Despite opposition from those who would have to enforce the ordinances a majority of the Mexico City Council appears to be ready to allow golf carts and other recreational vehicles on city streets.

The council visited the issue back in 2020 when then Mexico Public Safety Department (MPSD) Chief Susan Rockett gave a presentation and the council decided against allowing recreational vehicles. However, the issue is being brought up again.

Current MPSD Chief Bryce Mesko made a presentation to the council at their regular meeting on Aug. 28, after he did an investigation that included contacting several cities larger and smaller than Mexico that already have ordinances along with other law enforcement agencies and highway safety advocates. What Mesko found was a lot more questions.

“What we’ve found is the statutes that allow these exceptions are not as clear as people seem to think,” Mesko said.

Mesko said since 2010 the city has had one person killed and another person badly injured while operating a lawn mower on city streets. Mesko said the size and dynamics of Mexico don’t lend to a safe environment with recreational vehicles on city streets.

“I know we’re not discussing lawnmowers but they are slow-moving vehicles not for roadway use similar to a golf cart,” Mesko said. “Adding recreational use of the roadway seems to be an unsafe decision.”

Mesko said once cities enact ordinances they all tend to have issues and they’re finding it hard to address those issues.

“Once they’ve opened the door they’re having a difficult time keeping it gated,” Mesko said.

Council Members Steve Haag and Larry Webber were the most vocal in support. Council Member Chris Miller has indicated support but was not present. Haag said in the town where he’s from, Brookfield, they allow golf carts and other cities nearby do as well.

City Prosecutor Melissa Buckman-Young was in attendance and talked about Martinsburg and Farber, two towns in Audrain County that have enacted ordinances. Buckman-Young is the city prosecutor in both towns and said she doesn’t believe either town regrets making recreational vehicles legal. However, she said there have been problems.

“In reality where we do have these ordinances what I have seen is we do see issues,” Buckman-Young said.

Buckman-Young, who lives in Mexico, gave an example to Haag where the ordinance could cause an issue if someone decided to drive their cart to a football game and then drove home without any headlights. 

“That could be dangerous,” Buckman-Young said. “I think Mexico is a little too big.”

Buckman-Young said it’s against state law to operate recreational vehicles on state highways. She said it would hard getting that message out to the general public.

“We know we’re not supposed to have these on state highways but the general public doesn’t know that,” Buckman-Young said. 

Webber said he owns a golf cart and drives it in his neighborhood and doesn’t think most people would travel that far from home.

“I’m not going to drive mine down Liberty Street,” Webber said. “I don’t think anyone with any sense would.”

Haag said not allowing recreational vehicles is just punishing those who do follow the law.

“There are unlicensed drivers driving cars out there right now,” Haag said. “There are uninsured cars out there right now. They’ll be a golf cart without a license, they’ll be a golf cart without an inspection. We think these problems happen because we pass this. They’re out there right now.”

Mayor Vicki Briggs said she wouldn’t support an ordinance. Haag compared the issue to when the city was dealing with chickens but Briggs had her comparison using the chicken issue.

“If I hit a chicken I kill the chicken,” Briggs said. “If I hit a golf cart on the road I might kill the person in the golf cart.”

Buckman-Young said if the council is going to pass an ordinance to consider limiting the vehicles to certain neighborhoods. Councilman Chris Williams said he would support an ordinance that would limit where the vehicles could go but warned the public. Williams said he lost a niece in an ATV accident.

“These deaths hit hard,” Williams said.