Headlines
New Bicycle Ordinance on Board of Alderman Agenda on February 2
The City of Oxford Board of Aldermen will have their first meeting of the month on Feb. 2, at 5 p.m.
A host of items are on the agenda for the aldermen to discuss, including a helmet ordinance.
According to the ordinance, children from one to 16, citizens who rent or ride loaned bicycles and bicycle race participants would be required to wear a helmet while on city roads.
“Any person violating this ordinance shall have committed a civil infraction, and shall be liable for monetary penalties as set forth in this section,” the ordinance stated.
The civil infraction violation could be waived, reduced or suspended as long as a guardian of a child one through 16 proved to have a safe helmet at the time of the court appearance. A separate violation would occur for no helmet on a rented or loaned and race participant.
“The first violation of the ordinance shall result in a written warning,” the ordinance said. “The second violation shall result in a citation with a fine not to exceed $25, plus court costs. Any subsequent violation shall result in a citation with a fine not to exceed $100, plus court costs.”
The Oxford Police Department will be responsible for the enforcement of the proposed ordinance.
“Information about the need for helmets, safe helmet use, traffic safety education and helmet safety programs are available at the City of Oxford police department and the Oxford Parks & Recreation Department,” according to the ordinance.
If passed, the effective date will be 30 days after the ordinance’s passing. The Board of Aldermen will have the first discussion on the ordinance at tomorrow’s meeting.
Other items on the agenda include increasing the number of members on the Mayor’s Commission on Disability Issues. Adam Brown, committee member of the commission, said the commission wanted to add more representation for disabled citizens in Oxford.
Currently, there can be five to seven members, and the commission wants to increase to seven to nine members.
Other items of concern include the discussion of K-9 officer pay, the third reading of the sign ordinance, adopt the resolution authorizing the transfer of the Burns-Belfry Museum and Multi-Cultural Center from the Oxford-Lafayette County Heritage Foundation to the City of Oxford, and Third Reading and possible vote on the Mobile Food Vending Ordinance.
A special Board of Alderman meeting will be held on Feb. 2, at 11 a.m. to discuss the following items:
- Annexation
- Roads Update
- Proposed new Municipal/OPD building
- Garbage Trucks
- Columbarium Update
- Planning Department
- Mayor & Board Compensation
- Mosquito control
- Discuss City Hall chiller replacement
Emily Newton is a staff writer for hottytoddy.com and the editor of Experience Oxford magazine. She can be reached at emily.newton@hottytoddy.com.
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Jonothan
February 2, 2016 at 9:21 am
The city needs to remind bicyclists that they have to obey the same traffic laws as automobiles then worry about the other items. I am growing tired of driving down a street , passing through a green light and having a bicyclist blowing through a red light and getting mad at me because I almost hit them. They also need to realize that weaving in and out of traffic is dangerous. They think that they own the road. They need to be sure and share the road and watch for automobiles like we have to watch for them.