(Estherville)– There was more discussion at Monday’s Estherville City Council meeting over E-Bikes and scooters and a possible ordinance regulating them. The matter wasn’t on the agenda but it surfaced at the conclusion of the meeting when council member David Hovinga asked what the status was in reviewing ordinances already passed elsewhere. Police Chief Brent Shatto said they’re continuing to review those, adding it’s something he wants to thoroughly research and not rush into. He says whatever is passed needs to be something that is enforceable…
“Obviously we can restrict their speed to the posted speed limit, but, I think I talked about this last time, but trying to get one on radar and being able to actually enforce it’s going to be difficult. If we pass something, and that’s why we want to do some research and see kind of what else is happening is because we want to be able to enforce it. It doesn’t do any good to have more laws that we can’t enforce.”
Shatto says he feels it’s more of a parenting issue…
“It’s not a law enforcement issue, it’s not a government issue in my opinion. It’s a parenting issue that they need to take care of their kids and make sure that they are teaching them the rules of the road and what’s appropriate and what’s not, and that’s not happening in the cases where we have, there’s some but, where we have kids tearing around or riding fast or going through stop signs or riding down the business district sidewalk.”
Hovinga took a different stance…
“Some of the parent’s hands aren’t going to be forced until there’s a city ordinance for it. And so it becomes a city issue that helps enforce a parenting issue.”
Shatto said he remains committed to reviewing and researching possible ordinances prior to making a formal recommendation to the council.
