Slater council approves vehicle ordinance

From left, Kelly Beats of Missouri Intergovernmental Risk Management Association, Slater Mayor Stephen Allegri and Assistant City Administrator Gene Griffith as Beats gives city officials a certificate recognizing the $4,400 award from MIRMA for a camera in the Slater police station. (Sydney Stonner/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

The ordinance allows for the operation of the following vehicles: muscle-powered devices, such as skate boards or bicycles; muscle-augmented devices, such as electric bicycles; and powered devices, such as motorized bicycles, all-terrain vehicles and golf carts.

All powered devices must be registered with the city, at a cost of $10, and be insured to be in compliance with the ordinance. Individuals operating the devices must be licensed drivers.

The ordinance passed unanimously after a provision was inserted stating that vehicles used only for one- or two-day events must have insurance but need not be registered, at the request of council member Ron Monnig.

The new ordinance is effective immediately, and Slater residents have until July 1, 2010, to register their vehicles.

In other business, Kelly Beats with Missouri Intergovernmental Risk Management Association presented Slater Mayor Stephen Allegri and Assistant City Administrator Gene Griffith with a certificate awarding the city about $4,400 to purchase a camera for the booking area at the police station.

"That'll be a big asset," Allegri said.

In his report, Allegri said the city's annual turkey giveaway and Christmas lighting ceremony was a success, with more than 50 turkeys given away.

Griffith spoke briefly about Winterfest, which is Saturday, Dec. 5. Santa Claus will be at the Slater Youth Center, arriving there on a fire truck, he said.

In other business, the council also approved a routine budget revision ordinance.

Before adjourning, the council heard from concerned Slater resident Connie Holt about the city's developing animal ordinance.

Holt said she is against the licensing of cats, and that she doesn't believe healthy stray animals should be euthanized.

Instead, she suggested, "Passionate people should form something like Saline Animal League in Marshall" and provide vouchers for Slater residents to get their animals spayed and neutered.

Allegri thanked Holt for her opinion, saying that the city ordinance is not being written out of hatred for animals but because other Slater citizens have been upset.

"They do complain or we wouldn't be discussing it," he said. "Hopefully, people will look at this and think, 'Maybe I need to be a little bit more responsible if I'm going to own an animal.'"

He also suggested that Holt form a group like she described to help fund the spaying and neutering of pets.

Other council members present at the meeting were Brett Heymeyer, Harry Lightfoot, Brownell Bryant, Cathie Jeffries and Terry Jordan.

The council will meet again Tuesday, Dec. 29, at 7 p.m.

Contact Sydney Stonner at marshallbusiness@socket.net