The City of Newton will now have the right to destroy any Basketball goals on city rights of way within 30 days after the Newton Board of Aldermen passed a new ordinance passed last week.
The aldermen approved the ordinance presented by city attorney Brian Mayo that stiffens penalties for anyone caught with a basketball goal on a city street.
Currently, the city can remove basketball goals from streets after a warning has been issued and hold them until they are picked up. However, the new ordinance give the city the teeth to remove and destroy a basketball goal and then fine the owner starting at $25 and topping out at $200 for the third and every other offense afterward. The offense would not be subject to arrest or jail time.
Some of the aldermen were concerned that there was no warning in the ordinance, but Mayo said the city could choose the way it wants to enforce the ordinance. The city would have the option just give a warning on the first offense or remove and destroy the goal.
Public works superintendent Fred Snow said the basketball goals reappear not long after the basketball goal is picked up.
“We take down the basketball goal and hold it for them to pick up,” Snow said. “About five minutes after that, the goal is right back out there on the street. A new ordinance would help us be able to do our job and keep the basketball goals off the street.”
Mayo said the mayor and aldermen could consider the ordinance during a meeting in June. If it was approved, the ordinance would go into effect 30 days from its passage.
Mayor Murray Weems said having the ability to destroy the goals was the only way that they could ensure that the basketball goals wouldn’t keep reappearing after the city impounded the goals.
