MOULTRIE – The Moultrie City Council discussed golf cart usage and approved a bid for a large street resurfacing project during Tuesday evening’s meeting.

City Manager Pete Dillard told council members that the city has received multiple complaints and concerns regarding golf carts and off-road vehicles.

The City of Moultrie shared their current city ordinance on the vehicle usage on Facebook July 20 and received mixed feedback from city residents.

“A number of people got upset, but more people were happy than upset. The issue is primarily on state routes from Lower Meigs Road to South Main Street, the bike trail [at Tom White Linear Park] and sidewalks,” he said.

The current ordinance states that it is not legal to operate the vehicles on city streets, sidewalks or the bike trail. Operators are subject to a citation and could be fined up to $200 for the action.

The city researched methods to licensing golf-cart use in the past, but found complications with state laws.

“If we licensed golf-carts, they still would not be able to go on Lower Meigs or South Main, most of First Street, none of First Avenue, none of Central Avenue and not on the bypass. Regardless of what we do, they are not allowed on state routes,” Dillard explained.

The main concern with golf cart and off-road vehicle use on the bike trail is the safety of pedestrians.

“We don’t want people on the bike trail to be run over by motorized vehicles,” he said.

“If we did decide to make golf carts legal, the golf carts would have to follow state guidelines. They would [need to] have seat belts, headlights, tail lights and turn signals. They then would have to be inspected by the police department and have a sticker placed,” he said.

Drivers would have to be licensed, Dillard said, so people under 16 couldn’t legally drive them.

No vote or other action was taken after the discussion by the council members.

Other actions

The council approved a consideration to add Juneteenth as a paid holiday for city employees. Councilwoman Lisa Clarke Hill made the proposal for the holiday addition.

Council amended the city’s zoning ordinance to keep it in line with the state law.

Dillard mentioned a growth in homeless people around the area. He said the biggest complaint the city received followed an incident in which a resident started up their vehicle outside their downtown apartment and a homeless person crawled from under it. The homeless man had been using the parked vehicle for shelter.

“We’re taking the steps we can, and we’re being as aggressive as we can,” he said.

The council approved the following items in a consent agenda with a vote 6-0:

• A street resurfacing project. The bid was received from The Scruggs Company, Inc. of Valdosta, Ga., in the amount of $2,142,190.79 and will be funded through the Georgia Department of Transportation Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) and TSPLOST funds. The main area that will be repaved is from Ninth Avenue Northwest to South Main Street and MLK Drive.
• A resolution in agreeing to settle with Publix Super Market, Inc. concerning the Prescription Opioid Litigation, and a confidential agreement to dismiss and release claims in reference to the litigation.
• A warranty deed and a separate utility drainage and sewer easement to J & J Success, LLC. Stephen Godley, the Planning and Community Development Department director, said the deed and agreement will privatize Pearl Street from Marys Lane to Baell Trace court and puts all the responsibility on the homeowners association to take care of the streets, the curbs and the storm drainage.
• A contract consideration with Summer’s Concrete Contracting, Inc to rehabilitate Runway 14/32 & Shoulders Phase 1 at the Spence Field Airport.

No citizens came forward for the “Citizens to be Heard,” segment of the regular session.

The next city council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 15, at 6 p.m.