BUCYRUS—Interim Law Director Brian Gernert defended the Bucyrus City Police Department’s efforts to enforce traffic laws at Tuesday’s regular City Council meeting.
City Councilman Mark Makeever told the council he still sees golf carts without license plates, go-carts, and other motorized vehicles disobeying traffic laws.
Gernert noted that if a license plate is required on a golf cart or motorized form of transportation, that’s simply the law.
Gernert said he has been prosecuting cases where traffic laws are being broken more vigorously.
He said he is working with the Police Chief, and they discuss the issue regularly.
“It’s a work in progress. The first thing is to obey the law of the land. 75% of the tickets on Wednesday morning are driving unlicensed, expired tags or registrations,” Gernert said.
Councilman Brenton Potter asked Makeever how many accidents these vehicles have caused.
“I’m trying to avoid accidents,” Makeever responded.
Potter then quipped, “Gas prices are through the roof. Let ‘em live, man.”
In other Council business, Gernert announced that the lawsuit filed against the city by Kurt Fankhauser regarding the leasing of towers had been dismissed. He told council as of now, the city is not in any litigation.
Mayor Reser wants Fankhauser sued for the money lost by the city by not being able to lease the towers. Gernert said he had not contemplated that possibility. “Well please contemplate it,” Reser said.
Pam Dunn of Bucyrus addressed the council about the constant fireworks that begin at dusk and continue nightly in her neighborhood between May and the first week of July. She told council her dogs hate them, and she and her husband hate them. She is also concerned about Veterans being affected as well. She asked council to consider legislation to limit fireworks in the city to the first week of July.
Dunn also asked council to hire an animal control agent to work a few days a week to trap stray cats. According to Dunn, the cats are destroying her property, yard, and flowers.
Council referred her concerns to the Health and Safety Committee.