300 per incident. Another reading of the ordinance will be considered during the commissioners’ next meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 22.
