Bicycles in Parks, Toters Dominate Short City Council Meeting

About 40 students fulfilling their economics class requirements seemed to miss an unexpected lesson on government when a fitting subject dealing with bicycle riding in the park was addressed at last night’s city council meeting.

Out of the many different items approved, postponed and/or discussed in the 90-minute meeting, more than 30 minutes was spent on the one subject of adding a chapter to the City Code on bicycles—which then evolved to include electric motor scooters, roller blades, and skateboards.

Councilman Thom Bogue wanted to ensure that the city allowed motor scooters for people to use to get to work but with the existing ordinance, those people could receive citations. The is having the City Attorney reviewing City Code provisions to ensure that they are valid and enforceable in relation to the “new” Municipal Code by .

Only gray-haired people spoke in favor of keeping those items out of city parks saying that youths were “zipping across the grass,” that often they were startled because the riders were not courteous to make sounds that they were coming, and that they experienced “near misses” of being run over by bicyclists.

“It’s not the people just on the bikes that we have to consider. --But, also, the seniors, the family, or someone who is sitting and reading a book. They have the right to be protected against someone who just wants to zip across the lawn. Next comes the motorcycle…” Mayor Jack Batchelor said.

“That’s the problem with creating these kinds of laws. You just keep getting more. There’s no chance of judgment on the part of the individual,” responded Councilman Mike Ceremello.

Bogue re-emphasized, “We are entering an electric world,” and asked that electric scooters be eliminated from the wording but the motion locked at 2-2. The many students seemed focused on their cell phones, sketches, and peers.

In the discussion of contract renewal with , Councilman Ceremello asked for the RFP process to happen prior to renewal. The proper placement of Toters were also a source of minor contention between Brian Chapman, a wheelchair user and advocate for the disabled, who felt Recology nor the City of Dixon has done enough to educate people to turn their garbage toters to open from the side. He contended that turning the toters prevent the wind from catching them, and then blocking sidewalks.

“There is an easier way; just do it correctly. You don’t block the sidewalk,” Chapman said. “How do we get the city to act? Whether it is a fine process or using a code enforcement officer, we need to do whatever it takes to get this thing done.”

“The toters were designed to be opened from the side so when we dump them now, they are getting damaged,” said Recology Dixon Manager Scott Pardini. “We are replacing a lot more lids.”

Councilman Ceremello asked for a report on the cost of replacing lids that seems to be the unintended consequence of turning the toters to open from the side on trash pick up days. Chapman asked if the city could get a new type of toter but Pardini said they are made from molds and there are no other toters on the market that would be able to be utilized by the garbage trucks using automated arms to dump the receptacles.

“You can either pay higher rates and have it done the old way where they come into your backyard and pick up cans or we can cut a little slack here and let the people come home from work and go pick up their toters,” said Ceremello. “But in a heavy windstorm, it doesn’t make any difference which way you put it, they are all over the place.”

Not seeing much in solutions, Mayor Batchelor asked for the public to help out their neighbors if toters were strewn about in a windstorm.

“It is neighborly to help other neighbors if you are able to pick up wayward toters,” he said. The issue will return to City Council later.

Several items were recommended to be brought back to a full council; Councilman Dane Besneatte was out of town.