The “golf cart” ordinance that was before the Bellefontaine City Council died on the vine at the council’s regular meeting Tuesday, Aug. 25.

Officially named Ordinance 26-31, the measure would have defined what under-speed, underpowered vehicles are – golf carts, side-by-sides, mini-trucks and the like – while regulating their use on city streets. 

The issue was tabled on its second reading at the July 28 meeting, and when it was read as required at Tuesday’s meeting, there were no motions from the council to reopen the ordinance, effectively killing it over the objections of several citizens who spoke out in favor of the measure.

A second ordinance that would have instituted noise regulations in the city suffered the same fate, when on the advice of Law Director Josh Stolly, the measure did not receive a motion to bring it before a vote, also killing it on the spot. 

Finally, a third ordinance was up for a first reading to establish a contract for the city to supply a School Resource Officer to Mac-O-Cheek Learning Center. However, Stolly requested that this measure be similarly spiked, as that the language needed to be updated before being properly presented for a vote.

So three times at Tuesday’s meeting, a measure was read by the clerk before being killed, as no motions were made to advance these pieces of legislation.

This does not prevent similar ordinances on under-speed, underpowered vehicles or noise regulations from being introduced before council in the future.

In a similar vein, Council Member Nick Davis said after the meeting that a measure defining E-bikes and E-scooters and their use in the city is in committee now and legislation on the matter may soon be presented to council as a whole.

One ordinance that did pass Tuesday was the detachment of six parcels of land from the City of Bellefontaine to the Logan County Commission.

All six parcels are adjacent to the Logan County Fairgrounds, and include the approximately two-acre tract for the Main Street entrance to the fairgrounds, as well as a thin strip of land along Harding Street. The other parcels lie on the north side of the fairgrounds bordered by properties on Washington Avenue.

The six detached tracts are now no longer within the city limits and are under the commission’s control.

Logan County Commissioner Mike Yoder was in attendance at the meeting and offered to answer any questions the council may have about the detachment, of which there were none.

The measure passed with a 6-0 vote, as Council Member Jenna James was absent from the meeting.

Yoder said after the meeting that the county’s only plans for the land is to maintain the property as it now sits and allow primitive camping on it one week each year, that being the week of the Logan County Fair, characterizing the detachment measure as a common sense administrative move for both parties.

The council also passed a resolution that will extend public sewer and water lines and services to a 7.5-acre parcel east of the city on State Route 540. No immediate action is expected in extending the lines to the parcel, which is expected to eventually be home to a house of worship.

In his report to the council, Service-Safety Director Wes Dodds was effusive in his praise for street, sewer and water workers who carried the city through the dangerous flooding that overtook Bellefontaine last week, noting that on Wednesday, Aug. 19, the city received 4 to 5 inches of rain over a three-hour period.

A number of citizens used their time to address council about the flooding. They gave praise straight back to Dodds, noting that the service-safety director was on the scene early and often at the various problem spots, made himself available at all hours, remained engaged with and out in the community, answered tough questions and phone calls promptly, and acted to what was a bad situation all around with efficiency and courtesy. 

While many places in the city suffered serious damage during the flooding, the south end of Michigan Street was hit especially hard.

Dodds said a water-retaining wall on the east side of the street that was had been in place since 2019 crumbled under the downpour, flooding a number of homes along both sides of Michigan Street.

Temporary auxiliary pumps were obtained, Dodds continued, and immediately put to work while a temporary water barrier was put in place of the wall.

Information is still being gathered as why the retaining wall failed, he said, and noted that the city is in receipt of bids from six engineering firms, one of which will be retained to investigate recent flooding problems and offer long-term solutions.

In addition to those many citizens who reported ongoing flooding problems, especially following last week’s storms, former Fourth Ward Council Member McKenzie Fitzpatrick, who was one of the hardest hit homeowners on Michigan Street, expressed her gratitude to Dodds for his prompt and focused attention.

Fitzpatrick also used her time to apologize for her “yes” vote that helped pass the controversial ordinance for the annexation of the 143-acre Detrick property, which is located on the southwest corner of the city at west Lake Avenue and south Troy Road (County Road 11 and Township Road 216).

Noting the recent flooding problems in the area, she said, her yes vote on the Detrick annexation “was not a decision that I feel good about.”

The Bellefontaine City Council is scheduled to meet again in regular session at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8.