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More Questions, Fewer Answers About ATVs In Bethel

Dean Swope
/
KYUK

The Bethel City Council sought to pass an ordinance Tuesday night to clear up gray areas around the use of ATVs and snowmachines on city streets; it didn't. Council voted down one motion, and postponed the larger decision that might have taken Bethel out of vehicular limbo. 

At the end of the meeting, the law was even murkier than before. Council member Nikki Hoffman commented on the confusion:

“We gonna be telling people three different things, of what is allowable and what is not," Hoffman said about a proposed order aimed at restoring what it called "police discretion" to ATV enforcement. In a three to three vote, the motion did not pass with council members Alisha Welch, Nikki Hoffman, and Leif Albertson against. Hoffman’s statements seem to hold true for the entire situation.

Police have issued citations for ATV users violating a state statute, which the City of Bethel’s attorney doesn’t believe is proper jurisdiction. At a prior council meeting, Acting Police Chief Amy Davis announced that the force was toning down ATV enforcement because of public outcry. At Tuesday's meeting, Police Chief Andre Achee said that “It’s a misdemeanor offense for driving or operating a motor vehicle without a license."

The only moment of clarity in the meeting came when Chief Achee outlined the jurisdiction issue by spelling out where Bethel PD was policing ATVs on roadways:

“Right now on state maintained roads, until issues with city maintained roads are addressed," Achee said. This, however, did nothing to clarify what law was being enforced, and what the penalties were for breaking that law.

Council voted to postpone the discussion after it was unable to resolve a dispute over whether to require driver's licenses for off-highway vehicle users. The council moved to wait until the next meeting when the city attorney would be present.