Question of the Week: Should the Oskaloosa City Council allow golf carts on the Recreation Trail?

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Last week, we asked you if you approved of the way President Obama was handling the situation in Iraq. 59 residents responded with 33 residents (56%) saying No, 20 residents (34%) saying Yes, and 6 residents (10%) saying Unsure.  The Question of the Week poll is unscientific and doesn’t reflect the view of Osky News.

This week, we focus on a local issue. The issue of whether or not to allow golf carts on the recreation trail has seemed to cause a stir. In mid 2009, the city council briefly considered the matter. The issue was only voted on once with that vote being 4-3 in favor of allowing golf carts. In the 2009 municipal elections, the three council members against allowing golf carts on the trail (Carter, Vanderbeek, and Wills) all lost their re-election bids. The issue was not brought up again until late March.

On March 21st, the Oskaloosa City Council held a work session to discuss the matter. After a bit of discussion, the general consensus of the council was to put the item on the city council agenda for consideration. At the April 4th meeting City Council meeting, the council will discuss the issue and vote on it. It is suspected that the vote will be a unanimous vote in favor of allowing golf carts. Supporters of allowing Golf Carts say that it helps out those who can’t walk on the trails. They say that allowing Golf Carts on the trails allow for older handicapped people to enjoy the Recreation Trail. Opponents of allowing Golf Carts cite safety c0ncerns. They say that it is too dangerous to allow a vehicle on the trail that could travel in speeds in excess of 20 mph.

Now it’s your turn to decide. Vote in our online poll. The poll will be open until next Sunday when we will close the poll and release the final voting numbers. If you have any questions, please e-mail us at info@oskynews.org or visit us on our Facebook page.