By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

            Williston City Council members voted 5-0 Tuesday to slap down a veto by Mayor Charles Goodman questioning the legality of a city ordinance giving golf cart owners the option of obtaining a permit to use city parking lots.

            The city charter doesn’t give the mayor the power to vote as a council member on any city business, but the mayor can veto any city council action he doesn’t agree with. The council can override the veto with a four-fifths vote.

            The council went one step further, overturning his veto with a unanimous vote.

            In his May 2 email announcing the veto, Goodman said he felt it was his duty to issue the veto.

            “As I see it, this should not be done. Only golf carts must pay for parking, not cars or bikes. This is probably unconstitutional. If not, I see it as discrimination against a selected group,” he said.

            Goodman felt the parking permit was a way for the city to raise money to implement another ordinance that gives golf cart owners the right to drive on certain designated streets. He said the city needed to raise money another way.

            The city hasn’t given final approval to the list of streets being designated for golf cart use. When approval is given, the city will place signs on streets for golf carts. Only signed streets can be used by golf carts.

            City Council President Debra Jones took exception to Goodman’s claim that the golf cart parking permits were discriminatory. She said it was a voluntary program and golf cart owners weren’t being forced to do anything.

            “It allows them to park in a city parking lot that belongs to us. Other than that, they can park in any private parking lot without a permit,” she said.

            Goodman had met with City Attorney Kiersten Ballou about his concerns of discrimination and she disagreed with his conclusions. She said parking permits were legal.

            “It doesn’t violate any constitutional discrimination requirements,” Ballou said at Tuesday’s meeting.

            The purpose of the parking permit program is to encourage golf cart owners to apply for a permit so they can park in city-owned parking lots like a City Hall and get their golf carts inspected by city police.

Police Chief Mike Rolls said golf cart owners can call his department and his officers can do the inspection at their home. Rolls said he will treat golf cart owner calls as a “call for service.”

            The inspections are to make sure the cart is equipped to meet requirements for operating on city streets. It also will give police an opportunity to educate golf cart owners about driving safely.

            If the golf cart owners don’t want to pay for a parking permit, they aren’t required to obtain one, but they won’t be able to park in city-owned parking lots.

            The city owns the City Hall parking lot, city police parking lot, fire department parking lot, and parking areas at city parks and it will own the parking lot in Block 12, the city’s old business district. Golf cart owners will need a city permit to park in any city-owned parking lots.

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City of Williston Regular Meeting June 6, 2023; Posted June 10, 2023