The Hillsboro Board of Alderpersons on April 6 was asked to allow golf carts to be driven on city streets and to address a resident’s concerns about speeding in his neighborhood.
The current utility vehicle ordinance states the vehicles are allowed on streets within the city for government and agricultural uses or with a permit from the city clerk.
But, the utility vehicle ordinance does not allow low-speed vehicles, such as golf carts, to be driven on city streets.
Codey Carlton, a Hillsboro resident from the Eagle Ridge subdivision, asked the board on April 6 to expand the ordinance to include golf carts.
“I was the original one in the city to have a permit for a low-speed vehicle golf cart, and at some point during the issuance of that permit, I guess it was revoked,” he said. “I would like to see it revisited because we’re one of the only cities that are gung-ho on keeping them out, and I don’t understand why.”
Ward 2 Alderperson Chris DeGeare asked why golf carts aren’t allowed under the ordinance.
“If it meets all the state regulation requirements, why would we not allow it?” he said.
Special counsel Bianca Eden said golf carts and other low-speed vehicles are not meant to be driven everywhere.
“You can’t do it on a numbered highway, so they’re not supposed to be on (Hwy.) 21 anyway,” she said. “One of the reasons it’s problematic for Hillsboro is because you can’t drive in Hillsboro anywhere without needing to get on 21.”
Carlton also raised concerns about speeding and traffic issues in his subdivision.
“With the school (starting) later (on Wednesdays), we’re getting a lot of cut-through traffic through the neighborhood that is normally not there because people are taking their children to school,” he said. “The problem that we have with that is there are kids going to school during that time, and they (motorists) are absolutely flying through the neighborhood.”
Carlton said Micah Lane is an area of particular concern because of drivers exceeding the speed limit.
“We get a lot of cars coming down there I’d say at an average of 25, 30 miles an hour,” he said. “I guarantee you there’s a couple of 40-mile-per-hour cars.”
The speed limit in the subdivision is 20 miles per hour.
Carlton suggested adding a stop sign at the intersection of Micah Lane and Jeremiah Boulevard.
In other business, the board reviewed a March 20 audit from Jeffrey Eftink, a Marble Hill-based certified public accountant (CPA) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.
Eftink said the city’s most significant source of revenue is from sales tax, which generated $1,637,761 for the 2025 fiscal year.
Hillsboro currently levies a one-cent general sales tax, a three-eighths cent capital improvement sales tax, a half-cent law enforcement sales tax and a three-cent general sales tax on all retail sales of adult use marijuana.
Total assets for the city for the 2025 fiscal year were $32,973,989. Total liabilities were $8,924,492.
“The city is incurring significant growth through expansion and annexation in residential and commercial establishments,” Eftink said. “The city is in the process of upgrading utilities and infrastructure to accommodate the expansion.”
Included in the upgrades are a new water tower, and water and sewer main extensions estimated at $7 million; $4.2 million of the project’s costs are funded through waterworks and sewage system revenue bonds and $2.7 million in various grants from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The city has awarded contracts for construction, which is expected to be completed this year.
Street and sidewalk improvements along Business 21 and Leon Hall Parkway are estimated to cost $2.7 million. Construction is expected to begin in 2027.