A new ordinance adopted last Tuesday by the Newton Board of Aldermen would allow residents to drive golf carts and other slow-moving vehicles on city streets.
In a regularly scheduled board meeting Tuesday night, aldermen voted unanimously to approve the slow-moving vehicle ordinance to help residents without cars have access to transportation.
City attorney Brian Mayo said the new ordinance would make it legal to drive slow-speed vehicles on city roads with speed limits of 20 mph or less within the city limits upon meeting the other requirements of the ordinance.
“It’s mostly for electric and gasoline powered vehicles that are not capable of exceeding 20 mph,” he said.
The ordinance, Mayor Murray Weems said, also outlines the safety features and permit requirements residents will need to have before hitting the roads.
“What it would be, it’d legalize golf carts on the streets of Newton as long as they have a horn, blinkers, lights, seat belts and insurance in compliance just like a regular vehicle,” he said.
“They would come to City Hall here and buy a permit. It’s good for one year, September through September.”
In the 2019 Legislative Session, Mayo added, the Mississippi Legislature approved SB2274, authored by Sen. Terry C. Burton, which gave the City of Newton authority to charge for the slow-moving vehicle permit.
Under the legislation, he said, the city can charge up to $50 for a permit, with the money going into to general fund.
The ordinance is mostly intended for golf carts, Mayo said, and would not include 4-wheelers, gators and side-by-sides, which are capable of speeds over the 20-mph limit.
The slow-moving vehicle regulations will go into effect in September.
In other business the board:
• Adopted a smoke-free city resolution, which will allow the city to apply for the Healthy Town grant through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi after 30 days.
• Approved hiring a summer worker in partnership with Southern Mississippi Planning and Development. SMPD will pay the worker’s salary.
• approved a $750 bid by Robinson Electric to install LED lighting in the fire department’s engine bay.
