Henry County Supervisors hear from public over lack of action on proposed ATV/UTV ordinance

MT. PLEASANT - About 20 people who wanted to discuss the lack of an ATV/UTV ordinance attended the Henry County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday morning.

At last week's meeting, the board failed to pass an ordinance allowing ATVs/UTVs to be operated on county roads. Carrie Duncan, who lives in Baltimore Township, approached the board and said she was 'deeply disappointed” the board did not pass the ordinance last week.

Duncan said by not passing the ordinance, she felt the board was discouraging people from being active in the outdoors. She also suggested it could deter people from wanting to move into the county.

Allowing ATVs/UTVs on county roads would result in more tax revenue for the county, she said, because drivers would be required to purchase a special sticker and licensing. She said they are no less safe than bicycles which are allowed on public roadways. They do not require licensing or stickers and do not provide revenue to the county.

'You are catering to one group and not the other,” she said.

Duncan encouraged the supervisors to reconsider passing an ordinance and to keep in mind how one could shape the future of the county.

'When we look at our Henry County we see a vision of our citizens enjoying the beautiful outdoors. Times are changing and in order to grow our community, we must be willing to change with the times,” she said.

Leslie Lloyd, of Lowell, said he used to ride motorcycles but due to age, has now resorted to riding an ATV because he feels safer. He asked the county to reconsider as well, stating Wisconsin and South Dakota have passed similar ordinances. In order to ride, he has taken trips up there.

'All I'm asking for is for you gentlemen to realize that an ATV out on a gravel road on a Sunday afternoon hurts nobody,” he said, noting the surrounding counties have all passed ordinances allowing the use of ATVs/UTVs on county roads. Henry County Sheriff Rich McNamee confirmed more than half the counties in the state have passed a similar ordinance.

Adam Genkinger, of Mt. Pleasant, said he and his wife have a license to ride their ATVs in Washington County. He also encouraged the supervisors to reconsider the ordinance because it would allow him to spend time with his kids outdoors, he said. Because there is no ordinance, Genkinger said he has to drive 30 miles to a new county or into Missouri to be able to ride.

'We're going a long ways to spend some time with our kids,” he said.

Supervisor chair Greg Moeller said he abstained from the original vote because he had not been swayed either way to vote for or against the ordinance. The lack of support from the state legislature was a concern for him.

Supervisor Marc Lindeen said he voted against passing the ordinance after he attended a meeting during an Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) conference. Three of four panel members were against creating an ordinance in their specific counties, which helped seal his decision. Supervisor Gary See said he did not vote to approve the ordinance because the state has not made it legal either. The state has left the authority on whether to create an ordinance up to each individual county.

Tim Liechty, of Mt. Pleasant, spoke up against the allowance of an ordinance. His concern, he said, was with 16-year-olds who would be operating the ATVs/UTVs. He felt it was dangerous to allow them to operate.

Sheriff McNamee said the proposed ordinance would require drivers under the age of 18 to take a written test. He said children are allowed to drive tractors anywhere in the state of Iowa and they do not go much faster than ATVs/UTVs.

Policing the proposed ordinance, he said, would be simple. As long as every vehicle had a sticker he saw no major issue.

'It makes it simple for enforcement. I would just ask you to reconsider. At the last meeting, you had me, the county sheriff, the county recorder who will issue the stickers and the Iowa DNR. We're all in support of it. We all think it's a good idea for the support of the county,” he said.