(Photo by Michelle Dillon) Washington County Commissioner James Booth, left, reviews a resolution before signing it while Commissioner Charlie Schilling, right, looks on during a commission meeting Thursday morning. Both commissioners voted to approve the resolution allowing all-terrain and utility vehicles including ATVs, mini bikes and trail bikes on country roads.

Washington commissioners voted to allow all-purpose and utility vehicles on county roads Thursday.

During a county commission meeting Thursday morning, commissioners James Booth and Charlie Schilling approved a resolution allowing all-terrain and utility vehicles on county roads. Commissioner Kevin Ritter was not at the meeting so he did not vote on the resolution.

The resolution defines a versatile vehicle that “any self-propelled vehicle designed primarily for off-road travel on land and water, or more than one type of terrain, and steered by wheels or tracks, or any combination thereof, including vehicles operating on an air cushion.”

These all-terrain vehicles are commonly known as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), all-season vehicles, minibikes and trail bikes, according to the resolution.

The resolution states that commercial vehicles do not include any vehicle used primarily for playing golf, nor does it include any commercial vehicle designed with a bed and primarily for transporting materials or cargo associated with construction, agriculture, forestry, grounds maintenance, lawn and garden, material handling or similar activities

The resolution requires that all-purpose and utility vehicles driven on county roads be properly registered, that the person driving them must have a valid, current driver’s license and that they must have proof of financial responsibility.

Commercial vehicles will only be allowed on roads with a speed limit of 35 mph or less and must be inspected by a law enforcement agency, according to the resolution.

Before the resolution was passed Thursday, it was not legal for anyone to drive a vehicle like a side-by-side or utility vehicle (UTV) on county roads, Booth said. Now they will be allowed, but only on county roads and the resolution will not govern other roads, such as township roads, according to Booth.

He decided to support the resolution, Booth said, because when he and Schilling ran in 2020 for County Commission, they heard from county residents that they wanted this.

Booth said he also decided to support the resolution because Washington Sheriff Larry Mincks initially did not support the vehicles being on country roads, but now he does.

The Sheriff’s Office did not support the resolution in the past because it dealt with problems with trespassing and people tearing up the roads, Booth said.

Booth emphasized that safety is important. The resolution does not require people to add safety features to their utility and utility vehicles, but Booth asked that they upgrade their vehicles with turn signals so other vehicles can see them.

He said people will be able to get the inspection required by the resolution at the Sheriff’s Office for $25 and will have to go to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to get the vehicles registered.

“This is a privilege, not a right” he said about why the vehicles have to be registered.

Schilling supported the resolution for the same reason Booth does, because county residents support it, according to Schilling.

“They have been very outspoken” he said. “It’s something that’s already happening. Now it gives us the ability to patrol and enforce if needed along the way. I think that’s a good thing overall.”

All-terrain vehicle registration information is available at bmv.ohio.gov.

Other issues discussed at the meeting are:

≤Approved payment of bills totaling $1,994,915.30.

≤Approved a resolution recognizing Roy D. Sees, a World War II veteran.

≤Approved an additional $80,000 appropriation for capital project fund expenditures for a change order and IT wiring for health department renovations in the former WASCO building.

≤Approved three additional appropriations of $10 for life insurance, $1,000 for office support and supplies, and $7,040 for other expenses for the Washington County Family and Children First Council fund.

≤Approved a transfer of $52,123.47 from advances in to go out for the Washington County Department of Jobs and Family Services which Director Flite Freimann said is to repay the commissioners for an advance the department received in September.

≤Approved a transfer of $120,000 from Operating Supplies – Road to Bridge Construction for the Washington County Engineer’s Office.

≤Approved two Then and Now items, which are purchase orders for more than $100, which totaled $24,345.47.

≤Approved payment of a $51,000 invoice to EMAR Corporation for work on the elevator at Jobs and Family Services.

≤Approved sending a letter of support to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman and Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens for House Bill 683, which would provide $10 million to the Ohio Soil and Conservation District to help Ohio farmers suffering from the ongoing drought.