Published: November 17, 2008 10:39 pm      

Rossville board OKs golf cart ordinance

ROSSVILLE — Village board members approved a golf cart ordinance Monday night that will allow village residents to operate battery or gasoline–powered golf carts on village streets from April 1 to Oct. 31.

The golf carts must be equipped with a headlight and taillight and can only be operated from dawn to dusk.

Other requirements under the ordinance are the golf carts can only be operated by persons age 18 and older with a valid driver’s license and proof of liability insurance for personal injury and property damage with limits of liability not less than the minimum required by the state for passenger vehicles.

The golf carts may only be operated on village streets where the speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less. The golf carts may not be operated on Chicago Street (Illinois Route 1) except at designated crossings, which will be located at the intersection of Stewart Street/Stufflebeam Drive and Chicago Street and at the intersection of Attica Street and Chicago Street.

The ordinance will go into effect April 1.

In other board action, trustees:

--Approved a new five-year contract with ERH Enterprises of Westville to operate the village sewer treatment plant. The contract will pay ERH $72,000 per year, which is the same as the current five-year contract that is nearing expiration. Under the terms of the contract, ERH will pay the electricity bill for the sewer treatment plant and lift station, as well as provide personnel to operate and maintain the treatment plant and perform all Environmental Protection Agency required testing and furnish testing supplies and maintenance supplies at the treatment plant.

--Learned that ConAgra is expected to have a treatment system in place in the next 30–45 days to remove oils from the wastewater it discharges into the village sewer system. The village has been working with ConAgra for four years to reach a solution to the problem of oils being discharged into the sewer system.

--Approved a Red Flag Identity Theft Ordinance as required by state law. The ordinance requires the village to notify authorities if anyone tries to obtain village utilities using a fake Social Security number or address. The ordinance also states that the village has to ask the same questions of all applicants for village utilities so as to guard against possible discrimination.

--Approved changes to the redevelopment agreement. The changes state that the village will become a subordinate to a bank or other lender when someone purchases a village-owned property.

--Approved masonry work to partially close up an opening in the village-owned building at 116 Attica St.

--Discussed the clean up and debris removal of recently stabilized buildings.

--Approved the Rossville Community Organization Christmas parade request. The parade will be at 6 p.m. Dec. 6 and will start at Stewart Street going up Chicago Street (Illinois Route 1) and ending at the former high school building. Also approved a detour route for traffic on Illinois Route 1. The detour route will be Henderson Street to Harrison Street to Attica Street to Church Street to McKibben Street for north and southbound traffic.

--Approved a contribution of $300 to the RCO for Christmas decorations.

--Discussed dilapidated buildings in town. The discussion centered on the former ice cream parlor building. The floor inside is rotting away and the village has been unable to locate the owner of the building. No real estate taxes have been paid since 2006. No action was taken.

--Discussed occupied homes with no utilities connected but took no action.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Rossville Village Board will meet at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 in the Rossville Municipal Building.