The City Council approved an ordinance on Monday regarding the operation of golf carts and off-highway vehicles on the public highways within the City of West Orange.
The new Ordinance 459 will allow residents of West Orange to drive their golf carts and off-road vehicles on any street in the city that has a posted speed limit not exceeding 30 miles per hour. The golf carts will be prohibited from operating on sidewalks in West Orange. The vehicles will require a valid license plate issued by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
Alderman Brent Dearing served on a committee with Mayor Pro Temp Meritta Kennedy and West Orange Police Chief Mike Stelly to develop the ordinance. Dearing wanted to provide the ordinance to allow citizens to enjoy the pleasure of riding their golf carts to shop or pickup kids at school without having to do it in their automobiles.
Kennedy reminded the State of Texas already has laws governing these vehicles on city streets. “The reason why we’re making an ordinance, it is a state law already, but we are going above the state law. We can’t take away from the state law, but we can go above by adding the license plate and the liability.” Kennedy said.
Only one citizen in attendance made any comment and that was not in opposition of the ordinance, only questioning how it would be enforced. Chief Stelly was asked for his comments, but Stelly said he had none and his department would enforce anything passed by the council.
The proposed tax rate for next year in West Orange was approved by a unanimous record vote of the City Council. The current rate of $0.4700 will be reduced because increased property values in the area will generate more tax income than previously. The council approved $0.449 per $100 value as the proposed tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year.
Another ordinance was approved to replace an existing ordinance governing speed zones and no parking areas in the city. Ordinance 458 will replace Ordinance 44 completely.
Stop signs will be added after council approval at the intersections of Donnell and Tanglewood and at Burnett and Lansing. The stop signs are hoped to slow down motorists who are frequently speeding in those two areas where children often play.
A special tribute was paid at the start of the meeting with a proclamation honoring August 9, 2021 as “Deionte Thompson Day” in West Orange. Thompson an outstanding player for the West Orange-Stark Mustangs had his uniform number 6 retired by the high school. After starring in college at Alabama, Thompson now plays for the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL.
Vester Thompson, Deionte’s father, thanked the council for the proclamation.
“I consider it indeed an honor and a privilege, we thank God for this day this moment,” Thompson expressed. Afterwards a balloon release was done and videoed to send to Deionte who was practicing with the Cardinals at the time of the meeting.
Also recognized was the work of the “Trashy Ladies” Sandra Hoke and Sandra Cash who have promoted recycling and litter prevention throughout Orange County. The City Council proclaimed August as “Recycling Awareness Month” in the City of West Orange.
Hoke and Cash helped get a recycling company Recyclops to operate in the county to provide curbside pickup of recyclable items. Hoke spoke on the importance of recycling and as an example brought a bag full of solid waste all of which but two Styrofoam items could be recycled.
Hoke reminded, “We did not inherit the Earth from our grandparents, we’re borrowing it from our grandchildren.” Hoke and Cash are the leaders of Keep Orange County Beautiful which highly recommends citizens to recycle.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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